never more quiet than under his directions.

"I send Captain Oswald, of the Perseus bomb, with this letter; and
I have put Lieutenant Henry Compton, who has served with me ever
since January 1796, as a lieutenant, into the Perseus: and I beg
leave to recommend these two officers, as highly meriting
promotion.

"I have the honour to be, &c.

"Nelson."

"Evan Nepean, Esq."

In his lordship's private letter to Earl Spencer, of the same date,
which accompanied the dispatches to England, he thus expresses
himself--"I certainly, from having only a left hand, cannot enter into
details which may explain the motives that actuate my conduct, and
which may be necessary for a commanding officer who may wish to have
every subject of duty detailed by those under his command. My principle,
my dear lord, is--to assist in driving the French to the devil, and in
restoring peace and happiness to mankind. I feel, that I am fitter to do
the action, than to describe it; therefore, briefly, all the French
being forced to quit this kingdom, and some order restored, two more
ships of the line are to sail this evening for Minorca, which I will
take care of." Having thus demonstrated that he was embracing the
earliest opportunity to comply with Lord Keith's former orders, his
lordship proceeds to state that he is going to send five hundred
marines, with six hundred excellent Swiss, for the attack of Civita
Vecchia, and to assist the insurrection in the Roman state: the sea part
of this business to be under the direction of Captain Louis of the
Minotaur, and the land part under Captain Hallowell of the Swiftsure;
assisted by an excellent officer, Captain Cresswell of the marines, whom
it has been necessary to give the temporary rank of major, which he
wishes the board to confirm. His lordship also trusts to the earl's
goodness, for the promotion of Lieutenant Compton. At the time of
writing this letter, Lord Nelson had not heard that the French and
Spanish fleets were returning to Brest; for he congratulates the earl on
the happy arrival of the combined fleets at Cadiz; having, he says, been
fearful that, as they had escaped the vigilance of Lord Keith, they
would get to Brest. On the state of affairs at Naples, his lordship
remarks that, his Sicilian Majesty, having settled a certain degree of
order, will return to Palermo on the 7th. "I send you," adds his
lordship, "a letter of Sir John Acton to m