A NELSON LETTER

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 90, 13 October 1923, Page 14

A NELSON LETTER

WRITTEN PRIOR TO TRAFALGAR.

A hitherto unpublished letter from Xord Nelson to. the Governor of the Madalena, Islands has been discovered. "Ocean Life" ,'s publishing a facsimile of the letter as a supplement, The letter is dated 9th November, 1803. It has been submitted to high authority, and pronounced genuine. It -was written from the Victory at the time when the British main fleet was waiting behind the Madalena Islands for the French and Spanish naval forces to emerge from Toulon and Carthagena— a prelude to the battle of Trafalgar. The letter reads : —Sir,—l cannot allow myself to depart from the Madalena Islands without assuring you how sensible I am of your great attention to me and to every ship of the British fleet which has anchored here, and I shall be much obliged if you will forward my letter to His Excellency the Viceroy, expressive of the same sentiments. I am sorry it is not in my power to prevent the Barbai-y cruisers from landing m Sardinia, as we are at peace with them, but if they had attempted a landing at this place during my stay I should have felt myself bound in honour to have afforded you every assistance in repelling them. I am, sir, wishing tvery prosperity to your infant settlement with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant, Nelson and Bronte.

I beg that you will deliver the enclosed letter to any of "His Majesty's ships who may airive. I leave the transport here and consider it under the protection of the .neutrality of the port.— N. and B.

Lieut.-Commander Rawson writes of the document -. —"The letter to the Governor o£ tha Madalenas was written by Nelson on - the eve of one of his departures from the bases; he had been anxious to enlist the sympathy and cooperation of the Governor, who was able to provide both supplies and wnter to the fleet, and also, in its absence, to act as agent. He was, in fact, a 'benevolent neutral,'. and as such of considerable importance to the British Admiral, particularly in the matter of giving information regarding the movements of the enemy. The letter illustrates anew the pains which Nelson took to cultivate the friendship of any official who might be of service to England."