rinds, sixty-five lbs., I have sent on board the Scipio.9 Captain Lutwidge has promised he will get them up the first good opportunity. Boreas is ready for paying off, but I understand we shall not be dismissed, at soonest, before Friday; perhaps, I am told, Monday next. It would appear they don't like parting with our people. I hope your trip to Exeter has been pleasant. Mrs. Nelson has told me of your return; indeed I was in town for forty-eight hours last week. We are all gaping for the King's Speech. Our Admiral is rather surprised he has had no orders to strike his Flag, nor orders to pay off the Sandwich: she has near a thousand men on board. However, a few days must now determine matters. I shall then take the first opportunity of seeing you. I beg my compliments to Bradley, when you see him, and kind remembrances to your young folk; and believe me to be your most affectionate and attached, HORATIO NELSON. I had wrote the above before I received your letter. None of my things would be permitted to be sent to London Customhouse. The duty, &c., I have given directions about paying, 9 The Scipio of 64 guns, Guard-ship at Sheerness, commanded by Captain Lutwidge before mentioned. 1 The Boreas was paid off early in December 1787.-The preceding Letters show that in the performance of arduous duties in the Leeward Islands, Nelson had received several rebukes or reprimands from the Admiralty; that his correspondence respecting frauds in the Public Departments had been then but coldly received; that he had incurred great anxiety, and exposed himself to heavy responsibility in supporting the commercial interests of his Country; and that on his return to England, the Boreas was made a Receiving Ship for impressed Seamen, at the Nore. This treatment is stated to have so irritated his mind, that he said to the Senior Officer in the River Medway, "I now rejoice at the Boreas being ordered to be paid off, which will release me for ever from an ungrateful Service, as it is my firm and unalterable determination never again to set my foot on board a King's Ship. Immediately after my arrival in Town, I shall wait on the First Lord of the Admiralty, and resign my Commission,” a resolution which was happily prevented by his receiving a very civil letter from Lord Howe, desiring to see him in Town. The interview proved satisfactory to both parties, and Lord Howe offered to present him to the King on the next Levée day, when he was honoured with a gracious reception.—Clarke & M‘Arthur, vol. i. p. 102. It is remarkable, if the anecdote be true, that there should be no allusion whatever to his feelings on the subject in his private correspondence; and in August of that year he had expressed his fondness for his profession. See p. 252, ante. and it will come directed to Mr. Suckling at the Custom-House with my liquor. Mr. Bellas has been for this month past in London. Nor is Mr. Prowse Master-Attendant here, but a Mr. Hemming from Halifax. Sir, TO PHILIP STEPHENS, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Autograph, in the Admiralty.] No. 6, Princes Street, Cavendish Square, December 29th, 1787. Mr. James Jameson, late Master of the Boreas, having acquainted me of his applying to the Admiralty praying their Lordships to relieve him from the expenses and issue of a law-suit commenced against him by Thomas Watts, Purser's steward, for improperly correcting him; and having received their Lordships' answer, that it did not appear to them to be a proper case for their Solicitor to appear in, and Mr. Jameson having requested me to write to the Board concerning the matter, I take the liberty of requesting you to inform their Lordships that Mr. Jameson is by no means of a cruel or oppressive disposition, and I am afraid that if Mr. Jameson had confined the Steward till I came on board I should have punished him at the gangway. He is of a bad character, insomuch that I have been obliged to punish him for suttling to the Ship's company, and making numbers of them drunk, and being impertinent. I therefore trust that their Lordships will not allow an Officer to be called before a Civil Tribunal, for acts committed under Martial Law, to which he was amenable, had the Steward ever complained to me, but which I never heard of till Mr. Jameson informed me of it; or if called, that they will have the goodness to allow their Solicitor to defend the suit. 2 I have the honour, &c. Surgeon of the Dockyard at Sheerness. TO CAPTAIN SIR CHARLES MIDDLETON, BART., COMPTROLLER OF THE NAVY, [Original draught in the Nelson Papers. The exact date of this Letter does not appear; but it was probably written in November or December 1787.] Captain Nelson returns Sir Charles Middleton's Books, with thanks for the perusal. Captain Nelson can most truly say, that were those Instructions in any manner complied with, it would have been impossible that the present charges could have been brought forward. The mind that's callous to the oath relative to the Negroes, would not scruple committing any act; and yet sorry am I to say, it is my firm belief, that every Instruction relative to the hire of Negroes is broke through. Captain Nelson has turned in his mind what Sir Charles said about an examination abroad. In respect to merchants vouching for the prices of goods, the fact, as far as it goes, is most true. But any Vouchers may be got, signed in the West Indies, and with propriety on the part of the merchant, for there is no fixed market price, as in this Country. Everything is valued as the want of it occasions. In respect to drawing Bills, I never saw an advertisement in the Antigua papers for obtaining the best Exchange. It came to my knowledge, in the first Bills to which my Name was put on my having the Command, that two and a half per cent could be got (it was offered to me by a Merchant) more than the Exchange wrote on the Bills; and on my talking to Mr. Dow, the Deputy Naval Officer, on this subject, he gave as a reason that Mr. Charles Kerr, in whose favour the Bills were drawn, had advanced this money and goods for the use of the Yard before the Exchange had risen. These were but bad reasons for his conduct, as I told him at the time. I mentioned, that in future I should insist on money being advertised for: but difficulties were started; nor was ever any part of those Instructions communicated to me, but such as either militated against the interest of the Naval Officer, or (what I had ordered) might give some additional trouble. During the term of my Command, it may be found, that from two and a half per cent, and in some instances seven per cent, was obtained more for the Navy Bills, than was got for private ones. I was satisfied with the conscious rectitude of my actions; and only trouble you with this communication, that, if possible, any improper mode of conducting this Department may be altered. The openings for fraud are so numerous, the facility of carrying it on so easy, and detection so very difficult, (it being the interest of all parties to keep the secret,) that I fear it is a difficult thing to find virtue enough to withstand the temptation. TO GEORGE ROSE, ESQ., SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 104. The date of this Letter is not given. It was probably written towards the end of 1787.] Sir, I yesterday received the enclosed letter from the Commissioners of the Customs. The exertions I made, whilst on the Leeward Islands Station, in stopping the illegal Trade with America, is not, I trust, forgotten by their Lordships. I have therefore to request you will be pleased to move their Lordships, that they will order the necessary steps to be taken for supporting the legality of the Sentences. I am, &c. HORATIO NELSON. TO THE REVEREND WILLIAM NELSON, HILBOROUGH. [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] 6, Princes-street, Cavendish-square, January 3rd, 1788. My dear Brother, Our little boy shall be at Hilborough on Tuesday or Wednesday next, escorted by Frank,3 who I have desired to stay two or three days till the child becomes reconciled. I am assured of your and Mrs. Nelson's goodness to himthat is, you will not allow him to do as he pleases: it's mistaken kindness where it happens. I wish him at school to have the same weekly allowance as the other boys, and whatever else may be proper for him. We have been very unwell, and 3 His servant, Frank Lepée. TO CAPTAIN SIR CHARLES MIDDLETON, BART., COMPTROLLER OF THE NAVY, [Original draught in the Nelson Papers. The exact date of this Letter does not appear; but it was probably written in November or December 1787.] Captain Nelson returns Sir Charles Middleton's Books, with thanks for the perusal. Captain Nelson can most truly say, that were those Instructions in any manner complied with, it would have been impossible that the present charges could have been brought forward. The mind that's callous to the oath relative to the Negroes, would not scruple committing any act; and yet sorry am I to say, it is my firm belief, that every Instruction relative to the hire of Negroes is broke through. Captain Nelson has turned in his mind what Sir Charles said about an examination abroad. In respect to merchants vouching for the prices of goods, the fact, as far as it goes, is most true. But any Vouchers may be got, signed in the West Indies, and with propriety on the part of the merchant, for there is no fixed market price, as in this Country. Everything is valued as the want of it occasions. In respect to drawing Bills, I never saw an advertisement in the Antigua papers for obtaining the best Exchange. It came to my knowledge, in the first Bills to which my Name was put on my having the Command, that two and a half per cent could be got (it was offered to me by a Merchant) more than the Exchange wrote on the Bills; and on my talking to Mr. Dow, the Deputy Naval Officer, on this subject, he gave as a reason that Mr. Charles Kerr, in whose favour the Bills were drawn, had advanced this money and goods for the use of the Yard before the Exchange had risen. These re but bad reasons for his conduct, as I told him at the I mentioned, that in future I should insist on money advertised for: but difficulties were started; nor was by part of those Instructions communicated to me, but s either militated against the interest of the Naval er, or (what I had ordered) might give some additional ble. During the term of my Command, it may be found, that from a half per cent, and in some instances seven per d more for the Navy Bills, than was got for ( |