Nelson & His World

Can anyone identify this Harbour as described by Admiral Alexander Ball in 1806, as one of the finest harbours in the world -- possibly in the Adriatic.
Sorry about the grainy appearance.

Hi Edward,

Its a Coastal town on the Dalmatian Coast in Montenegro, Bocca di Cattaro or formerly Boca Kotorska.

For a complete explanation look up, Cattaro-Definition.

Thanks for that Stephen; I am slowly transcribing some 500 pages of letters (many unpublished) between Alexander Ball and British Minister to the Two Sicilies, Hugh Elliot from the period 1803-1806.

I took your advice and looked up the definition and found under Kotor a dictionary site which gave a “Warning! The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased”. -- From 1420 to 1797, Kotor was under Venetian rule; from 1797 to 1806 and 1814 to 1918, it was under the domination of the Austrian Hapsburgs (from 1809 to 1813 it was one of the Illyrian Provinces). In 1918 a revolutionary uprising broke out among the sailors of Kotor. From 1941 to 1944 the city was occupied by Italian and fascist German troops.

For some reason they failed to mention 1806 to 1809 which I assume was then under Napoleon’s thumb.

Ed,

I imagine, after your exhausive and exhausting labours, they will be published? What a great resource that would be to add to our knowledge of Ball and the period.

By the way, and following your quote from the dictionary, do the Kotorians(?) know who governs them now, or are they past caring?

Kester, I would imagine it must be a part of Serbia Montenegro today.

Thanks, Stephen.

Perhaps we need to a little more precise. Ball was refering to the Bocca di Cattaro, now called the Boka Kotorska, which (as Ball observes) is a winding bay on the Adriatic sea in Montenegro considered to be Europe's southernmost fjord and comprising four smaller bays, named after the towns of Kotor, Tivat, Herceg-Novi, and Risan.
The French siezed Istria and Dalmatia after their victory over the Austrians in 1805 then advanced further and added Dubrovnik and the Boka Kotorska after Tilsit.

Brian

Thanks to all for that info. I am impressed with the amount of expertise ‘on board’. And as I am only on the 210th page of the last batch of letters there may be some further help needed.

Kester --
The Maltese are itching to print and bind my latest efforts but I am having slow down and spend less time on the computers as it is affecting my health by being in such a static position for long periods.
I am now off to Stonehenge to see the organisers of the Nile Clumps to donate some cash for the restoration of the Alexander.

Ed,

There are some excellent publishers and printers here on the island who can do a first class job.

http://www.gutenberg.com.mt