TO WILLIAM LOCKER, ESQ., WEST MALLING.

My dear Sir,

[Autograph, in the Locker Papers.]

Boreas, Basseterre Road, January 15th, 1785.

Your letter of the 16th November, I received a few days ago at Antigua, fortunately when I was in company with Collingwood, who is acquainted with Lieutenant-Governor Stewart. (I have not been at Dominica since the hurricane months, therefore have not been able to say anything to Governor Orde upon the subject of your estate.) He has wrote to him enclosing a letter I received in England from Mr. James Bradley, with all the particulars relative to the property; and as Collingwood is just going to Prince Rupert's Bay, he desires me to say, that if possible he will go to the spot, consequently will be able to say more upon the matter than I can at present. If the estate has not always had one family kept upon it, I fear there will be some difficulty in getting hold of it; for if it is good land, most likely some genius or other has got hold of it; and if it has never been inhabited since Admiral Parry3 was here, the buildings must be gone to ruin before this time, but as it is you shall know very soon. Coll. will have information from Lieutenant-Governor Stewart, and I shall most probably be there in a month or two, when you may be assured I shall go to the spot and take a regular survey of it.

The longer I am upon this Station the worse I like it. Our Commander has not that opinion of his own sense that he ought to have. He is led by the advice of the Islanders to admit the Yankees to a Trade; at least to wink at it. He does not give himself that weight that I think an English Admiral ought to do. I, for one, am determined not to suffer the Yankees to come where my Ship is; for I am sure, if once the Americans are admitted to any kind of intercourse with these Islands, the views of the Loyalists in settling Nova Scotia are entirely done away. They will first become the Carriers, and next have

3 Rear-Admiral William Parry was appointed Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica, and in the Windward Islands, in 1766, where he remained three years. He died an Admiral of the Blue on the 29th of April, 1799. His only child, Lucy, married Captain Locker, (vide p. 23, ante,) with whom he seems to have obtained the Dominica estate so often mentioned.

VOL. I.

I

possession of our Islands, are we ever again embroiled in a French war. The residents of these Islands are Americans by connexion and by interest, and are inimical to Great Britain. They are as great rebels as ever were in America, had they the power to show it.

After what I have said, you will believe I am not very popular with the people. They have never visited me, and I have not had a foot in any house since I have been on the Station, and all for doing my duty by being true to the interests of Great Britain. A petition from the President and Council has gone to the Governor-General and Admiral, to request the admission of Americans. I have given my answer to the Admiral upon the subject; how he will like it I know not: but I am determined to suppress the admission of Foreigners all in my power. I have told the Customs that I will complain if they admit any Foreigner to an Entry:-an American arrives; sprung a leak, a mast, and what not, makes a protest, gets admittance, sells his cargo for ready money; goes to Martinico, buys molasses, and so round and round. But I hate them all. The Loyalist cannot do it, consequently must sell a little dearer. I am happy in hearing Bradley has got so good a place. I beg my best compliments to him and all that family. God bless you, my dear Sir, and rest assured, I am ever, your affectionate Friend,

Remember me to the boys kindly.

HORATIO NELSON.

TO REAR-ADMIRAL SIR RICHARD HUGHES, BART.

[Copy, in Captain Nelson's Narrative of his Proceedings in support of the Navigation Act. Vide p. 175, post.]

[January 11th or 12th, 1785.]

Sir,

29th of December,

I yesterday received your order of the wherein you direct me in the execution of your first order, dated the 12th of November, (which is in fact strictly requiring us to put the Act of Navigation, upon which the wealth and safety of Great Britain so much depends, in force,) to observe the following directions, viz. To cause Foreigners to anchor

by his Majesty's Ship under my command, except in cases of immediate and urgent distress, until her arrival and situation in all respects shall be reported to his Majesty's Governor or his Representative at any of the Islands where I may fall in with such Foreign Ships or Vessels; and that if the Governor or his Representative should give leave for admitting such Vessels, strictly charging me not to hinder them or interfere in their subsequent proceedings.

I ever have been, as in duty bound, always ready to cooperate with his Majesty's Governors or their Representatives in doing whatever has been for the benefit of Great Britain. No Governor will, I am sure, do such an illegal act as to countenance the admission of Foreigners into the Ports of their Islands, nor dare any Officer of his Majesty's Customs enter such Foreigners without they are in such distress that necessity obliges them to unlade their cargoes, and then only to sell such a part of it as will pay the costs. In distress, no individual shall exceed me in acts of generosity; and in judging of their distress, no person can know better than Sea-Officers, of which I shall inform the Governors, &c., when they acquaint me for what reason they have countenanced the admission of Foreigners.

I beg leave to hope that I may be properly understood, when I venture to say, that at a time when Great Britain is using every endeavour to suppress illicit Trade at Home, it is not wished that the Ships upon this Station should be singular, by being the only spectators of the illegal Trade, which I know is carried on at these Islands. The Governors may be imposed upon by false declarations: we, who are on the spot, cannot. General Shirley told me and Captain Collingwood how much he approved of the methods that were carrying on for suppressing the illegal Trade with America; that it had ever been his wish, and that he had used every means in his power, by proclamation and otherwise, to hinder it: but they came to him with protests, and swore through everything, (even as the Sea phrase is, through a nine-inch plank,') therefore got admittance, as he could not examine the Vessels himself; and further, by the Thynne Packet he had received a letter from Lord Sydney, One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, saying, that Administration were deter

mined that American Ships and Vessels should not have any intercouse with our West India Islands; and that he had, upon an Address from the Assembly, petitioning that he would relax the King's proclamation for the exclusion of Americans, transmitted it to Lord Sydney to be laid before the King. The answer to General Shirley was that his Majesty firmly believed and hoped that all his orders which were received by his Governors would be strictly obeyed.

Whilst I have the honour to command an English Man-ofWar, I never shall allow myself to be subservient to the will of any Governor, nor co-operate with him in doing illegal acts. Presidents of Council I feel myself superior to. They shall make proper application to me, for whatever they may want to come by water.

If I rightly understand your order of the 29th of December, it is founded upon an Opinion of the King's Attorney-General, viz.: That it is legal for Governors or their Representatives to admit Foreigners into the Ports of their Government, if they think fit.' How the King's Attorney-General conceives he has a right to give an illegal Opinion, which I assert the above is, he must answer for. I know the Navigation Laws.

I am, Sir, &c.

HORATIO NELSON.

TO PHILIP STEPHENS, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.

[Autograph, in the Admiralty.—A Copy occurs in Captain Nelson's Narrative. Vide p. 176, post.]

Boreas, Basseterre Road, St. Christopher's, January 18th, 1785.

Sir, Inclosed I have the honour to transmit you, for their Lordships' information, (copy of which I have sent to the Commander-in-Chief upon this Station,) letters which have passed between Captain W. Collingwood, Commander of His Majesty's Sloop Rattler, who is under my command, and Mr. Henry

4 Captain Wilfred Collingwood was a younger brother of Captain Cuthbert (afterwards Admiral Lord) Collingwood. He never obtained Post-rank, and died in the West Indies on the 21st April 1787. See Captain Nelson's Letter announcing his death to his brother (p. 230). Captain Wilfred Collingwood's

Bennet, Collector of his Majesty's Customs at the Port of Sandy Point, upon this Island, together with copies of the Registers and Declarations of the Masters.

Being placed by the Commander-in-chief with the Rattler Sloop upon this station, viz. Montserrat, Nevis, St. Christopher's, Anguilla, and the Virgin Islands, to protect the Commerce of Great Britain, and consequently, I take for granted, to hinder illegal Trade or proceedings from being carried into effect, which I have always supposed was our duty, and for which purpose we are placed in this Country in times of Peace, and sufficiently authorized by the Statutes which are sent us by the Admiralty Board.

By the letters you will herewith receive, their Lordships. will be informed that Mr. Bennet, the Collector at Sandy Point, doubts our having a right to ask reasons why Vessels. are admitted to receive Registers when we find they are Foreign built, and some of them navigated entirely with Foreigners, so contrary to the Act of Navigation, and all subsequent Acts of Parliament for regulating the Plantation trade. By the copies of the Vessels' Registers, their Lordships will also be informed that the Vessels are all American built; and by the Declarations of the Masters and others, were and are now, in my opinion, belonging to the Subjects of the States of America, but wish to enjoy the privilege of British Subjects, by having a free Trade with our West India Islands, to the prejudice of British Ship-building, British Subjects, and the Colonies of Nova Scotia and Canada. Their Lordships would not have been troubled with this letter at this time, had not the said Mr. Bennet declared in his letter to Captain Collingwood that he thought himself legally authorized (having received no Act of Parliament that hindered him from granting Registers to any American Vessel, the Master and Owner taking oaths of allegiance to his Majesty) to grant Registers to any Vessel on those terms.

In consequence of this declaration, I have thought it my indispensable duty to make their Lordships acquainted with the very illegal methods (I conceive) Americans get Registered at

extensive correspondence preserved at the Admiralty, respecting the illicit traffic, shows that he was an able and zealous Officer.