ed. Our dear
friend Troubridge has endured enough. His sufferings were, in every
respect, more than any of us." To the Admiralty he wrote in terms
equally warm. "I hope, and believe, the word ENGAGED is not intended to
exclude the CULLODEN. The merits of that ship, and her gallant Captain,
are too well known to benefit by anything I could say. Her misfortune
was great in getting aground, while her more fortunate companions were
in the full tide of happiness. No: I am confident that my good Lord
Spencer will never add misery to misfortune. Captain Troubridge on shore
is superior to captains afloat: in the midst of his great misfortunes he
made those signals which prevented certainly the ALEXANDER and SWIFTSURE
from running on the shoals. I beg your pardon for writing on a subject
which, I verily believe, has never entered your lordship's head; but my
heart, as it ought to be, is warm to my gallant friends." Thus feelingly
alive was Nelson to the claims, and interests, and feelings of others.
The Admiralty replied, that the exception was necessary, as the ship had
not been in action; but they desired the commander-in-chief to promote
the lieutenant upon the first vacancy which should occur.

Nelson, in remembrance of an old and uninterrupted friendship, appointed
Alexander Davison sole prize agent for the captured ships: upon which
Davison ordered medals to be struck in gold, for the captains; in
silver, for the lieutenants and warrant officers; in gilt metal for the
petty officers; and in copper for the seamen and marines. The cost of
this act of liberality amounted nearly to L2000. It is worthy of record
on another account;--for some of the gallant men, who received no other
honorary badge of their conduct on that memorable day than this copper
medal from a private individual, years afterwards, when they died upon
a foreign station, made it their last request, that the medals might
carefully be sent home to their respective friends. So sensible are
brave men of honour, in whatever rank they may be placed.

Three of the frigates, whose presence would have been so essential a few
weeks sooner, joined the squadron on the twelfth day after the
action. The fourth joined a few days after them. Nelson thus received
despatches, which rendered it necessary for him to return to Naples.
Before he left Egypt he burned three of the prizes; they could not have
been fitted for a passage to Gibraltar in less than a month, and that at