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men who are too often unfit for them. I shall see, most probably, your worthy Father before you; but, at all events, be assured, dear Sir, that I shall be happy in being useful to you, on his account, and your own merit, and that I am your much obliged and humble servant,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO LIEUTENANT THE HONOURABLE HENRY DUNCAN,* H.M. SHIP ROYAL SOVEREIGN.

[Autograph, in the possession of Alexander Haldane, Esq.]

My dear Sir,

Victory, October 4th, 1804.

not to

There is no man who more sincerely laments the heavy loss you have sustained than myself: but the name of Duncan will never be forgot by Britain, and, in particular, by its Navy, in which service, the remembrance of your worthy father will, I am sure, grow up in you. I am sorry have a good Sloop to give you; but still an opening offers, which I think will insure your confirmation as a Commander. It is occasioned by the very ill state of health of Captain Corbet of the Bittern, who has requested a few weeks leave to reside on shore at the Hospital. You will be confirmed before he resumes his command. You had better get your things on board the Seahorse this afternoon, as she will go to Malta in the morning. I am ever, my dear Sir, with every kind wish, most faithfully yours,

NELSON AND Bronte.

TO MAJOR-GENERAL VILLETTES, MALTA.

[Autograph, in the possession of Josiah French, Esq.]

My dear General,

Victory, October 4th, 1804.

Many thanks for your kind letter and good wishes, but home I ought to go, if they will let me.

I think that appear

Second son of Admiral Viscount Duncan, afterwards Captain the Hon. Sir Henry Duncan, C.B., K.C.H.: he died in November 1835.

• This Letter was accompanied by a newspaper, which announced the sudden death of Admiral Viscount Duncan, on his way to Scotland, on the 4th of August,

ances are such, that you may be soon called upon for the Troops to garrison Messina. I only write from what I hear is passing, for when Russia goes to war, I consider it very probable that Naples will be taken by the French. My orders are repeated to take care of Sicily; but I know that you are always ready. I have nothing later than Hydra will bring you; but believe me ever, my dear General, yours most faithfully,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO CAPTAIN CRACRAFT, H.M. SHIP ANSON.

[From a Copy in the Nelson Papers.]

Victory, at Sea, 4th October, 1804.

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Sir,

I have received your letter of the 30th August last, acquainting me with the return of his Majesty's Ship Anson, under your command, from Constantinople with the Convoy, and that the Sublime Porte had not made any charge for the repairs of the said Ship, except fees, which you had drawn for on the Navy Board, amounting to £41 sterling. I am very happy that the Anson has again resumed her station, and hope that the Sloops under your command will soon be in a state to join you. The active and unwarrantable conduct of the Enemy's Privateers in the Adriatic, will require the most watchful and alert conduct on the part of our Cruizers in that sea; but your indefatigable zeal for his Majesty's service leads me to hope that those Pirates will be kept in pretty good check, and destroyed the moment they attempt to proceed without the protection of Neutrality.

I shall, as soon as a reinforcement of Small Vessels arrive, send you more force, as it may be necessary to order the Arrow to England with the next Convoy. Your letter of the 30th August, respecting the Bittern's five men being forgiven by Captain Corbet, and also that of the 31st, inclosing a list of sails, have been received. I am, &c.,

• Vide p. 62, ante.

NELSON AND Bronte.

TO MAJOR-GENERAL VILLETTES.

[Autograph, in the possession of J. Bullock, Esq.]

My dear General,

Victory, October 5th, 1804.

Captain Leake, a gentleman most fully in the confidence of Government, is going to Albania, Morea, &c. &c., to look about him, and give opinions; and as I find he is not personally known to you, I beg leave to present him to your kind attention. He is most strongly recommended to me by Government. I am ever, dear General, most faithfully yours, NELSON AND Bronte.

TO COMMISSIONER OTWAY, GIBRALTAR.

[Letter-Book.]

Victory, at Sea, 6th October, 1804.

Sir,

of

I have received your several letters of dates and purports undermentioned. [Here follow the dates and purport of the several letters.] In answer to your above-mentioned letters, I am very much obliged by the Spanish Naval Occurrences at Cadiz,' as well as by the list of arrivals and sailings to and from Gibraltar, and the account of the Stores unloading from the William Storeship at that place. I very very much approve the inquiry you have made into Mr. Pownall's omission in not checking the Boatswain of the Halcyon, on mustering that Sloop, and trust his attention in future to that part of his duty will render such a measure unnecessary. I am, however, sorry to observe that the Ships in the vicinity of Gibraltar are prevented from delivering in their Muster-Books from want of muster-paper, and beg you will be good enough to write the Navy Board again on that subject. The Woollen slops, which you very properly directed the Storekeeper to [send to] the Fleet, will be very acceptable indeed. I am, &c.

NELSON AND Bronte.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY HUGH ELLIOT, ESQ.

My dear Sir,

[Autograph, in the Elliot Papers.]

Victory, October 7th, 1804.

An English Ship of War shall always remain at Naples, as long as his Sicilian Majesty may think it necessary. You will know that it is necessary for me, now and then, to ask the question."

Your Excellency's summary account of the situation of Naples since the negotiations with Russia, and of your very interesting communication with the King in person, are perfectly clear; and [even] if I did not know Naples, and the men who move the wheels of Government, so well as I do, would make the situation of the affairs of that Kingdom perfectly clear to any person. I was in hopes Circello would before this time have been in the place of Chevalier Micheroux. Our Government, nor any English Minister or Officer, dare place confidence in him. I hope he is loyal and true to his King, but much more is required for a Foreign Court to trust its plans of operations and ultimate views to. Implicit confidence must be placed, and, with the Chevalier Micheroux, so far from confidence, the greatest distrust must prevail. This, I assert, is my opinion, of which your Excellency will make a proper

use.

The new Ministry seem to have honoured me with unbounded confidence, and I understand that your letters relative to all the affairs of Naples, both as to its safety and pecuniary assistance, are to the same tenour as mine. (I have wrote to General Villettes to keep the two thousand men ready to embark for Messina.) The regret of General Acton's leaving

In reply to this question in Lord Nelson's letter to Mr. Elliot on the 28th of August, (vide p. 176, ante,) that Minister informed him on the 8th of September, that the King of Naples had desired him, "to acquaint your Lordship, officially, that in no period since the commencement of hostilities, has the presence of a British Ship of War been more necessary for the protection of this Capital, and the security of his Family, than at the present critical conjuncture. His Sicilian Majesty therefore trusts that your Lordship will not find it incompatible with the other objects of your important command, to leave a British Ship of force in this road, until some favourable change shall have taken place in the unfortunate situation of this Kingdom."-Original, in the Elliot Papers.

the helm at such an important moment is most strongly expressed. We none of us can have equal confidence in any other man. Circello, I believe, is sincerely attached to Acton and the King. Our great and good Queen sometimes, I fear, allows herself to be guided by people not possessed of one half of her excellent head and heart. But the times are such that Kingdoms must not be played with; for it is not difficult to see that if Austria joins with France, so will the Turks, and then Russia will have her hands full; and so far from Russia assisting Naples, it may involve her, without the greatest care and circumspection, in total ruin. Naples must not be hastily involved in a war with France. Sicily must be saved. The Calabrians must be kept from the entrance of French Troops. If we are consulted, we must assist Naples in keeping off the blow as long as possible, and of giving up as little as possible every time she may be pushed too hard, and that a crisis arrives.

It is certainly most important that the King's person should not fall into the power of the French; but the exact time when he should retreat to Sicily should be well weighed. If he goes too soon, it may be said that he leaves his Subjects in distress: if he stays too long, he may be forced to sign things that may lose him his Kingdom. There are times when a King should put himself at the head of his Troops, and defend his Kingdom. Naples has not the means of resisting the enormous power of France unassisted. How far it might be right to leave the Queen and Prince Royal, I really feel, without much more information than I could obtain-without talking to your Excellency and Sir John Acton confidentially-unable to give an opinion; and I ought to beg your pardon for having ventured to say so much as I have done; but independent of my duty to protect their Sicilian Majesties, I feel naturally, having before seen them in the depth of adversity, that my heart feels for their situation. What I can do, shall be done; and perhaps my being in England, and conversing with the Ministers, if I am to be in their confidence, will be of more real use to the Kingdom of Naples, than my being here the winter, completely done up, and in the spring be obliged to retire for ever. I sincerely hope that your Excellency's

8 Sic.

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