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Lot 373
Horatio Nelson, Freeing Those Enslaved by the Barbary Pirates, Jewish Merchants 16 Letters Admiral Collingwood Archive
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Horatio Nelson, Freeing Those Enslaved by the Barbary Pirates, Jewish Merchants 16 Letters Admiral Collingwood Archive

CUTHBERT COLLINGWOOD, 1ST BARON COLLINGWOOD, Archive of 16 letters to the British Consuls General of Morocco, James Mario Matra, John Ross, and James Green, January 1806 – July 1808. 24 pp., 5.375ʺ x 8ʺ to 8ʺ x 13ʺ.

Admiral Collingwood, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Mediterranean Fleet wrote this series of letters to a series of permanent and acting British consuls in Tangier, Morocco, during the Napoleonic Wars. The letters begin shortly after Collingwood was made a baron for his actions at the great British naval victory of Trafalgar.

Excerpts
January 16, 1806 (to Matra): “I have just received and send you by the Amphion, a Letter from His Majesty to the Emperor of Morocco, with a great quantity of valuable articles sent by His Majesty as presents to the Emperor, and the principal officers of his Court.”
“I learn from His Lordship’s [Horatio Nelson] letters on the subject that considering the great advantage which might arise from presents being made occasionally by the Admiral himself, to the Governors of Teluan, Tangier, and such other places as His Majesty’s ships might go to for refreshments, a certain portion of those presents were to be reserved for such purposes, but as I have not particular account of them, I send them all by the Amphion, that you may select such as are directed to be presented to the Emperor, reserving those for the other purpose ’till they may be wanted.”
“I hope in this negociation which is the subject of His Majesty’s Letter, that a free and open use of the Country may be obtained for the Fleet as far as relates to the procuring refreshment, and Stock, that the exorbitant duty of 26 Dollars a head on the Cattle may either be discontinued, or reduced to the same terms on which the Garrison of Gibraltar is supplied, and that smaller stock, as sheep, Poultry, and vegetables may be allowed to be shipped freely and alive as the market of the Country will afford.”
“I am informed that the most friendly dispositions are entertained by the Moorish Governors, and the people in general towards the English, and that the difficulties to which we are principally exposed in receiving supplies, proceed from the Jews, who holding considerable offices and having the power which is always attached to high office, turn every circumstance to profit, and by limiting the quantity of stock exported, raise its price to an extravagant heighth. Perhaps those people might be softened by a proper kind of attention, and be induced to relax in the rigour of their office. I know every thing in Barbary must be done by conciliation, and gentle means, and trust you will make every Exertion to facilitate the supplies for the fleet which are indispensably necessary.”
Lord Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) was mortally wounded during the great British naval victory over the combined French and Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805.

April 5 (to Ross): “In the middle of January last, I sent by the Amphion, to the late Mr Matra, a Letter to be presented by him, to the Emperor of Morocco, from His Majesty, together with Presents of great value. I have to request Sir, that you will be pleased to inquire what is become of His Majesty’s Letter, and the Presents which accompanied it, which you will have the goodness to acquaint me of.”

May 12 (to Ross): “The fleet has been long without Bullocks. I have sent the Minerva to Tangier to know why they do not come, and to conduct one of them to the fleet.”

May 15 (to Ross): “The influence which France has obtained in Portugal we must expect in some degree to feel the effect of, however well disposed the people of that nation may be towards us.”

July 15 (to Green): “You arrive Sir, at a period when there happily exists the most perfect harmony and good understanding with the Emperor, and with the Barbary States in general, which with your good management I doubt not will be maintained and strengthened. The Fleet has always been very plentifully supplied with Beef and refreshments., but the duty paid on the Cattle sent us is extravagantly high (26 Dollars a head) while the French and Spanish agents have lately concluded a treaty by which they are only charged 5 or 6 Dollars a head, but the Number they are to have is limited. If at a seasonable time by a temperate negociation with the Emperor’s Ministers, you could get the duty reduced it would be very desireable, if not to what the French pay, at least to something more moderate than it is now.”

July 31 (to Green): “I have received the favour of your letter informing me of an infringement of the rights of neutrality of the Barbary coast by some of the Spanish Privateers – which I hope the Governor of the Province will take such measures to prevent the recurrence of as may be a check to the irregularities committed by those people. The fact is, that the Privateer boats on both sides, are not very regular in their conduct, not very observant of the laws of Neutrality when it suits their convenience or their interest to break them.”

September 14 (to Green): “The most material business we have with him [Emperor of Morocco] is the obtaining supplies, which we now do in abundance, but at a most enormous price, and as it is much greater than I understand that of the French and Spaniards is, to whom he does not profess the same friendly dispositions. I am led to believe the high duty demanded of us, is an extortion by the Jews and others who are engaged in the Contract, and what I could wish to be ascertained is the duty which the Emperor demands from us, that the Sum should be expressly named, as a Guide for future Contracts. it is said to be at present 26 Dollars a head, while the other nations pay but five, which I cannot think is the intention of the Emperor.”
“As the Contract is made for Vegetables at the Market-price to be supplied with the Cattle, I have directed the officers coming for them, to demand with each Bullock 10 lb. of onions, and 3 Pumpkins, of which at this season there is great abundance.”

November 17 (to Green): “the Emperor and his Governors are not very liberal of any thing but fair promises – but they are a people who will always require a certain address to manage – and what we get, and is so necessary to us, is only to be done by yielding a little to their caprices....”
“I am glad you could accommodate the affair of the slaves’ escape – but the owners of the boats should be informed that if their crews do illegal things in Barbary, they must be subject to the law of that country, and not expect under the sanction of the English flag to be shielded from the punishment they deserve. Being in an English Vessel protects them in their lawful pursuits, not in their violations of the Law of any Country.”

December 6 (to Green): “When you visit him, I will beg you to remonstrate with him against the assembling of the Enemies privateers & Gun Vessels at Tangier – where I am told ten or a dozen of them lie at a time waiting the opportunity to seize upon the English traders – which I consider as a breach of Neutrality – at heart not giving that security to the Ports of the Empire – which friends expect to find. They do not come there as we do, to provide refreshments – and to carry on with the Emperor’s subjects the intercourse of peace and friendship – but they make it a war Station, from whence they sail to commit their depredations and are danger to them.... This we cannot allow – but would rather the Emperor would put a stop to their assembling in his Ports for the purpose of annoying the ships of his friends – that that we should do any thing that might have the appearance of holding the Neutrality lightly.”

July 1, 1808 (to Green): “The Spanish Army is so much in want of the Horses and mules which Captain Bullen was sent to Tangier to Endeavour to procure permission to export from Barbary, that I have sent the Reduvis over to know how the negociation goes on, and whether there is much probability of its finally succeeding.”

July 18 (to Green): “The British Government is doing, what all legitimate and good governments ought to do—supporting a great nation who desires peace, against a Power which only exists by rapine and injustice. The Emperor as the friend & promoter of human happiness – as the supporter of Justice – and the Defender of the oppressed is requested to give such assistance as his Country can well afford – but under the Circumstances in which Spain is – it would be ungenerous to take advantage of her being engaged in a contest for national existence – and make claims which it is not reasonable to expect she will accede to. The Grant of Mules and Horses I asked to be given, both as it would give the Emperor an opportunity to show his magnanimity in supporting a good & Holy Cause – and giving them at my request, would be considered as a signal instance of his esteem for the British nation.”

July 26 (to Green): “In every instance the spirit which the Spanish people have manifested – and the resolve to relieve their Country of its invaders leaves no doubt that they will do it.”
The Peninsular War did not end until 1814 with the Treaty of Paris. The Spanish, with the aid of the British and Portuguese, retook Madrid in 1812 and pressed the French forces to withdraw over the Pyrenees during the winter of 1813-1814.

Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood (1748-1810) was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and went to sea at age twelve. He joined the Royal Navy as a teenager and spent only three years on dry land for the rest of his life. He first met Horatio Nelson in 1777 and often succeeded Nelson in commands. He first commanded a ship of the line in 1781, and spent several years on duty in the West Indies. He returned to England in 1786 and remained there as part of the Channel Fleet. He participated in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797 and on blockade duty at Cadiz, Spain. After war with France resumed in 1803, he participated in the blockade of Brest. At the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805, Collingwood led one line of the British fleet, while Nelson led the other. Collingwood’s flagship nearly singlehandedly destroyed the first Spanish ship. After Nelson’s death in the battle, Collingwood took command and took the damaged prize ships in tow. Some were wrecked on the rocky shore in the ensuing storm, but no British ship was lost. For his performance in the battle, Collingwood was raised to the peerage as Baron Collingwood and received his third Naval Gold Medal. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet. He was finally relieved in 1809, but died of cancer on board a ship as he sailed for England.

James Mario Matra (ca. 1746-1806) was born in New York City to a Corsican father named James Magra, who had moved to Dublin, Ireland, studied medicine and changed his surname to Matra, and then migrated to New York. The younger Magra settled in England and entered the Royal Navy in 1761. He joined James Cook’s voyage of exploration to Australia in 1768-1770. On that voyage, he befriended English botanist Sir Joseph Banks, with whom he remained a lifelong friend. Some evidence suggests Magra was the anonymous author of A Journal of a Voyage Round the World, published in England in 1771 about Cook’s voyage. In 1775, Magra petition the King to revert his surname to Matra to claim a Corsican inheritance. In 1777, Matra requested leave from his position as consul in Tenerife in the Canary Islands to deal with family matters in British-occupied New York City. He was secretary of the embassy in Constantinople from 1778 to 1780. In 1783, he proposed establishing a settlement in New South Wales, especially for American loyalists displaced by the American Revolutionary War. In 1786, Matra received appointment as consul at Tangier, Morocco, a position he held until his death.

John Ross served as Acting British Consul in Tangier from March to July 1806. The Governor of Gibraltar sent him to Tangier to replace Consul Matra until Consul Green could arrive.

James Green (1772-1840) served as the British Consul General in Morocco from 1806 until his retirement in July 1817.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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