most acceptable for the Fleet. I shall desire Captain Louis' to load the Bittern. I am, with great respect, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. I shall write you by way of Faro. Will you have the goodness to make my apology to Mr. Hunter for not writing to him by this opportunity, and also, if you see him, my friend Admiral Donald Campbell' of the Portuguese Service. TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD. [Autograph in the possession of the Hon. Mrs. Newnham Collingwood.] My dear Coll., Victory, October 7th, 1805. I was just sat down to dinner when your packet and letter arrived. Distribute what is wanted amongst the Ships, and what you destine for the Starboard Division send me, or Calder word, and the orders shall be delivered. Wine or any part of the salt provisions not wanted, shall go to Gibraltar, and be taken into store. You have done right. Twenty-six Sail of the Line was not to be left to chance, and if you had, for want of such precaution, been forced to quit the vicinity of Cadiz, England would not have forgiven you. The weather I think will be fine and smooth to-morrow : if not, the coppered Transports sail better than the Fleet. Defence I have told to keep to windward, and to take his wine when the water gets smooth. Naiad made the signal for bullocks: you are to give them to the Ships longest out. I have not yet read your packet, therefore I can say nothing about Mr. Gambier. Ever, my dear Coll., faithfully yours, NELSON AND BRONTE. Telegraph upon all occasions without ceremony. We are one, and I hope ever shall be. "Now Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis, Bart. 5 Vide vol. vi. p. 431. • In a letter dated “Dreadnought, October 7th, 1805,” Vice-Admiral Collingwood said," I enclose also Mr. Gambier's letter, and a correspondence which he had with the Captain of the Poulette, Captain Dunbar. Mr. Gambier seems to be apprehensive that his conduct should not be approved, whilst nothing can be more highly meritorious than the active part he takes in everything that relates to the supply of the Fleet."--Autograph. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Cadiz, 7th October, 1805. I herewith transmit you for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the monthly Disposition of the Fleet under my command, in the best state that the information I have yet received of them would enable me. You will likewise receive a Paper containing the number of Frigates and Sloops required for the various services therein mentioned, together with the number of both at present on this station, and intended to be sent out from England, which I request you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their consideration and direction. His Majesty's Ship Defiance joined the Fleet this morning from Portsmouth. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON ANd Bronte. P.S.-The Amphion has this moment joined from Lisbon. 7 Commanded by the late Admiral Sir Philip Charles Henderson Durham, G.C.B., who informed the Editor that, "on going on board the Admiral's Ship, he said, 'Durham, I am glad to see you, but your stay will be very short, for Sir Robert Calder sails to-morrow, and takes with him all the Captains who were in his Action, to give evidence on his Court Martial. I am sorry to part with you, but you will have to leave your Ship under the command of your First Lieutenant— but go on board and settle that with Sir Robert.' Captain Durham went on board Sir Robert Calder's Ship, and saw the Captains who had left their Ships to go home with him, but when he found the Admiralty Order only said the Captains were to go home if willing,' he refused, and declined signing a public letter applying for leave to quit his Ship. In a few days, the Enemy's Fleet being reported to be on the move, Captain Durham sent to Lord Nelson to remind him that he had a large sum in dollars on board the Defiance, and to inquire what was to be done with them. Lord Nelson replied, "if the Spaniards come out, fire the dollars at them, and pay them off in their own coin.' However, in a few days, he sent the Honourable Captain Bouverie, who commanded a Frigate, for the money, and he carried it to Minorca. Shortly afterwards, the Combined Fleets came out, and the battle of Trafalgar took place. A few days after the Action, Captain Hardy looked into the cabin of the Defiance, where Captain Durham was laying on a sofa, wounded; and said, I hope you are not badly wounded, I have a word of comfort for you: one of the last things Nelson said, before the Action began, was Hardy, what would poor Sir Robert Calder give to be with us now! Tell your friend Durham he was the most sensible man of the party, to stick to his Ship.' Captain Durham attended Nelson's funeral, bearing the banner of the deceased as a Knight of the Bath." [Inclosure 1.] LIST OF FRIGATES AND SLOOPS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN STATION, AND ORDERED FROM ENGLAND. Including every Frigate and Sloop at present on the station, the Jalouse, Childers, and Merlin, being unfit for the service of this Country, are ordered home with the first Convoy to be repaired, and therefore are not included.. In England, intended to be sent out Total in this Country, and under orders to come out, as above Wanted for the service of this Country as stated on the other side....... 21 11 Deficient of the number actually wanted for this Country I have presumed, from conceiving it to be my duty, to lay the above statement before their Lordships; and if the force of Frigates and Sloops required, can be spared, with great vigilance, I am of opinion that the important services of the Mediterranean may be fully carried into effect. But their Lordships may be assured, that whatever force can be spared I shall do all in my power to make the most of them, and to meet their expectations as far as is practicable; and therefore my having transmitted this statement will, I humbly hope, be viewed as springing from an anxious desire for the good of the Service, and not unnecessarily to press for what may be impossible to grant. Dated on board the Victory, off Cadiz, the 7th October 1805. NELSON and Bronte. [Inclosure 2.] LIST OF FRIGATES AND SLOOPS ACTUALLY WANTED FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN STATION, OUT AND INSIDE THE STRAITS. To be constantly with the Fleet off Cadiz, 8 Frigates and 2 Sloops. 2 Frigates and 2 Sloops to go to and from Gibraltar with Convoys, and to relieve the others to refit; and the 2 Sloops to go occasionally to Lisbon with dispatches, and for Purser's necessaries............ For the service of Gibraltar garrison, and to protect our Most essentially necessary for the service in the upper part of the Mediterranean Wanted for the service of Malta, to take the Trade to and from the Adriatic, Archipelago, Naples, Messina, and, with the assistance of the Cutters and Small Vessels, to protect the Island, and convey the Bullock-Vessels to Valetta harbour... Attached to General Sir James Craig's Expedition 1 3 4016 TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD. [Autograph in the possession of the Hon. Mrs. Newnham Collingwood.] Victory, October 8th, 1805. My dear Coll., The Donegal has not one billet of wood. If you arrange the disposition of it, I wish Donegal to be ordered ten, fifteen, or twenty chords, as the wants of other Ships will Faithfully yours, allow. NELSON AND Bronte. When your Transports, any of them, are cleared, make them hoist their Ensign at the mast-head, as a signal they are ready to receive empty casks and staves, and condemned provisions. TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD. [Autograph in the possession of the Hon. Mrs. Newnham Collingwood.] Victory, October 8th, 1805. Sir, I have read the correspondence between Captain Dunbar and Mr. Gambier, Consul at Lisbon. The conduct of Mr. 8 Captain James Dunbar : he was Knighted in 1810, made a Baronet in 1814, and died in 1836. Gambier was most highly proper, in wishing to detain such a Ship as the Malabar to bring the provisions for the Fleet; and I only wish he had kept his temper with Captain Dunbar, by again urging the necessity of sending the Malabar to the Fleet, as of far greater importance than her going with the Convoy. But I do consider the conduct of Captain Dunbar as very reprehensible; and I shall transmit the correspondence to the Admiralty for their decision, which I think will be a censure of Captain Dunbar's conduct. I am, Sir, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. I have kept the correspondence to send to England. TO THE HON. BRIGADIER-GENERAL STEWART3. [About October 8th, 1805.] I have thirty-six Sail of the Line looking me in the face; unfortunately there is a strip of land between us, but it is believed they will come to sea in a few days. The sooner the better, I don't like to have these things upon my mind; and if I see my way through the fiery ordeal, I shall go home and rest for the winter, and shall rejoice to take you, my dear Stewart, by the hand. Some day or other, that Buonaparte, if he lives, will attempt the invasion and conquest of Great Britain. The making our Volunteers and Militia, Soldiers, was a wise plan, and we were very near having occasion to use them. Good Captain Hardy is still with me.-Believe me ever your most sincere and faithful friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN THE HON. HENRY BLACKWOOD, H. M. SHIP EURYALUS. [From Blackwood's Magazine for July, 1833.] My dear Sir, Victory, October 8th, 1805. I send Naiad to you, and will Phoebe and Weazle, as I can lay hands upon them. I am gratified (because it shows your Afterwards General the Honourable Sir William Stewart, G.C.B., who commanded the Troops in the Expedition against Copenhagen in 1801. (Vide vol. iv. p. 298.) |