letters to him will evince the value of these communications:–
“I have to offer my best thanks for the information contained in your letter dated the 1st March, 1812, as well as for the sketches of shoals on the cast coast of Calabria, which were immediately presented to their lordships, who were pleased to pass very high encomiums thereon.”
“By this evening’s coach I have sent a package, containing your two books of charts lent to this office, and for the use of which I offer you my very best thanks. – With respect to Mediterranean charts, should your ship be ordered on that station, and a sufficient time allowed me previous to your sailing, I will have a particular box made up for you.
“We feel too much indebted to your very zealous attentions in supplying our hydrographical wants and deficiencies, not to comply with all your requests and wishes, as far as may be within our power. The many valuable communications you have from time to time transmitted to us, are placed amongst our most valuable documents; and when brought forward in correction of our charts, which will shortly be done, care will be taken to let the world know to whom this OiHcc has been obliged. Accept my best wishes, and believe me, very sincerely, yours.”
“I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favour from Looe, together with a book of remarks, for both of which I beg to offer my best thanks. The book contains some very acceptable, and highly useful information, and will, I flatter myself, enable us to correct a few of the great errors to be met with in all the published charts of the Mediterranean, particularly between the southern coast of Sardinia, Cape Don, and Maritimo, the relative bearings and distances of these places each from the other, as well as of their true positions with respect to latitudes and longitudes, we have no satisfactory knowledge of. I therefore again repeat my thanks for your valuable communication, and am,” &c.
In Oct. 1814, Captain Nicolas addressed a letter to Mr. Wilberforce, on the traffic carried on by the Barbary powers in Christian slaves. He pointed out the policy and naval force of the States of Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers; the facility with which they might be kept in check; the cruelty which they daily perpetrated by carrying off whole families
