shall make the signal for Boats to repair on board, when the Transports must keep to windward. I shall lay to patiently. Ever yours faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD. [Autograph in the possession of the Hon. Mrs. Newnham Collingwood.] October 5th, 1805. My dear Coll., Don't load the Ships with more wine than they can conveniently stow; let it stay in the Transport: so I have ordered Calder. Ajax shall go up to windward and look out, and send the three Ships down. Yours faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD. [Autograph in the Nelson papers.] My dear Coll., Victory, 1 P.M., October 5th, 1805. The Ajax must go and take Colossus's place to windward. The Mars' and Defence's wine must be given to the other Ships, or they may come down at last and take the remainder out of the Transports. If you do not want Ajax to take wine, hoist the Assent flag and the Victory's pendants, and I will make her signal to close and order Captain Browne to windward. I see Ships are wanted everywhere, but the watching of the Fleet in Cadiz is my first object. Ever yours faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE DEY OF ALGIERS. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 428.] [About the 5th October, 1805.] I think your Highness will be glad to hear of my return to the command of His Majesty's Fleets in the Mediterranean and I rely that nothing will ever be permitted to happen which can interrupt the most perfect harmony and good understanding which exists between your Highness and the Regency, and the British Nation. I am confident that your Highness will give orders for the most friendly reception of British Ships in all the Ports in your Dominions, and that they shall be furnished, for their money, with every article they may want to purchase. I shall be very anxious for the return of the Frigate, that I may know the state of your Highness's health; and I beg that your Highness will be assured of the most high esteem of NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Cadiz, 5th October, 1805. Captain Morris of His Majesty's Ship Colossus having communicated to me the particular loss he would sustain in his present First Lieutenant' becoming junior, in consequence of their Lordships having appointed Lieutenant George Moubray', who from his rank is senior to him; you will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that, from a most thorough knowledge of the justness of Captain Morris' statement, and the very great good derived to His Majesty's Service from Captains being allowed confidential Officers as their First Lieutenants, and their Lordships having removed several Lieutenants of the Colossus that the present might continue First, I have, conceiving it to be their Lordships' wish, suffered the said First Lieutenant to remain in that situation, and appointed Lieutenant George Moubray to the Polyphemus, in consequence of Lieutenant Alexander Gordon of that Ship having been *Captain, afterwards Sir, James Nicoll Morris, was severely wounded in command of the Colossus, at Trafalgar. He died a Vice-Admiral of the Red, and a Knight Commander of the Bath, in April 1830. Lieutenant Thomas Richard Toker, now a Post Captain, which rank he obtained in December 1813. Now Captain of the Victory at Portsmouth. 'Lieutenant Gordon was made a Commander in January, 1806; Posted in February, 1814, and died in 1841 or 1842. yesterday invalided, and found unfit for His Majesty's Service in this Country, as appears by a copy of the Report of Survey herewith transmitted, which I trust, for the reasons before mentioned, their Lordships will be pleased to approve. Lieutenant Gordon was First of the Polyphemus, and therefore Lieutenant Moubray will still be Senior. I am, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO THE RIGHT HON. GEORGE ROSE. [Autograph in the possession of the Right Hon. Sir George Rose, G.C.B.] Victory, 16 leagues West from Cadiz, October 6th, 1805. My dear Mr. Rose, Your two letters of September 17th [have arrived], and I feel much obliged by your kind intentions for my dear Mr. Bolton, and I think Mr. Pitt will do what he can to oblige me. I verily believe the Country will soon be put to some expense for my account, either a Monument, or a new Pension and Honours; for I have not the very smallest doubt but that a very few days, almost hours, will put us in Battle; the success no man can ensure, but the fighting them, if they are to be got at, I pledge myself, and if the force arrives which is intended. I am very, · very, very anxious for its arrival, for the thing will be done if a few more days elapse; and I want for the sake of our Country that it should be done so effectually as to have nothing to wish for; and what will signify the force the day after the Battle? it is, as Mr. Pitt knows, annihilation that the Country wants, and not merely a splendid Victory of twenty-three to thirty-six,-honourable to the parties concerned, but absolutely useless in the extended scale to bring Buonaparte to his marrow-bones: numbers can only annihilate. I think, not for myself, but the Country, therefore I hope the Admiralty will send the fixt force as soon as possible, and Frigates, and Sloops of War, for I am very destitute. I do not mean this as any complaint, quite the contrary; I believe they are doing all they can, if interest does not interfere; therefore, if Mr. Pitt would hint to Lord Barham, that he shall be anxious until I get the force proposed, and plenty of Frigates and Sloops in order to watch them closely, it may be advantageous to the Country: you are at liberty to mention this to Mr. Pitt, but I would not wish it to go farther. I am ever, my dear Mr. Rose, Your most obliged and faithful friend, The Treasury should order me to land the money, 150,000 dollars in Spanish, in the Mediterranean. I mentioned it to Mr. Pitt, but I am ordered to land it in England, and the Ships are here. TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOODo. [Autograph in the possession of the Hon. Mrs. Newnham Collingwood.] Victory, October 6th, 1805. My dear Coll., I send you Blackwood's letters, and some for the Admiralty for you to read. How I long for the Frigates! but Admiral Louis will be a good look out for the next twenty 2 Vice-Admiral Collingwood replied to this Letter on the same day : "TO VICE-ADMIRAL LORD VISCOUNT NELSON, K.B. "We shall have those fellows out at last : I firmly believe they have discovered that they cannot be subsisted there—their supply from France completely cut off. I proposed the including the Western Ports in the Blockade, soon after their arrival here. A copy of the letter I send. "The wine supplies go on pretty well. I urge expedition unceasingly, and hope all the Ships will have finished this afternoon. I think at 5, or at 4, the Boats will be better in. There is no great inconvenience in keeping a Transport astern. Colossus, I am sure, will soon be done, and I will send him to your Lordship; but he will make the Signal when he is ready to make sail. I think some Frigate will certainly come through the Straits to-day. In the meantime, the Seventy-four's active and vigilant men will not let your Lordship feel the want of them. Now, my Lord, I will give your Lordship my ideas on the subject of them.—If they are to sail with an easterly wind, they are not bound to the Mediterranean, and your Lordship may depend upon it, the Carthagena Squadron is intended to join them. If they effect that-and with a strong easterly wind they may-they will present themselves to us with forty Sail. If by any good fortune Louis was to fall in with that Squadron, I am sure he would turn them to leeward for they would expect the whole Fleet was after them; and a French Ensign might bring them to us for protection. Whenever the Carthagena people were expected, they lit the Lighthouse. Captain Blackwood should look to that as a signal. VOL. VII. G four hours. Mars and Defence shall come down when we are likely to finish with these Transports; and with this swell, I think we had better, at half-past four or five o'clock, make the signal for all Boats to repair on board, and to keep the wind under three topsails and foresail for the night, and direct the Ships with the Transports in tow, to keep to windward this clear night. We need not mind the Order of Sailing, even if we want to wear in the night. I shall be glad to hear that your Division have made great progress. Should the swell get up before the evening, telegraph me, and the Boats shall be hoisted in, and we will make sail. If I can, the Bittern shall go to-day, but certainly to-morrow. Ever yours faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. I send you a key keep it. I shall send you dispatches, &c., occasionally to read, and it will save the trouble of packets. Put your letter in it, and send it back with my letters when read. TO JAMES GAMBIER, ESQ., CONSUL AT LISBON. [Autograph in the possession of Captain Gambier, R.N.] Victory, October 7th, 1805. Sir, I have only an instant to acknowledge the favour of your letter, which I will answer when more at leisure. Seamen will be most desirable for the Fleet, and if Captain Lobb would go, or send and get the men from the Northern parts of Portugal, he would render a most essential service; and if they are to be had, and the Bittern could get soon there, and be sure of the men when he arrives, it would be most desirable but I fear they would know they would not go to England in her, therefore one of the Lisbon Squadron would more completely do the service. Chests of lemons will be "The parading of the Gun-Vessels has been long the practice whenever a Ship got near in sight, and they were always ready. I am ever, my dear Lord, your most faithful humble servant, CUTHB. COLLINGWOOD."-Autograph in the Nelson Papers. 3 Captain William Granville Lobb: he died Commissioner of Sheerness Dock Yard, in July 1814. |