breeze, so that the Gun-Boats cannot move, and yet not so much but that a Gig can with ease row out, I should hope that at the least the gentry may be disturbed; and I should not be surprised if Mr. Francis and his catamarans were sent, and Colonel Congreve and his rockets-but all this keep to yourself, for Officers will talk, and there is no occasion for putting the Enemy on their guard. When these arrive, we will consult how to manage them, and I shall have the two Bombs ready by that time. Ever, my dear Sir, I am yours most faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. Do you send your letters-they shall be taken care of. Would you like them to go by Lisbon packet when I send mine? PRIVATE DIARY. [From Dr. Beatty's "Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson," p. 96.] Monday, October 14th. Fine weather: Westerly wind. Sent Amphion to Gibraltar and Algiers. Enemy at the harbour's mouth. Placed Defence and Agamemnon from seven to ten leagues West of Cadiz, and Mars and Colossus five leagues East of the Fleet, whose station is from fifteen to twenty West of Cadiz; and by this chain I hope to have a constant communication with the Frigates off Cadiz. TO CAPTAIN GEORGE HOPE, H. M. S. DEFENCE. Victory, Oct. 15th, 1805. Sir, You will, with the Agamemnon, take a station West from Cadiz from seven to ten leagues, by which means, if the Enemy should move, I hope to have instant information, as two or three Ships will be kept, as at present, between the Fleet and your two Ships; and it seems thought by Captain Blackwood that a Ship or two may attempt to drive the Frigates off, and if that should be the case you will be at hand to assist. I am, Sir, with great respect, &c., NELSON AND Bronte. TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART., MALTA. [Autograph in the possession of Sir William Keith Ball, Bart.] My dear Ball, Victory, October 15th, 1805. I send you our last newspapers. The combined Fleets are all at the Harbour's Mouth, and must either move up again, or move off, before the winter sets in. I trust we shall be able to get hold of them. I want to send ten Sail of the Line, two Frigates, and two Sloops, off Toulon, Genoa, and that Coast, to cover our Army and to prevent any stores, provisions, &c., from moving along shore, and to save Sardinia; but as yet I have not the means; but when the Ships are released from the Expedition, and the Frigates carrying the money return, I shall have a very respectable Squadron in that part of the Mediterranean-probably under our friend Keats, if he will accept it, and give up the certainty of fighting with the Fleet, as my second'. Ever, my dear Ball, yours most faithfully, NELSON AND Bronte. TO THE BOATSWAINS OF H. M. SHIPS VICTORY, AJAX, AND NEPTUNE. [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Cadiz, 15th October, 1805. Captain Lechemere of His Majesty's Ship Thunderer, having on the 25th September represented to me that Mr. Richard Keefe, Boatswain of that Ship, had left his duty, and not having returned previous to her sailing from Cawsand Bay, was 'Run' upon the Ship's Books on the 17th of that month, at the same time requested that I would appoint another Boatswain in his room, which was complied with, by the nomination of Mr. James Sympson, Boatswain of the Euryalus; and it having been yesterday represented to me by Lieutenant Stockham, in the absence of Captain Lechemere, that the said Mr. Richard Keefe returned to the Thunderer by the Agamemnon; and as it is possible Mr. Keefe did not leave his duty with an intention to desert, although his 1 i. e. Next to the Victory in the Line of Battle. breeze, so that the Gun-Boats cannot move, and yet not so much but that a Gig can with ease row out, I should hope that at the least the gentry may be disturbed; and I should not be surprised if Mr. Francis and his catamarans were sent, and Colonel Congreve and his rockets-but all this keep to yourself, for Officers will talk, and there is no occasion for putting the Enemy on their guard. When these arrive, we will consult how to manage them, and I shall have the two Bombs ready by that time. Ever, my dear Sir, I am yours most faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. Do you send your letters-they shall be taken care of. Would you like them to go by Lisbon packet when I send mine? PRIVATE DIARY. [From Dr. Beatty's "Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson," p. 96.] Monday, October 14th. Fine weather: Westerly wind. Sent Amphion to Gibraltar and Algiers. Enemy at the harbour's mouth. Placed Defence and Agamemnon from seven to ten leagues West of Cadiz, and Mars and Colossus five leagues East of the Fleet, whose station is from fifteen to twenty West of Cadiz; and by this chain I hope to have a constant communication with the Frigates off Cadiz. TO CAPTAIN GEORGE HOPE, H. M. S. DEFENCE. Victory, Oct. 15th, 1805. Sir, You will, with the Agamemnon, take a station West from Cadiz from seven to ten leagues, by which means, if the Enemy should move, I hope to have instant information, as two or three Ships will be kept, as at present, between the Fleet and your two Ships; and it seems thought by Captain Blackwood that a Ship or two may attempt to drive the Frigates off, and if that should be the case you will be at hand to assist. I am, Sir, with great respect, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE. TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART., MALTA. [Autograph in the possession of Sir William Keith Ball, Bart.] My dear Ball, Victory, October 15th, 1805. I send you our last newspapers. The combined Fleets are all at the Harbour's Mouth, and must either move up again, or move off, before the winter sets in. I trust we shall be able to get hold of them. I want to send ten Sail of the Line, two Frigates, and two Sloops, off Toulon, Genoa, and that Coast, to cover our Army and to prevent any stores, provisions, &c., from moving along shore, and to save Sardinia; but as yet I have not the means; but when the Ships are released from the Expedition, and the Frigates carrying the money return, I shall have a very respectable Squadron in that part of the Mediterranean-probably under our friend Keats, if he will accept it, and give up the certainty of fighting with the Fleet, as my second'. Ever, my dear Ball, yours most faithfully, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO THE BOATSWAINS OF H. M. SHIPS VICTORY, AJAX, AND NEPTUNE. [From a Copy in the Admiralty.] Victory, off Cadiz, 15th October, 1805. Captain Lechemere of His Majesty's Ship Thunderer, having on the 25th September represented to me that Mr. Richard Keefe, Boatswain of that Ship, had left his duty, and not having returned previous to her sailing from Cawsand Bay, was 'Run' upon the Ship's Books on the 17th of that month, at the same time requested that I would appoint another Boatswain in his room, which was complied with, by the nomination of Mr. James Sympson, Boatswain of the Euryalus; and it having been yesterday represented to me by Lieutenant Stockham, in the absence of Captain Lechemere, that the said Mr. Richard Keefe returned to the Thunderer by the Agamemnon; and as it is possible Mr. Keefe did not leave his duty with an intention to desert, although his 1 i. e. Next to the Victory in the Line of Battle. conduct is very reprehensible, and rather wears the appearance of embezzlement of His Majesty's stores, You are therefore hereby required and directed to repair immediately on board His Majesty's Ship Thunderer, and in the first instance you will call for and most strictly examine the actual charge of stores he had by his Indents from Plymouth Dockyard, together with every article which the said Boatswain may have received from any other quarter, and actually remained on board on the 17th September, the day on which the said Boatswain appears to have been 'Run.' You will then examine the Expense and Supply Books from that day until the 25th September, when Mr. Sympson took charge of the Thunderer, and when the stores that may have been expended or supplied to any Ship are added to the quantity remaining on the 25th September, it will then appear, by comparing this last account with the actual remains on the 17th September, whether any embezzlement or deficiency of stores have taken place in Mr. Keefe's time. As this is a service of very great importance, I must desire that you will strictly examine into every particular before mentioned, and that you do actually see every article of stores at present on board the Thunderer, and likewise compare the Expense Book during the short time Mr. Sympson has been Boatswain, which stores you will deliver from his charge into the charge and custody of Mr. Richard Keefe, the former Boatswain. And the more effectually to carry this order into execution, it is my directions that the Master and Captain's Clerk of the Thunderer attend most strictly to this service, and that they not only see every article of stores in company with the Surveying Officers, but also render them every assistance and facility in their power, and put their names as witnesses to the said Survey, reporting to me from under your hands a most clear and distinct account of your proceedings herein, stating particularly the deficiency of stores (if any), by mentioning on a separate list the quality and quantity which may appear so deficient, and by what means it happened. NELSON AND BRONTE. N.B. The Boatswains are to remain on board the Thunderer till the Survey is over. NELSON AND BRONTE. |