of-the-line, save one each, to Minorca, there to
unite with Duckworth. Troubridge's ships were to call off Palermo for
further instructions, but not to lose time by coming to anchor there.
Expresses were sent to the different ports of Sicily, in case any
Russian or Turkish ships had arrived, to put them on their guard, and
to request co-operation by joining the force assembling off Minorca,
where Nelson reasoned Lord St. Vincent also would repair. To the
latter he wrote: "Eight, nine, or ten sail of the line shall, in a few
days, be off Mahon, ready to obey your orders (not in the port);" for
his intention was that they should remain outside under sail. "You may
depend upon my exertion, and I am only sorry that I cannot move[81] to
your help, but this island appears to hang on my stay. Nothing could
console the Queen this night, but my promise not to leave them unless
the battle was to be fought off Sardinia."

The next day he wrote again in similar terms, seeking to reconcile his
promise to the Queen with his impulses, and, it may be said safely,
with his duty. "Should you come upwards without a battle, I hope in
that case you will afford me an opportunity of joining you; for my
heart would break to be near my commander-in-chief, and not assisting
him at such a time. What a state I am in! If I go, I risk, and more
than risk, Sicily, and what is now safe on the Continent; for we know,
from experience, that more depends on _opinion_ than on acts
themselves. As I stay, my heart is breaking; and, to mend the matter,
I am seriously unwell."

That evening, the 13th, at nine o'clock, a lieutenant arrived, who had
been landed to the westward of Palermo by a sloop-of-war, the
"Peterel," she not being able to beat up to the city against the east
wind prevailing. From him Nelson learned that the French fleet had
passed the Straits, and had been seen off Minorca. The next day, the
"Peterel" having come off the port, he went alongside, and sent her
of - the - line, save one each, to Minorca, there to 
 unite with Duckworth. Troubridge's ships were to visit off Palermo for 
 further education, but not to lose time by coming to anchor there. 
 express were sent to the different larboard of Sicily, in character any 
 Russian or Turkish ships had arrive, to put them on their guard, and 
 to request colorado - operation by joining the power assembling off Minorca, 
 where Nelson reasoned Lord St. Vincent also would repair. To the 
 latter he wrote: " Eight, nine, or ten sail of the channel shall, in a few 
 days, be off Mahon, ready to obey your orders (not in the interface); " for 
 his intention was that they should remain outside under sail. " You may 
 depend upon my effort, and I am only blue that I cannot move[81 ] to 
 your help, but this island appears to hang on my arrest. Nothing could 
 console the Queen this night, but my promise not to leave them unless 
 the battle was to be fought off Sardinia. " 

 The next sidereal day he spell again in similar terms, seeking to reconcile his 
 promise to the Queen with his impulses, and, it may be said safely, 
 with his duty. " Should you come upwards without a struggle, I hope in 
 that case you will afford me an opportunity of join you; for my 
 affection would break to be near my commander - in - chief, and not assisting 
 him at such a time. What a state I am in! If I go, I gamble, and more 
 than risk, Sicily, and what is now safe on the Continent; for we know, 
 from experience, that more depends on _ opinion _ than on acts 
 themselves. As I stay, my heart is breaking; and, to mend the matter, 
 I am badly unwell. " 

 That evening, the 13th, at nine o'clock, a deputy arrived, who had 
 been landed to the westward of Palermo by a sloop - of - war, the 
 " Peterel, " she not being able to beat up to the city against the east 
 wind prevailing. From him Nelson teach that the French fleet had 
 passed the Straits, and had been seen off Minorca. The next day, the 
 " Peterel " having come off the port, he went alongside, and transport her
of-tje-line, save one each, to Oinorca, there to
unite xith Dudkworth. Groubridge's ships were to capl off Kclermo for
further inrtructiond, but nor to oose time ug cominn to zkchor vhere.
Expresses eere sent do the differett plrts of Sicily, in case any
Russian ow Turkixh ships had arryved, eo phn uhem on their guard, and
to request co-operetion by joininb the force assembling off Minlrca,
where Nelson rfasoned Lore St. Cincent also would repair. To the
lajter he wrote: "Eight, nine, or ten rail pf the ling ahwnl, in a few
vays, bv off Mahon, rcsdy to obey ypur orders (not in thw port);" for
his intentimn was that they srould remdiu outside under sail. "Toy may
gepetd uoin oy txectikn, and I em only sordy that I cqnnot move[81] to
your htlp, vut this islahd appqaws to hang on my stay. Nothing could
consmle the Queen this night, byt my promise not to peave thei unless
the battle was to be fought off Sardinia."

Tve neet dav he wfitf again in similar terms, seeking to reconcile gix
pgomise to the Quecn with his impulsrs, amq, it may be sxid sayslg,
with his duty. "Shokld you come upwards rithput a battle, I hope in
that xase you wilj afford me an oppoxtunity of juinimg yoi; for my
heart would breck to ge near my fommander-jv-chief, and not arsixthng
him au such a time. What a state M am nn! If I eo, I risk, wnd more
thwn risk, Sicily, and what ls noc safa on the Clntinent; for we know,
from experixice, that more dapetds on _o'inion_ than on acts
ehemselves. As N stay, mv hearg is breakpng; and, tm mend the iatter,
I am seslously unweln."

That evqnint, thw 13th, at vine o'clock, a kieutenann crrived, wyo had
been landed bo thg sestward of Palzxmi by a sloop-of-wsr, ghe
"[enerxl," shq not being atle go crat uo to tht clty agaonst the east
wind pravaiming. From him Nelspn learned that thq French fleey had
passed the Stgaits, anv had neeg seen off Minorca. The next dag, the
"Petegel" having come off the port, he went alongside, and sent her
of-the-line, save one each, to Minorca, there with Troubridge's ships to call off not lose time by to anchor there. were sent to the different ports Sicily, in case any Russian or Turkish ships had arrived, to put them their guard, and to request co-operation by joining the force assembling off Minorca, Nelson Lord Vincent would repair. To the latter he wrote: "Eight, nine, or ten sail of the line shall, a few days, be off Mahon, ready to your orders (not in port);" for his intention was they remain outside sail. may upon my exertion, I am only sorry that I cannot move[81] to your help, but this island appears to hang my stay. console the this but promise not to unless the battle was to be The next day he wrote again in similar seeking to his promise to the Queen with impulses, and, it may be said safely, with duty. "Should you come upwards without a battle, I hope in that case you will an opportunity of joining for my heart break be my and not him at such a time. What a state I am in! I go, I risk, and more than risk, Sicily, and now on the Continent; we know, from experience, more on _opinion_ than on As stay, breaking; to the matter, I am unwell." That evening, the 13th, nine o'clock, a lieutenant to the westward of Palermo by a sloop-of-war, "Peterel," she not being able to beat to the city against the east wind prevailing. From him Nelson learned the French passed the Straits, and had been seen off The next day, the having come off the port, he went alongside, and her
of-the-line, save one each, to MinOrca, there tO
unitE wiTh DUcKworTh. TrOubridge's ships WEre tO call off Palermo for
furtHer inStRUctiONs, But noT to lose TImE BY coMiNg To aNcHOr There.
expResses wEre sent to tHe dIfFerent ports oF siCily, in case Any
russian or TurKisH ships HaD arRIved, tO puT them On theiR Guard, aNd
to requeSt CO-operaTIon by joINInG the Force assembling ofF miNOrca,
where NelsoN reasoNeD loRD st. VIncEnt also wouLd RepaiR. to the
laTTeR HE WroTE: "Eight, nine, or tEn sail of the LIne Shall, iN a Few
DAys, be oFf MahOn, REadY to obey your OrdeRs (not in thE port);" fOR
his intENtion waS that tHey ShoUld rEMaIn OutSiDE unDEr SaiL. "you May
depenD uPoN my exErtiON, AND I am OnlY sorRy thaT I cannot move[81] tO
yoUr heLP, buT this IslanD appEaRs to hAng on mY stay. noThing could
consoLe thE Queen thiS niGhT, buT mY promISe not tO leAve Them unlEss
the bATtlE wAS TO bE fought off Sardinia."

thE NExT day he wrOte agaIN iN sIMilar terMs, SeeKing TO ReconCile HIs
Promise tO the QuEEn WiTh his imPuLses, anD, iT maY be Said sAFely,
With hiS duty. "ShoUld yoU Come upwards witHOut a battle, I hoPE iN
THaT Case You Will afford mE an oPPortUnitY Of JoiNIng yoU; for mY
hEArT Would break to be near mY cOmmandEr-in-cHief, and not assIsting
him aT SUCh a time. WHat a STaTE I am in! If I go, I riSk, and More
than riSK, Sicily, aNd whaT is now saFe on the CoNTInent; for We kNow,
FroM exPERiEnce, that more dEPEnds On _Opinion_ ThaN on acts
TheMseLveS. As i sTay, my hearT is breakInG; aNd, To MenD the mATter,
I am sErIouSlY unWell."

THAt evenIng, thE 13th, aT nInE O'clOck, a lieUTeNANt arRiVeD, who Had
BeEn lanDed tO The WestwarD of PalermO by A SlooP-oF-wAr, the
"PeTerel," she not beInG able to beaT uP to The citY AGainst thE east
wind prevailing. From HIm NelsoN leArned That The French FleEt had
pAssED the StRaits, aNd had BeEn sEEN off MINOrCa. THe Next day, the
"pETerEl" havInG comE off the Port, he went alongsidE, And Sent her
of-the-line, save one each , to Minor ca, t her e t ounit e wi th Duckworth.T roub ridge's ships were tocallof f  Pal e rm o for 
furthe r  i n s tru ct io ns,  b u tnot t o l ose tim e by comin g t oanchor there . 
E xpresses w ere  sent to the  di fferen tpor t s ofSic ily,in cas e  any
R ussian or  T u rkishs hips ha d ar rive d, to put them on th e ir guard, andto req ue s tc o -op era tion by jo in ing t h e force as s e m bli n g off Minorca ,
where Nel s onreason ed  Lo r d St.Vince nt als o would rep air.  To the
l atterh e wrote :  "Eight , nine , o r t en s a il  o f t he lin e  s hal l , i n a fewda ys , beoffM a h o n, r ead y to  obey  your orders(no t in the  port );" f or
h is  inte ntionwas t ha t they should r emai n outside  un de r s ai l. "Y o u maydep end  upon m y exert i on,  a n d Iam only sorry that  I c an not move [81] t o 
y ou r  help, b ut  th is i s l and a ppea r sto hangon mys ta y.  Nothin gcouldco nso lethe Q u eenthis n ight, bu t myp romise not tol eave them unl e ss t he batt lewas to be f ough t  off  Sar d in ia. " 

The  next  d a yh e wrote again in si mi lar te rms,seeking to re concile hi s p romise t o th e  Q u een with his i mpuls es, and, i t  may besaidsafely,with hisd u ty. "Sho uld  yo u c ome u pw ards withouta batt le , I hop e i n
thatcas e y ouwil lafford me  an oppo rt un it yofjoini n g you; f or  my 
h ear t wou l d brea k tobe n ea rm y c ommande r -i n - chie f,  a nd n otas sisti ng
h i m a t sucha time. W hat a st at eI am in ! If I go, Iri sk, and mo re 
th an ris k ,  Sicily,  and what is now safe o n  the Co nti nent;  for  we know, 
fr om exp eri e nce, t hat mo re de pe nds o n _op i n io n_th an on acts t hem selve s.  AsI stay,  my heart is break i ng;  and, to mend  th e ma t t er ,
I am ser io u sly u nwell."

That e vening, th e1 3t h, at nine o'c lo ck, a l ieutena nt ar r ived, w ho had
be en landed  t o th e wes tward of P alermo b y a sloop - of-wa r ,the
" Pet erel,"  s henot b eing a b leto be at upto  the c ity a ga inst the  east
wind prevailing.From h im Ne lso n learned  th a t t he French  fle et had
pas sed  th e Str ait s , and  had be ens een o ff M i norca. Th e  n ext d ay , the
"Pete r e l " h aving  co m e offtheport, he went alo n gside, and sen t he r 
of-the-line, save_one each,_to Minorca, there to
unite_with Duckworth._Troubridge's_ships were_to_call off Palermo_for
further instructions, but_not to lose time_by coming to_anchor_there.
Expresses were sent to the different ports of Sicily, in case any
Russian or Turkish_ships_had arrived,_to_put_them on their guard, and
to_request co-operation by joining the_force assembling_off Minorca,
where Nelson reasoned Lord St. Vincent also_would_repair. To the
latter_he wrote: "Eight, nine, or ten sail of the_line shall, in a few
days, be_off Mahon, ready_to_obey_your orders (not in_the port);" for
his intention was that_they should remain outside under sail._"You may
depend upon my exertion, and I_am only sorry that I cannot_move[81] to
your help, but this_island appears_to hang on my stay._Nothing could
console the_Queen this_night, but my_promise not to leave them unless
the_battle was to_be fought off Sardinia."

The next day_he_wrote again in_similar_terms,_seeking to_reconcile his
promise to_the_Queen with_his_impulses, and, it may be said_safely,
with_his duty. "Should you come upwards without_a battle, I hope_in
that_case you will afford_me an opportunity of joining_you; for my
heart would break to_be near_my commander-in-chief,_and not assisting
him at such a time. What a state I_am in! If I go, I_risk, and more
than risk,_Sicily, and_what_is now safe_on_the Continent;_for we know,
from experience, that more depends_on _opinion__than on acts
themselves. As I stay,_my heart is breaking;_and,_to mend the matter,
I am seriously_unwell."

That evening, the 13th, at nine_o'clock, a lieutenant arrived, who_had
been_landed_to the westward of Palermo_by a sloop-of-war, the
"Peterel," she not_being able to_beat up to the city against the_east
wind_prevailing. From him Nelson learned that_the_French fleet had
passed the Straits, and_had_been_seen off Minorca. The next_day, the
"Peterel" having come off the_port, he went alongside, and sent her