equire of him, unswayed by any sinister or selfish motive, viewed the
business in a very different light; and felt that, as an executive naval
officer, it was his business to enforce, on all occasions, the maritime
laws of his country.

Accordingly, in November 1784, the hurricane months being over, and the
squadron arrived at Barbadoes, where the ships were to separate for the
different islands, with no other orders than those for examining
anchorages, and usual enquiries after wood and water, as this did not
appear to him the intent of placing men of war, in peaceable times, he
asked Captain Collingwood to accompany him, their sentiments being
exactly similar, and ask the commander in chief a few questions. They,
accordingly, proceeded together, to Sir Richard Hughes; when Captain
Nelson respectfully asked, whether they were not to attend to the
commerce of their country, and to take care that the British trade was
kept in those channels which the navigation laws pointed out? Sir
Richard replied, that he had no particular orders, nor had the Admiralty
sent him any acts of parliament. That, Captain Nelson remarked, was very
singular, as every captain of a man of war was furnished with the
Statutes of the Admiralty, in which the Navigation Act was included;
which act was directed to admirals, captains, &c. to see it carried into
execution. On producing and reading these laws to Sir Richard, to use
Captain Nelson's own words, "he seemed convinced that men of war were
sent abroad for some other purpose than to be made a show of;" and, the
Americans then filling our ports, orders were issued for all the
squadrons to see the Navigation Act carried into execution.

When Captain Nelson went to his station, at St. Kitt's, he sent away all
the Americans; not chusing to seize them at that time, lest it should
have appeared a trap laid for them.

In December, to his utter astonishment, he received an order from the
commander in chief, stating that he had obtained good advice, and
required that the Americans might not only be prevented from coming in,
but permitted to have free egress and regress, if the governor chose to
allow them. He inclosed, at the same time, a copy of the orders which
he had sent to the governors and presidents of the islands. Some, on
this, began by sending letters, not far different from orders, that they
should admit them in such and such situations as they described: telling
Captain Nelson, that Sir Ri