28 MARCH 1846, Page 16

THE NELSON CORRESPONDENCE.

THE sixth volume of the Nelson Correspondence embraces the period be- tween May 1804 and July 1805 ; its most striking feature being the hero's pursuit of the French fleet to the West Indies and back again to Europe; which, for professional sagacity approaching intuition, for promptness of decision, activity of movement, and "sticking to" the ob- ject, is unrivalled in nautical annals. Among the topics of less public importance, but equally characteristic of the man, are his dealings with the Royal Artillery on board the bomb-vessels, whose officers refused to allow their men to " pull or haul" unless the order were conveyed through them, and otherwise misbehaved; a continuation of the squabble with the Dey of Algiers ; and some more leanings towards the Court of Naples. Whether it was female fascination, or that the Neapolitan Sove- reigns were the only persons of any rank who flattered his vanity or even treated him with common attention, Nelson does appear to have per- witted his predilections to interfere somewhat with his duty as an Admi- ral. Thus he writes to Mr. Elliot, the English Minister at Naples-

" It is not upon my own account, but that I may be able to answer for my conduct to the Admiralty that I must ask this question of the King of Naples, viz. Do you think your situation requires the constant presence of an English ship of the line at Naples? His Majesty and the Queen know that I would sooner fight the enemy's fleet with an inferior force than have them in the least uneasy; but Ministers may not always think as their attached Nelson and Bront6 does: therefore, my dear Sir, you will see the necessity I am under of repeatedly asking the same question; and I beg that the answer may be direct to the point, that if I go (and if I do not go before next winter, I shall never go) to England, that my successor may not have the power of taking the ship from Naples with- out the King's consent first obtained."

The only purpose of thus weakening the fleet was to enable their Ma- jesties to escape from Naples to Sicily, should "circumstances" render it desirable : and, whatever may be thought of the Neapolitan' ships, they were surely capable of running away for so short a distance.

Another characteristic incident is Nelson's anger at M. La Touche Treville's boastful despatch, that he had chased the English fleet, which had fled before him. He recurs to it again and again, generally with the

threat that if he captured the Frenchman he should eat it. You will have seen," he writes to his brother, " Monsieur La Touche's letter, of how he chased me and how I ran. I keep it ; and, by God, if I take him, he shall eat it." The French Admiral died; and, according to M. Thiers, his death—such was his naval skill—prevented the invasion of England ; though Nelson, in another letter, declares that he " never heard of his acting otherwise than as a poltroon and a liar. Contempt is the best mode of treating such a miscreant." On La Touche's death, which happened soon after his " sortie," Nelson has a fling at the new

Emperor, in mere gaits de cceur,—for, there is not the least suspicion, we believe, attaching to the Admiral's decease. " La Touche has given me the slip : lie died of the colic—perhaps Buonaparte's, for they say he was a rank Republican."

Nelson's treatment by the Admiralty is still a ground of complaint; and very justly so, when the station was divided, Nelson's command re- stricted to the Straits of Gibraltar, and Sir John Orde appointed to a separate command off Cadiz on the breaking out of hostilities with Spain,—for the sole object, in Nelson's opinion, of enriching Sir John by prize-money at Nelson's expense. He recurs to it often, and quite as sorely as to La Touche's brag. The manner in which the war was starved also comes out very strongly. Nelson appears to have been treated much in the same way as was Wellington at a later period ; and the sole difference between Whigs and Tories seems to have been that the latter were more civil. All these points are touched upon in the follow- ing extract from a letter to Elliot at Naples.

" Sir John Ordo was sent, if it was a Spanish war, to take the money; but until he saw my orders he did not act. I suppose he was fearful of that responsi- bility which I am ever ready to take upon me; and now he is to wallow in wealth, whilst I am left a beggar. But such things are. I receive the kindest letters from Lord Melville and the Secretary of State, but they think the French fleet is prize though for me. "You will believe, my dear Sir, that if I had small vessels, that one should be with you every month, or oftener; but I have them not. No, not half enough for the different services; and they are decreasing daily by convoys going to England. Not one has arrived for these fifteen months."

And again to Ball, and then to Elliot. " I am fully aware that more sloops of war are wanted for the service of Malta and the convoys to the Eastward than I have in the Mediterranean; but none are sent me, and my force decreases every day. Gibraltar is in absolutedistress; they have not force sufficient to convoy over their bullock-vessels. Fox has called upon Sir John Orde, who tells him he must refer to me; which he has done, and I have been forced to answer him, that I regretted the officer at the Straits' Mouth was not junior to me, when I should order him to take care of Gibraltar. But this cannot go on. I have, on January 7th, wrote home of what would happen; and I dare say Orde has a trimmer before this time. He will not be suffered to remain much longer; he will go to the Channel; he will be the richest Admiral that Eng ever had, and I one of the poorest. Bravo !"

" I am not sure whether in your letter you mean that Lord Mnlgrave says, that the troops going to Malta are for a service which you have been long ac- .quainted with Does your Excellency mean that you have, or that I have, been long acquainted with [it] ? If it is you, I dare say it is right; but if I am meant as being in the secret of the destination of those troops, I most solemnly declare my entire ignorance as to the force or destination, or even that one soldier is in- tended for the Mediterranean. I know certainly where many thousands are wanted."

From wounds, exertion, and the wear and tear of mind, acting upon a constitution none of the strongest, Nelson's health appears to have been irretrievably broken ; and had he survived Trafalgar, it is probable that he would only have lingered on a few years as a confirmed invalid. His old wounds were telling upon him ; the sight of his remaining eye was failing ; he was troubled with a severe cough ; and he seems to have con- sidered himself hectic. His own future views, (which it was needless to say were not very likely to have been realized,) are thus reported by the present Dr. Lambton Este, in an interesting communication to Sir Harris Nicolas.

"4th November 1804.

" On joining the Victory, in my first interviews with Nelson, he complained of frequent pains in his right side, from former injuries; that many warnings and inabilities made him conscious of his shattered frame, and anxious for repose. The sight of his remaining eye was fast failing him; a thick opaque membrane had grown over and into a part of the transparent cornea, and, as far as it ex- tended, was an obstacle to vision in the only eye left to him. His thoughts, his ambition evidently tended to the Admiralty—to the management of the naval service of his country. In his cabin, with his confidential friends,. he occasionally alluded to' what he would do if he were in power': his anxiety, in either alter- native of retaining his command in the Mediterranean or of returning to employ- ment at home, seemed to be, to get all his known, tried, and experienced people, around him. Addressing Dr. Scott jocosely, as he generally did, and remarking on his knowledge of Spanish and of Spanish affairs, he would exclaim, Ah, my dear Doctor! give me knowledge practically acquired—experience I experience I experience and practical men.'" The following, from the same communication, describing Mr. Este's departure for England, indicates Nelson's nice sense of obligation, and his delicate manner of declining a favour. It also shows the physical capa bility of Orde for command. " Having received his instructions' and dined with the Admiral, we, shortly after dinner, took leave, and removed from the Victory to the Termagant. "Here a trifling incident occurred, illustrative of the character of Nelson, and of his modes of proceeding. After the death of Mr. Lock, at Malta, I found myself in charge of the affairs, with a large outfit _provided for the Levant. As soon as the message was transmitted to me in the Lazaretto at Malta, by Sir Alexander Ball, that I was to join Lord Nelson in the fleet off Toulon, I began to consider what I could do that might prove useful or gratifying to Lord Nelson, and to his r‘cneiates, who, I knew, where in want of naval stores, and who had been, during many months afloat, exposed to rough usage and privations, in a tedious blockade. These consisted of two largo tierces of the finest English porter, in bottles, thirty- six dozen in each; tongues, Bayonne hams, and some India pickles, &c.; all of which I sent on board the Phoebe frigate as presents for the Victory. When Lord Nelson saw the packages, he exclaimed, What's all this lumber? What the devil have _you got here ?' He seemed hart at my explanation, Only a little ammuni- tion for the fleet, my Lord'; but directed them to be stowed away carefully; and he told old Gaetano, his Italian steward, to look well after them. Days and weeks passed away, without any of the porter or tongues or hams appearing either on the Admiral's table or in the ward-room of the Victory. This seemed strange; but no remark was made. Soon after we got on board the Termagant, a boat arrived with a letter to Captain Pettet, and one to myself, of which I give the purport, if not the exact words, from memory—' I have tasted and reserved some of your princely and delicious presents. Had we returned together in the Superb, these should have afforded consolation to all on board that ship, on our homeward voyage. AR our destinies are altered, I have taken the liberty of sending them to Captain Pettet, to whom they will prove highly acceptable; and before you have been long on board, I trust you will think with me that they could not have been more worthily bestowed. I have added a few bottles of fine Marsala, lately sent me by Wood- house from Sicily, that you may have the pleasure of Linking my health in my absence,' &c. &c. " Off Cadiz, we joined Admiral Sir John Orde; who, a martyr to the gout, was then in bed, and had not quitted his cabin since he left England, and could not see us."

The following letter in reply to an old " superior officer," who had solicited the Admiral's interest for a relation, is characteristic Of his kind- ness and consideration : but its principal attraction is derived from the editor's note, which is very suggestive of the chances and changes of human life. Thirty years "have wrought strange alteration."

"To Lieutenant Cuthbert Adamson, R.N., Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

[Autograph, in the possession of his son, Lieutenant John Adamson, R.N.]

Lieutenant Cuthbert Adamson was Second Lieutenant of the Racehorse in the Expedition to the North Pole, in 1773, when Lord Nelson was a Midshipman of the Carcass, Captain Lutwidge, (vide vol. i. p. 2.) Failing to obtain promotion, Mr. Adamson retired on half-pay, and died in November 1804, a few days before this letter reached Newcastle.

" Victory, 12th October 1804.

" Dear Sir—I have only just received your letter of June 26th, respecting your nephew Mr. Hathwait ,e on board the Canopus. Without a battle and victory complete, it may not be in my power, from the very few vacancies which occur in this healthy climate, and from the Admiralty list being so long, independent of those naturally looking up to me from serving in the same ship: but I will place him upon my list, and in the event of such a victory as I may expect from the services of the fleet under my command, I will not forget your relation. I re- member you most perfectly well in the Racehorse • and my wonder has often been excited at your remaining a Lieutenant, and when all your living shipmates have rose to high rank in the service. "I am, dear Sir, your most obedient servant, NELSON AND BRONTE." Here is an example of that attention to details which distinguished Nelson equally with Wellington.

" To [the Commissioners of the Navy?)

[From a copy in the possession of Mrs. Conway.]

" Victory, atSea, 20th November 1804.

"Gentlemen—In further answer to your letter of the 25th June last, relative to my opinion of the Guernsey jackets of a new manufacture, as therein mentioned, (which were issued to the seamen on the 14th of October,) and what further sup- ply of them may be necessary for the squadron under my command, I must beg leave to observe, that the quality of the said Guernsey jackets is most excellent, but that they are considerably too narrow and short to be tucked into the men's trousers. It is, therefore, my opinion, that they ought to be at least three inches wider' and six ionger. Indeed, if they were ten inches or a foot, it would be so much better, as they shrink very considerably in washing; and when the seamen are on the yards, reefing or furling sails, thejacket rubs out of their trousers, and exposes them to great danger of taking cold in their loins: so that, with this alteration, which is particularly necessary, they certainly would be the best and most valuable slops that ever were introduced into the service, and be the means of saving many a good seaman's life. With respect to the quantity required, it would not be many many to send out one for every seaman in the fleet. Perhaps the Guernsey jacket, in its present state, might answer the largest of the boys. I am, Gentlemen, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE."

We might multiply analogous quotations to any length, for the volume is full of various personal traits ; but perhaps, as a whole, it is less in- teresting than some of the previous volumes, from the routine character of the bulk of its materials. The seventh volume will contain Trafalgar, and complete the work : so that it is natural in the sixth to have had that species of lull which, either in the physical or the moral world, pre- cedes, as if to prepare for, any great commotion.