ALS signed “Nelson & Bronte,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 7.5 x 9.5, no date. Letter to Admiral Skeffington Lutwidge, written from his flagship "Victory." In part: "Many many thanks for your kind letter of April 3rd and I beg you will thank good Mrs. Lutwidge for hers for in truth by one conveyance I can only write to one in a house, and both your letters arrived the same day by the Leviathan. You are sure that I shall always be happy in paying attention to your recommendations and shall certainly see Mr. Baker but I have not the smallest chance of being useful to him for it is not two French fleets that will clear the way of what are on the admiralty and my list. I think the admiralty has had a hard run and if Pitt goes on I do not think my friend Addington can stand the united parties of Pitt & Fox. Our dear Lady Hamilton for ever speaks of your & Mrs. L's kindness to her, her good heart is feelingly alive to such acts. Our ships have been very unfortunate latterly; the loss of Apollo & Conroy is shocking. At Brest I am only surpriz'd more are not lost or rather that any are sound. I am truly sorry for your nephew for I see no prospect of our exchange of prisoners with the Republick but the New Emperor may think differently and I should not be surprized if we have a speedy Peace for he must want to settle firmly his new Dignity, brave Corsican." He adds a postscript: "I sent Dalton his letter & have since seen him. Retains the separate address leaf with red wax seal, accomplished in Lord Nelson's hand: "Admiral Lutwidge, 17 Argyle Street, London." The letter is in fine condition, with some light staining; the address leaf is in very good condition, with paper loss and splits to folds. Napoleon commenced his reign as the first Emperor of France on May 18, 1804, only six days before this letter was written. During this period, Nelson, recently promoted to Vice Admiral of the White on April 23, 1804, continued the integral blockade of the Franco-Spanish fleet at Toulon, a decisive measure in keeping Napoleon’s invasion of the United Kingdom from ever coming to fruition. A fascinating letter dating to the nascency of the War of the Third Coalition.
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