76
LETTERS.
[ 1783 .
!I»W
I suppose you have heard from Charles Pole; I left himexceedingly well, and very anxious to get Home. Make mycompliments to all my acquaintance in your part of the world.Lord Hood’s Fleet is just heaving in sight round St. Helen’s.
TO PHILIP STEPHENS, ESQ., SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY.
[Autograph, in the Admiralty. The Albemarle being paid off on the 3rd ofJuly, Captain Nelson remained on half-pay until April 1784.]
No. 3, Salisbury-street, July 9th, 1783.
Sir,
I have to acquaint you that his Majesty’s Ship Albe-marle, late under my command, was paid off last Thursday. 51 am, therefore, to request I may be put upon the half-paylist.
I am Sir, &c.
TO CAPTAIN LOCKER.
[Autograph, in the Locker Papers.]
No. 3, Salisbury-street, Strand, July 12th, 1783.
My dear Friend,
When I look at the date of your letter I received at Ports-mouth, I ought to be ashamed at not having wrote to you;but you always knew I was a careless fellow, although, be assur-ed, my great esteem and respect for you can never be lessened.My time, ever since I arrived in Town, has been taken up inattempting to get the wages due to my good fellows, forvarious Ships they have served in the war. The disgust ofthe Seamen to the Navy is all owing to the infernal planof turning them over from Ship to Ship, so that Men can-not be attached to their Officers, or the Officers care two-penceabout them.
My Ship was paid off last week; and in such a mannerthat must flatter any Officer, in particular in these turbulenttimes. The whole Ship’s company offered, if I could get a
5 July 3rd.