29th December 1804
To Earl Camden, K.G
Victory, December 29th, 1804
My Lord,
On the 25th, I was honoured with your lordship’s letter of October 29th, by Mr. Cartwright, his Majesty’s Consul-General to Algiers; and, in obedience to your Lordship’s instructions, I have sent Mr. Cartwright to Algiers, and have instructed Captain Keats how to proceed upon the occasion.
A copy of my letter to the Dey, and my instructions to Captain Keats shall be transmitted; and I trust your Lordship will think, with me that, if such condescension on the part of his Majesty will not have the desired effect, that the Dey must be influenced by motives from our Enemies.
I trust your Lordship will think that my letter to the Dey is as conciliating as possible, consistent with a due regard to the honour of his Majesty. I have, &c.
NELSON AND BRONTE
To Vice-Admiral, Sir John Orde, BART, Commander in Chief of A Squadron of His Majesty’s Ships Off Cadiz.
Victory, at sea, December 29th 1804
Sir,
By the Swiftsure, which joined on the 25th instant, I received an order from the Lords of the Admiralty, to consider my station as only extending to the Straits’ Mouth. It is, therefore unnecessary for me to point to you, that the Convoys, either to or from England, are not safe, unless taken in charge from the twenty leagues to the Westward of Cape Spartel, and seen safe to an anchor in Gibraltar Bay; or from Cape Spartel as far to Westward.
I have the honour to be, &c.
NELSON AND BRONTE
P.S I reconnoitred Toulon on the 26th instant, and found the Enemy Fleet still in Port.
To the Right Honourable Lord Walpole.
Victory, off Toulon, December 29th 1804
My Dear Lord,
On this day I received your favour of May last, or, you may believe, it should not have been so long unanswered; for I do assure you, that I have the very highest regard, esteem, and, if I might be allowed to the expression, affection for you, and every part of your family.
Young Neville is a very excellent young man, and his good conduct has not escaped my observation; and you may rely, my dear Lord, not only upon this, but upon any occasion which may offer, that I shall be truly happy to meet your wishes ; for I never shall forget the many favours, kindnesses, and civilities you have shown me, and may parts of our family; and believe me ever, my dear Lord, you most faithful and obliged,
NELSON AND BRONTE
I beg my respectful compliments to Lady Walpole, Miss Walpole, and Mr. and Mrs. Hussey, if they are with you.
To Captain Keats, H.M. Ship Superb
Victory, December 29th 1804
My dear Sir,
I’m very troublesome, for I must now send the Superb for a few cases, which are wanted to keep me from starving. If the weather continues to moderate, I shall lay to for an hour to get our letters, at present on board swiftsure; and I should be glad to see you for five minutes on board the Victory. I am ever, my dear Sir, your much obliged.
NELSON AND BRONTE
Admiral Campbell passed the straits the 14th.
To Alexander Davison, ESQ
Victory, December 29th, 1804
My dear Davison,
I feel infinitely obliged by your truly kind and affectionate letter of October 5th. I believe you could have hardly thought it possible that any man could have been sent to take the chance of a few pounds Prize-money from me, in return for all my hard service. At this moment, I am as poor as when I left you at Portsmouth; but my spirit is above riches, and nothing can shake my firm resolution to do my duty to my Country.
I respect Lord Melville, and shall probably give him my support, when the great Sir John Orde will not thank him for his great favor. Lord Melville is a liberal-minded man, and he may oblige me some other way, in giving me something for some of my relations. God knows, in my own person, I spend as little money as any man ; but you know I love to give away.
The pamphlets and newspapers you mention, are not yet arrived. I fear your correspondent at Portsmouth is not very correct, or does not understand sending them on board Ship. A batch of six month news came at one time : but, my dear Davison, I never believed in your inattention to my wishes.
I am very glad to find that all goes on well at Merton, for which I most sincerely thank you. I count when the days of your honourable imprisonment are over; and it is some comfort that I shall be in England to shake you by the hand in St. James’s-square. The moment an Admiral arrives in the room of Admiral Campbell, I shall sail; for although this winter is hitherto so much milder than the last, yet I feel it pretty severely.
Remember me kindly to Si Evan when you see him; and believe me ever, and for ever, my dear Davison, your much obliged and faithful friend.
NELSON AND BRONTE
Notes
Horatio Nelson, The Dispatches and Letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, with Notes, ed. Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas (London: Henry Colburn, 1846), 304–306.
