him every thing that he could ask.
Prince William Henry, too, as the Duke of Clarence was then called,
having recently entered into the navy under Admiral Digby, contracted a
strong friendship for Captain Nelson, which was ever retained. Lord Hood
even told the prince, on first introducing them to each other, that if
he wished to ask any questions relative to naval tactics, Captain Nelson
could give him as much information as any officer in the fleet. This
was, indeed, acting the part of a professional father to both the young
men.

In a letter from Cape Tiberoon, dated February 25, 1783, written by
Captain Nelson to his friend Captain Locker, from which some of the
above facts are also extracted, he says, speaking of the Duke of
Clarence--"He will be, I am certain, an ornament to our service. He is
a seaman; which, perhaps, you would hardly suppose: every other
qualification you may expect from him. A vast deal of notice has been
taken of him at Jamaica: he has been addressed by the Council, and the
House of Assembly were to address him the day after I sailed. He has his
levees at Spanish Town; they are all highly delighted with him. With the
best temper, and great good sense, he cannot fail being pleasing to
every one."

What a pity it is, that any impediment should have ever prevailed
against the royal duke's taking an active command!

Some time after Captain Nelson had joined Lord Hood, in the West Indies,
the admiral having received several contradictory accounts of the number
of the enemy's ships at the Havannah, and being consequently unable to
rely on such varying reports, was desirous of sending, for the requisite
information, one on whom he well knew he might safely depend.
Accordingly, Captain Nelson was dispatched on this business, which he
executed with his usual adroitness and success. He reflected that the
Albemarle, from it's having been formerly a French ship, might still be
taken for one on this occasion. Having, therefore, sailed for the
Spanish main, he hoisted French colours, and lay off the Havannah
harbour. While he remained in this situation, a boat filled with
scientific gentlemen, who had been collecting curious plants, and other
natural rarities, on the Spanish main, happening to pass near, he
ordered them to be hailed, and invited aboard. From these persons, who
had no suspicion that this French-built vessel, and under a French flag,
being addressed also in that language, was any other tha