come-so that we shall be at least unlucky.1 The Masters of 30 Vessels have been on board, 21 of which are Dutch, and out of the whole 30 only five bound to London or any port in Great Britain. We have here a Dutch 64 (Overyssel) so rotten that it is expected that she will be broke up here and merchant ships hired to carry her men home. As my thoughts often turn on the difficulties which may occur to you, in our present undertaking—it also appeared to be that it might be possible to put a few of these Dutch men and Officers into each French ship and that it might be attended with mutual advantage and accommodation. However this is only the reverie of a moment, and may be fraught with a thousand objections. If the Culloden and Hannibal could be prevailed on to add their mite, it would certainly set you much at ease, and so a material benefit to the Service. I shall be very sorry to hear your news of the Juno confirmed. Surely the Dons must be mad if they have such an idea in their heads. A revolution in their country must immediately follow such a step. I believe the ships you saw were a frigate and store ship bound to the bay of Rous, they sailed the morning we came in, since which a line of battle ship, and a frigate have put to sea, and they now have 17

1 The captains received a percentage upon bullion conveyed in H.M. ships; in this case apparently from Cadiz to England.

2 There is no copy of the letter to which this is an answer. The Juno, which had been in the Levant, entered Toulon on 12th January thinking it was still in British occupation and very narrowly escaped capture, but this cannot be the incident referred to, nor can it relate to H.M.S. Juno at all. Possibly there was some incident connected with the French Junon which led Elphinstone to anticipate that Spain intended to change sidesas it did two years later.

3 Ile Rousse on N.W. coast of Corsica can hardly be meant, perhaps he means Gulf of Rosas.

sail of the line equipping and ready except for This morning a frigate sailed for Carthagena, carrying a Vice Admiral thither who is to take the command of the fleet. It is said that Langara is to remain in office at Madrid. I made immediate application to the Culloden for provisions, but found in the first article, bread, they were more deficient than prudent, having less than four weeks; perhaps Colpoys when he arrives may be better off, if so, we shall get all he can or will spare. Mr. Duff hath just told me there is an American with about 8 or 9000 weight at 24 shillings the hundred, the biscuit is tolerable. If by any means we should be able to scrape together enough for the voyage, it certainly would be good economy, even if you are obliged to pay extravagantly as, detaining a convoy is of more consequence. I shall put this letter into Captain O'Brien's hands immediately, and if Culloden hath no orders for him I shall recommend his moving back to you directly.

I am, [etc.]

CH. M. POLE.

HOOD TO ELPHINSTONE

Victory, off Bastia. April 24th, 1794.

My dear Sir, I give you a thou[san]d thanks for your very friendly letter of the 28th of March, and most sincerely congratulate you on your safe arrival in England with the valuable and important convoy you had the charge of. If by following the dictates of my duty in an attempt to do justice to your merit, I have been in any degree serviceable [to] you, it will be a very lasting satisfaction and pleasure to me.

Finding nothing could move Lieut. Col. D'Aubant to co-operate with me for the reduction of Bastia I felt it my duty to try what I could do with His Majesty's forces under my immediate command.1 On the 11th I opened batteries upon the town with wonderful effect, the loss of the enemy in killed and wounded has been very great and they have now between three and four hundred in their hospitals, whilst our loss has been very inconsiderable indeed, and would the troops from St. Fiorenzo, where there are near 1200 effective men, but have shewn themselves upon the heights, we should have been in Bastia some days ago: which would have been highly advantageous to the King's Service from the present state of things in Piedmont and Genoa. That the town will be reduced, I have not the shadow of doubt, but every day's delay is extremely prejudicial, and Lacombe St. Michael 2 keeps the spirits of the people up by daily haranguing and telling them that they have nothing to fear from St. Fiorenzo, for the troops there will give no assistance to the fleet. I only wished Lieut. Col. D'Aubant would allow the troops to encamp upon the heights, in doing which there could not be the shadow of danger.

With every good wish for the perfect and speedy recovery of your health.

I have the honor to be, with real regard and esteem, [etc.]

HOOD.

1 For the dispute between Hood and the soldiers, see Fortescue's Hist. of the British Army vol. iv. pt. i, Nicholas's Dispatches vol. i., and Maurice's Diary of Sir John Moore. 2 A deputy of the Convention.

II. TACTICAL MEMORANDA.

Memo.

ADDITIONAL SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

The Victory at sea. August the 3rd, 1793.

It having been represented to the Commander in Chief that ships of the Centre and Lee Squadrons in tacking or wearing in the night, frequently attempt and sometimes do go through the Line of the Squadron to windward, at the great hazard of running on board each other, contrary to the 2nd Article of the Instructions respecting the Orders of sailing.1 It is the Commander in Chief's positive orders that the leading ship of each Squadron (followed in turn by those of the respective Squadron) do pass astern of the last ship in the Squadron to windward continuing on the

1 'The Fleet is generally meant to be steered no nearer than a Point from the wind, in order to enable the most leewardly ships to keep their stations. The squadrons are to keep about one and a half, or two miles asunder, that the leading ships of the Centre and Lee Squadrons (followed in turn by those of the respective Divisions) when to tack in succession, may pass astern of the last ship in the Squadron next to windward continuing on the former tack.

'The ships of each Squadron are generally meant to be kept about three cables length, or such more convenient distance from each other as may be requisite according to the state of the weather, to allow sufficient time for their seconds ahead to come to the wind when to tack in succession, before they put in stays.

'They will be thereby enabled to fall immediately into their stations, when they put about, in the wake of their leading ships. And when such limited distance is for some continuance exceeded in any material degree, the ship next in succession to that not adhering to the appointment is to take and occupy the vacant space, until this last may be able at a suitable opportunity to resume her sailing-station.'

former tack, and that the ships do carefully conceal all light on board, it being difficult to distinguish the Flag Officers from the number of lights in many of the ships' cabin and wardroom windows.

H. PARKER.1

A copy.

PHIL COSBY.2

ORDERS FOR COMBINED FLEET

ARRANGEMENT OF THE FLEET IN ORDER of BATTLE AND OF SAILING.

WHEREAS it is intended that a Squadron of Portuguese Ships of War under the command of the Rear Admiral Seignor Antonio Ianuario should be to co-operate with the Channel Fleet on the present occasion; the Order of Battle and arrangement of the united Force are to be regulated as undermentioned.

The Body of the Fleet will be to consist of the British Ships; the Reserve or advanced Detachment of the Portuguese Squadron.

The Commander in Chief will remain for the most part with the Body of the Fleet, and lead the Starboard or weather Column in Order of Sailing; and the Reserve or advanced Squadron, conducted by the Rear Admiral Seignor Antonio, be stationed on the quarter to windward (as the course of the Fleet is varied) of the weather Column when sailing by the wind, or large; and without the Body of the Fleet, on either part, when sailing before the wind. The advanced Squadron is proposed to be kept about three miles distant from the Body of the Fleet, more or less, according to the state of the weather, but to be sufficiently closed to the Fleet always before night (and in thick weather more especially) for better assurance of

1 Rear-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, Hood's Captain of the Fleet. 2 Vice-Admiral of the Blue, with flag in Windsor Castle.