"Approved,
"Lockey, Aju. de Battailon.
Horatio Nelson."
"Extract of Articles found in the Castle of Goza, the 28th of
October 1798.
"Fifty barrels of powder, nine thousand ball-cartridges, one thousand musket-cartridges without ball, one thousand flints, thirty-eight eighteen-pound cartridges filled, one hundred and forty twelve-pound ditto, four hundred and fifty six-pound ditto, two hundred and sixty-eight four-pound ditto, twenty-five three-pound ditto, eighty-eight two-pound ditto, eighteen good eighteen-pounder guns and two hundred shot, two good twelve-pounder guns and nine hundred shot, four good six-pounders and two thousand nine hundred and eighty-five shot, four hundred hand-grenades filled, ninety-nine pikes, ninety halberts, and three thousand two hundred sacks of corn.
"N.B. No small-arms, except those laid down by the French troops."
On the 12th of November, Admiral Nelson, having a few days before arrived safely at Naples, went to the camp at St. Germaine's, in consequence of a request from his Sicilian Majesty, to meet General Mack and General Acton, at a grand review of the whole Neapolitan army; and Sir William and Lady Hamilton, with all the English nobility and gentry then at Naples, accompanied our hero, where they joined the king, queen, and royal family. The account of this meeting, and it's results, including an intended attack of Leghorn, are sufficiently explained in the following very interesting letter to Earl Spencer: which is farther remarkable for being the first epistle that our hero appears to have ever signed with the omission of his Christian name, in consequence of being advanced to the peerage; of which honour he had, even yet, it should seem, by what will be seen hereafter, no official information from the noble earl to whom he was writing, though he must certainly have received some regular previous information on the subject.
"Camp, St. Germaine's, 13th Nov. 1798.
"MY LORD,
"A desire from his majesty called me here yesterday, to concert with General Mack and General Acton the commencement of the war. Thirty thousand of—Mack says—"La plus belle d'armie d'Europe," was drawn out, for me to see; and, as far as my judgment goes in these matters, I agree, that a finer army cannot be. In the evening, we had a council; and it was settled, that four thousand infantry, and six hundred cavalry, should take possession of Leghorn. The infantry—(having stopped Captain Troubridge's squadron for Corfu)—I shall embark in the Vanguard, Culloden, Minotaur, two Portuguese ships, (if I can get them ready, not that I see they have any wants) and the Alliance storeship. A Neapolitan ship brings the cavalry, in a convoy, after us. The king's order for the destination was to be given to me; and, when at sea, I was to give it to the general commanding the troops: who was to be totally ignorant, that Leghorn was the object, and not Malta; which, as a secret, was communicated to him. His majesty approved of this plan, and Mack was to march—I repeat it with pleasure—"with thirty thousand of the finest troops in Europe," on Saturday, the 17th, to Rome; and keep advancing, trusting to the support of the emperor. Every hour, the French are increasing their Italian army, and two new generals are arrived at Rome. Thus I went to bed last night; and, at six this morning, came to take leave of their majesties. I found them in great distress. The courier who left London on the 4th, has not brought any assurance of support from the emperor. M. Turget is evasive; and wishes, he says, the French to be the aggressors. It is aggression, if this court knows—all the world knows—that the French are collecting an army to over-run Naples; in a week, destroy the monarchy; plunder, and make it a republic. As this is fully known; surely, it is an aggression of the most serious nature. The emperor's troops have not yet been in the habits of retaking kingdoms; and it is easier to destroy, than restore. I ventured to tell their majesties, directly, that one of the following things must happen to the King, and he had his choice—"Either advance, trusting to God for his blessing on a just cause, to die with l'epée a la main; or remain quiet, and be kicked out of your kingdom." The king replied, that he would go on, and trust in God; and desired me to stay till noon, to consult with Mack on this new face of affairs.
"November 15. I came from the king after dinner; and their majesties both told me, that things stood precisely as they did before the receipt of the dispatches from London and Vienna. There was, evidently, a great disappointment at not getting money from England. That they want, is certain; nor do the ministers, I believe, know how to get it. Their paper money is at forty per cent. discount. I long ago told the queen, I did not think Mr. Pitt would go to parliament, and ask money of the country, in the present moment; that, if England saw every exertion made, in this country, to save themselves, John Bull was never backward in supporting his friends in distress. Good God, my lord, can the emperor submit to this!