Postage on Mail from Lord Nelson. 1802 (Oct 21) Letter written and signed by Rev. William Nelson at Hilborough, apparently to the local Postmaster, regarding postage charged on a letter received from his brother Lord Nelson - "Sir, I have inclosed you a cover of a letter charged Two-pence altho' franked by my brother. I should be very much obliged to you to inform me whether it is a legal charge - that is whether a letter franked by a Member of either House of Parliament & put into the Two-Penny Post, intending to pass through the General Post, is liable to that charge'. You will please to direct your answer to The Revd Dr. Nelson, Hilborough, near Brandon, Norfolk. I am, Sir, your most obedt. Humble Servt, Wm Nelson". At this time Nelson was living at Merton with both Sir William and Lady Emma Hamilton. William Nelson had served as Chaplain on H.M.S "Boreas" in 1784-86; in 1805 he succeeded his brother as Second Baron Nelson and was created first Earl Nelson later that year. An interesting postal related letter concerning Nelson, no address panel.

Antigua. 1786 (Sep 13) Entire letter written entirely in Nelson's own hand and posted from Antigua to St. Kitts - "St. Johns Antigua, Sep. 13th 1786, My Dear Adye, Pray excuse the liberty I take in inclosing a letter for Mr Herbert under cover to you but I know if it is not inclosed to some friend at St. Kitts it will lay there till doomsday. How is Mrs Adye and yourself both well I hope. This island is very healthy but I find Herbert has been very ill. News we have none, a ship arrived last night from England but nothing new - except the new navigation act which I hear is a tight one & makes us seize everything by virtue of our commissions. Compl. To the Georges & believe me, yours most sincerely Horatio Nelson". The address panel written in Nelson's hand to "Abraham Charles Adye Esq., Basseterre, St. Christophers", posted with scarce "ANTIGUA" handstamp type PD5, no postal rate shown, recipients filing endorsement "Horatio Nelson 13th Sept. 1786" at left. The Navigation Acts referred to laid down the commercial shipping laws which the navy had to enforce, including the prohibition on trade with the newly formed United States of America. At this time Nelson was Captain of H.M.S "Boreas" operating from the Nevis Roads; in the period 1784-87 the "Boreas" seized five American ships for irregular trading. A little splitting at folds and 2cm tear at base of address panel, some internal strengthening with "hinge" type paper resulting in minor stains, otherwise fine and an exceptional Nelson letter posted within the Leeward Islands, illustrated on pages 4 and 5 of "Antigua, The Stamps and Postal History" by Charles Freeland and John Jordan. Not in the published letters of Lord Nelson by N.H. Nicolas. Photo on Pages 78 & 79. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image1)

Battle of the Nile. 1798 (Aug 10) Entire letter written entirely in Nelson's own hand, simply headed "Friday morn." (but known to date from Aug. 10 1798), "My Dear Darby, as you are ready and several of the Prizes it is my present intention that on Sunday morning at day light the ships & their charges which are ready, should proceed down the Medn. without waiting for the others under your command, you will therefore have your men ready to send to Spartiate tomorrow, Ever yours faithy Horatio Nelson. I send Capt. Capel with this who will tell you what ships will be ready &c.", the address panel also written in Nelson's hand "On His Majestys Service, To Capt. Darby, H.M. Ship Bellerophon". The reverse bears the notes "Spartiate - Minotaur, Franklin - Theseus, Tenant - Defence, Aquilon - Majestic, Bellerophon", "Bread, log lines, Twine, Lieut. Hood" and "The Castle of Bekier to the N.ward of West carries you clear to the F.ward, you go on shore", all in Darby's handwriting. A rare letter written by Nelson from H.M.S "Vanguard" at the mouth of the Nile in the immediate aftermath of the Battle, in which both Nelson and Darby were wounded. "The Despatches and Letters of Lord Nelson" by N.H. Nicolas does not record this letter but records another letter written on this same day to St. Vincent in which Nelson writes of being sick, and announces his intention of sending a detachment of ships and prizes to the Mediterranean (which he tells Darby in this letter he intends to do on Sunday); a further published letter of 12th August to Sir James Sausmarez orders him to take these ships to the Mediterranean, and lists 12 ships (including the nine listed by Darby on this letter and the "Souverain" which Darby wrote down then crossed out). Darby's note on the "Castle of Bekier" refers to Bequiers Island (later renamed Nelson Island) which forms an extension of the Aboukir Promontory, enclosing the bay in which the battle was fought. Captain Capel, who delivered this letter, was responsible for taking the official Nile dispatch to the Admiralty. The "Spartiate", a French prize to which Darby is ordered to send a crew, was taken into service by the Royal Navy and fought on the British side at Trafalgar. An important Nelson letter from the papers of Captain (later Admiral) Darby, one of the famous "Band of Brothers", the Captains who secured for Nelson the unprecedented victory at Aboukir Bay on 1st August 1798 when ten French battleships of Napoleons Egyptian Expedition were captured and another destroyed (with just two others escaping to Malta). Photo on Page 79. (Image1)

Malta. 1800 (Mar 20) Letter written by Nelson's secretary John Scott, "Foudroyant Palermo, 20th March 1800, Sir I have received your letter relative to your supplying the squadron off Malta with Fresh Beef and signifying your intention to give it up on the 31st of this month, the prices which you have stated are in my opinion very reasonable, and should no person be got who will furnish supplies on cheaper terms, and you find you cannot afford to do it at the present price, I have no objections to allowing what Governor Ball and (the) other respectable inhabitants at Malta may consider a reasonable price, this you will communicate to Commodore Troubridge, I am sir your most obed. humble servant", signed in Nelson's hand "Bronte Nelson of the Nile", the word "the" in the final sentence also crossed out by Nelson. The address panel also written by Scott "On His Majestys Service, Mr Thomas Alldridge, Malta" with "Bronte Nelson" copy signature, wax impressed seal. The French invaded Malta in June 1798 but the Maltese soon revolted and by September the French were besieged within the bastion of Valletta; in October British and Portuguese ships began a blockade of the island, the ships including H.M.S "Alexander" (Captain Alexander Ball), "Culloden" (Commodore Thomas Troubridge) and "Vanguard" (Admiral Nelson). By November 1799 Nelson was overseeing the blockade from the Neapolitan Court at Palermo, were he was becoming infatuated with Lady Hamilton, wife of the British Ambassador. On March 31st 1800 a French relief force destined for Malta was defeated by the British Fleet led by Nelson in H.M.S "Foudroyant". Nelson then returned to Palermo where he was then having an open affair with Lady Hamilton; he sailed to Malta on April 23rd in H.M.S "Foudroyant" with Sir William and Lady Hamilton on board. The French finally surrendered Valletta on September 3rd 1800, Captain Ball being appointed the first Civil Commissioner of Malta in 1799, a post held until 1801. A rare item from Nelson during the blockade of Malta and his affair with Lady Hamilton, and possibly the earliest use of the "Bronte Nelson of the Nile" signature, only used by Nelson for a short time in 1800 following his creation as Duke of Bronte. Some edge staining, the written letter, address panel and autograph largely unaffected and fine, not in the published letters of Lord Nelson by N.H. Nicolas. Photo on Page 81. (Image1)