The Letters of Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton Volume Ii Part 21

Sent on sh.o.r.e, to the charge of the Governor of Syracuse.

V.

Vanguard, Mouth of the Nile, August 8th, 1798.

MY DEAR SIR,

Almighty G.o.d has made me the happy instrument in destroying the enemy's fleet; which, I hope, will be a blessing to Europe.

You will have the goodness to communicate this happy event to all the courts in Italy; for my head is so indifferent, that I can scarcely scrawl this letter.

Captain Capel, who is charged with my dispatches for England, will give you every information. Pray, put him in the quickest mode of getting home.

You will not send, by post, any particulars of this action, as I should be sorry to have any accounts get home before my dispatches.

I hope there will be no difficulty in our getting refitted at Naples.

Culloden must be instantly hove down, and Vanguard all new masts and bowsprit. Not more than four or five sail of the line will probably come to Naples; the rest will go with the prizes to Gibraltar.

As this army never will return, I hope to hear the Emperor has regained the whole of Italy.

With every good wish, believe me, dear Sir, your most obliged and affectionate

HORATIO NELSON.

9th August.

I have intercepted all Buonaparte's dispatches going to France. This army is in a sc.r.a.pe, and will not get out of it.

VI.

August 12th, 1798.

MY DEAR SIR,

As the greater part of this squadron is going down the Mediterranean, we shall not want the quant.i.ty of wine or bread ordered; therefore, what is not already prepared had better be put a stop to. I will settle all the matter, if ever I live to see Naples.

I have the satisfaction to tell you, the French army have got a complaint amongst them--caused by the heat, and nothing but water--which will make Egypt the grave of the greatest part.

Ever your's, faithfully,

HORATIO NELSON.

VII.

Vanguard, off Malta; October 24th, 1798.

MY DEAR SIR,

I am just arrived off this place; where I found Captain Ball, and the Marquis de Niza. From those officers, I do not find such an immediate prospect of getting possession of the town as the ministers at Naples seem to think. All the country, it is true, is in possession of the islanders; and, I believe, the French have not many luxuries in the town; but, as yet, their bullocks are not eat up.

The Marquis tells me, the islanders want arms, victuals, mortars, and cannon, to annoy the town. When I get the elect of the people on board, I shall desire them to draw up a memorial for the King of Naples, stating their wants and desires, which I shall bring with me.

The Marquis sails for Naples to-morrow morning. Till he is gone, I shall not do any thing about the island; but I will be fully master of that subject before I leave this place.

G.o.d bless you! is the sincere prayer of

HORATIO NELSON.

VIII.

Vanguard, off Malta, October 27th, 1798.

MY DEAR SIR WILLIAM,

Although I believe I shall be at Naples before the cutter, yet I should be sorry to omit acknowledging your kind letter of the twenty-sixth.

When I come to Naples, I can have nothing pleasant to say of the conduct of his Sicilian Majesty's ministers towards the inhabitants of Malta, who wish to be under the dominion of their legitimate Sovereign. The total neglect and indifference with which they have been treated, appears to me _cruel_ in the extreme.

Had not the English supplied fifteen hundred stand of arms, with bayonets, cartouch-boxes, and ammunition, &c. &c. and the Marquis supplied some few, and kept the spirit of those brave islanders from falling off, they must long ago have bowed again to the French yoke.

Could you, my dear Sir William, have believed, after what General Acton and the Marquis de Gallo had said, in our various conversations relative to this island, that nothing had been sent by the Governor of Syracuse--_secretly_ (was the word to us) or openly--to this island?

And, I am farther a.s.sured, that the Governor of Syracuse never had any orders sent him to supply the smallest article.

I beg your Excellency will state this, in confidence, to General Acton. I shall, most a.s.suredly, tell it to the King! The justice I owe myself, now I feel employed in the service of their Sicilian Majesties, demands it of me; and, also, the duty I owe our gracious King, in order to shew that I am doing my utmost to comply with his royal commands.

As I have before stated, had it not been for the English, long, long ago, the Maltese must have been overpowered. Including the fifteen hundred stand of arms given by us, not more than three thousand are in the island. I wonder how they have kept on the defensive so long.

The Emerald will sail--in twenty-four hours after my arrival--for Malta; at least, two thousand stand of small arms complete, ammunition, &c. &c. should be sent by her. This is wanted, to defend themselves: for offence, two or three large mortars; fifteen hundred sh.e.l.ls, with all necessaries; and, perhaps, a few artillery--two ten-inch howitzers, with a thousand sh.e.l.ls. The Bormola, and all the left side of the harbour, with this a.s.sistance, will fall. Ten thousand men are required to defend those works, the French can only spare twelve hundred; therefore, a vigorous a.s.sault in many parts, some one must succeed.

But, who have the government of Naples sent to lead or encourage these people? A very good--and, I dare say, brave--old man; enervated, and shaking with the palsy. This is the sort of man that they have sent; without any supply, without even a promise of protection, and without his bringing any answer to the repeated respectful memorials of these people to their Sovereign.

I know, their Majesties must feel hurt, when they hear these truths. I may be thought presuming; but, I trust, General Acton will forgive an honest seaman for telling plain truths. _As for the other minister, I do not understand him_; we are different men! He has been bred in a court, and I in a rough element. But, I believe, my heart is as susceptible of the finer feelings as his, and as compa.s.sionate for the distress of those who look up to me for protection.