30th December 1804
To William Marsden ESQ., Admiralty.
Victory, December, 1804.
Sir,
I have been honoured with your letter of October 6th, on Christmas day, acquainting me that their Lordships had been pleased to comply with my request for permission to return to England for the re-establishment of my health: and that I’mto leave Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton in the command of the squadron. I’m much obliged by their lordship kind compliance with my request, which is absolutely necessary from my present state of my health, and I shall avail myself of their Lordships permission, this moment another Admiral, in the room of Admiral Campbell, joins the fleet, unless the Enemy’s fleet should be at sea, when I should not think of quitting my Command until after the battle.
I have the honour to be, &c.
NELSON AND BRONTE
To Captain William Parker, H.M. Ship AMAZON
Victory, at Sea, 30th December, 1804
You are hereby required and directed to processed with His Majesty’s Ship Amazon under your command, to Lisbon, with the utmost expedition, taking care before your entering the Tagus that we are upon friendly terms with Portugal; and should there be impediment in your communicating with that place, I desire you will deliver my dispatches to a Ship of War which may be there, bound to England, otherwise to the Agent of the Packets, taking his receipt for the same.
In proceeding and returning from Lisbon, you are not to approach within fifty leagues of Cape St. Vincent, and on no account to near Cadiz, or in any manner interfere with the Squadron under Sir John Orde. You are, on no consideration whatsoever, to deliver my dispatches to any person, otherwise than above mentioned; and should you be prevented from proceeding with them to Lisbon, you are to bring them back to me. Having delivered my dispatches as before directed, you will return to Rendezvous No.97, where you will find me, or orders for your further processing’s.
NELSON AND BRONTE
Private Instructions from Lord Nelson to Captain Parker.
(These instructions were delivered to Captain Parker with the above Orders on the 30th December)
Do not interfere with anything at Gibraltar; neither with Sophie or Halcyon, going to Lisbon or elsewhere; pass Cape Spartel in the night, and get to the Southward and Westward. Bring to for nothing, if you can help it; hoist the signal or quarantine, and that you are "charged with dispatches”. If you are forced to speak to by a Superior Officer, show him only my orders for his not interfering with you; and, unless he is an Admiral superior to me, you will obey my orders instead of any pretended order from him, from my Superior Officer.
To Viscount Melville
Undated, probably sent towards the end of 1804
It is only with the great deference to the superior judgement of your lordships, that I venture once more to the touch upon the subject of the great want of Frigates and Siips on the Mediterranean station; for I am fully aware of the want you have of them at home, and for the other commands: the more stations are multiplied, the greater must be the demand of for more small Ships.
I have, in a former letter, stated my opinion freely upon the stations of Gibralater and of Cadiz being given to the same officer; for without that is done, our Convoys can never be considered safe. I may be thought by some, but I’m confident your lordship's liberal mind will not think so, that a desire of more extensive Command for the hope of Prize-money actuates me. Such people know me not; let me be placed alongside the French Admiral.
Had the station been continued to me, I should have appointed that excellent Officer, Sir Richard Strachan, to the command at Gibraltar and off Cadiz; with, if to be had, one other Ship of the Line, four Frigates and as many Sloops, and to have covered our Convoys both from Carthagena and Cadiz: and something of that kind your Lordship will find it still necessary to adopt, to insure our Convoys. There is also another although perhaps a minor consideration, why the officer at Gibraltar should be under the orders of the Admiral commanding the Mediterranean Fleet - Which is, that any Admiral independent of that station, that all the stores which he chooses, or fancies he wants, for the service of his Fleet; thereby placing the Fleet in the Gulf of Lyons in great distress for many articles. I again beg your Lordship's indulgence for the freedom of my remarks. I am, &c.
NELSON AND BRONTE
