Schooner remained upwards of nine weeks after the Seizure of her as aforesaid, in the custody of this Deponent's Officer, Mr. William Batty, without any claim or application whatever made to this Deponent, either by the said Governor Parry, or Alexander Mallett, or any other Officer of the Customs of the said Island of Barbadoes; and this Deponent saith, that he more than once applied personally to the said Judge after he had rejected the said Information as aforesaid, expressing his, this Deponent's, apprehension of some damage or accident happening to the said Schooner and her cargo, if she continued to lay there, and desired to know of the said Judge, whether some Order could not be taken for landing and securing the cargo, or this Deponent expressed himself to that or the like effect; to which the said Judge replied to this Deponent, that as he had rejected the said Information and no other was Filed, he the said Judge did not consider the said Schooner and her cargo as before him, therefore he could not make any Order relative thereto : and this Deponent saith that the said Judge also told this Deponent that notwithstanding any Opinion he the said Judge might deliver upon the Bench, he the said Judge advised this Deponent never to consent that any qui tam Information should be Filed, or the said Judge expressed himself to this Deponent to that or the like effect. And this Deponent further saith, that finding that the people of Bridgetown in the Island of Barbadoes were very tumultuous, occasioned by his having Seized the Brig and Schooner, and thinking that an attempt would be made to take them forcibly from the Guard who had them in charge, and to prevent them ultimately from being successful, in the evening he ordered Lieutenant Dent to go on board the Brig and the Schooner, and to cut the Broad Arrow 6 deep into their masts, that he might, in case of an accident, be able to identify the vessels in a Foreign Port. HORATIO NELSON. 'Sworn the 26th day of June 1786, before me, J. WARD. The general mark of the King's Stores and other property. On my arrival at Nevis, I stated the case of the two Vessels before the King's Counsel, and begged their opinions on the whole of the business, of which the following are copies: [Here follow the Case and Opinion of his Majesty's Counsel; but as the facts of the transaction sufficiently appear from the Narrative, and from Captain Nelson's Letters, it is not necessary to insert them.] On the 26th of June, 1786, the Vessels were tried and condemned, when Governor Parry appealed against the Decision, and claimed a third of the Brig, and two-thirds of the Schooner. In July I seized an American Schooner under Spanish colours, as she was attempting to trade in the British Colonies, which was condemned. A day or two after I arrived at Nevis, I received the following letters from Sir Richard Hughes : 'Sir, 'Government House, 20th May 1786. 'Mr. Mallet, one of the Officers of his Majesty's Customs, having just acquainted me that a Schooner called the Louisa, against which he is informant as well for himself as the King and the Governor in the Court of Vice-Admiralty of this Island, is now to all appearances preparing for Sea, and is about to be taken from hence by Captain Nelson of H.M.S. Boreas. The duty I owe to the Crown, and the care of his Majesty's subjects claiming my protection, obliges me to require your Excellency to give Orders to Captain Nelson on no account to take away that Schooner. 'With respect to the Brig about to be carried off in like manner, events within my observation shall determine my particular conduct concerning her. 6 I have the honour to be, Sir, His Excellency Sir R. Hughes.' 'Sir, 'Government House, 20th May 1786. When your Excellency received my letter, the Schooner in question was in sight of Carlisle Bay. Captain Nelson could and ought to have informed your Excellency that Mr. Mallett had filed a Cross Bill against that Schooner; consequently the Captain's taking of her away in the manner he has done, is a direct violation of every existing Act and Statute in the Parliamentary and Constitutional Annals of Great Britain, for which he will, doubtless, on a future day, be made responsible; for the Laws of England are equally open to every man. What Declarations the Master of either Vessels may have made I know not; nor will it avail anything considering how they were obtained. The dispute between Captain Nelson and Mr. Mallett is not a matter of any concern to me, and the legality of Captain Nelson's mode of procedure is yet to be determined. 'I have the honour to be, 'Your Excellency's most obedient, 'D. PARRY. 'P.S.-I must also observe to your Excellency, that both the vessels were under Appeal in the Court of Admiralty, in Barbadoes; the legality of their removal I have you to judge of.' HORATIO Nelson. TO WILLIAM SUCKLING, ESQ. [From "the Athenæum." Nevis, July 5th, 1786. My dear Sir, This will be delivered to you by Mr. Suckling, who has done me the favour of calling here on his way to England. He appears much improved since I last saw him, and seems to possess a modesty of behaviour, which must ever get friends. and promotion for him. My prizes were condemned on the 26th Instant, but an appeal is prayed by Governor Parry against the distribution, as he thinks that as Governor he is entitled to a third of all forfeitures, even though made by his Majesty's Ships; but he is grossly ignorant, and sets his face against the Navy, more particularly against me, as I will do my duty in despite of all machinations, even with Chiefs at the head of them. I wish I could tell you I was well, but I am far from it. My activity of mind is too much for my puny constitution. I am worn to a skeleton, but I trust that the Doctors and asses' milk will set me up again. Perhaps you will think it odd if I do not mention Mrs. Nisbet ;-I can only assure you, that her heart is equal to her head, which every person knows is filled with good sense. My affection for her is fixed upon that solid basis of esteem and regard, that I trust can only increase by a longer knowledge of her. I have not a line from either 7 Vide p. 108, ante. my father or sister. My brother just mentioned it in a cursory manner as you did. I hope you and your family are well, and ever will continue so. You have been my best friend, and I trust will continue as long so as I shall prove myself, by my actions, worthy of supplying that place in the Service of my Country, which my dear Uncle left for me. I feel myself, to my Country, his heir; and it shall, I am bold to say, never lack the want of his counsel;-I feel he gave it to me. as a legacy, and had I been near him when he was removed, he would have said, My boy, I leave you to my Country. Serve her well, and she'll never desert, but will ultimately reward, you.' You who know much of me, I believe and hope, think me not unworthy your regards. But I beg your pardon for this digression; but what I have said is the inward monitor of my heart upon every difficult occasion. Bless you, my best friend, and believe me most affectionately, HORATIO NELSON. TO MRS. NISBET. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. pp. 85, 86.] My dearest Fanny, Boreas, English Harbour, August 19th, 1786. Having seen in this day's newspaper, that a Vessel cleared out from St. John's to Nevis a few days ago, I feel vexed not to have had a letter in the Office for you: however, if I can help it, I will not be behindhand again. To write letters to you is the next greatest pleasure I feel to receiving them from you. What I experience when I read such as I am sure are the pure sentiments of your heart, my poor pen cannot express, nor indeed would I give much for any pen or head that could describe feelings of that kind: they are worth but little when that can happen. My heart yearns to you—it is with you; my mind dwells upon nought else but you. Absent from you, I feel no pleasure: it is you, my dearest Fanny, who everything to me. Without you, I care not for this are 18 Captain Maurice Suckling. world; for I have found lately nothing in it but vexation and trouble. These, you are well convinced, are my present sentiments; God Almighty grant they may never change. Nor do I think they will: indeed, there is, as far as human knowledge can judge, a moral certainty they cannot; for it must be real affection that brings us together, not interest or compulsion, which make so many unhappy. I have not been able to get even a cottage upon a hill, notwithstanding my utmost endeavours; and therefore have been kept here, most woefully pinched by mosquitoes, for my sins, perhaps; so the generous inhabitants of Antigua think, I suppose: not one of whom has been here, or has asked me to leave English Harbour. But I give them credit for not paying attention to me to another cause-that I am a faithful servant to that Country which most of them detest, and to which all their actions are inimical: I wish not for a better proof from them of my having done my duty. These gentlemen I shall in my mind hold very cheap in future: but I will have done with such trash. I am not that jolly fellow, who, for a feast and a plenty of wine, would sacrifice the dearest interest of his Country; they are fond of those gentry. Leave all Antigua by itself, 'tis not fit company for the other parts of the letter. Monday, [21st August] seven in the Evening. As you begin to know something about Sailors, have you not often heard, that salt water and absence always wash away love? Now, I am such a heretic as not to believe that Faith; for behold, every morning since my arrival, I have had six pails of salt water at daylight poured upon my head, and instead of finding what the Seamen say to be true, I perceive the contrary effect; and if it goes on so contrary to the prescription, you must see me before my fixed time. At first, I bore absence tolerably, but now it is almost insupportable; and by-and-by I expect it will be quite so. But patience is a virtue; and I must exercise it upon this occasion, whatever it costs my feelings. I am alone in the Commanding Officer's house, while my Ship is fitting, and from sunset until bed-time, 8 |