Volume II Part 15 (1/2)
At the time of Lord Nelson's first conveying the King and Queen of Naples to Palermo, three Spanish s.h.i.+ps had taken refuge in that port; two of them most immensely rich, being laden with quicksilver for the use of the South American mines, and the third a man of war to protect them. There, however, from the period of his lords.h.i.+p's arrival, they had continued snugly to remain; appearing rather disposed to rot in the mole, than venture out to sea with a certainty of being captured. The Spanish commander was no stranger to Lord Nelson's circ.u.mspection; who, it will be readily imagined, was often observed to cast a longing eye on such desirable booty: and his lords.h.i.+p's good-humoured remarks on the excessive politeness of the fearful Spaniard, whenever they met, were highly diverting to his friends. About the 20th of April, however, just before his lords.h.i.+p sailed for Palermo, some strong indications had been manifested, of a design in these s.h.i.+ps to attempt getting off. He had, therefore, instantly, sent judicious instructions for intercepting them to the squadron at Minorca, as well as ordered express-boats on the spot to be sent in all directions with the necessary information for their being pursued, and had consequently little doubt that they must be immediately captured, should they happily venture to depart.
Lord Nelson, and his friends, on arriving at Malta, were received with the most rapturous joy. The flag of Le Guillaume Tell was presented to his lords.h.i.+p, by the gallant captors; with a kindly affectionate address, on thus delivering the trophy which marked the completion of his glorious triumph over every French s.h.i.+p which had been encountered at the battle off the Nile: and the grand illuminations which took place, on visiting Governor Ball's villa at St. Antonia, where his lords.h.i.+p and friends remained two days, so greatly alarmed the French, who were unable to penetrate the cause, that they attempted to make a sortie, but were instantly driven back.
About the 8th of May, amidst these pleasing attentions of his gallant brethren in arms, and the grateful inhabitants who owed so much to his lords.h.i.+p's protecting influence, he received letters from England which filled him with extreme concern. He learned, by these, that his n.o.ble friend, the Earl of St. Vincent--who had accepted a challenge sent by Sir John Orde, immediately after his return home, for having appointed his lords.h.i.+p, instead of himself, the senior officer, to the command of the squadron which had so successfully destroyed the French fleet; an intended duel, happily prevented by the interposition of the law, and the still stronger efficacy, it is said, of a positive royal injunction--now made a claim to prize-money, as commander in chief, after having quitted the Mediterranean station on account of ill health.
His lords.h.i.+p, who always felt warmly, vehemently protested against the admission of this claim, in a powerful protest, addressed to his confidential friend, Mr. Davison. It is to be lamented that this unfortunate affair, which was afterwards litigated, and finally decided against the earl, should have in any degree abated that ardent friends.h.i.+p which had, so much to their reciprocal honour and advantage, as well as to the benefit and glory of their country, heretofore subsisted between the two first naval heroes in the world!
Information, it appears, had reached Lord Keith, so long since as the beginning of April, respecting the intention of these Spanish s.h.i.+ps at Palermo: for Lord Nelson, in a letter dated on board the Foudroyant, at Malta, 10th May 1800, observes that he has received his lords.h.i.+p's intelligence from Mahon, of the 3d of April, on that subject, which is perfectly correct; and had already ordered that, in case of their preparing to leave the port, express-boats should be sent in all directions with the necessary information for their being pursued, as well as written to Mahon on the occasion. These s.h.i.+ps, however, it may be proper here to remark, though they could not elude the vigilance of Lord Nelson, who had narrowly watched them for upwards of seventeen months, certainly effected their escape from Palermo, very shortly after his departure; and, to his lords.h.i.+p's infinite mortification and regret, arrived safely in Spain, long before he reached England.
After remaining about a month at Malta, and being fully convinced, from the arrangements then made, that it must soon fall, his lords.h.i.+p returned to Palermo; as, notwithstanding his earnest wishes for the possession of that important island, he did not chuse to be present at the time of it's actual surrender, lest his friend Ball should thus lose the chief honour of the conquest. Besides concerting plans for the speedy reduction of this island, his lords.h.i.+p, during his stay there, was busily engaged in politely closing his numerous public correspondences with the allied powers, the Barbary states, and the respective British envoys, &c. at the various courts.
On arriving at Palermo, the latter end of May, every preparation was made, by his lords.h.i.+p, and Sir William and Lady Hamilton, for immediately going to England. One of the chief objects of his lords.h.i.+p's attention, had been to promote, by all possible means, the general and individual prosperity of Bronte; by enriching the country with the improvements of agriculture, and preserving the people from oppression.
He selected, with this view, a governor, of unimpeachable honour, and of uncommon abilities in directing agricultural operations. The name of this gentleman was Graffer; and he had, already, for some time, acted in that capacity, highly to the satisfaction of his lords.h.i.+p. The following letter to Sir John Acton, occasioned by some interesting communications from Mr. Graffer, not only affords a satisfactory proof of that gentleman's integrity, but a fine picture of his lords.h.i.+p's ever anxious regard to the comfort of those who had claims on his powerful and benign protection.
”Palermo, 2d June 1800.
”SIR,
My object, at Bronte, is to make the people happy, by not suffering them to be oppressed; and to enrich the country, by the improvements of agriculture. For these reasons, I selected Mr.
Graffer, as a proper person for governor; as his character for honesty is unimpeachable, and his abilities as an agriculturist undeniable: and yet, it would appear, that there are persons who wish, for certain reasons, to lessen the king's most magnificent gift to me; and, also, to make the inhabitants of that country more miserable than they were before the estate came into my possession.
Several people who have hired farms, on the contract of not letting them to what we in England call middle-men, have already done so; and I am told, that I either have been, or am to be, induced to consent that a superior, or rather that all Bronte causes, should be tried at Palermo. Now, as this is a measure so repugnant to justice, and which must heap ruin on those it is my wish to render happy, I intreat that, except such causes as the present laws of Sicily oblige to resort to some superior court, it may never be imagined that I will consent to do an unjust act. It is possible, from my not reading Italian, that I may sign a very improper paper--(which G.o.d forbid!)--if men in whom I place confidence lay it before me for my signature. In his majesty's most gracious gift of Bronte, has been omitted the word Fragile a farm belonging to me. The reasons of this omission are, I fear, too clear; and, at a future day, I may lose it, and his majesty not retain it. These are, in brief, the letters of Mr. Graffer. I have, therefore, by his desire, to request his majesty to grant me the following favours--First, that the farm of Fragile may be inserted in the patent; secondly, that a billet-royale may be granted, to annul the present contract of the feuds of St. Andrea and Porticella. I send your excellency copies and extracts of Mr. Graffer's letters, which prove him an honest and upright man. In arranging these matters for me, it will be an additional obligation conferred upon your excellency's most obedient and obliged
”Bronte Nelson of the Nile.”
These requests were readily granted by his Sicilian Majesty; who had, this morning, transmitted his lords.h.i.+p the statutes of the order of St.
Ferdinando, accompanied by such expressions of kindness as made the most sensible impression on his lords.h.i.+p's mind, and filled his heart--to use his own phrase--with affection, pleasure, and grat.i.tude. Under these impressions, our hero was desirous of presenting a gold medal to the king, as a small but sincere testimonial of his esteem and regard; he sent one, therefore, accompanied by the following letter.
Palermo, 2d June 1800.
”SIRE,
”The Almighty, who granted to my legitimate sovereign's arms the battle of the Nile, impressed your majesty with a favourable opinion of me; which has led your royal heart to grant me the most distinguished honours, and a fortune which I never had an idea of expecting. I presume, therefore, to request that your majesty will permit to lay on your table a gold medal, highly flattering to your majesty's devoted and faithful
”Bronte Nelson of the Nile.”
”His Sacred Majesty, the King of the Two Sicilies.”
His lords.h.i.+p had intended to quit Palermo on the 4th of June; but, owing to disagreeable news from Vienna, respecting the successes of the French, the queen waited a few days longer. On the 8th, however, her majesty, with the three princesses, and Prince Leopold; Sir William and Lady Hamilton; Prince Castelcicala, who was going to England on a special mission; and a numerous train of royal attendants, &c. were embarked on board the Foudroyant and Alexander, which immediately proceeded to Leghorn. After a quick but tempestuous pa.s.sage, during which his lords.h.i.+p was so extremely ill as to be at one time considered in a very dangerous state, they arrived in Leghorn Roads on Sat.u.r.day evening, the 14th of June; with so fresh a gale from the west, that the s.h.i.+ps had sometimes gone more than eleven miles an hour. The weather continuing bad, they were unable to land till the 16th; when Lord Nelson steered his launch, which conveyed the queen and royal family on sh.o.r.e, where they were received with all possible honours. The Governor of Leghorn first conducted his ill.u.s.trious guests to the cadethral; and afterwards to the palace, where the queen and royal family took up their temporary residence, while Lord Nelson and his friends were accommodated at the British consul's. Intelligence of the unfortunate defeat of the Austrians having just arrived, the queen was prevented from pursuing her journey by land, as had been originally intended; and Lord Nelson, and his friends Sir William and Lady Hamilton, were pledged not to quit the royal family till they should be in perfect security.
The Queen of Naples, on landing safely at Leghorn, presented our hero with a rich picture of the king; at the back of which were the initials of her own name in diamonds, inclosed with branches of oak and laurel intertwining each other, composed of diamonds and emeralds. Sir William Hamilton, at the same time, received the gift of a gold snuff-box, with a picture of the king and queen set round with diamonds; and Lady Hamilton a most superb diamond necklace, with cyphers of all the royal children's names, ornamented by their respective hair: the queen observing, that she considered herself as indebted to her ladys.h.i.+p for the safety of them all, by having been the means of enabling Lord Nelson to fight the glorious battle off the Nile, and thus become their protector. In writing to Sir John Acton, from Leghorn, his lords.h.i.+p says, after mentioning the queen's agitation, on account of the unfavourable news--”Your excellency will a.s.sure his majesty, in which join Sir William and Lady Hamilton, that nothing shall make us quit the queen and royal family, until _all is safe_. and their future plans are _perfectly_ and securely settled. On every occasion,” adds his lords.h.i.+p, ”I only wish for opportunities of proving to their majesties my desire to shew my grat.i.tude for the numerous favours, honours, and magnificent presents, they have heaped upon me.” Lord Nelson now first heard of the attempt on our sovereign's life, by Hatfield, the lunatic, who fired a pistol at the king from the pit of Drury Lane Theatre, on the 15th of May 1800. ”The Queen of Naples,” says his lords.h.i.+p, writing to Lord Keith, on the 18th of June, ”waits here, with impatience, news from the armies; for, if the French beat, I have only to return with my sacred charge: but, a very few days must decide the question. What a sad thing,” feelingly exclaims our hero, ”was the attempt on our good king's life! But, from what I hear, it was not a plan of any Jacobin party, but the affair of a madman.”
After remaining about a month at Leghorn, his lords.h.i.+p was called early out of bed, one morning, by a message from the palace, informing him of an insurrection of the people. The French army being then at Lucca, only twenty-four miles distant, the populace had a.s.sembled in great force, with arms s.n.a.t.c.hed from the a.r.s.enal, and expressed their determination to secure the queen and royal family, for the purpose of detaining Lord Nelson also; as they knew, they said, that he would not depart without her majesty, and they wanted him to lead them against the French, whom they were resolved to attack under the command of the invincible hero.
It was with the utmost difficulty, that his lords.h.i.+p, with Sir William and Lady Hamilton, could force their way to the palace, through the a.s.sembled mult.i.tude; where the queen, and royal offspring, appeared in a balcony, anxious for the approach of their friends and protectors. Lady Hamilton, however, had the address to gain over one of the ringleaders; by a.s.suring him that Lord Nelson was their friend, and wished to deliver his sentiments as soon as he could reach the palace, where the queen waited his arrival. Having, at length, by this man's a.s.sistance, penetrated to the balcony of the palace, Lady Hamilton, at the request of Lord Nelson, who was unable to speak the Italian language, addressed the populace in his lords.h.i.+p's name. Her ladys.h.i.+p began, accordingly, by remonstrating on the impropriety of thus violently surrounding an amiable and ill.u.s.trious queen, and her royal offspring, whose powerful and sovereign protector was in a distant country, with weapons of war in their hands; and positively declared, that his lords.h.i.+p would not hold the smallest communication with them, unless every man demonstrated the rect.i.tude of his intentions, by immediately returning his arms to the public a.r.s.enal. This was attended with all the desired effect: the insurgents signified their acquiescence, by repeated shouts of approbation; and instantly proceeded to deposit their arms in the place from whence they had been so indiscreetly taken. The queen, and royal family, in the mean time, being exceedingly terrified, retreated on board the Alexander; from whence they landed in the night, and set off for Florence, distant sixty-two miles, in their way to Ancona. His lords.h.i.+p, and friends, followed next morning; the whole forming a train of fourteen carriages, and three large baggage-waggons.
After remaining two days at Florence, where they also received the most respectful attentions, they proceeded to Ancona, a journey of about four days. Here they continued nearly a fortnight; and then embarked, in two Russian frigates, for Trieste. After a voyage of four or five days, in very boisterous weather, they arrived there on the 1st of August 1800; being the second anniversary of his lords.h.i.+p's glorious victory off the Nile.
At this, as well as every other place, they were received with universal rejoicings, and experienced every mark of honour; but the queen and Sir William Hamilton had both caught violent colds on board the Russian s.h.i.+p, followed by a dangerous degree of fever, which confined them upwards of a fortnight, and considerably alarmed their friends. From Trieste, the queen, immediately on her recovery, departed for Vienna: and Lord Nelson, with Sir William and Lady Hamilton, two days afterwards; accompanied by Mr. Anderson, the British vice-consul, who offered his services in conducting them thither, being perfectly familiar with that particular route, through the provinces of Carniola, Carinthia, Stiria, and into Austria.
His lords.h.i.+p, and friends, having travelled to Vienna, in about a week from the time of leaving Trieste, were privately introduced to their imperial majesties, by the Queen of Naples, who had arrived two days before them. The empress afterwards held a grand circle, to receive her royal mother publicly: when Lord Nelson, and Sir William Hamilton, were also publicly presented by their friend Lord Minto, the British amba.s.sador; and Lady Hamilton, by Lady Minto. On the day after Lord Nelson's arrival, the party having intended to quit Vienna almost immediately, and none of them understanding the German language, Mr.