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Nelson, Horatio, Viscount [1758-1805]: autographed letter, 2…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
31-Mar-2015
Lot No.
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Description:
Nelson, Horatio, Viscount [1758-1805]: autographed letter, 2 pages, quarto; signed 'Nelson & Bronte' and dated Jan'y 25th, 1801' to 'John Jackson, Esqr'. An interesting commercial letter in which Nelson seeks details of the proceeds of the sale of his 'Prizes' from the captured Spanish frigates, the 'Carmen' and the 'Santa Florentina' and further details of other aspects of this 'Troublesome' matter. The action of 7 April 1800 was a naval engagement fought between a British squadron blockading the Spanish naval base of Cadiz and a convoy of 13 Spanish merchant vessels escorted by 3 frigates, bound for the Spanish colonies in the Americas. The blockade squadron consisted of hallmarked sterling Leviathan and hallmarked sterling Swiftsure and the frigate hallmarked sterling emerald, commanded by rear-Admiral John Thomas Duckworth on Leviathan. The Spanish convoy sailed from Cadiz on 3 April 1800 and encountered Duckworth's squadron two days later. The Spanish attempted to escape; emerald succeeded in capturing one ship early on 6 April. The British captured a brig the following morning and the British squadron divided in pursuit of the remainder. Calm winds delayed both pursuer and quarry and it was not until the morning of 7 April that Leviathan and emerald came up on the bulk of the Spanish convoy, which was still under escort from the Spanish frigate squadron. Swiftsure had been detached south in pursuit of the rest of the convoy. Two Spanish frigates, Nuestra Señora del Carmen and Santa Florentina mistook Duckworth's force for part of their convoy, came too close and had to surrender after a short but fierce resistance. The third frigate Santa Sabina managed to escape emerald's pursuit but the rest of the convoy was left unprotected and the British seized 4 more ships. In all, the British captured and sent into Gibraltar 13 vessels of the 16-ship convoy
Estimate:
***
Price:
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Category:
Unclassified