January 16th 1805
TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.
Victory, Madalena Islands, 16th January, 1805.
Sir,
It being my intention to send his Majesty’s Ship Amphitrite (lately captured by the Donegal) to England, under charge of the Renown, in order to her being manned and completed for service, as their Lordships may think proper to direct, I have judged it necessary, for the good of his Majesty’s Service, to appoint Sir William Bolton to be Captain of her, and herewith transmit you a copy of his Commission, and a copy of an acting order given to Lieutenant John Louis to command the Childers, in the room of Sir William Bolton; also a copy of an order given to Mr. George Martin Sutherland to act as Lieutenant of the Royal Sovereign, in the room of Captain Louis, which I request you will be so good as lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their information, and move their Lordships to confirm the
said appointments. I am, Sir, &c.
NELSON AND BRONTE.
TO EARL CAMDEN, K.G., SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Victory, January 16th, 1805.
My Lord,
Yesterday his Majesty’s Ship Superb, Captain Keats, returned from Algiers, having landed Mr. Cartwright, his Majesty’s Consul-General to that place, who was received by the Dey, the Regency, and the Inhabitants, with much pleasure; and I have no doubt but that our footing at Algiers is as a most favoured Nation. Your Lordship will not fail to observe that the conduct of Captain Keats merits those encomiums which would fall far short of his merits, were I to attempt to express what my feelings are upon this, as upon all other occasions where the services of Captain Keats are called forth. I shall, therefore, leave your Lordship to represent them to his Majesty, in the manner and language your Lordship’s superior judgment shall point out as most proper for their having the fullest effect.
Captain Keats very handsomely attributes great credit to the services of the Reverend Mr. Scott, my confidential Secretary and Interpreter, and to the Reverend Mr. Evans, Chaplain of his Majesty’s Ship Superb, and I beg leave to call your Lordship’s attention to the merits of these gentlemen. They have, both in the last and present War, made themselves perfectly masters of all the European languages spoken in the Mediterranean, which has qualified them to be Interpreters on any important occasions, where confidence is required to be reposed. Our Navy Chaplains have not generally the good fortune to be in the road to promotion: their brethren ashore have all the advantage of being upon the spot (one exception, the present Lord Chancellor very handsomely having given my former Chaplain a Living), I therefore presume to recommend both these gentlemen as proper candidates for Crown Livings; and it would be a great inducement for the Navy Chaplains to make themselves useful to the State, in a greater degree than they are at present, for we all want persons of learning and confidence to write our letters to Foreign Courts, which in the Mediterranean we are always in correspondence with.
The Dey having received the Consul, as he expressed himself at the time, ‘I receive you without presents,’ and our amity with Algiers being, perhaps more firmly established than for many years past, I submit to your Lordship’s consideration, whether it would not at this moment cement the
friendship, was some presents to be made to the Regency, not upon account of the Consul, but as a particular present from his Majesty. I have, &c.
NELSON AND BRONTE.
