they have in the Arsenal I cannot say; but I saw some there, in a state of fitting. Men they are getting-so a Vessel which I spoke from Marseilles told me; but if your emissaries are come back from Toulon, you know better than I do. The Admiral joined me off Toulon on the 23rd, and took a look at them, and we have been in a heavy gale of wind ever since-Easterly. This trip off Toulon has kept me longer from Genoa than I wished; for every week I purpose having a Frigate call off Genoa for any information you may please to give me. I hope the Austrians will be induced to take again possession of Vado. I am sure it may save the French from penetrating into Italy, by carrying their Troops to Massa, and taking, of course, possession of Port Especia, and, I have no doubt, of Leghorn, which would be a severe blow on the Fleet, and also on Corsica. I can take upon me to say, by the authority of the Admiral, that no co-operation will be wanting on his part, consistent with the necessary services required of the Fleet; and I and Sir John Jervis will be happy to meet and consult with our Allies, for the benefit of the common cause. I think I gave you Admiral Hotham's last answer to General de Vins' requisition for Transports, to land his Troops at St. Fiorenzo. If you meet with it, I shall be obliged to you for it, I shall not finish this letter till my arrival at Genoa. March 2nd. After encountering the hardest gale of wind which I have seen since I have been in the Mediterranean, we are arrived, with our stern stove in, and several planks started. I hope to God our Fleet, being further to the Westward, have not had so severe a gale. If they have, I have fears for the consequences. I am favoured with your letter of the 7th of February, and shall, if possible, every week, have a Frigate in Genoa, in case news of sufficient importance should arrive as to render a communication with the Admiral necessary. Lieutenant Noble is returned here. I feel much obliged by your kind attention towards him, in paying several accounts for him. I am ever, dear Sir, your much obliged HORATIO NELSON. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE HONOURABLE JOHN TREVOR. [From a copy in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B. Two inaccurate extracts from this Letter are in vol. ii. p. 133.] My dear Sir, Agamemnon, Genoa Mole, March 4th, 1796, 7 p.m. I am this moment favoured with your very important letter of February 27th, which I shall as soon as possible think communicate to the Admiral. I sail to-morrow morning from hence for Leghorn, in order to get some of our damages repaired, but I hope to get from thence by Saturday or Sunday next. I am (and I believe the Admiral is) not fully acquainted with the state of Sardinia. Is the whole Island in rebellion, and friendly with the French? Would it be dangerous for an English Ship to anchor in Orestan, or any other Port in Sardinia? (At that Port I was going to anchor the other day.) Should Vessels belonging to the Sardinians be seized? In short, pray tell me how the King of Sardinia considers the inhabitants of that Island, and how you I should consider them? The Admiral is in full possession of the last Vado Campaign-at least, as well as my pen could describe it. I cannot again help mentioning in the strongest manner, my opinion of the necessity of possessing Vado. It will absolutely prevent the French Fleet from covering a Convoy to the Plain of Italy: I mean, beyond Port Especia, and prevent the passing into the Milanese by the pass of the Borgetta. There will then be only one object to look to the defence of Piedmont. If three are to be attended to, depend upon it one will fall; and the Emperor, very possibly, may be more attentive to the Milanese than to Piedmont. I did not, I own, rejoice at the snow and very bad weather we have experienced, till you told me how beneficial it may be to our good Ally, the King of Sardinia, who I shall always respect for his conduct during the time we were in possession of Toulon. Had the Austrians done as much in proportion, we should have had that Port at present. If you think the request I have made for an account of Sardinia can reach me at Leghorn, pray send it. If not, I will order a Frigate to be here next Friday or Saturday. I beg my compliments to Mr. Jackson, and that you will believe me your obliged humble Servant, HORATIO NELSON. P.S.-I observe what you say about the anchorage at Cagliari: You are mistaken. I have been there with four Sail of the Line, and we anchored within reach of all the capital batteries-not that any batteries, if we can follow them in, will, I am persuaded, stop Sir John Jervis. But should they have time to moor in a Line, the case is altered. TO ADMIRAL SIR JOHN JERVIS, K.B. [Autograph in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B. One passage of this Letter is in vol. ii. p. 134.] Sir, Agamemnon, Leghorn, March 10th, 1796. As Mr. Udney tells me he shall this day send off dispatches to the Vice-Roy of Corsica, to be forwarded to you by some Ship from St. Fiorenzo, I cannot let slip the opportunity of a brief communication of my transactions and informations, since I left you, as also of my present intentions. I did not arrive at Genoa till the night of 2nd of March, owing to the very heavy gales of Easterly winds, which stove in our stern, carried away the starboard quartergallery, and sprung our main-topmast. I received a letter from Mr. Drake, referring me to Mr. Brame for Toulon information; and for other, whenever anything occurred necessary for my knowledge, he would communicate it. From Mr.Trevor I found three letters, containing Toulon information, which agrees very much with our observations, with the addition that great exertions were going forward to get the Fleet ready for sea. On the 4th, I received another letter from Mr. Trevor, containing an account that 60,000 men would open the Campaign, and that by secret information from Paris, that the Directory had determined on a grand stroke against Italy; at the same time saying, that the Emperor had 40,000 men, and would shortly have 50,000 in Lombardy, which, with the Piedmontese, if ordered to act with vigour and in proper places, would, he was convinced, be fully sufficient to prevent the invasion of Italy'. (This letter is wrote in a hurry, at the Consul's: therefore beg you will take it without the accuracy which I should have, was the letter of Mr. Trevor before me.) My letter was to Mr. Drake, to the following purport, giving an account of my observations at Toulon, reminding him that the Navy had hitherto protected Massa and Carrara, and afforded time sufficient for whoever was Sovereign of the Country to get Troops, even from Vienna, for its defence; and therefore they must not look entirely to the Navy in future; but, if anything happened, to recollect that the Sovereign of the Country only was to blame. I also pointed out the absolute necessity of the coalesced Powers possessing themselves of Vado Bay, without which Troops would pass along the Coast with stores, and that we could not prevent it. To Mr. Trevor I had, from my letter of January, endeavoured to impress him with the 1 "That 6000 seamen are ordered from the East and West side of Toulon, and 6000 from Brest, and that side; and that they will soon be at Toulon." xxxviii ADDENDA. you. absolute necessity of possessing Vado; and in my letter of March 2nd, I freely told him my full opinion of the necessity of possessing Vado, and that I could take upon me to say that you would afford every assistance to forward the operations of the Austrian Army, consistent with the other serIn answer vices which he so well knew was required of to Mr. Trevor's letter of the 25th February, received the 4th [March,] I pressed stronger than ever the necessity of our possessing Vado: that by this possession, a stop would be put to Expeditions coastways, the Pass of the Borgetta secured, and nothing to look to but Piedmont; that if they ventured to cross the Gulf, that I had every hope that good fortune and I had no doubt but you would throw you in their way, would give a very good account of their embarkation. This has been the subject of my letters, and I hope you will approve of what I have said to Mr. Drake about Massa and Carrara, and also what I have urged to Mr. Trevor of the necessity of possessing Vado Bay. (On reading my letter, I find I have omitted two things mentioned by Mr. Trevor. One was, that but for the fall of snow, the Campaign would have been opened against Piedmont at that time: the other was that possibly the first destination of the French Fleet might be for Cagliari in Sardinia. I shall soon send you copies of my letters.) The Blanche I left at Genoa, to water and refit, having suffered damage. The Meleager is gone from hence with a Convoy for Genoa, and both are ordered to join me on Sunday, off Port Especia, with information, or letters from Genoa. It is my intention to proceed off Toulon, and from thence to detach a Frigate to you. By Mr. Wyndham's news, if the Tuscan Government are ready to receive a French Garrison, it will be very difficult to prevent it, till we possess Vado. The points for us to look to, are a small Squadron off Port Especia, and another on the other side of the Gulf; for the present, embarkation will be in small Vessels. But if the Genoese will not oppose their passage, there is nothing to prevent, in a march of forty-eight hours, their arrival at Leghorn. I shall only trespass now to beg you will believe me your most faithful HORATIO NELSON. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE HONOURABLE JOHN TREVOR. [From a copy in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B. 29th February.-P.M. At past 8 taken flat aback with a strong wind and a high sea from the N.E. b. E.-The ship having stern way, stove in all the sashes and glass of the ward room and starboard quarter gallery-shipped a deal of water, which blew up the rudder coat-got in all the dead-lights. A.M. The wind shifting every half hour-a heavy sea running as before-at 8 saw the high land near Calvi bearing S.E. March 2nd.-P.M. Anchored in Genoa Mole. 5th.-Weighed. 6th.-P.M. Anchored in Leghorn Roads. 13th.-Weighed.Agamemnon's Log.] Dear Sir, Agamemnon, off Genoa, March 14th, 1796. I was last night, when off Port Especia, favoured with Mr. Jackson's letter of March 8th, and thank him much for his information of the light in which Sardinia is considered by the Sovereign. It seems it is pleasant to consider that Island in a better state than I believe it is. On the receipt of Mr. Wyndham's news, I sent off a Frigate to the Admiral, and also an express to Sir William Hamilton, requesting him to apply to His Sicilian Majesty for some Zebecks, Corvettes, and such other small Vessels as would be useful, to prevent a disembarkation of Troops, and that I intended all the small Vessels to lay off Port Especia. Having received a letter from Mr. Drake, expressing his wish to speak to me, I am proceeding to that place, from whence it is my intention to proceed off Toulon; and after looking at the state of the Enemy's Fleet, to dispatch a Frigate to the Admiral, and return myself to Genoa. With best compliments to Mr. Jackson, believe me, dear Sir, your most obedient Servant, HORATIO NELSON. TO FRANCIS DRAKE, ESQ., MINISTER AT GENOA. [From a copy in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.Č.B., and Letter Book. An imperfect copy of this Letter is in vol. ii. p. 136. 15th March. Hoisted out the Barge, Captain Nelson went on shore.Agamemnon's Log.] Sir, Agamemnon, Genoa, March 15th, 1796. Having received information, on which I am told I may depend, that Salicetti is now here, with other Commissioners, for the express purpose of expediting the operations of the French Army for the invasion of Italy; and that one of the three columns, into which that Army is to be divided, is to either penetrate through the Genoese territory, or to be carried coastways to take possession of Port Especia, which will instantly give them the command of the flat country as far as Leghorn; and there can be no doubt but a small Army appearing before Leghorn, would, without any difficulty, |