| Collection | Correspondence of William IV |
| Description | On his way to Prince Rupert Bay in Dominique, Prince William passed in front of Guadeloupe where he saw some French ships moored at Basse Terre.
He mentions the death of Captain Wilfred Collingwood, commander of the Rattler. H. Nelson (being the most senior officer) on the station appointed his first lieutenant, Wallis of the Boreas, as new commander and a gentleman who has been serving many years on the Pegasus, into the vacant Lieutenancy.
Description of St. Pierre, the principal French port in the West Indies. On the night of his arrival in Grenada on the 28th [April] he started feeling rheumatic pains in the right side and tigh, with some fever - an illness whose causes and symptoms he describes in detail later on. This prevented him to visit the Island, of which, however, gives some information about its economy - sugar and cotton as main commodities, big and safe port of St George. His illness got better after some medications given by the surgeon on board.
45th Regiment of foot commnaded by Major Daily just arrived with most of the men feeling unwell. The Companies of the Royal Artillery under the command of Major Rockfort are also on the island.
Once recovered, Prince William set sail arriving at the British Harbour on the 7th of May were he is employed refitting the ship for North America. |
| Publications | Published in "Correspondence of George, Prince of Wales, 1770-1812", I, edited by A Aspinall; no 239, pp. 311-312. The death of Capt. W. Collingwood was announced to his brother by H. Nelson in a letter published in 'The Dispatches and Letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson', ed. Sir Nicholas H. Nicolas, pp. 230-231. |