Details
NELSON, Horatio (Admiral, 1758-1805). Unpublished autograph letter signed ('Nelson & Bronte') to Sir Alexander Ball, Victory, 27 August 1803, justifying his action in giving right of passage ('pratique') to the Niger and to a Greek vessel which has been 'purified by gunpowder' after firing on the British ship, 'the Rascal having as usual fired on our boats with English colors flying', killing an officer and several others, and describing the gallant conduct of his men in the affair, 2 pages, 4°, written on a bifoloium, secretarial annotation and traces of paste on verso of second leaf (framed and glazed).
Nelson writes in sadness and anger of an incident (on August 16th) in which the Niger while enforcing quarantine regulations approached a Greek vessel off Genoa. Neutral vessels were often suspected of carrying arms or otherwise breaching the embargo on trade with the enemy, and the regulations offered a convenient pretext to search them. The Greeks had opened fire killing the English Lieutenant, 'but the spirit of the poor dying offer he infused into two lads one Capt. Hillyar's brother. She was boarded and [they] carried her, the Captain and 5 of his men were killed I wish they had killed them all'.
The background to the letter is given in Captain Hillyar's report, enclosed with a letter (published) by Nelson dated August 26th, to the Admiralty.
Sir Alexander Ball, who had served with Nelson in the Mediterranean in 1798 and was a close friend, was appointed Governor of Malta in 1804.
Nelson writes in sadness and anger of an incident (on August 16th) in which the Niger while enforcing quarantine regulations approached a Greek vessel off Genoa. Neutral vessels were often suspected of carrying arms or otherwise breaching the embargo on trade with the enemy, and the regulations offered a convenient pretext to search them. The Greeks had opened fire killing the English Lieutenant, 'but the spirit of the poor dying offer he infused into two lads one Capt. Hillyar's brother. She was boarded and [they] carried her, the Captain and 5 of his men were killed I wish they had killed them all'.
The background to the letter is given in Captain Hillyar's report, enclosed with a letter (published) by Nelson dated August 26th, to the Admiralty.
Sir Alexander Ball, who had served with Nelson in the Mediterranean in 1798 and was a close friend, was appointed Governor of Malta in 1804.