October 29th, 2 P.M.-Your letter of October 3rd is this moment received. The more I hear of you, the more I am impressed with your extraordinary attention to the business of your office. Never have I seen anything to equal it, and I shall feel an honour to be called upon to bear my testimony of your worth. Captain Compton will receive the acknowledgment of my services, as the inhabitants of Zante, and you, are pleased to call their handsome present; but I consider the honour done me by Zante as equal, and, I believe I may say, superior, to what has been done by any Country for any Officer. The Emperor of Russia only comes near it. I beg you will always say everything for me to those good people. If possible I will one day pay them a visit, with every wish for their prosperity. TO THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF ELGIN, CONSTANTINOPLE. [Letter-Book.] My Lord, Palermo, October 29th, 1799. You will recollect I went from Palermo towards Gibraltar, thinking it possible the Enemy's squadron, (who we now know to have been all Spanish, and that they went into Ferrol the 14th September), might have come into the Mediterranean. Off Majorca I met the Bulldog, with letters from RearAdmiral Duckworth, telling me of the happy arrival of the outward-bound Convoy, and that he was just, on the 3rd October, passing the Straits' mouth, with the homeward-bound one. My business downwards being settled, I returned to Minorca, and arranged with General Sir James St. Clair a plan of attack for Malta, which should have a fair prospect of forcing its speedy reduction. This plan is subject to the approval of General Fox, who is daily expected, and to any particular orders he may bring. But the getting the French out of the Island of Malta is now a great object, and particularly interesting to our Levant trade, as well as the trade of His Sicilian Majesty, who does not return to Naples, to my regret, this some time. Prince Caparo, a Secretary of State, is appointed Lieutenant General of the Kingdom, in the room 5 of the Cardinal, who is going to Venice, to try, I have no doubt, and be made Pope; and, as fame says, he has laid in a good stock of wealth, and the other Cardinals nothing to give but promises, I think he stands a fair chance. Those at Venice are already squabbling, and protests are made by some of them against holding the Conclave at Venice. May I venture to tell you news from the Armies? Lord William writes me that Suwarrow would attack the French on St. Gothard as soon after the 19th September as possible, and reports are got here that they have been attacked and defeated-twenty-six pieces of cannon taken. I will not say more. The conduct of Admiral Ouschakoff is so very high, that it has given disgust. On every occasion where things do not go to his mind, he says, 'I will go away to Corfu,' holding this language as a kind of threat. Not to trouble your Lordship with uninteresting events, I can only assure you, that in common occurrences I shall write by Vienna; but that in any event of consequence I shall send directly to Mr. Spiridion Foresti, who I can recommend to your Lordship as a most zealous and good Consul. Sir Sidney Smith having wrote me word that the services of the Theseus 74, were still wanted in Egypt, I have sent up stores, &c. for the Ships. The Squadron is Le Tigre, 80, Theseus, 74, and Cameleon Brig; and you may assure the Porte, that if the service in Egypt required it, from England, I would add a Frigate, but when I consider the whole Turkish Marine as having no employment out of the Levant, it cannot be necessary. With every sentiment of respect, believe me, your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant, BRONTE NELSON. TO ADMIRAL CADIR BEY. My dear Friend, [Letter-Book.] Palermo, October 29th, 1799. Sir William, Lady Hamilton, and myself, all love you like our brother; and I sincerely hope that the Sublime Porte, so Cardinal Ruffo. far from laying any blame on you, will applaud and reward your great zeal for the service of the Common Cause against the French villains. I shall be proud at all times to bear my testimony of your great worth as an Officer, and of your real goodness of heart as a man, and believe me, Sir, ever your affectionate friend, BRONTE NELSON, TO HIS EXCELLENCY J. SPENCER SMITH, ESQ. [From a Fac-simile in Orme's "Graphic Memoirs of Lord Nelson," and LetterBook.] My dear Sir, Palermo, October 30th, 1799. The arrival of Lord Elgin will necessarily draw my official communication to his Lordship, but be assured that I shall ever entertain the warmest regard for all your kind and flattering, and interesting letters; and, from my heart, I most sincerely thank you. Being now the Commanding Officer of the Mediterranean Fleet, your brother has already experienced, and will continue so to do, every mark of my affectionate regard, both as an Officer and a friend. Lord St. Vincent did not give Sidney the disposal of poor Wilmot's" vacancy, the first act of my command, without having had an opportunity of making one Captain. I gave your brother the disposal of poor dear Miller's vacancy, and have promoted all his young men, as he desired, besides authorizing him to declare that all vacancies in his Squadron should be given to those serving with him. You know me not, if you ever believed me capable of wishing to hurt Sidney's feelings for a moment. I feel too much myself on such occasions, and I cannot want to crop any man's laurels: the world has been over-bountiful to me. I rejoice with you that our dear friend Cooke' is likely to recover. No one knows his worth to his Country more than myself. Whenever an opportunity may offer, I shall have much pleasure in making your personal acquaintance, and in assuring you how much I feel myself your obliged, BRONTE NELSON. • Captain Wilmot, of the Alliance. This gallant officer, one of "the best and bravest," was killed by a rifleman, as he was mounting a howitzer on the breach at Acre, on the 8th of April, 1799. Vide Sir Sidney Smith's dispatch, of the 2nd of May, 1799, in the "London Gazette." 'Captain Miller, of the Theseus. Vide vol. ii. p. 465. 8 Vide vol. i. p. 409. TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. [Letter-Book.] Palermo, October 31st, 1799. Sire, As Grand Master of the Order of Malta, I presume to detail to your Majesty what has been done to prevent the French from re-possessing themselves of the Island, blockading them closely in La Valetta, and what means are now pursuing to force them to surrender. On the 2nd of September 1798, the inhabitants of Malta rose against the French robbers, who, having taken all the money in the Island, levied contributions; and Vaubois, as a last act of villany, said, as baptism was of no use, he had sent for all the Church plate. On the 9th, I received a letter from the Deputies of the Island, praying assistance to drive the French from La Valetta. I immediately directed the Marquis de Niza, with four Sail of the Line, to support the Islanders. At this time, the crippled Ships from Egypt were passing near it, and 2000 stand of arms, complete, with all the musket-ball cartridges, were landed from them, and 200 barrels of powder. On the 24th of October, I relieved the Marquis from the station, and took the Island of Gozo-a measure absolutely necessary, in order to form the complete blockade of La Valetta, the garrison of which, at this time, was composed of 7000 French, including the seamen, and some few Maltese; the Inhabitants in the Town, about 30,000; the Maltese in arms, volunteers, never exceeded 3000. I entrusted the blockade to Captain Alexander John Ball, of the Alexander, 74, an Officer not only of the greatest merit, but of the most conciliating manners. From that period to this time, it has fell to my lot to arrange for the feeding of 60,000 people, the population of Malta and Gozo, the arming the peasantry, and, the most difficult task, that of keeping up harmony between the Deputies of the Island. Hunger, fatigue, and corruption appeared several times in the Island, and amongst the Deputies. The situation of Italy, in particular this Kingdom, oftentimes reduced me to the greatest difficulties where to find food. Their Sicilian Majesties, at different times, have given more, I believe, than £40,000 in money and corn. The blockade has, in the expense of keeping the Ships destined alone for this service, [cost] full £180,000 sterling. It has pleased God hitherto to bless our endeavours to prevent supplies getting to the French except one Frigate and two small Vessels, with a small portion of salt provisions. Your Majesty will have the goodness to observe, that, until it was known that you were elected Grand Master, and that the Order was to be restored in Malta, I never allowed an idea to go abroad that Great Britain had any wish to keep it. I therefore directed his Sicilian Majesty's flag to be hoisted, as, I am told, had the Order not been restored, that he is the legitimate Sovereign of the Island. Never less than 500 men have been landed from the Squadron, which, although with the volunteers, not sufficient to commence a siege, have yet kept posts and battery not more than 400 yards from the works. The quarrels of the Nobles, and misconduct of the Chiefs, rendered it absolutely necessary that some proper person should be placed at the head of the Island. His Sicilian Majesty, therefore, by the united request of the whole Island, named Captain Ball for their Chief Director, and he will hold it till your Majesty, as Grand Master, appoints a person to the Office. Now the French are nearly expelled from Italy by the valour and skill of your Generals and Army, all my thoughts are turned towards the placing the Grand Master and the Order of Malta in security in La Valetta, for which purpose, I have just been at Minorca, and arranged with the English General a force of 2500 British troops, cannon, bombs, &c., &c., for the siege. I have wrote to your Majesty's Admiral, and his Sicilian Majesty joins cordially in the good work of endeavouring to drive the French from Malta. The laborious task of keeping the Maltese quiet in Malta, through difficulties which your Majesty will perfectly understand, has been principally brought about-[imperfect.] |