Lord Horatio Nelson letter signed aboard his ship, the HMS Victory, off the coast of Toulon, France just prior to the Trafalgar campaign and in the midst of the Barbary Wars. In this long letter spanning six pages dated 28 December 1804, Nelson writes to Richard Goodwin Keats, Captain of the HMS Superb, carefully directing Keats to negotiate with Algieria for the release of the HMS Ape. The Dey of Algiers seized this British ship in 1803, despite the crew having British issued ''Mediterranean passports'', given to non-English citizens so that supplies could be transported to Malta, recently captured by Great Britain from France. At this time, Algiers was engaged in corsair privateering, the state-sanctioned seizure of ships and crew for slavery and ransom; the Dey of Algiers believed that these passports interfered with such activity, an essential component of their Barbary Wars. Nelson refers throughout to the Dey of Algiers, Mustapha Baba, who was overthrown just months after this letter was written. In full,
''Victory at Sea off Toulon / 28th December 1804. / Sir / His Majesty having sent out a Consul General for Algiers, with directions for my demanding certain conditions, and without they are complied with He is not to be landed, and as I have the very highest confidence from experience in your zeal and ability for the performance of this mission with the Agerines, I think it right to entrust it to your management, I shall therefore do very little more than merely deliver to you the orders I have received from Earl Camden [John Jeffreys Pratt] one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State.
The extreme ignorance of the Dey and His not remaining long enough quiet to hear reason will make it probably the likliest [sic] mode of coming to an amicable accommodation, is to see and converse with the Minister of His Highness before you demand an audience, and explain to them most clearly and distinctly, that as a preliminary before you can enter upon any other subject the Restitution of the English Vessel, the Ape, her cargo and crew must be complied with.
You will also impress upon their minds the folly of bringing forward as claims things which have been long ago considered as settled, particularly the case of the El Veloce which was proved to be entirely French property, and that therefore whoever told The Dey that any neutral property [that] was in the Veloce could only have done it either to keep back property which might belong to the Dey or His Subjects or to try and create a misunderstanding between His Majesty and the Regency.
You will also call their attention to the friendly conduct of His Majesty in sending another Consul to Algiers in the room of Mr. [John] Falcon after the very improper treatment His Agent and Consul General had received, but that His Majesty relies upon the Dey's word, that such an insult shall not be given again.
You will endeavour to impress upon their minds the long and uninterrupted Harmony which has subsisted between Great Britain and Algiers, and which His Majesty has always been so desirous to preserve by every act of friendship on His part, and that it is the earnest wish of His Majesty ever to remain on the most friendly terms with the Regency; You will also give them an instance of it which they must know, that an Armament at Toulon and a large army after the peace with Great Britain was intended to land and plunder Algiers, which they would doubtless have effected had not a British Fleet been placed in Oristano Bay Sardinia to watch their motions, and to prevent such a diabolical scheme from being carried into execution, and had His Majesty not been the most friendly disposed towards the Algerines, with what case could I have taken the whole of the Cruizers belonging to the Regency, but the sincere wish of His Majesty is peace and friendship with Algiers, if it can be kept with honor.
Should the Dey comply with the just demands of His Majesty you may then as a proof of His Majesty's earnest desire to be on the most friendly footing with the Regency and to buy in oblivion all that is past give up the idea of any further claims which He might justly demand, particularly indemnification for the Saint Antonio de Padova etc. etc., But His Majesty has a right to expect as a return for such a proof of His friendship that the Dey will give up the poor Innocent sufferers who were taken in them.
Although I have touched upon the several points to which I would wish you to draw the attention of the Ministers of the Regency, yet the mode and manner I leave entirely to your superior judgement and experience, and you will deliver my Letter to the Minister to be delivered to the Dey, that he may have full time to reflect upon the conduct he means to pursue before you have an audience of Him.
Should you not be able to obtain the restitution of the Ape, her crew and cargo, you are not upon any consideration to land the Consul but bring Him back to Me - wishing you success I am Sir with the Highest respect / Your most obedient humble servant [signed] Nelson + Bronte. / P.S. You will herewith receive a Copy of Earl Camden's Letter to me and also of my letter to the Dey of Algiers.''
Despite Nelson's best efforts, Keats was not able to convince the Dey to release the crew and cargo of the Ape, although Ahmed bin Ali Khodja, the Dey who succeeded Mustapha Baba, released the ship in 1805, having more pressing issues with the violent uprising in his country. Six page letter on four sheets measures 7.75'' x 12.5''. Toning and split starting along some fold lines, overall very good condition with legible handwriting and a very bold signature by Nelson, considered the greatest Admiral in history.