Toulon for the relief of Malta, you will act to the best of your judgment to frustrate their design, either by informing the Commanding Officer off Malta of their approach, or in any other manner, that they may be intercepted. But not falling in with anything to oblige you to quit your station, you will, at the expiration of fourteen days, return to this place, sending in a boat to the Commanding Officer for further orders. NELSON. TO CAPTAIN THOMAS BERTIE, H.M. SHIP ARDENT [From the "Naval Chronicle," vol. xxvi. p. 12.] My dear Bertie, Port Mahon, October 17th, 1799. I feel very much gratified by your kind and affectionate letter of August 1st, and most heartily rejoice on all your unexampled success in Holland; and I most fervently hope, that, by all our joint exertions, peace will very soon come amongst us. To say the truth, I am most heartily tired of the war; for our Allies have, in so many instances, played us foul, that they are not to be trusted. Austria, I fear, in particular. I am glad Mitchell is amongst you. Pray remember me kindly to him, and Lord Duncan, and to all my friends about you. I expect Troubridge here every moment. He is as excellent as ever. Berry joined a few days ago, and desires his kind remembrances; and believe me, dear Bertie, with the greatest affection, your old and attached friend, NELSON. Sir, TO H. R. H. THE DUKE OF CLARENCE. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 225.] Port Mahon, 17th October, 1799. Although I have really but a moment, yet I am sure I cannot better bestow it than in assuring your Royal Highness Afterwards Admiral Sir Thomas Bertie, Knight Commander of the Order of the Sword, of Sweden. He then commanded the Ardent, 64, one of Vice-Admiral Mitchell's Squadron off the Texel. At the moment this letter reached Captain Bertie, Lord Duncan and Admiral Mitchell happened to be dining with him. He died in June 1825. In Vol. ii. p. 458, and in Vol. iii. p. 1, Sir Thomas Bertie is erroneously called " Albemarle." of my respectful attachment; and I shall retrace our late occurrences as fast as my pen and head will allow me. Having on the 1st of October received the terms on which the French were to evacuate the City of Rome and Cività Vecchia, on the 2nd, the Phaëton arrived, bringing me an account, that, on the 8th and 9th of September, thirteen large Ships, supposed to be of the Line, had been seen off Cape Ortegal. On this information, in case they should be bound into the Mediterranean, I directed the Culloden and Minotaur, with some small Vessels that were off Cività Vecchia, to proceed immediately, and join me off Mahon harbour; the Foudroyant arriving the same day, I sailed from Palermo on the morning of the 5th. I had hardly got clear of the Gulf, when I met the Salamine with information from Mahon, that on the 28th of September, a Vessel from Tunis to Minorca had fallen in with two strange Sail of the Line, Frigates, and other Vessels, to the amount of twenty, steering towards Malta. As I have seven Sail of the Line, one Frigate, and three Sloops on the service there, I had to send the Brig to ascertain the event. This news, which I still hope is false, did not tend to make me easy, as in truth I required, being very unwell: however, the more difficulty, the more exertion is called for. On the 12th, I got off Mahon, and, having given all necessary directions for the Ships on that Station, I made sail for Gibraltar. In the evening, between this Island and Majorca, I fell in with the Bull-dog, having on board Sir Edward Berry, who brought me letters from Rear-Admiral Duckworth, discrediting the account of the Enemy's ships being off the Coast of Portugal; with this knowledge I instantly returned to Mahon, where so much has required doing, that, except to pay my visit to the General, and to the Naval Yard, I have not been out of the Ship. General Fox being hourly expected, it has not been in my power to arrange a plan of operations for the immediate reduction of Malta, should it not be effectually relieved by these Ships; which is an object of very great importance to us and his Majesty's Allies: but as neither the Brig nor any Vessel is arrived, I am in total darkness; nor are the Ships from Cività Vecchia come in. However, I sail to-morrow for Palermo, to see what is going on, and prepare all the force I can for Malta. I beg that your Royal Highness will believe me, with the truest attachment, your faithful servant, NELSON. TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE TRANSPORT BOARD. [Original, in the Record Office, in the Tower.] Gentlemen, Port Mahon, 17th October, 1799. a fit I earnestly beg to recommend to your notice, as person for your interesting yourselves with the Admiralty for promotion, Lieutenant Philip Lamb,' your Resident Agent at this port. Mr. Lamb has been employed under my eye for more than a year, and I say that a more able, sober, and zealous Officer, does not exist in any service. His situation with me has been on many and trying occasions. Believe me, Gentlemen, with great respect, &c., NELSON. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE MARQUIS DE NIZA. [Letter-Book. Lord Nelson sailed from Mahon in the Foudroyant on the 18th, and arrived at Palermo on the 22nd of October.] My dear Marquis, Palermo, October 24th, 1799. I earnestly desire that your Excellency will not think of quitting Malta till I have a proper force to relieve you. We shall soon have an Army against it, and I am yet in hopes that you will be there, with the Ships of Her Most Faithful Majesty, when it surrenders. You was the first at the blockade, and I hope will be at its surrender. Your Excellency's conduct has gained you the love and esteem of Governor Ball, all the British officers and men, and the whole Maltese people; and give me leave to add the name of Nelson as one of your warmest admirers, as an Officer and a friend. I write to Ball on the subject of land operations; he will show • Notwithstanding this strong testimony to his merits, Mr. Lamb was not promoted until April 1802, and he died, a Commander, in 1837. you the letter, for I cannot write two letters on the same subject. Sir William and Lady Hamilton desire their warmest regards; and believe me ever your obliged and affectionate friend, NELSON. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD MINTO. [Letter-Book.] My dear Lord, Palermo, October 24th, 1799. On my return here two days past from the westward, last from Mahon, (where I had been on information of an Enemy's Squadron having been seen on the Coast of Portugal, now gone into Ferrol, and allowed our outward-bound Convoy to pass unmolested; ten days after they returned to Port.) I received your kind and friendly letter of August 31st, which gave equal pleasure to Sir William, Lady Hamilton, and myself. We are the real Tria juncta in uno. Yesterday, your whole letter was read to the Queen. I am charged to say everything which is grateful and thankful, on Her Majesty's behalf. But I know I need not say much, as she intends, I believe, to write you herself. We all have the most affectionate regard for your public and private character, and I should do injustice to my friends, was I to attempt to say my regard exceeded theirs. My conduct, as yours, is to go straight and upright. Such is, thank God, the present plan of Great Britain !-at least, as far as I know; for if I thought otherwise, I am afraid I should not be so faithful a servant to my Country as I know I am at present. As I shall send you my letters to Mr. Nepean and Lord Spencer, they will speak for themselves; therefore, I will only say, believe I am the same Nelson as you knew Captain of the Agamemnon; and more than ever your attached and faithful friend, NELSON. 1 TO CAPTAIN SIR WILLIAM SIDNEY SMITH, H.M. SHIP TIGRE. [Letter Book.] My dear Sir, Palermo, October 24th, 1799. When I arrived here yesterday from Mahon, (having been down the Mediterranean to look out for a French and Spanish Squadron which had been on the Coast of Portugal, but returned to Ferrol,) I received all your letters by the Turkish corvette, which is arrived at Messina. The details you have given me, although unsuccessful at Aboukir, will, by all military men, ever reflect upon you and your brave companions the highest honour; and I beg you will tell all those whose conduct you have so highly approved, that their merits (even of the lowest) will be duly appreciated by us, and for which reason I have given all the promotion, and shall continue to do it, if they deserve it, amongst them. All the arrangements for your young men are filled up as you desired, and, my dear Sir, you shall ever find, that although I am jealous of having a particle of my honour abridged, yet that no Commanding officer will be so ready to do everything you can wish. We have but little here of stores; but I have stripped the Foudroyant of everything. At Mahon there is nothing; but your demands, with a bare proportion for the Theseus, go to-morrow for Gibraltar; and although I am pretty sure you will not receive half what your Ships want, I shall urge Inglefield to send you everything he can. You will have heard, probably, that Lord St. Vincent still retains the Mediterranean command, and that I am, by order, acting till his return-therefore, I have not the power of giving Commissions, or anything more than Acting orders. As to getting Neapolitan Gun-boats to you, there are many reasons against it. In the first, they have none for such a voyage: this is enough; but, was not this sufficient, it would be a thing impossible. I believe we are as bad a set to deal with, for real service, as your Turks. Mr. Harding has sent me word he does not choose to return to Egypt, for which he is a fool. Your brother will, of course, tell you all our good news from Holland and Germany, and I hope the King of Prussia has joined the Coalition. May peace, with a Monarchy in France, |