board the Theseus, July 8, 1797; in which he says, that he is directed,
by Sir John Jervis, to acquaint his excellency that these thirty men are
at liberty to return into Cadiz, whenever he may be pleased to send for
them, on condition that they do not serve till regularly exchanged. Of
the Spanish captain, taken as a passenger, he generously adds--"I know
it to be my commander in chief's intention, that he should not be
considered as a prisoner of war. The distresses occasioned by the known
laws of war," liberally concludes this exalted man, "are miserable
enough, without adding to them!"

The prisoners, accordingly, were immediately sent for; but there seems
to have been a backwardness in the Spanish admiral's performance of the
conditions proposed: and, on the 10th, Rear-Admiral Nelson resolutely
demanded them again, that they might be immediately sent to England, if
they were not received as prisoners of war; which, at length, was
reluctantly agreed to.

It appears that, about this time, intelligence had been received, by the
commander in chief, of a prodigiously rich ship, El Principe d'Asturias,
belonging to the Philippine Company, and bound from Manilla to Cadiz,
being then in the port of Santa Cruz, the capital of the island of
Teneriffe; where the treasure was intended to be landed for security, as
had previously been the case with several other rich cargoes. With a
view of obtaining possession of these valuable treasures, an expedition
against that place was determined on, under the conduct of Rear-Admiral
Sir Horatio Nelson.

He was accordingly detached, by Sir John Jervis, on the 15th of July,
with three ships of the line, the Theseus, Culloden, and Zealous; the
Terpsichore, Emerald, and Seahorse, frigates; and the Fox cutter. These
were afterwards joined by the Leander of fifty guns. The general orders
which Sir Horatio Nelson received were, to make a vigorous and spirited
attack; but, on no account, personally to land with the forces, which
were to be under the command of Captain Troubridge, unless his presence
should be absolutely necessary. These particular injunctions were
generally thought to have been most humanely given, by the commander in
chief, for the sake of preserving the valuable life of the rear-admiral;
which might, otherwise, from his known disregard of danger, be too much
exposed: and some also ascribed them to the wish of giving Captain
Troubridge a considerable share in the glory of t