uns, being in a very ill state
of health, and desirous of going to England, Captain Nelson was
appointed to Captain Smith's ship; and he was to have went home in the
Agamemnon, had he not, shortly after, died at Gibraltar.

So completely, indeed, had Captain Nelson worn out his old and favourite
ship, by a series of hard service, that when it went into dock for
refitment, there was not a mast, yard, sail, or any part of the rigging,
which remained fit for service, the whole having been cut to pieces with
shot. The hull, also, was so greatly damaged, that it had for some time
been secured and kept together merely by having cables properly served
or thrapped round.

On the 11th of August, he obtained the permanent rank of commodore,
having a captain appointed to command under him in his new ship.

In the mean time, he had been also incessantly employed, and still
continued actively engaged till October, in the various arduous services
of blockading Leghorn; taking possession of Porto Ferrajio, with the
island of Caprea; and, lastly, in the evacuation of Bastia.

Having convoyed, in safety, all the British troops from Corsica to Porto
Ferrajio, he joined Sir John Jervis in St. Fiorenzo Bay, and proceeded
with him to Gibraltar.

On his way to Gibraltar, November 5, 1796, in writing to his friend
Captain Locker, he remarks that he has seen the first and the last of
the kingdom of Corsica, It's situation, he says, was certainly most
disirable for us; but the generality of the inhabitants were so greedy
of wealth, and so jealous of each other, that it would require the
patience of Job, and the riches of Croesus, to satisfy them. He adds,
that they say, of themselves, they are only to be governed by the ruling
power's shooting all it's enemies, and bribing all it's friends.

In this letter, too, he observes, to his old friend, with evident
exultation, that as soon as the fleet is united, which was then
expecting to be joined by Admiral Mann, he had no doubt that they should
look out for the combined fleet; who, he supposed, were about
thirty-four sail of the line, badly manned, and worse ordered: "while
our's," exclaims the gallant commodore, "is such a fleet as I never
before saw at sea! There is nothing, hardly, beyond our reach. I need
not give you the character of Sir John Jervis, you know him well;
therefore, I shall only say, that he is worthy of such a fleet, for he
knows how to use it in the most beneficial manner