"MY DEAR SIR,
"I have received, with the truest satisfaction, all your very interesting letters to July 16th. The immense fatigue you have had, in defending Acre against such a chosen army of French villains, headed by that arch-villain Bonaparte, has never been exceeded; and the bravery shewn by you, and your brave companions, is such as to merit every encomium which all the civilized world can bestow. As an individual, and as an admiral, will you accept of my feeble tribute of praise and admiration, and make them acceptable to all those under your command? I have returned the Cameleon, that your lieutenant might have a good sloop; which, I hope, Lord Keith will approve: and, in every thing in my junior situation in the fleet, you may be assured of my readiness to do what you can wish me. I hope, Alexandria is long before this in your possession, and the final blow given to Bonaparte; but, I hope, no terms will ever be granted for his individual return to Europe. Captain Stiles will tell you all our news here; and good Sir William Hamilton tells me, he thinks that he has told you the heads of all. In short, all is well, if Lord Keith falls in with the combined fleet. I think, you had better order the Theseus to Mahon; and I will endeavour to send you either a good sloop, or a small frigate. The factory at Smyrna, in my opinion, have written a very improper letter to you. I do not like the general stile of Mr. Wherry's letters, they too much talk of government affairs. It is our duty to take care of the Smyrna trade, as well as all other, and it never has yet been neglected; but Great Britain, extensive as her navy is, cannot afford to have one ship lay idle. Be assured, my dear Sir Sidney, of my perfect esteem and regard, and do not let any one persuade you to the contrary: but my character is, that I will not suffer the smallest tittle of my command to be taken from me. But, with pleasure, I give way to my friends; among whom, I beg, you will allow me to consider you: and, that I am, with the truest esteem and affection, your, &c.
"Nelson.
"Sir Sidney Smith."
This excellent letter not only makes amends for all former asperities, but forms a most noble eulogium on the merits of Sir Sidney Smith; who, it must be confessed, had entitled himself, by his skill and valour, even to this proudest of all possible panegyrics from the first of heroes.
The Russian admiral not complying with Lord Nelson's request, as to the restoration of the Leander, his lordship immediately addressed the Chevalier Italinskoy, the Russian minister at the court of their Sicilian Majesties, on the subject: informing him that, whenever the admiral chose to send the Leander to Minorca, the ship would be received. "But," says his lordship, "after even my word not being taken, by his excellency, I cannot again subject myself to a refusal of giving up the Leander, agreeable to the intention of the emperor; though the form of order, on this occasion, was not arrived." His lordship also sent Captain Drummond, with the particulars of this refusal, to Lord Keith; observing, that he should now wait till the Russian admiral sent the Leander to Mahon. Captain Drummond was desired, on failure of meeting with Lord Keith, to proceed immediately to England, and deliver his lordship's letter to the secretary of the Admiralty, acquainting him with the cause of his arrival.
On the 28th, Lord Nelson transmitted to Captain Hope, at the request of his Sicilian Majesty, a diamond ring of considerable value: for having, as it was expressly stated, embarked his Majesty and the Prince Royal in his barge, on the night of December 21, 1798; and which his majesty desired might be accepted, by Captain Hope, as a mark of his royal gratitude. This, and other similar presents of rings and gold boxes, were sent by Sir John Acton, to Sir William Hamilton, from his Sicilian Majesty; with a request that his excellency would have the goodness to present them to the Duke of Bronte, that he might distribute them according to the note enclosed, and in the name of his Sicilian Majesty, as a small mark of his royal gratitude to the several English commanders. The pleasure which this agreeable task afforded Lord Nelson's excellent heart, may be judged of by the following effusion of it's feelings, addressed to Captain Hood on the occasion. "My dear Hood, I never had greater pleasure, than in executing his Sicilian Majesty's orders, for sending you a box from his majesty; and, as the dispatch expresses it—To Captain Hood, for services in the Gulph of Naples, and at Salerno; for his operations on shore, and his care of the castles of Naples." In afterwards describing these presents from his Sicilian Majesty, on writing to England, his lordship informs Mr. Nepean, that each of the captains had a very valuable gold box, set round with diamonds. In the centre of that given to Commodore Troubridge, was his majesty's portrait; and, to him, he also gave an elegant ring. In the centre of the others, were his majesty's cypher of f.r. neatly set in diamonds. His majesty, he adds, has also presented Captain Thomas Masterman Hardy, his lordship's captain in the Foudroyant, with an elegant box, set round with a double row of diamonds, and his portrait in the centre, and an elegant diamond ring; and, to Mr. Tyson, his lordship's secretary, a diamond ring of great value.
Transient, however, seem to have been all the felicities of his lordship's most eventful life. The happiness which he enjoyed, in seeing the companions of his cares and successes thus rewarded with truly royal munificence; while he felt himself remunerated, beyond his proudest hope or expectation; the pleasing sensations which he must necessarily have experienced on beholding the vast and magnificent preparations to celebrate their united atchievments on the anniversary of receiving, at Naples, the first intelligence of the glorious victory off the Nile, which had arrived on the 3d of the preceding September; were not permitted to remain undisturbed in his ever anxious bosom, even for a few days.
On the 31st, his lordship received letters from Malta, which gave birth to most extraordinary suspicions. The agonized feelings of his heroic mind are not to be described; but, nothing could for a moment divert him from the painful discharge of it's duty. In a state of inconceivable agitation, he wrote the following letter to Sir John Acton.
"Palermo, 31st Aug. 1799.