TO EVAN NEPEAN, ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty. The Perseus Bomb sailed on the 1st of November, and (the Foudroyaut being still absent) Lord Nelson's flag was transferred to the Samuel and Jane transport.] Sir, Perseus Bomb, Palermo, 1st November, 1799. I herewith enclose you, for the information of their Lordships, a copy of Sir Sidney Smith's letter to me of the 22nd August, detailing the defeat of the first division of the Ottoman Army at Aboukir, under Mustapha Pacha Seraskier, with a copy of the probable causes of that defeat, as sent to me. I also, from Sir Sidney's representation of his want of Gunboats to act against the Enemy, have given him an order to purchase four into the Service, which have been employed for some time on the Coast and at Acre (a copy of which is also enclosed) which I hope their Lordships will approve. I have the honour to be, &c., NELSON. TO CAPTAIN HENRY COMPTON, H. M. BOMB-VESSEL PERSEUS. [Order-Book.] Perseus Bomb, Palermo, 1st November, 1799. You are hereby required and directed to proceed in the Bomb-vessel under your command, through the Faro of Messina, to the Island of Corfu, and as his Sicilian Majesty has requested a passage to Catania for a Signor Graffer, his wife, and family, you will receive them on board, and victual them at whole allowance during their stay; and having landed them at Catania, you will proceed on your route to Corfu, delivering the letter you will receive herewith to Spiridion Foresti, Esq., his Majesty's Consul there, and having waited a reasonable time for his answers, you will return and join me at this place. But should Mr. Foresti request you to call at Zante on your return, to settle any matters at that Island, you will comply with his wish. NELSON. TO SIR ISAAC HEARD, GARTER KING OF ARMS. [Autograph, in the possession of James Pulman, Esq., Richmond Herald.] My dear Sir, Palermo, November 1st, 1799. I am not certain that I answered your kind congratulatory letter on my elevation to the Peerage-if not, I beg your pardon, and probably deferred it at the moment, in expectation of receiving the plan of the Arms you sent to Lord Grenville, but which has never reached me. I should be much obliged to you for them, but now I suppose the Ducal Arms of Bronté must have a place. If His Majesty approves of my taking the Title of Bronté, I must have your opinion how I am to sign my name. At present I describe myself 'Lord Nelson, Duke of Bronté in Sicily.' As the Pelises given to me and Sir Sidney Smith are novel, I must beg you will turn in your mind how I am to wear it when I first go to the King; and, as the Aigrette is directed to be worn, where am I to put it? In my hat, having only one arm, is impossible, as I must have my hand at liberty; therefore, I think, on my outward garment. I shall have much pleasure in putting myself into your management, for, believe me, dear Sir, your most obliged servant, BRONTE NELSON. I have just received the Imperial Order of the Crescent from the Grand Signior," a diamond Star; in the centre, the Crescent and a small Star. 9 The following Letters from Mr. Spencer Smith, the British Minister at Constantinople, dated on the 8th and 9th of September, 1799, show the history of the institution of the Order of the Crescent, which was afterwards conferred on many British and other European Officers: "Your Lordship will find the Vizir's dispatch accompanied by a translation carefully done under my eye; also, by an answer to a letter from Vice Admiral Lord Keith upon a part of the same subject; and last, though not least, by a rich diamond ornament, which, as a mark of unprecedented distinction, and attention to our usages, has been adapted to the form and purposes of a Badge of Knighthood; and as such I comprehend your Lordship is expected to employ it. I have suggested that it may be entitled the Order of the Crescent." "Constantinople, 9th September, 1799. "Cramped as I am for the time necessary even to obey the Sultan's command by means of the annexed dispatches, I cannot let this communication pass without addressing my very cordial congratulations upon the occasion. "It is, indeed, matter of flattering recollection to me, after having it fall to my lot VOL. IV. TO EARL SPENCER, K.G. [Letter-Book.] My dear Lord, Palermo, November 1st, 1799. My letter to Mr. Nepean will tell you of my arrival here, and also that the Marquis de Niza intended to leave Malta. In my public letter, for King, except a few pounds,' read Queen. She has a noble generous disposition. Unfortunately the [King and] her Majesty do not at this moment draw exactly the same way; therefore, His Majesty will not go at this moment to Naples, where his presence is much wanted; but sends Prince Caparo, a Secretary of State, as Lieutenant of the Kingdom. But in a few weeks I yet hope the King will go. I need not tell you, my dear Lord, the Queen's sentiments about you. Not a day passes but she expresses her feelings-not that the King is unmindful of your attention to him, but from the other it flows warm from the heart. In every way and in everything, believe me, I will do my best. You have placed an unbounded confidence in me, and you shall not have reason to repent it. The first act of my command was to name Sidney Smith's First Lieutenant to the death-vacancy of Captain Miller. I have placed two of his young men in Gun-boats, and have authorized him to declare that all services performed by his Squadron should be rewarded by Officers in it. I own I am jealous of being trampled upon, but my disposition, as a Public man, is to reward merit, find it where I may. In this I only follow your example, and in all points I should be proud to do it, for, believe me, my dear Lord, your attached and faithful NELSON. to be the first to convey to a Countryman that decoration (the Chelengk, or Plume of Triumph) which Ottoman grandeur had hitherto exclusively reserved for conquerors of their own race, that I should be charged to present the same Hero with a Civic crown-for such may be considered the Emperor's gift, which accompanies this. I hope you will long live to display, with honest pride, these genuine Badges of Merit, and that after the one and the other have successively passed through my hands, I may again see them united upon the person of the first Knight of the Crescent."-Copies in the Nelson Papers. TO VICE-ADMIRAL OUSCHAKOFF. [Letter-Book.] My dear Admiral, Palermo, November 1st, 1799. My pride and pleasure will ever be to act with you as a brother-to be open and sincere to you, as we should be close to every one else. This is my duty, this is my inclination; and if any person should attempt to disturb the harmony which ought to subsist between Officers of such faithful Allies as our Sovereigns, he should be exposed. But, thank God, that can never happen to us, who have such a good man as Italinsky between us. Everything which my brave friend Troubridge has done, has been by my orders. You have only to know him; and love, honour, and respect, will follow, united with admiration for the qualities of his head and heart. Nothing which he has done in the Papal State, but what had the approbation of His Sicilian Majesty, perfectly, I believe, known to the Cardinal, and, as I thought, fully explained by me at Sir William Hamilton's, to my friend Italinsky; so much so, that I think I told him that I did not expect you would find Commodore Troubridge at Naples, but that he would be gone to join the Ships off Cività Vecchia-an object of the greatest importance, and on which I conceived the future happiness of Italy depended. Secrecy was everything, and Troubridge, under those orders, would not have been justified in revealing a tittle of them, especially as your Excellency had just left me. Success was beyond my most sanguine expectation. Had two hours been lost, Rome would have been in other hands than those of His Sicilian Majesty. It was an object so dear to me, that I begged Italinsky to urge it to you, as soon after your arrival at Naples as possible; for I did not expect such a happy event, on which I most cordially, and from my heart, rejoice with your Excellency. Let us go together to Malta. Let us unite all our means to place the Grand Master in La Valetta. Russia, England, and Naples, are pledged to do it; let it be our business to redeem that pledge; and ever believe me, with all the openness of heart, your Excellency's most faithful Brother-in-Arms, BRONTE NELSON. TO CHEVALIER ITALINSKY. [Letter-Book.] My dear Sir, Palermo, November 1st, 1799. From what I have heard, there must have been some mistake relative to the orders of the excellent Commodore Troubridge. I thought, and so did Sir William, that I had fully explained the orders of the Commodore-approved on the 1st of August by His Sicilian Majesty, and perfectly, as I believed, understood by the Cardinal. The troops under Bouchard, marching into the then (but now, thank God, Papal State!) Roman State, was a part of the plan. How fortunate that they did not wait! What a happy combination of circumstances! By less than two hours, and the Roman State would have been in the hands of another Power; and Russia, England, and Naples, would have had nothing to do with it. Nothing but God's Providence ordained it, on which I rejoice with you, with all my soul. I look upon Troubridge's activity as a happy event for Italy. May God continue to prosper us! Assure Admiral Ouschakoff, from your knowledge of me, that I have only in view to finish the war, and to see every Prince in possession of his Government; and the time is now arrived that every nerve must be strained for the speedy restoration of the Grand Master of Malta in La Valetta. Nothing shall be wanting on my part. I long to see you, and have much to say, but I have not one hour given me to write my letters to Naples. Sir William and Lady Hamilton join me in kindest respects and good wishes, and I beg you will believe me ever your attached and obliged friend, BRONTE NELSON. I have mislaid the copy of my last letter; pray send me a copy of it. Sir, TO THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM WYNDHAM. [Letter Book.] Palermo, November 1st, 1799. We have nothing new here from any quarter. Troops are preparing for the siege of Malta, which, by vigorous exertions, |