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Lot 139
"Hostilities have commenced between Great Britain and the Court of Spain"
Horatio Nelson
Horatio Nelson
5 July 2005, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £4,800 inc. premium
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Find your local specialist"Hostilities have commenced between Great Britain and the Court of Spain"
Horatio Nelson
Horatio Nelson
Document signed ("Nelson & Bronte"), counter-signed by his secretary John Scott, being a certified copy of his memorandum to the captains and commanders in his Mediterranean command on the declaration of war against Spain: "Whereas Hostilities have commenced between Great Britain and the Court of Spain You are therefore hereby required and directed on falling in with any Spanish Ship or Vessel of War or Merchant Man belonging to the Subjects of His Catholic Majesty or which may have Spanish property on Board, and on doing so You will use Your utmost endeavour to Capture, Seize, Burn Sink or destroy them...", 2 pages, folio, minor professional restoration at edges, Victory, 15 November 1804
Footnotes
Nelson single-handedly declares war on Spain: Spain - his adversary at Trafalgar less than a year later - did not in fact declare war on Great Britain until 14 December, following a British attack on a Spanish frigate with heavy civilian casualties. Even so, the war remained unpopular in Spain, and the British Consul remained behind at Cadiz. The present false alarm was occasioned by mistaken reports which had reached Nelson that a battery at Barcelona had opened fire on a British brig. It is printed by Nicolas, Dispatches and Letters, from an Admiralty copy.

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