Opposition to furnishing them must be expected wherever French influence could be felt.  “The great distance from Malta or Gibraltar renders the getting such refreshments from those places, in a regular manner, absolutely impossible;” and from the Spanish ports, Barcelona or Rosas, which were near his cruising ground, they could be had only “clandestinely.”  Government Bills would not be taken there, nor in Barbary or Sardinia, where bullocks might be got.  Hard money must be paid, and about this there was some routine bureau difficulty.  “I certainly hate to have anything to do with the management of money,” he wrote, “but I submit the propriety of lodging public money on board the fleet, for the purpose of paying for fresh beef and vegetables, provided, but on no account otherwise, that the simple receipt from the captain of the ship may be a sufficient voucher for the disbursement of such money.”  Absolutely disposed as he was to assume political or military responsibilities, he was not willing, even for the health of the fleet, to incur the risk of pecuniary imputations for himself or his captains.

Great dexterity of management was required to obtain these supplies, without drawing, upon those who gave them, such tokens of displeasure from Bonaparte as might result in their discontinuance.  Towards Spain, although he felt for her perplexities, Nelson took a firm tone.  She was nominally neutral, and enjoyed privileges as such; he insisted therefore that she should deal equal measure to both belligerents.  “I am ready to make large allowances for the miserable situation Spain has placed herself in; but there is a certain line beyond which I cannot submit to be treated with disrespect.”  That line of forbearance was dictated, of course, less by indulgence towards Spain than by the necessities of Great Britain, which Nelson, however indignant, was too good a diplomatist to drop out of sight; but he kept up a pressure which secured very substantial assistance, though grudgingly given.  “Refreshments we have a right to as long as we remain at peace, and if this goes on”—­the refusal, that is, to allow provisions to be bought in quantities—­“you may acquaint them that I will anchor in Rosas with the squadron, and receive our daily supplies, which will offend the French much more than our staying at sea.”

Towards Naples, as secretly friendly to Great Britain, he was of course far more tender; and, while he rejected no suggestion without consideration, he regarded the distance as too great to render such a means of subsistence certain.  The numerous privateers that haunted every port would intercept the transports and render convoys necessary; it was not worth while, for so small an advantage, to involve Naples, in its already critical state, in a dispute with France.  An occasional purchase, however, seems to have been made there; and even France herself was at times brought to contribute, indirectly, to the support of the squadron