TO CAPTAIN ROBERT CORBET, H.M. SLOOP BITTERN. [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 7th June, 1804. Sir, Captain Schomberg of his Majesty's Ship Madras has transmitted to me your letter of the third ultimo, giving an account of your having captured the Hirondelle French Privateer, and re-captured the two English Merchantmen named in the margin,' her prizes; I therefore beg to assure you, that your conduct and perseverance in the capture of the said Privateer, and her Prizes, merit my entire approbation, and I must request that you will be pleased to receive, and to express my thanks to the Officers and Company of the Bittern, for their great exertions' on the occasion. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART, MALTA. [Autograph, in the possession of Sir William Keith Ball, Bart.] My dear Ball, Victory, June 7th, 1804. I have been so unwell for this last fortnight, although not sick, that I cannot do more than run over hastily an answer to your letter, and write a line to General Villettes, for I am likewise anxious to get the Thisbe to Malta, as I hope the Agincourt is by this time arrived to take the Convoy to England. I should not think them safe if they have proceeded in any numbers with the Maidstone, who Captain Bayntun ordered to Malta with our Convoy, and to bring down another; but the passages are very different at this season when the Westerly winds so constantly prevail. The going on in the routine of a station, if interrupted, is like stopping a watch-the whole machine gets wrong. If the Maidstone takes the Convoy, and when Agincourt arrives, there is none for her or Thisbe, • Captain Corbet's letter is in the "London Gazette," of August 1804. Mentor, Catherine. 1 The Crew of the Bittern "were at the Sweeps for thirty-six hours without intermission, even to meals, in which time they swept the Ship 60 miles, without an air of wind."-Captain Corbet's Letter. it puzzles me to know what orders to give them. If they chace the Convoy to Gibraltar, the Maidstone may have gone on with them to England, and in that case, two Ships, unless I begin to give a new arrangement, will either go home without Convoy, or they must return in contradiction to the Admiralty's orders to send them home; I am sure you see it in its true point of view. I am thankful you did not allow that General to come to me-I would not have seen him; I answered his letter to Smyrna, and wrote Mr. Werry that everything he had to propose he might send to England, or to some of Her Ministers, for that I neither could or would have anything to do with him or his plans. Mr. Elliot wanted to send me a good Frenchman, that I might land and take on board occasionally. My answer was, No! I knew the force at Toulon, and that nothing would be of any use to me but a copy of the French Admiral's sailing orders." The dispatches taken in the Swift, Captain Keats will tell you, related only to Algiers, and thank God, there was none of any consequence! The loss of the King George Packet' I am sincerely concerned at, and I would give you at least two more Sloops if I had them, but in the event of having dispatches to send to either you, Naples, or Gibraltar, I have only the two brigs Cameleon and Childers. I send you some intercepted papers from Egypt; I cannot make out the ciphers; they were hid in a Ragusa Vessel from Alexandria; except what may be in cipher they do not appear of much consequence; when read, pray take a copy of them, and enclose the originals to Lord Hobart, and let me know the cipher if you can make it out. I send you our last Paris papers; in addition to their contents, the French Fleet in Toulon fired a feu-de-joie, dressed Ship, &c. on the 3rd, for his taking upon himself the title of Emperor. At Marseilles they talk of Peace, and you will see the probability of a change of Administration. I have nothing from Madrid later than May 2nd, all was then quiet, and I do not believe that the reports of Mr. Frere being on the eve, in April, of leaving Madrid, had any foundation beyond the fancy of the Neapo 2 Vide vol. v. p. 238. The King George, Malta Government Brig, was captured on the 27th of April, 1804, by L'Hirondelle French Privateer, of Cape Passaro. litan Minister at Madrid. The Victory in June, 1803, captured a French Tartan; and, to avoid being put into quarantine, he sunk her, and, as the Captain conceived, French property to the amount of several thousand pounds; it was so truly disinterested a measure that it met my most sincere approbation. My head is so bad that I must finish. I have wrote to Mr. Elliot and General Acton my surprise that they should believe any declaration made by General St. Cyr, especially a verbal one, passing through the mouth of Micheroux, who is, in my opinion, always in the French service. Acton now finds I am right: he is probably out of the Ministry by this time. Gallo wants to be in his place. I am ever, my dear Ball, &c., NELSON and Bronte. TO MAJOR-GENERAL VILLETTES, MALTA. [Autograph, in the possession of Samuel Simpson, Esq.] Victory, June 7th, 1804. My dear General, I sincerely hope that the Convoy brought up by the Maidstone has relieved your anxiety about letters. By the papers I have sent Ball, you will not be surprised at a change of Ministry; it's reported to be a coalition between the Prince of Wales and Mr. Pitt. The names seem to mark it as such to the exclusion of the Grenvilles: Pitt, Chief; Fox, Lord Moira, and Grey, Secretaries of State; Lord Melville, Admiralty; Erskine, Attorney-General; the other places filled up alternately. I rather think this change, with Buonaparte being Emperor, may bring about a Peace. The change, however, from a Republic, must be advantageous to England; and, if the two Emperors like Brother Napoleon, we cannot object. I agree with you about the fatal security which the Cabinet of Naples so readily falls into; General St. Cyr only meant to deceive them, for within a few days the French Minister held the most insulting language. General Acton is probably out before this time. I am truly sensible of all I am truly sensible of all your kindness, 4 Lord Nelson's information was not correct. my dear General, and good wishes: they are reciprocal in the truest sense of the word. I have been but very so so, but I hope to last the summer, or at least till Mr. La Touche pleases to come out of his nest which, if it is as hot as it is outside, must be very warm; but, perhaps, he fancies he should find it hotter outside. But out he must come, some day or other, and, as he says, he beat me at Boulogne, it is, I think, my turn now; and, that it shall be so, nothing shall be wanting on the part of, my dear friend, your much obliged, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART, MALTA. My dear Ball, Victory, June 7th, 1804. I do most earnestly desire that you will not fail saying anything to me that you please, I can never take it amiss; but, as you see, the jumble which will be about Maidstone and Agincourt, upsets my arrangements. Do not think I am tired of watching Mr. La Touche Tréville. I have now taken up a method of making him angry. I have left Sir Richard Bickerton, with part of the Fleet, twenty leagues from hence, and, with five of the Line, am preventing his cutting capers, which he had done for some time past, off Cape Sicie. Mr. La Touche has several times hoisted his topsail-yards up; and on the 4th of June, we having hoisted the Standard and saluted," he sent outside Sepet, about one mile, five Sail of the Line and two Frigates, and kept three Sail and three Frigates with their yards aloft, himself one of them, and the Rear-Admiral another, therefore I did not believe him in earnest; however, we run as near as was proper, and brought to. They formed a pretty line at sunset, and then stood into the Harbour. A Ship of the Line and Frigate every morning weigh, and stand between Sepet and La Malgue. Some happy day I expect to see his eight Sail, which are in the Outer Road, come out; and if he will get In honour of the King's birthday, abreast of Porquerolle, I will try what stuff he is made of; therefore you see, my dear Ball, I have no occasion to be fretful; on the contrary, I am full of hopes, and command a Fleet which never gives me an uneasy moment. [A page of the letter is missing.] If by the Nimble the Agincourt is gone with the Convoy, without waiting for Thisbe, I have directed her to remain under Captain Schomberg's orders. From the accounts I have heard, I am sorry to have mentioned the names of Mr. and Mrs. L.: send them to Tripoli.. TO CAPTAIN CHARLES MARSH SCHOMBERG, H.M. SHIP MADRAS. Sir, [Letter-Book.] Victory, off Toulon, 7th June, 1804. In the event of the Agincourt's having sailed from Malta, with the Trade for England, previous to the arrival of the Thisbe, and you should judge that the Convoy is too far on its passage for the Thisbe to overtake, I am to desire that you will detain Captain Shepheard at Malta, for the purpose of accompanying the next Convoy from the Adriatic and Archipelago, employing the Thisbe in such manner as you shall judge best for the service of the Island, and collecting the Trade until I shall think proper to appoint a Convoy to proceed to England. Captain Shepheard has received my orders in the event of the Agincourt's having proceeded from Malta, to put himself under your command. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. N.B.-You will render every assistance in your power to fit the Hirondelle for actual service, and lend her men to assist in navigating her. Mr. and Mrs. Longford. |