Nelson & His World

Hello All,
As a new member to this forum, I thought that it maybe of interest to you to know that the 25th October will see the two hundreth Anniversay of the death of Sir Alexander Ball, Malta's first Governor under British rule and one of Nelson's "Band of Brothers" at the Battle of the Nile on 1st August 1798.
Sir Alexander Ball is buried in a traverse in a bastion that still bears his name today at Fort St Elmo, Valletta here in Malta.
It is I have to report possibly one of the most overlooked and sad to say sorry grave sites of someone with such strong connections with Nelson and for that matter Malta.
It was Sir Alexander Ball, whilst in Command of the Alexander at the Battle of the Nile that was largly responsible for the blowing up of the flagship L'Orient a vessel with also strong connections with Malta and the treasure of the Knights of St John.

Many thanks for that reminder, Stephen. If you look on page 6 of the website on the Naval heroes thread, you will see that I hold Ball in high esteem too.

Am I right in thinking that his grave, fallen into disrepair, that you mention in your post, and the monument to his memory are two separate edifices?

I wonder if the 1805 club are aware that Ball's grave is in such a poor state. Or maybe they confine themselves to financing repairs to the memorials to the Trafalgar captains?

It seems a pity that the grave of this remarkable man is allowed to moulder in ruins.

Only the other day, I acquired a letter written by Ball. I'll post it on the website in due course.

Hi Anna ,
Are you a member of the 1805 Club?

Hi All,
In 1871, Sir Alexander Ball's remains were exhumed, whilst the Royal Engineers carried out alterations on the Salient of St Elmo to incorporate a new gun. Ball's coffin was removed to the Chapel of St Elmo and found to be in good condition. His remains had been placed in a leaden coffin and encased in wood. The plate on his coffin was reinstated given the events of the moment and placed in a traverse within the bastion,although trying to locate where the coffin is today is proving quite some research.
I am trying to locate Royal Engineers records for 1871 and work carried out at Fort St Elmo at the National Archives at Kew, but this has as yet been difficult.
Any help on this matter will be very much appreciated.
Another grave nearby or should I say a number of meters away is that of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, killed at the Battle of Abou Kir in 1801. His grave site has the unenviable honour of not just being in a sad state of preservation, but having the honour of being at the entrance to a Gent's toilet! Some respect.

Hello All,
I should point out that the two graves in Fort St Elmo are closed to the public, as I have now been given direct access by the authorities here, anyone visiting Malta with an intention of visiting the site, would be advised to contact me through this Forum so as not to dissapoint.

Many thanks for all that helpful information, Stephen.

I wonder if the Museum of the Royal Engineers have any information that might be relevant to your searches:

http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_admin_accredition.htm

No - I am not a member of the 1805 club, though I am a member of the Nelson Society.

I've just had a look at the 1805 website and they are committed to the maintenance of memorials to all seafarers of the Georgian era, so Ball certainly comes under that heading; though I imagine funds are tight at the moment.

Hi Anna,
I am a member of the 1805, if I can be of any help.

Steven, Anna,

I would think most of us here are admirers of Ball and it is shameful to learn of the state of his tomb.

I originally thought that he was buried in his magnificent monument:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Valle ... ardens.JPG

Having read however in an article in the Nelson Dispatch some little while ago that this was not so, and now reading here of the deplorable state of his last resting place, I wonder if he cannot somehow be reinterred within the monument. It surely cannot be that difficult to arrange, and it looks a delightful setting. I wonder too, since the Maltese though so much of him, that they have allowed his tomb to become so neglected. Admittedly they have had a tough time since, but even so.

Since this year is the 200th anniversary of his death, perhaps this might be looked into with the help of the 1805 Club?

The 1805 Club has moved on from the Trafalgar Captains, and the current project is the Nile and Copenhagen Captains Memorial Project. This is currently in the first stage of locating, surveying and recording the graves of all the Nile and Copenhagen Captains. The graves of all the Nile Captains (including Alexander Ball's) have been located and surveyed. There are nine Copenhagen Captains whose graves are still unlocated, and another five whose graves have yet to be visited and recorded (including Sutton's, Anna).

I think once all the graves have been found and recorded, the next stage would be to decide on priorities for conservation.

Stephen, perhaps you should contact the 1805 Club secretary and find out who surveyed Ball's grave. Or have you already done that?

I have posted a transcript of a letter by Sir Alexander Ball on the 'Piracy' thread.

Sir Alexander John Ball's Grave Memorial Stone, Tanslation from Latin.

Here Lies Alexander John Ball, Knight Baronet, Knight of the Order of St Ferdinand, raised among the Captains of the British Navy to the third degree.
He was Commissioned with the highest authority to help the Maltese oppressed by the French domination and fighting for their country. A very cautious Commander, with his effort and firmness of mind, he usefully and completely devoted himself to help the Maltese to free themselves from French domination;and having done this dully well he was appointed Royal Commissioner for Malta and Gozo, and administered to his credit with justice,kindness, and mildness, their civil administration.He was also very careful to foster, education,commerce and agriculture, and governed these islands for ten years as befits the prestige of His Most Serene Majesty King George the Third,enriching and embellishing them with new works, buildings,roads and gardens. He lived fifty two years and died on 25th Octobe 1809. The Grief and Mourning of all the right-minded people was obvious at his public funeral which the whole population attended.

Those with an interest in this memorial may be interested to know that the lettering on the marble is in some form of lead, which is coming away.

At the head of the tablet/Memoral Stone/Grave is the inscription of the Chi Ro Symbol, the first letters of Christ in Greek.

Cheers.

Anyone interested in the life of Sir Alexander John Ball, may like to refer to the following article.

http://www.ageofnelson.org/Article03.html

Thanks for those posts, Stephen.

I found the original Latin. I passed A Level Latin 100 years ago but I remember next to nothing, so I was glad of your translation. here's the original Latin anyway.

HIC SITUS EST
ALEXANDER IOANNES BALL
EQ. BARONETTUS EQ. ORDI IS S. FERDINANDI
INTER PRAECTOS CLASSIS REGIAE BRITANNORUM
AD TERTIUM GRADUM EVECTUS
QUI
SUPREMA POTESTATE IN HANC INSULAM LEGATUS
UT POPULO DOMINATIONE FRANCORUM OPPRESSO
AC PRO PATRIA MILITANTI
SUCCURRERET.
MODERATOR CAUTISSIMUS
CONSILIO LABORE ET CONSTANTIA
QUO MELITENSES
IN GALLICA SERVITUTE REPELLENDA
ADIUVERENTUR
OMNEM OPERAM ET UTILEM POSUIT.
OPTIMEQUE MERI'TUS
REGIUS PRAEFECTUS MELITUS ET GAULI DICTUS
JUSTITIA BENEFICENTIA ET LENITATE
REM CIVILEM SIBI COMMISSAM CUM LAUDE GESSIT
IDEM BONARUM ARTIUM COMMERCI
ET REI AGRARIAE STUDIOSISSIMUS
HAS INSULAS QUIBUS
PRO DIGNITATE SERENISSIMI REGIS GEORGI III
PREFUIT ANNOS DECEM
NOVIS OPERIBUS EDIFICIIS, VIIS, HORTISQUE
OPULENTIORES REDDIDIT ATQUE EXHILARAVIT.
VIXIT ANNOS LII
DECESSIT DIE XXV OCTOBRIS MENS ANNO MDCCCIX
DOLOR ET LUCTUS BONORUM OMNIUM
ELATUS EST FUNERE PUBLICO
TOTA EFFUSA OB VIAM CIVITATE.

Anna,

Thanks for that!

Since I failed miserably at Latin, I much preferred Stephen's version!

Have to admit I had to have the help of a local priest.