to the eastward, as the Ships off Malta are not yet in possession of them, not having received as yet a sufficient number for the whole Squadron. You will therefore be guarded in the distribution, and only give them to such Ships as absolutely stand in need. They are to be considered as in force from the 1st of September, although they have only come to my hands a few days ago. I am, &c.,

NELSON.

TO REAR-ADMIRAL DUCKWORTH.

[Letter-Book.]

My dear Admiral,

Port Mahon, 14th October, 1799.

I send you down the Bellerophon, who, Darby says, and I believe truly is, in exceeding good order, and fit to stand fair winter's service. The Thalia also goes with him. I wish I could say anything in her praise, inside or out. You will receive an order for holding a Court-Martial on the Lieutenant of Marines. Perhaps you may be able to make something of Captain Nisbet; he has by his conduct almost broke my heart. The Ship I believe wants some little matter doing to her. If so, I wish Inglefield' would bring her out of the Mole as soon as possible, and if, after all our pains, no good can be got out of either Ship or Captain, send the Thalia to England with some of the Convoys, or send her anywhere out to try. I wished to have placed him with my friend Cockburn, but, alas, he will not let me do for him what my heart wishes. I am sorry I cannot put Captain Buchanan into the Princess Charlotte, as Hardy is named by me for her; but it is of the less consequence to Captain Buchanan, as the Port Mahon will be launched on the 31st. I shall, I assure you, be happy in always paying attention to your wishes; and as I hear you have a young man who you wish to place with Captain

་

Captain John Nicholson Inglefield, Commissioner at Gibraltar. Vide vol. i.

p. 312.

Captain Hardy had acted as Lord Nelson's Captain in the Foudroyant during the absence of Captain Sir Edward Berry, who was detained in England for some months by severe illness. He came from Gibraltar in the Bulldog, and rejoined the Foudroyant on the 13th of October.

Buchanan as Lieutenant, send him to Mahon as soon as you can, to assist in fitting her out. The Powerful I cannot think of sending home, when so many others are on this station in such a bad state-viz., Alexander, Lion, and Audacious, Culloden, &c., &c., &c. I send you orders for the Ships on the Coast of Portugal to put themselves under your command, and you will be so good as to have an eye that way, and get a particular return of all Vessels taken from the 1st of August. Lord Keith arrived in Torbay the 17th. Whether we are to be considered as the only two Flag-officers in the Mediterranean, custom will point out; and freights of money, by Lord St. Vincent's acting, belong to the Commander-inChief. Whether that is so or no, we shall never differ about. My only wish is, to do as I would be done by.

Respecting the Squadron seen off Cape Ortegal, I am still of opinion they were there, although certainly they did not remain. Yet I do not blame Captain Faulknor for using a degree of caution, especially, as it appears by Captain Blackwood's' orders, that the Admiralty are exceedingly on their

Captain Jonathan Faulknor, of the Terrible 74. He died a Flag Officer between 1809 and 1814.

Captain the Honourable Henry Blackwood, of the Penelope, fifth son of Sir John Blackwood, Bart, by Dorcas Baroness Dufferin. This distinguished Officer, whose zeal and ability were eminently conspicuous in watching the combined Fleets before the Battle of Trafalgar, and who possessed a large share of his Chief's esteem and regard, as will appear from his letters to him in a subsequent Volume, was introduced to Lord Nelson by the following letter from Commissioner Isaac Coffin:

"Portsmouth, 24th August, 1799.

"My dear Lord, "Whenever I recommend to your notice and protection a friend, you may always conclude I have the best opinion of him. Receive, therefore, into the list of your firm supporters, Penelope and her gallant Captain; and credit me, when I assure you, that neither one or the other will ever omit to act up to the expectation you may form of them.' Blackwood will tell how I am to be disposed of. Present my best love to your heroes, particularly Troubridge and Hallowell, being ever, my dear Lord, your obliged friend,

"ISAAC COFFIN.

"If an opportunity offers, let me [hear] at Halifax how my young friend Colquite goes on."-Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.

Captain Blackwood obtained his Flag in June 1814, was created a Baronet the same year, and was made a Knight Commander of the Bath in 1819. He was also a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Guelphs, and died, a Vice-Admiral of the White, in December 1832.

guard. I was on my way to join you at Gibraltar, having directed Culloden and Minotaur to join me here, and I was between this Island and Majorca, when I fell in with the Bulldog, which removed the necessity of my going further down. I am very anxious about a report that the Ships from Toulon have been seen on their passage to Malta. Although Niza has under his orders seven Sail of the Line, a Frigate, and three Sloops, they are, I fear, so carelessly thrown about, that some of these Vessels will get into La Valetta, which will give us much trouble. I will take care and give you the best Frigates, and everything in my power to make your situation easy; and for the employment of them from Cape Finisterre to Gibraltar and upwards, if necessary I leave to your excellent judgment. I want, if Malta is not effectually relieved, to get troops from home to assist in reducing it; for my friend Ball now acknowledges he was too sanguine in his expectations. Niza and Company are ordered to Lisbon-therefore I shall be truly distressed for Ships for the various services wanted. Having lately received a letter from the Russian Admiral, saying he had orders for the giving up of the Leander to us, I shall send the Chichester with all the appointment of Officers, to bring her to this Port. Sir James St. Clair has begged me not to send away the Dover, as troops will either move to Malta, if General Fox approves the measure, or, what I am more afraid of, that two regiments will be ordered to England.

Captain Buchanan has just told me that you wish to put two young men into the Port Mahon, and that Lord St. Vincent had intended you should name all the Officers for her. Believe me, I would not on any consideration do less than was intended by the Earl-therefore I beg you will send up all Officers you like, and I will leave Acting orders for them with Captain Buchanan. I am, &c.,

NELSON.

TO JOHN M'ARTHUR, ESQ.

[Fac-simile in Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 2.]

My dear Sir,

October 15th, 1799, Port Mahon.

I send you a Sketch of my Life,' which I am sensible wants your pruning-knife, before it is fit to meet the public eye, therefore, I trust you and your friend will do that, and turn it into much better language. I have been, and am, very unwell, therefore you must excuse my short letter. I did not even know that such a Book' as yours was printed, therefore I beg you will send me the two volumes, and consider me as a sincere friend to the undertaking. That every success may attend you, is the sincere wish of your obliged friend,

NELSON.

Sir,

TO EVAN NEPEAN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.

[Autograph, in the Admiralty.]

Port Mahon, October 15th, 1799.

In consequence of information received by the Phaëton (by the arrival of the Speedy Brig at Gibraltar, the night of the 24th) that a Squadron of large Ships supposed to be French and Spaniards to the number of thirteen, had been seen on the 8th and 9th of September, laying-to, off Cape Ortegal, I detached a Vessel to direct the Culloden and Minotaur to proceed directly and join me off Mahon. The day I sailed from Palermo I fell in with the Salamine Brig, bringing me a letter from Captain Darby at Mahon, that a Vessel had arrived there on the 1st, which two days before had fallen in with a Fleet of twenty vessels of various description, and amongst which were two Sail of the Line and several Frigates, steering to the S.E. If this is true they can only be the two Venetian Ships from Toulon with a convoy for Malta, but as the Marquis de Niza has under his command seven Sail of the Line, one Frigate and three Sloops, I have a fair right to

• Vide vol. i. p. 1.

Apparently the "Naval Chronicle" which first appeared in 1799, and was continued until 1818.

hope that the greater part of them will be taken. I have sent the Salamine to know the event and anxiously expect her arrival.

I arrived off here the 12th, and leaving orders for Commodore Troubridge with some other ships to follow me, I proceeded on my route for Gibraltar; between this place and Majorca I fell in with the Bulldog, ten days from RearAdmiral Duckworth at Gibraltar, who giving little or no credit to the report of the Ships seen off Cape Ortegal, and Sir Edward Berry from Lisbon assuring me that the information was entirely disbelieved there, I returned to this Port: where, if Malta is not effectually relieved, I wish to arrange a plan with General Sir James St. Clair for forcing its surrender, as that Island will, if allowed to remain in the hands of the Enemy this winter, call for more Ships to attend to it than I may have the power of placing there. It will necessarily cramp other services required of us, for not only our Levant trade will be exposed, but the trade of His Majesty's Allies will be ruined if we are forced to draw our Squadron from that service. However, their Lordships may depend I will do my best as circumstances may arise, but it is of the very greatest importance to us and our Allies, that a land-force should be assisting our labours for its reduction.

The Chichester Store Ship, Captain Stevens, sails in a few days with the Officers of the Leander, for Corfu, I having now got the Russian Admiral's order for her delivery; and I have no doubt but Captain Stevens,' who appears an excellent seaman, will very soon get her to this Port. From what the General tells me, this Island is in such a state of security as to bid defiance to any force Spain can send against it: and if General Fox was not hourly expected, Sir James would go with me to the attack of Malta with 1500 good troops, which with the Garrison of Messina about 1000, as many Russian Marines, and as many as we could spare from our Ships' would in all probability ensure its reduction.

I am sending the Bellerophon to Gibraltar, as she has been well refitted here, and is fit to stand a fair winter service off

• Captain, or, more properly, Commander John Stevens. He and his son, several Officers, and fifty-eight of the crew of the Chichester, died of a malignant fever on her passage from Jamaica to Halifax, in October 1802.