Lord Spencer, as 1st Lord of the Admiralty, had written to Earl St. Vincent, Commander in Chief in the Mediterranean, on April 30th, concerning Nelson's suitability to take a detachment into the Mediterranean. The letter, with an Admiralty document dated 2 May 1794 and headed 'Secret instructions', reached the Earl at Cadiz Bay on May 24 when Nelson, already on his way to ascertain French intentions at Toulon, had been overtaken by disaster when the Vanguard was crippled by storm damage. It was only on June 9 that the instructions of May 2 were relayed to Nelson by Captain Hardy, despatched in haste from Cadiz with a letter from St. Vincent. The present manuscript is a copy made by Nelson of the paragraphs including his own instructions.