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Sir,

TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.

Original in the Admiralty.]

Victory, of Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

I herewith transmit you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a Report of Survey on Captain Sutton, of His Majesty's Ship Amphion, which was held upon his state of health this day; and I am sorry to find from the Surveying Officers, that the health of so good an Officer has suffered so much from persevering in the command of the said Ship, and much apprehend it will be many months before he is able again to go afloat. I have in consequence of Captain Sutton's being invalided removed Captain Hoste into the Amphion, and appointed Captain

It has been already stated that this highly distinguished Officer was a protégé of Nelson, and that Hoste always entertained the most reverential esteem and affection for his great patron. Writing to his father on the 1st of October, Captain Hoste said, “I am now on board the Victory, and have seen Lord Nelson, who is as good and as friendly as ever;" and to his mother, "I dine with Lord Nelson today, and. I understand, I am to be appointed to a larger Ship; he is as good a man as ever lived." On the 13th, he wrote to his father, "I am this day appointed to the Amphion, one of the finest and most desirable Ships on this station." The Amphion was sent to Algiers with presents to the Dey, and on her arrival at Gibraltar, on the 9th of November, Captain Hoste heard of the Battle, and of the death of Lord Nelson. His feelings were thus expressed in a letter to his father:—“I have just time to say that I am as well as a man can be who has lost the best friend he ever possessed. I know not how to begin. I believe I said in my last I was ordered to Algiers, by that ever-to-be-lamented man, with presents to the Dey. I left the Fleet on the 15th, and on the 21st the battle was fought. Not to have been in it, is enough to make one mad; but to have lost such a friend besides, is really sufficient to almost overwhelm me. I sail instantly to join Admiral Collingwood, who is off Cadiz. I will write to you more fully in my next, when matters are more settled: at present I am not fit for anything. I like my Ship very much; as the last gift of that excellent man, I shall ever consider her, and stay in her during the Warr............. I am low indeed, and nothing but a good Action with a French or Spanish Frigate will set me up again." To his mother, on the 15th of November, he said, "Admiral Collingwood perfectly understands how and in what manner I have gained my present rank, and the footing I was on with that poor, good, great man, Lord Nelson.......I cannot get over the loss of our late noble Commander-in-Chief in so short a time. Never shall we find his equal, and never will the Navy of Great Britain furnish a man with half his abilities. I never saw such firmness, such decision, in any man in my life before. His last words to Captain Hardy were, to sink rather than strike his flag, and that he died happy in having seen that day.'" To his father he soon afterwards wrote, "What will Mr. Coke say to the Victory?

Sir William Bolton (late of the Guerrier) to the Eurydice in his room, which I trust their Lordships will be pleased to approve of.

I beg here to take the liberty of recommending Captain Sutton as a most valuable Officer, and very justly entitled to their Lordships' notice for employment, when his health is sufficiently recovered for that purpose.

I am, Sir, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

Sir,

TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.

[Original in the Admiralty.]

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

I herewith transmit you a Letter from Captain Hoste, of His Majesty's Ship Eurydice, dated the 5th inst., relative to the circumstances attending an Imperial Vessel detained by the said Ship, and sent into Malta, as therein set forth, which I beg you will be so good as to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their information, that such directions may be given as will remedy the very serious evil Captain Hoste complains of; and to prevent in future, Vessels, detained under similar circumstances, from being liable not only to unnecessary detention, but also from being

O that I had been there! it would have been some consolation to have witnessed the last heroic feats of that man, whose memory will ever be held sacred by every British seaman." Early in 1806 he said to his sister, "The wretched remains of the French and Spanish Fleets are still there, and exhibit a striking example of what British valour can perform, when aided by the genius and bravery of a Nelson. Poor man! I have every day sufficient cause to lament his loss. At any rate, he has left us an example; and, for my own part, though I never expect to attain to the high honours he so deservedly held, yet it will be my first and earnest endeavour to follow his footsteps." That Hoste fulfilled this intention was amply shown by his memorable action off Lissa, on the 13th of March, 1811, when he showed that NELSON was uppermost in his thoughts by the telegraphic signal "REMEMBER NELSON," and by his letter to his father, written on the 29th of that month: "It is gratifying to me, indeed I feel it so truly, to observe the regard they all have for my dear old Amphion. She was the last gift of my poor Lord Nelson. I hope I have not disgraced his memory in the care of her, though she is cruelly knocked about."-Memoirs of Sir William Hoste, vols. i. pp. 246-248, 251, 253, 255, 261, and ii. p. 77.

saddled with expenses that appear to me in no point of view proper, and most particularly calculated to deter Officers from seizing or detaining any suspicious Vessel; by which means the Enemy may trade to a considerable extent, as no Captain, unless upon thorough conviction of either Ship or cargo being Enemy's property, would detain any Vessel they might meet with. At Gibraltar I understand this line of conduct is not observed, and that an opinion may be immediately had without detention of the Ship, or expense to the Captor. I am, Sir, &c.,

NELSON AND Bronte.

Sir,

TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.

[Original in the Admiralty.]

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

I herewith transmit you an extract of a letter just received, dated the 26th August last, from Dr. Sewell, Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court at Malta, relative to his having taken the sole charge of the Spanish detained Vessels sent into Malta, prior to the 11th January last, out of the hands of Patrick Wilkie, Esq., Agent Victualler, whom I had, in obedience to their Lordships' order, dated the 1st of February last, thought proper to appoint on behalf of the Crown. I must here beg to mention, that a copy of their Lordships' said order was also sent to Mr. Wilkie; but Dr. Sewell, in his second reason, seems to question their authority. I cannot conclude this letter without repeating to their Lordships the very extraordinary interferences that have been made at Malta and Gibraltar on this occasion, and the disregard that has been paid to their Lordships' authority, and to the power delegated to me by their said order, which reflects upon the dignity of the Admiralty, and lowers the consequence of the Admiral in the Mediterranean.-I am, Sir, &c., NELSON ANd Bronte.

P. S.-I have directed Mr. Wilkie to consider my order in full force till their Lordships' pleasure is signified.

Sir,

TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.

[Original in the Admiralty.]

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

You will be pleased to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that His Majesty's Ship Belleisle joined the Fleet this afternoon from Plymouth, and that I have taken her under my command agreeably to their Lordships' order of the 20th of last month. I have likewise, in compliance with their direction, signified to me in your Letter of the 25th ult., ordered Mr. George Hurst, Midshipman, to be discharged from the Britannia into the Virginia, and to be sent home by the first opportunity. I am, Sir, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

P.S.-The Confounder Gun-brig arrived this evening, and has gone to Gibraltar in company with the Ætna Bombvessel.

STANDING ORDERS TO BE OBSERVED BY HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS AND VESSELS UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE RIGHT HON. LORD VISCOUNT NELSON, K.B.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 490-495.] ;

TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS AND COMMANDERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS And Vessels on the Mediterranean STATION.

Mem.

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

It is my directions that the Captains and Commanders of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels under my command, do send me a copy of their Log when they join (with any other remarks that they may have occasion to make), instead of a Journal, usually given after separation.

NELSON ANd Bronte.

* Mr. George Hurst was made a Lieutenant in 1810, and is now one of the Naval Knights of Windsor,

Mem.

TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS.

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

The Ships and Vessels of the Fleet under my command are directed not to show their Colours on joining, unless the Commander-in-Chief should show his.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

Mem.

TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS.

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

It is my particular directions that the Captains and Commanders of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels under my command, who may purchase bullocks, fresh beef, lemons, onions, or any other species of provisions or refreshments for their respective Companies, whether such purchase is for a particular Ship, or for the Fleet in general, and whether it is made by my order or otherwise, that a Voucher of the fresh beef, bullocks, &c., so procured for the individual Ship or Fleet, is transmitted to me, immediately the Ship making such purchase shall join the Fleet.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

Mem.

It is

TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS.

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

my directions that whenever any men are sent to the Hospital, a statement of their case is sent with them, that the Medical Gentlemen belonging to the Hospital may know what has been done in order to remove the diseases.

Mem.

NELSON ANd Bronte.

TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS.

Victory, off Cadiz, 10th October, 1805.

Having frequently known that onions have been purchased on account of Government when in Port, where the Pursers

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