Happily, this sombre state was a little relieved a few days after, by the arrival of a cutter from England; which brought considerable supplies, both of consolation and money, for his Sicilian Majesty. On the 21st of April, his lordship now writes to Captain Ball, that his efforts to obtain a small sum of money for the unhappy Maltese had been useless, till the arrival of this vessel from England; "which," says he, "brought the court such accounts of goodness, that Sir William and myself again touched the point about Malta, when the queen gave up seven thousand ounces; for, although the island has granted two millions of money, yet not one sixpence is collected; therefore, they are in distress enough. If any person can keep the Maltese in good humour, it is, my dear friend, you and you only; therefore, for all our sakes, try hard till the arrival of the Russians, who cannot now be long before they make their appearance." Then, adverting to Naples, his lordship adds--"All goes on as it should, on the other side. The lower order only want a little support from the regular troops, and the business is over."

Captain Troubridge, indeed, was proceeding with great vigour; but the Sicilian judge, it appears, did not accord with our naval heroes in his notions of criminal justice. Cardinal Ruffo, too, seems to have entertained what they considered as erroneous ideas of lenity. If the judge and the cardinal really meant to be merciful; whatever might be the effect of such good intentions, the motive is not possible to be condemned: they might be weak, but they would not be criminal. On the other hand, the possessors of that wisdom which perceives when it is necessary to make examples of the incorrigibly guilty, for the preservation of the menaced innocent, as well as of those who are yet unconfirmed in crimes; and of that firmness and fort.i.tude which then induce them to risk all the obloquy of contrary appearance, for the sake of producing true lenity in it's fullest extent; are not to be considered as by any means less inclined to mercy than those who, without loving it more, do not conduce so much to it's genuine interests. Often, however, the really merciful, for the openly avowed and honest discharge of a severe duty, are condemned, by the inconsiderate zeal of weak and vulgar minds; while those who are induced artfully to draw dispositions of a malignant, treacherous, or sanguinary nature, in the semblance of merciful habits, for the mere purpose of acquiring the popularity of that applause to which this divine attribute must ever ent.i.tle it's amiable possessors, are idolized by the unreflecting crowd, as the sincerest friends of the very virtue to which they are, in truth, the severest enemies.

The following letter to Captain Troubridge, who had communicated his sentiments on this subject to Lord Nelson, fully demonstrates his lordship's disdain of any improper interference with the criminal jurisdiction of his Sicilian Majesty's government, however it might fail to meet with his approbation. It speaks, his free sentiments both of the judge and cardinal; but hastens to other topics, of better aspect, and comprehends several points of interesting elucidation.

"Palermo, April 25,1799.

"MY DEAR TROUBRIDGE,

"I thank you, again and again, for your letters, and for the ability and exertion you shew on all occasions. As to Mr. judge, he must hang, or let it alone, as he pleases. It has been that miserable system, which has caused much of the present misery in Naples. In respect to the cardinal, he is a swelled up priest. If his letter had been directed to you, his answer would, I am sure, been proper. Such impertinence, in treating of the a.s.sistance of England, deserves reprobation. He makes his army great or small, as it suits his convenience. He is now frightened at a thousand men going against him: which, at one time, is thirty thousand; at another, not three thousand. In short, my dear friend, without foreign troops, the stream will sometimes run different ways. Some Russian ships are said to be at Otranto; but, we know less than you. If the Austrian armies are beaten, Naples will be lost; if victorious, our exertions, with the constant loyalty of the lower order, will hasten the king's return. What are your ideas of the king's going into the Bay of Naples, without foreign troops? If it should cause an insurrection in Naples, which did not succeed, would it not be worse? The king, if a rising of loyal people took place, ought to be amongst them; and, that he will never consent to. Alphonso is going to Tripoli; the bashaw has taken another twist. Lord Spencer disavows the conduct of Sir William Sidney Smith, as being in any manner independent of me. What will his lordship say, when he reads the pa.s.sports? Your wants and wishes shall, as far as I am able, be complied with. Your bill for extra expences, if the court will not pay, I will answer for. With kind remembrances, &c.

"Nelson."

The mode adopted by Lord Nelson, with regard to the Bashaw of Tripoli, on this occasion, was a master-stroke of policy. In order not to commit the country, with too much precipitation, though resolved to act with all requisite energy at the moment, his lordship employed a Portuguese ship in the business, and selected that of Commodore Campbell for this confidential service. His knowledge of mankind taught him, that this officer would not fail to feel gratified by the honour of such a mission; consequently, be induced to execute it with his best ability.

Simon Lucas, Esq. his Britannic Majesty's consul at Tripoli, had found it expedient to quit that court for Palermo: but he consented to return with Commodore Campbell, in order to a.s.sist the negociation; and, should it appear advisable, to resume there his ministerial functions. The letter which Lord Nelson sent by Commodore Campbell is much too curious to be omitted. It is, indeed, highly characteristic of it's able author.

"Palermo, 28th April 1799.

"SIR,

"When I received your highness's letter, by Captain Hardy of the Vanguard, I was rejoiced to find that you had renounced the treaty you had so imprudently entered into with some emissaries of General Bonaparte; that man of blood, that despoiler of the weak, that enemy of all good Mussulmen: for, like Satan, he only flatters that he may the more easily destroy; and it is true that, since the year 1789, all Frenchmen are exactly of the same disposition. I had sent your letter to the Great King, my master; I had done the same to the Grand Signior: for I never believed, that your highness would say a word that was not strictly true. A lye is impossible for a true Mussulman to tell; at least, I had always believed so. What, then, must have been my astonishment, to have heard, from his Britannic Majesty's consul, Mr. Lucas, that the moment the Vanguard sailed, the French consul, and all the French, were liberated; and, also, the French vessels in the port allowed to fit for sea: and one, to my knowledge, had sailed for Malta! Why will your highness be thus led astray by evil counsellors; who can have no other object in view, but your ruin? Your highness knows that, although a powerful squadron of Portuguese ships has been since last August under my command, by every means in my power they have been prevented from cruizing against the ships of your highness, or from approaching your coast. It is now my duty to speak out, and not to be misunderstood. That Nelson, who has. .h.i.therto kept your powerful enemies from destroying you, can and will let them loose upon you, unless the following terms are in two hours complied with; viz.

that the French consul at Tripoli, vice-consul, and every Frenchman, are delivered on board her most faithful majesty's ship Alphonso, to Commodore Campbell, in two hours from Mr. Lucas's setting his foot on sh.o.r.e; that hostages are also sent on board, to remain till every Frenchman in the state of Tripoli shall be sent off, which shall not exceed four days. N.B. There shall be no reservation, or trick, about the French consul, &c. at Tripoli; he shall be on board in two hours after the demand's being made. All French vessels, or vessels pretended to be taken from the French, shall be destroyed in two hours. These terms complied with, Commodore Campbell will, as he has done upon the pa.s.sage, refrain from taking your vessels, till his arrival at Palermo. If, then, proper terms are not complied with, I can no longer prevent the ships of her most faithful majesty from acting with vigour against your highness.

"Your highness will, without difficulty, write me a letter, the substance of which will be dictated by Mr. Lucas: you will also, as a convincing proof of your detestation of the evil councils which have been given to you by Hamet Reis, your captain of the port, either cause him to be delivered to Commodore Campbell, that I may send him to Constantinople, or dispose of him in such a manner that he may for ever be incapable of giving your highness any advice; for his heart is so black, that I am informed he can give you no good.

"Your highness will, I am confident, approve of the open and unreserved manner of this letter; and consider it as a proof of the honest and upright intentions of the great monarch who I have the honour of serving, and that it comes from your highness's most obedient and faithful servant,

"Nelson."

"His Highness the Bashaw of Tripoli."

Mr. Lucas was furnished with a copy of this letter; and instructed, if possible, to bring the bashaw to a proper way of thinking, by forcibly representing the numerous evils which bad counsellors would be sure to bring on him, should he persist in his present disloyal conduct. The dismissal of the captain of the port, though a very desirable thing, was not to be persisted in, so as to occasion the hostilities of Commodore Campbell against his highness; for, Lord Nelson observed, "every master has a right to chuse his own servants." The other articles were not in any manner to be given up. It was, however, directed to be carefully pressed on the bashaw, that his Britannic Majesty was not at war with him; and that his lordship would be happy still to interest himself in preventing depredations on his highness's coast, provided he should immediately return to a proper way of thinking and acting.

On the 30th, Lord Nelson writes to the Earl of St. Vincent, that his friends are doing wonders on the continent: Hood had taken Salerno, twenty-eight miles from Naples, and garrisoned the small castle with his marines and loyalists; and had caused Sorento, &c. to Castello a Mare to rise and ma.s.sacre the Jacobins. The Swiftsure was anch.o.r.ed at the latter place, which is opposite Naples, though twelve miles distant by the round of the bay. These events, so near the capital, with the successes of the Austrian army both on the Rhine and in Italy, had induced the French to call in all their out-posts, leave five hundred men in the castle of St. Elmo, and retire from Naples to Capua; taking with them all their sick, as well as every description of plunder. The Jacobins, too, with the traitor Carraccioli among them, were retired to the castle of St. Elmo. Lord Nelson was preparing to send eight hundred troops, with three hundred cavalry, but, his lordship observes, the court being poor, and having no revenue, made things slower than they would otherwise be: "however," he adds, "we make the best of the slender means we possess. I own, my dear lord, myself much fitter for the actor than the counsellor, of proper measures to be pursued in this very critical situation of public affairs; but, at least, their Sicilian Majesties are satisfied that my poor opinion is an honest one. Their majesties are ready to cross the water, whenever Naples is entirely cleansed; when that happy event arrives, and not till then, a desire will be expressed for the British troops to be removed from Messina into Naples, to guard the persons of their majesties. Whenever your name is mentioned, I can a.s.sure you, their expressions are the very handsomest that tongue can utter; and, as is my duty, both as my commander in chief, and my friend, I do not fail ever to speak of you in the only way, if truth is spoken, that you can be represented, as the very ablest sea-officer his majesty has, and as the best and truest friend that can be in this world. My dear Lady Hamilton is always my faithful interpreter, on all occasions; and, never with so much pleasure. My dear lord, you will forgive my short sketches of what is going on here; for neither my head, nor my hand, is equal to what is absolutely necessary for me to write: therefore, all private correspondence is given up; for, I cannot answer a letter. Three of Sir William Sidney Smith's ships, with sick Frenchmen, are stopped by Troubridge; the poor devils are sent to Corsica. I am very much displeased with this Levant commodore with a broad pendant. I send one of his pa.s.sports. We are not forced to understand French! Malta is as usual, the moment a land force arrives it will fall. G.o.d bless you, my dear lord."

In a letter written the preceding day to Earl Spencer, Lord Nelson says, speaking of the affairs of Naples--"I think it very probable that, in ten days, their Sicilian Majesties will be again in Naples. These happy prospects have been brought about, first, by the war of the emperor; secondly, by the wonderful loyalty of the lower order of the people; and, lastly, I flatter myself, I may say, by the conduct of the English.

Captain Troubridge has given a portion of that spirit he possesses to all who communicate with him. On the 25th, Macdonald left the town, for Capua; with all the troops, except five hundred in the Castle of St.

Elmo. Orders have been given, by the Jacobin government, for the batteries not to fire on the English ships. In short, the communication with Naples is so open, that a general took a boat from the city, and came on board Troubridge, to consult about surprising St. Elmo. The civic guards have individually declared, that they a.s.sembled to keep peace in the city, and not to fight. Many of the princ.i.p.al Jacobins have fled, and Carraccioli has resigned his situation as head of the marine.

This man was fool enough to quit his master, when he thought his case desperate; yet, in his heart, I believe, he is no Jacobin. The fishermen, a few days ago, told him, publicly--"We believe you are loyal, and sent by the king; but, much as we love you, if we find you disloyal, you shall be among the first to fall. I am not, in person, in these busy scenes; more calculated for me, than remaining here, giving advice. But their majesties think the advice of my incompetent judgment valuable, at this moment; therefore, I submit: and can only say, that I give it as an honest man, one without hopes or fears; therefore, they get at the truth, which their majesties have seldom heard."

The French, in evacuating Naples, in their retreat to Caserta and Capua, robbed all the shops as they pa.s.sed along: the Neapolitan republic, however, continued organizing their troops, as yet disinclined to give in; and the royalists remained inactive, probably waiting for the departure of the French out of the kingdom before they ventured to commence their operations. The band of brothers, in the mean time, who had so n.o.bly fought off the Nile, were fast gathering fresh laurels on the Neapolitan coast; and inspiring, by their example, other naval heroes of merited celebrity. To these brave men, Lord Nelson paid the just and honoured tribute of applause which their conduct merited, in the following very flattering epistle to Captain Troubridge.

Vanguard, Palermo, 8th May 1799.

"MY DEAR TROUBRIDGE,

I desire you will express, to Captain Hood, the true sense I have of his conduct, not only at Salerno, but on all other occasions; and, that I never expect any but the most useful services, where he commands: and I beg you will say the same for me, to Captains Louis, Hallowell, Foote, and Oswald; not forgetting Captain Harward, and Commodore Mitch.e.l.l, as far as they have been concerned. As to yourself, your conduct is so all of a piece, that I can only say, what is true, that the last services seem to eclipse the former ones. You have an arduous task in your present command; and no officer in his majesty's service could, I am convinced, perform it with more judgment and advantage for his majesty's service, than yourself: and I beg that you will ever believe me, your faithful, affectionate, and obliged friend,

"Nelson."

This day, the Neapolitan ship Lion, Captain Dixon, arrived from Egypt; and brought information that three or four French frigates, and as many corvettes, had escaped from Alexandria. Sir Sidney Smith left that place on the 7th of March, and these ships got away between the 5th and 18th of April. Captain Dixon finding these ships gone, came away; without hearing more of Sir Sidney, than that he had arrived at St. Jean D'Acre.

At this momentous period, when the king's restoration to his Neapolitan dominions was daily to be expected; when the fall of Malta was judged scarcely possible to be long delayed; and Lord Nelson was anxiously looking forward to a temporary cessation of his toils, and a speedy return to his native country; intelligence suddenly arrived, that the French fleet from Brest, having escaped Lord Keith's vigilance, had been seen off Oporto, and was expected to effect a junction with that of Spain at Cadiz. On the 12th of May, at six o'clock in the evening, this information was brought to Palermo, by L'Espoir brig; which, at midnight, such was his lordship's dispatch, sailed for Procida, Minorca, and Gibraltar, with letters for Captain Troubridge, Captain Ball, Admiral Duckworth, and the Earl of St. Vincent. To Captain Troubridge his lordship writes, that he must immediately send the Minotaur, Swiftsure, and St. Sebastian, with either the Culloden or Zealous; and either himself, or Captain Hood, remain with the Seahorse, La Minerve, &c. at Procida, and get the Lion from Leghorn, in exchange for one of the small craft--To Admiral Duckworth, that he is sending him eight, nine, or ten, sail of the line, with all expedition, that they may be ready to form a junction with their great and excellent commander in chief; for which purpose his lordship ventures to offer an opinion, that it will be better for the ships to remain under sail off Port Mahon, than in the harbour: and adds best wishes for success, as he is not permitted to come--And, to the earl of St. Vincent, that these several ships will be ready to obey the earl's orders off Mahon; and that, hoping the Russians are off Malta, he has requested some of that admiral's ships may be sent to Minorca.

"In short," his lordship concludes this last letter, "you may depend on my exertions, and I am only sorry that I cannot move to your help; but, this island appears to hang on my stay. Nothing could console the queen, this night, but my promise not to leave them, unless the battle was to be fought off Sardinia. May G.o.d Almighty bless and prosper you, is the fervent prayer of your obliged and affectionate

"Nelson."

His lordship also wrote to Captain Ball, desiring him, if the Russian squadron were before Malta, to proceed with all the line of battle ships, and the Thalia frigate, off Port Mahon, under the orders of Admiral Duckworth; laying his lordship's letter before Vice-Admiral Uschakoff, as well as the Ottoman admiral, should he be there, and procuring such ships as they could both spare for Minorca: but, if they were not with him, to send the Audacious and Goliath to Mahon.

At nine o'clock in the evening of the 13th, the lieutenant of the Petterel arrived, by land, at Palermo. The sloop not being able to get up, owing to strong east winds, Captain Austin very properly sent the lieutenant on sh.o.r.e. He brought intelligence, that the French fleet had actually pa.s.sed the Straits Mouth: and this news induced his lordship to alter his intended plan of sending such ships as he could collect off Mahon; instead of which, he now resolved to rendezvous with the whole of them off the Island of Maritimo. Of this change he instantly sent to apprize the commander in chief, as well as Admiral Duckworth; trusting that the latter would send his squadron there, which might enable him to look the enemy in the face. He hoped, indeed, that if the Russians and Turks were off Malta, he should get a force, of different nations, equal to the enemy; when it was his determination, that not a moment should be lost in bringing them to battle.

Though the French fleet consisted of nineteen sail of the line, and that of the Spaniards with which it was about to form a junction no less than twenty-five, his lordship determined to sail, with all possible expedition, for Maritimo.

On the 17th, the Culloden, Minotaur, Swiftsure, and St. Sebastian, arrived off Palermo; but it blew so hard, from the east south-east, that the ships were obliged to strike yards and top-masts. This gale continued till the 20th, when his lordship put to sea; and, on the 24th, in the morning, arrived off Maritimo.

In a letter of this day's date, to the Earl of St. Vincent, his lordship observes that, not having been yet joined by Captain Ball or Admiral Duckworth, he has only to remain on the north side of Maritimo, to keep covering Palermo, which shall be protected to the last, and to wait the earl's orders for regulating his future proceedings. "Your lordship," he adds, "may depend, that the squadron under my command shall never fall into the hands of the enemy; and, before one is destroyed, I have little doubt but the enemy will have their wings so completely clipped, that they may be easily overtaken." Yet, at this period, it is to be observed, his lordship had only five British ships of the line, with three Portuguese, La Minerve Neapolitan frigate, L'Entreprennante cutter, and the Incendiary fireship. In a postscript, his lordship concludes--"No doubt, by this time, the Austrians are at Leghorn; and, if this event had not happened, we should have been in Naples."

Lord Nelson remained at sea till the latter end of May; when, having on the 28th been informed, off Trappano, by the Earl of St. Vincent, that he might, from the then state of the French and Spanish fleets, act as he thought best, in the situation of affairs; his lordship determined on returning to Palermo, for the purpose of completing the provisions of his squadron to six months, with as much wine as they could stow, that they might be in momentary readiness to act as circ.u.mstances should require. In the mean time, by continuing on the coast of Sicily, to cover the blockade of Naples, he was certain of preserving the former from any attack; to which it would not only be more exposed, were the ships withdrawn, but the spirits of the people receive such a damp that they would make little or no resistance.

On the 30th, Lord Nelson arrived at Palermo; and, having learned that the Bey of Tunis had stopped several vessels with his lordship's pa.s.sports, he immediately wrote a very spirited letter to Mr. Magra, the consul, and another to the bey, which he dispatched in the Earl of St.

Vincent cutter on the 4th of June. In these letters, however, he again offers his services, as the mediator of a truce, or peace, with his Sicilian Majesty, as well as with the Portuguese; and observes, that the Marquis De Niza is ready to send a ship for this latter purpose. His lordship a.s.sures the Bey of Tunis, that he has granted no pa.s.sports to any vessel which his highness, and every good man, will not highly approve of; and, that those who would, or dare, counsel his highness to prevent food from being given to those who are fighting in the cause of G.o.d against those vile infidels the French, are no better than Frenchmen. "I will," says his lordship to the consul, "have my pa.s.sports respected, given only to serve the cause in which his highness ought to be as much interested as I am. This you will state clearly and forcibly to the bey--that, as I will do no wrong; so, I will suffer none: this is the firm determination of a British admiral."

In a letter written to the Earl of St. Vincent on the following day, June 5, his lordship says, after noticing the conduct of the Bey of Tunis, "I hope to bring this gentleman to reason." He adds--"My time has been so taken up, that I have not been able to pay that attention to the Barbary States I could have wished, but I know these people must be talked to with honesty and firmness."

His lordship had, indeed, just received, from Tripoli, a tolerable good proof of the efficacy of his mode of dealing with the Barbary States, in the success of Commodore Campbell, of which his lordship thus writes to the earl--"We are better friends with the Bashaw of Tripoli than ever.

Commodore Campbell, whom I selected for that purpose, in the first place, because he was fit for the business; and, secondly, to mark that, although I could _censure_ when wrong, yet that I have no resentment for the past; having done, on that occasion, what I thought right. The commodore has, on this occasion, conducted himself with proper spirit and judgment; and he has, by it, made a very advantageous peace for Portugal."

So completely did Commodore Campbell act up to the spirit of Lord Nelson's orders, that the bashaw actually delivered to him all the French who were at Tripoli, nearly forty in number. These, his lordship sent in the Susannah cartel, carrying French prisoners to Genoa, which sailed on the 6th of June; honourably stating, that they were not to be considered as prisoners of war, having been sent from Tripoli, in Barbary, for political reasons.

On the 7th of June, in consequence of his lordship's recent information of being promoted to be Rear-Admiral of the Red, he quitted the Vanguard; and, on the 8th, hoisted it on board the Foudroyant.

While Lord Nelson was engaged in provisioning his squadron, without losing sight of the blockade of Naples; and anxiously expecting to hear that the Earl of St. Vincent had fallen in with the French fleet, and obtained another brilliant victory; he had the mortification to be again suddenly impeded in the prosecution of his plan for replacing their Sicilian Majesties on the throne of their Neapolitan dominions, by a letter from Lord Keith, dated the 6th of June, who appears to have been alarmed for the supposed fate of Minorca.

At the receipt of this letter, the 13th of June, Lord Nelson was actually on his way to Naples, with troops, &c. in order to finish matters in that kingdom: but, considering the force of the French fleet on the coast of Italy, then said to be twenty-two sail of the line, four of them first-rates; and that, probably, the ships at Toulon would have joined them by the time he was reading the letter; the force with his lordship being only sixteen sail of the line, not one of which was of three decks; three being Portuguese, and one of the English a sixty-four very short of men; his lordship considered himself as having had no choice left, but to return to Palermo, and land the troops, ammunition, &c. which he accordingly did. He then proceeded off Maritimo, hoping to be joined by such reinforcements from Captain Ball, &c, as might enable him to seek the enemy's fleet; when, his lordship said, there should not be a moment lost in bringing them to battle:

"for," concludes he, in his answer to Lord Keith, dated the 16th of June, on board the Foudroyant, at sea, "I consider the best defence for his Sicilian Majesty's dominions is, to place myself alongside the French. That I may be very soon enabled to have that honour, is the fervent prayer of your lordship's most obedient servant,

Nelson."

Though Lord Nelson felt that he had no force fit to face the enemy, and was resolved never to get out of their way--"I cannot think myself justified," said his lordship, writing to the Earl of St. Vincent, this same day, "in exposing the world--I may almost say--to be plundered by these miscreants. I trust, your lordship will not think me wrong, in the painful determination I conceived myself forced to make; for agonized, indeed, was the mind of your lordship's faithful and affectionate servant."