Captain Gage is just arrived with your letters and papers relative to Malta. I can say with truth there is no action of your life, as far as relates to me, but what must be entirely to my approbation: your summons to Malta is highly proper; and you have done as I wished in sending the arms, &c. The wind here is strong at S.E. I hope you have it, and that it will carry you through the Straits. This is a sad place for refitting, the swell sets in so heavy; never again do we come to Naples: besides the rest, we are killed with kindness. Wishing you, my dear Sir James, every felicity in this world, believe me ever,
Your obliged and affectionate,
Horatio Nelson.
Sir James Saumarez.
At Gibraltar Sir James also received a letter from his gallant friend and brother-in-arms, Captain Ball, which gives so vivid a description of some of the events of this most eventful period of the war, that we are persuaded the reader will thank us for inserting it.
Alexander, at sea, 11th Oct. 1798.
My dear Sir James,
I have the satisfaction of sending you, by the Colossus, a case containing six fan-mounts, two boxes of perfumery, four large and two small of Naples soap, amounting to eighteen Spanish dollars and a half. I hope to collect from Sicily some ornamental figures for a table, which I will forward to you, by the first safe conveyance, with some Neapolitan shawls. I shall not draw upon your agent, as I expect, when I return to Naples, to receive nearly forty pounds as your share of the cotton and articles taken out of the Spanish polacre we captured. Pray let me know to whom I shall remit the balance. I sincerely hope that you had a good passage down, and have not suffered from the fatigue and anxiety you must have experienced. I make no doubt but you will have the pleasure of convoying the ships to England, where you will be amply recompensed by a joyful meeting with Lady Saumarez and your family. When you get your second medal, beware of the ladies, if they hear such a story of you as of our friend Collingwood. I shall feel very much flattered whenever you will favour me with a line; and you may be assured that I shall never lose an occasion of testifying to you my great esteem, and how very much I value your friendship. I enclose herewith a translation of Admiral Blanquet's account of the battle of the Nile, with his plans, which he is to present to the French Minister of the Marine. One of my officers copied them unknown to him, but his aide-de-camp allowed everybody to read them.
It would be difficult to describe to you the very flattering reception we met with at Naples. Our gallant Admiral was hailed as the saviour of Italy. He daily receives from all parts congratulatory addresses and verses, celebrating his fame. The King visited him before he anchored, and he gave him and all the captains a very elegant dinner on board one of his ships of the line. We dined on the poop; the party very select, consisting of the hereditary Prince and one of his brothers, the Minister of Marine, three of the Lords in waiting, Sir William and Lady Hamilton, and the captain of the Neapolitan ship. After dinner, the King gave as a toast, "Sir Horatio Nelson and the brave English nation," with a salute from his lower deck guns. Sir William Hamilton gave a fête that cost more than a thousand pounds. It was much admired for its taste and magnificence. There was nothing to be seen or heard of but "Viva Nelson!" The English nation never stood so high in the estimation of the Italians as at this present moment: and I believe the French were never so universally execrated and despised as they now are. The Emperor and King of Naples will make an effort to drive them out of Italy. General Mack was daily expected at Naples to arrange the plans.