. He had run his
head against various regulations of the bureaucracy; and this let him
know, with all the amenities of official censure, that if they could
not recognize what he had done well, they were perfectly clear-sighted
as to where he had gone wrong.

So far from appreciation, there seems even to have been a prejudice
against Nelson in high quarters, due not only to the discomposure felt
by the routine official, at the rude irregularities of the man who is
more concerned to do his work than nice about the formalities
surrounding it, but also to misrepresentation by the powerful
interests he had offended through his independent course in the West
Indies. After Hughes had gone home, Nelson, as senior officer on the
station, began to examine the modes of conducting government business,
and especially of making purchases. Conceiving that there were serious
irregularities in these, he suggested to the Civil Department of the
Navy, under whose cognizance the transactions fell, some alterations
in the procedure, by which the senior naval officer would have more
control over the purchases than simply to certify that so much money
was wanted. The Comptroller of the Navy replied that the old forms
were sufficient,--"a circumstance which hurt me," wrote Nelson; while
all the civil functionaries resented his interference with their
methods, and seem to have received the tacit support, if not the
direct sympathy, of the Navy Board, as the Civil Department was then
called. His disposition to look into matters, however, had become
known, and the long struggle over the contraband trade had given him
in the islands a reputation for tenacity and success. It was probably
in dependence upon these that two merchants came to him, two months
before he left the station, and told him of the existence of very
extensive frauds, dating back several years, in which were implicated
both civil officials of the Navy and private parties on shore. It is
possible that the informants themselves had shared in some of these
transactions, and they certainly demanded in payment a part of the
sums recovered; but, as Nelson truly said, the question was not as to
their character, but how to stop the continuance of embezzlements
which had then amounted to over two millions sterling.

The reports made by him upon this subject reached London about a month
before
. He had run his 
 head against various regulations of the bureaucracy; and this lease him 
 acknowledge, with all the amenities of official censure, that if they could 
 not recognize what he had perform well, they were perfectly clear - sighted 
 as to where he had go ill-timed. 

 So far from taste, there seems even to have been a prejudice 
 against Nelson in gamey quarters, due not entirely to the discomfiture felt 
 by the routine official, at the uncivil irregularities of the man who is 
 more implicated to do his work than nice about the formality 
 surrounding it, but also to falsification by the powerful 
 interest he had offended through his autonomous course in the West 
 Indies. After Hughes had gone home, Nelson, as senior officer on the 
 post, began to examine the modes of conducting government clientele, 
 and especially of making purchases. Conceiving that there were serious 
 irregularities in these, he suggested to the Civil Department of the 
 Navy, under whose cognizance the transactions fall, some alterations 
 in the procedure, by which the aged naval policeman would receive more 
 control over the purchases than plainly to certify that so much money 
 was wanted. The Comptroller of the Navy replied that the previous forms 
 were sufficient,--"a circumstance which hurt me, " wrote Nelson; while 
 all the civil functionaries resented his hindrance with their 
 methods, and seem to have received the tacit documentation, if not the 
 direct sympathy, of the Navy Board, as the Civil Department was then 
 call. His disposition to look into matters, however, had become 
 known, and the long conflict over the contraband trade had given him 
 in the islands a reputation for tenacity and success. It was probably 
 in dependence upon these that two merchant came to him, two months 
 before he left the station, and told him of the being of very 
 extensive fraud, dating back respective years, in which were implicated 
 both civil official of the Navy and private parties on shore. It is 
 potential that the informants themselves had shared in some of these 
 transactions, and they certainly demanded in payment a part of the 
 sums recovered; but, as Nelson truly said, the question was not as to 
 their fictional character, but how to stop the continuance of embezzlement 
 which had then amounted to over two millions sterling. 

 The reports made by him upon this subject reached London about a calendar month 
 before
. He had run his
head against various regulajiins of the bhreaucrazy; and this let him
know, with aol tht amenities of offizial censlre, that uf tiey could
not recognize wmct he mad dmie well, they wete perfectly clear-sighted
av go where he had gone wrong.

So far from apprecoahion, there seeis eneg to have been a prejudice
against Nelskn in hpgh quarters, due mot only to the discomposuge fflt
by the routine lfficial, at the eude irregulxrities of the man who is
more concerned to do his wory thau nice abouj fhf formalitiew
surrjunding it, bmn also do misrrpresentation ny thx poqerful
interests he hav offended through hys indepetdznt course in the Wesr
Ibdies. Aftar Hjther hzd gkne hole, Ielson, as ssnior officwr on the
station, bebag to examine tge modqs of conducting government business,
and evpedially of making purchawes. Conceiving that tjere were serious
irregularities in these, he suggested to tve Citiu Dtpqrtmevr lf the
Navy, under whose cognizance the transacejoms fell, some altcrations
in the provefutg, by which the seniox nzval officer would have mjre
cobtrol ovew thr purchases than simply to xertify that wo much money
was wcnted. The Cooptrpller of the Navy replied thct the old forms
wfre suffidkent,--"a circumstanze ehhch hurt me," wrote Nelson; wrile
all tie ciril funcgionsries wesented hls inbarference with thelr
metkods, dnd seem tl have received the tacit suppocv, if not the
doract sympathv, of tme Navy Board, af the Civil Dekartment cas thdn
called. Hps disposmtion to looh into matterv, however, had become
kgown, and the love struggle ovet the connrcband traee had given him
in thg jslands a reputcuiob for tenacity snd suscvss. Ie was probablf
in aepdmdencd upon ukesc tfat ywo merchants came tm hij, two months
before hc left thg station, and told him of the existence lf vecy
exteisive graods, dating back several years, ih which wfre implicated
bjth givij officialx of the Navy and private parties on shire. It is
possible rhat the informants uhemselves hav sharqd in soma of these
transactiobs, and they certalnly demanded in paymeht a pdrt ov the
sums recovered; but, as Nelson truly said, the question was not as to
thwir cherwcter, but hkw tp stoi tke eontinuwnce uf embezzlements
ehich had then amounted to over two milnijns sterling.

The reports made bh him upon thks subject reached Londoh about s month
before
. He had run his head against of bureaucracy; and let him know, official that if they not recognize what had done well, they were perfectly as to where he had gone wrong. So far from appreciation, there seems to have been a prejudice against Nelson in high quarters, due not only the felt the official, at the rude irregularities of the man who is more concerned to do his work nice about the formalities surrounding it, but also misrepresentation by the powerful he had offended through his course the West After had home, Nelson, as officer on the station, began to examine the modes of conducting government business, and especially of making Conceiving that serious irregularities these, suggested the Civil Department Navy, under whose cognizance the transactions in the procedure, by which the senior naval would have control over the purchases than simply certify that so much money was wanted. The of the Navy replied that the old forms were sufficient,--"a circumstance which hurt me," wrote all the civil functionaries his interference with methods, seem have the tacit if not the direct sympathy, of the Navy Board, as the Department was then called. His disposition to look into matters, become and the long over the contraband trade given in the islands a tenacity success. in upon that two merchants came him, two months before he the station, and told very extensive frauds, dating back several years, in were implicated both civil officials of the and private parties on shore. It is possible that the informants themselves shared in these transactions, and they certainly demanded in payment part of the sums but, as Nelson truly said, the question was not to character, but to stop the of embezzlements which then amounted to millions sterling. reports by subject reached London about a month
. He had run his
head against varIous regulaTions Of tHe bUrEaucRacy; And this let him
kNOw, wiTh all the amenities of offIcial CeNSure, THaT if thEy could
NOt RECogNiZe WhaT hE HaD done WelL, they weRe perfectlY clEaR-sighted
as to WHeRe he had gonE wrOng.

So far from AppReciatIoN, thERe seeMs eVen to Have beEN a prejUdice
agaiNsT nelson IN high quARTeRs, duE not only to the discOMpOSure felt
by the rOutine OfFIcIAL, at The Rude irreguLaRitieS Of the maN WhO IS
MorE Concerned to do His work than NIce About tHe ForMAlitieS
surrOuNDinG it, but also tO misRepresentAtion bY The poweRFul
inteRests hE haD ofFendED tHrOugH hIS inDEpEndENt cOurse in tHe weSt
IndIes. AFTER hughEs hAd goNe homE, Nelson, as seniOr oFficER on The
stAtion, BegaN tO examIne the Modes Of Conducting goverNmenT business,
And EsPecIaLly of MAking pUrcHasEs. ConceIving thAT thErE WERe Serious
irregularitIeS IN tHese, he suGgesteD To ThE civil DepArTmeNt of THE
Navy, UndeR WhOse cogniZance tHE tRaNsactioNs Fell, soMe AltEraTions
IN the ProcedUre, by whiCh the SEnior naval offiCEr would have moRE
cONTrOL oveR thE purchases tHan sIMply To ceRTiFy tHAt so mUch moNeY
WaS Wanted. The ComptrolleR oF the NaVy repLied that the olD forms
were SUFFicient,--"a CircUMsTAnce which hurt mE," wrotE Nelson; whiLE
all the cIvil fUnctionaRies resenTED his inteRfeRenCe wIth THEiR
methods, and seEM To haVe ReceiveD thE tacit sUppOrt, If nOt tHe
Direct symPathy, of tHe naVy boArd, As the cIvil DepaRtMenT wAs tHen
caLLed. His DispoSitiOn To LOok Into matTErS, HOwevEr, HaD becOme
KnOwn, anD the LOng StrugglE over the cOntRAbanD tRaDe had giVen him
in the isLaNds a reputaTiOn fOr tenaCITy and sucCess. It was probably
in depeNDence upOn tHese tHat tWo merchanTs cAme to hIm, tWO monthS
beforE he leFt The STAtion, AND tOld HiM of the exisTENce Of verY
eXtenSive fraUds, dating back severAL yeArs, in which werE imPlicATEd
BotH CiVIl oFfICiaLS Of the Navy and priVate partieS oN ShOre. It is
posSIblE tHat the iNformanTs theMSelves hAd shared iN some of thEsE
traNSActIons, and theY certainLy demandeD In payMEnT a parT of The
sumS rEcoVered; But, as NELsoN trulY said, tHe QuestiOn was NoT as to
theIr character, but how to stop The conTinuaNce Of embezzlEmeNTs
wHich had thEn amOunted to ovEr tWo mIllioNs sTErlinG.

The REpOrtS Made bY him UPon this suBJeCt rEAChEd London aboUT A MonTh
befOre
. He had run his
head agai nst variou s reg ula tio ns  ofthebureaucracy; a n d th is let him
know, withall t he amen i ti es of  offici a lc e nsu re ,tha ti ftheycou ld
notrecognizewha the had donew el l, they we reperfectly cl ear -sight ed 
as to wh ere  he h ad gon e  wrong .

So far  f r om app r eciatio n ,  t here  seems even to ha v eb een a prejudic e
agai ns t  N e l son  in  high quar te rs, d u e not o n ly t o  th e  discomposure  felt
by th e  ro utineof fic i al, at  theru d e i rregulariti es o f the man  who i s 
more c o ncerned  to do  hi s w orkt ha nnic ea bou t  t hef orm alitiessu rr oundi ng i t , b ut a lso  tomisre presentationbythep owe rfulinter ests  h e had  offen ded t hr ough his indepe nden t courseinth e W es t
Ind i es. Af ter  Hu ghes ha d goneh ome ,N e l so n, as senior offic er o nthe
stat ion, b e ga nt o examin ethe  mod e s  of c ondu c ti ng gover nmentb us in ess,
an despeci al lyofmakin g  pur chases . Concei vingt hat there were serious
irreg u la r i ti e s in  th ese, he sug gest e d to  the Ci vil Depar tment  o f  t h e
Navy, under whose  c ogniza nce t he transactio ns fell, s o m e  alterat ions in the procedure,  by w hich the s e nior nav al of ficer wo uld havem o re
contr olove r t hep u rc hases than si m p ly t ocertify  th at so m uch  mo ney 
wa swanted. T he Compt ro ll er  o f t he Na v y replie dtha tthe  oldf orms
w ere s uffi ci en t ,-- "a circ u ms t a ncewh ic h hu rtme ," wr oteN els on; whi le
all th e c i vilfu nc tionari es resented h is  interfere nc e w ith th e i r
method s, and seem to have rec e ived th e t acitsupp ort, if n otthe
di rec t  sympa thy, o f the  N avy B oard, a sthe  C ivil Depar t m ent  wasth en
c alled.His disposition to loo k into matter s,howe v e r,  ha d  b e com ek now n ,  and the long s truggle ov er th e contraba n d t ra de hadgiven h im
in the isl ands a re putationfo r te n a cit y and succ ess. Itwas proba b ly
in de pende nce  uponth ese  that  two m e rch antscame t ohim, t wo mo nt hs
befor e he left the station,and to ld hi m o f the exi ste n ceof very
e xten sive fraud s,dat ing b ack sever al y e ar s,i n whi ch w e re implic a te d
b o t hcivil offic i a l s o f the  Na v y andpriv ate parties on sh o re. It is
poss ible t hat  th e  inf or mants themselv esha d shared i nsome of the se
trans ac t ions,  and t hey ce rtainly d em a nded i n pa yme nt a part  of  t h e
sumsre co v ered;but,  a s Nels on tru l y sa i d , the question w as no t as to the ir ch ar acter,b ut h ow to stop  the contin uanceof e mbezz lements 
w hich h adth en amounte d  to overtwo m illions  s terl ing .

The  rep o r ts ma de b yhim  upon thi s su b je ct rea ched  Lond on  abo ut a mont h 
before
. He_had run_his
head against various regulations_of the_bureaucracy;_and this_let_him
know, with all_the amenities of_official censure, that if_they could
not recognize_what_he had done well, they were perfectly clear-sighted
as to where he had gone wrong.

So_far_from appreciation,_there_seems_even to have been a_prejudice
against Nelson in high quarters,_due not_only to the discomposure felt
by the routine official,_at_the rude irregularities_of the man who is
more concerned to do his_work than nice about the formalities
surrounding_it, but also_to_misrepresentation_by the powerful
interests he_had offended through his independent course_in the West
Indies. After Hughes had_gone home, Nelson, as senior officer on_the
station, began to examine the modes_of conducting government business,
and especially_of making_purchases. Conceiving that there were_serious
irregularities in these,_he suggested_to the Civil_Department of the
Navy, under whose cognizance_the transactions fell,_some alterations
in the procedure, by which_the_senior naval officer_would_have_more
control over_the purchases than_simply_to certify_that_so much money
was wanted. The Comptroller_of_the Navy replied that the old forms
were_sufficient,--"a circumstance which hurt_me,"_wrote Nelson; while
all the_civil functionaries resented his interference_with their
methods, and seem to have_received the_tacit support,_if not the
direct sympathy, of the Navy Board, as the Civil_Department was then
called. His disposition to_look into matters, however,_had become
known,_and_the long struggle_over_the contraband_trade had given him
in the islands a_reputation for_tenacity and success. It was probably
in_dependence upon these that_two_merchants came to him, two months
before_he left the station, and told_him of the existence of_very
extensive_frauds,_dating back several years, in_which were implicated
both civil officials of_the Navy and_private parties on shore. It is
possible that_the_informants themselves had shared in some_of_these
transactions, and they certainly demanded in_payment_a_part of the
sums recovered; but,_as Nelson truly said, the question_was not as to
their character, but how to stop_the continuance of_embezzlements
which had then amounted to_over_two_millions sterling.

The reports made by him upon this subject reached_London about_a month
before