Earl St. Vincent, to Sir Horatio Nelson.
“My dear Admiral.– I do assure you, the Captain of the Dolphin has acquitted himself marvellously well in three instances: In getting his ship out and joining us off Cadiz soon after we arrived; in conducting a convoy of transports with troops from Gibraltar to Lisbon; and lately, in pushing out to protect the stragglers of the convoy from England in very bad weather; and he also improves in manners and conversation, and is amply stored with abilities, which only want cultivation to render him a very good character.”
Dec. 11, 1798. Nelson to his wife, from Naples. “The improvement made in Josiah by Lady Hamilton is wonderful; your obligations and mine are infinite on that score; not but Josiah’s heart is as good and as humane as ever was covered by a human breast. God bless him, I love him dearly with all his roughness.”
Captain Nisbet’s post commission bears date Dec. 24, 1798. He was promoted to that rank in the Thalia of 36 guns, which frigate he commanded on the Mediterranean station until the month of Oct. 1800. Previous to his return from thence, he appears to have given offence to his father-in-law, by remonstrating with him on his infatuated attachment to Lady Hamilton, an attachment which afterwards had the unhappy effect of totally weaning his affections from the wife he once loved so dearly. Captain Nisbet, we believe, has held no subsequent appointment.
Agent.– William Marsh, Esq.
VOLANT VASHON BALLARD, Esq
A Companion of the most Honourable Military Order of the Bath.
[Post-Captain of 1798.]
This officer, when a Midshipman, accompanied the late Captain Vancouver on a laborious and anxious voyage of discovery to the N.W. coast of America, in which expedition he was absent from England about four years and nine months. In 1798, we find him commanding the Hobart sloop of war, on the East India station, where he was posted into the Carysfort of 28 guns. He subsequently commanded the Jason frigate, De Ruyter of 68 guns, Berschermer 50, and Blonde 38. Among the captures made by him in the latter ship, we find the following French privateers:
