| Description | This document comprises a letter sent from Benjamin Tucker, the Secretary of the Earl St Vincent (John Jervis), to Horatio Nelson's prize agent, Alexander Davison, enclosing a response by the Earl himself. It relates to the dispute between Nelson and St. Vincent over the prize money for the capture off Cape Finisterre of two Spanish ships from Vera Cruze, the Santa Brigada and the Thetis, by HMS Alcmene. The prize from the sugar, cochineal, indigo and bullion on the ships amounted to £661,220. One-eighth of this prize was due to the Commander-in-Chief. The outgoing Commander-in-Chief, St. Vincent, had left the Mediterranean theatre at the point of the capture, in order to take up his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet. Prior to the appointment of Lord Keith on 15 November 1799. Nelson felt that as acting Commander-in-Chief, he ought to receive the one-eighth share. St. Vincent's claim rested on the fact that he was still formally the Commander-in-Chief. The dispute became long and protracted. After an inconclusive result in the Court of Common Pleas in 1802, the King's Bench finally decided in Nelson's favour in 1803. Tucker and St. Vincent both indicate an initial reluctance to pursue the claim. |