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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78115 ***
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Transcriber's note: the source book was in extremely poor condition,
+with its illustrations in varying states of wear and tear.]
+
+
+
+
+[Frontispiece: Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen (page 75)]
+
+
+
+
+  THE CHILDREN'S HEROES SERIES
+
+
+  THE STORY OF
+  NELSON
+
+  BY EDMUND FRANCIS SELLAR
+  WITH PICTURES BY MONRO S. ORR
+
+
+
+  LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, LTD.,
+  35 and 36 Paternoster Row, E.C.
+  AND EDINBURGH
+
+
+
+
+  PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY
+  THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD.
+
+
+
+
+TO
+
+Miss E. RUTH DENT
+
+
+MY DEAR RUTH,
+
+This little book tells the story of the greatest seaman that the
+world has ever known.
+
+I hope it says enough to make you want one day to read for yourself
+the many other things about him that I have not room to tell you here.
+
+  Yours affectionately,
+        THE AUTHOR.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+Chapter
+
+I. Early Boyhood--Joins his Ship
+
+II. Nelson's Early Years at Sea--His First Command
+
+III. Nelson in the West Indies--and in the Mediterranean
+
+IV. Battle of St. Vincent
+
+V. Battle of the Nile
+
+VI. In the Mediterranean--and at Home
+
+VII. Battle of Copenhagen
+
+VIII. Napoleon's threatened Invasion of England
+
+IX. Nelson in Chief Command in the Mediterranean--In Pursuit of the
+Enemy
+
+X. Trafalgar--Death of Nelson
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF NELSON
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+EARLY BOYHOOD--JOINS HIS SHIP
+
+On the 29th of September 1758, or nearly a hundred and fifty years
+ago, Horatio Nelson, "the greatest of our heroes and the dearest to
+ourselves," was born.
+
+His father was a country clergyman, who lived at Burnham Thorpe, in
+the county of Norfolk.
+
+The boy had many brothers and sisters.  There were eleven children in
+the family, only two of whom, however, lived to grow old.
+
+Horatio as a child was weak and sickly, and all his life he was
+delicate.  Even after his many years afloat, we are told that he
+never quite got over the feeling of seasickness.
+
+Although not a strong boy, there was nothing of the milksop about
+him, and at an early age he showed the spirit of absolute
+fearlessness which in later years was to stand him in such good stead.
+
+"Fear, grandmamma!  I never saw fear; what is it?" he once asked
+while quite a little child.
+
+His father, in bringing up his children, trusted entirely to their
+own sense of honour, and in this respect Horatio never failed him.
+
+Once, while riding with his brother to school through deep snow,
+William, the elder, wanted to turn back, as the drifts were thick,
+and in parts dangerous.  "No! we must get there if we possibly can.
+Remember, we are on our honour to do so," was Horatio's reply; and
+his pony and he struggled on, and after some difficulty reached their
+journey's end in safety.
+
+[Illustration: His pony and he struggled on]
+
+On another occasion, while at school, he lowered himself with sheets
+from a window, and took a quantity of fine ripe pears from the
+head-master's favourite tree.  On his return to the dormitory he laid
+down the spoil before his companions, who had often coveted the
+fruit, but had not dared to take it because of the severe flogging
+which would probably follow.  Our hero refused to eat a single pear,
+for greed had not prompted his daring action.
+
+"He only took them," he explained, "because every other boy was
+afraid."
+
+Horatio's school days were brief.
+
+At the time when he was twelve years old, Spain suddenly attacked the
+Falkland Islands, a British colony in the far South Atlantic, and
+forced our colonists to lower their flag.  This act naturally aroused
+great anger in England, and as a result our ships were immediately
+made ready for war.
+
+At this time both Spain and France had mighty fleets, manned by
+skilful and brave seamen, and Britain was not yet the all-conquering
+power at sea which she afterwards became, thanks to Nelson and his
+sailors.
+
+The boy himself wished to go to sea, and on his uncle, Captain
+Maurice Suckling, getting command of the _Raisonable_, he begged hard
+to be allowed to serve in his uncle's ship.
+
+Mr. Nelson, who had always said that in whatever station his son
+might be placed he would, if possible, climb to the top of the tree,
+accordingly wrote to his brother-in-law.
+
+"What has poor Horatio done," came the answer, "who is so weak, that
+he, above all the rest, should be sent to rough it out at sea?"
+
+Still, his uncle said he might come, though he evidently did not
+approve of his choice of a profession.  And so, at an age when boys
+nowadays have not yet gone to a public school, Nelson said farewell
+to lessons, and, no doubt to his great delight, started off alone to
+join the _Raisonable_, then lying at Chatham, in the Medway.
+
+No boy going to school for the first time ever had more reason to
+feel unhappy.
+
+On leaving the stage-coach at Chatham, he was at a loss where to go,
+and how to find his ship.  Too shy to ask his way, he was wandering
+about feeling very forlorn and miserable, when fortunately a kind
+officer saw him, and spoke to him.
+
+On learning that the unhappy-looking youngster was no lost lad, but a
+midshipman seeking his ship, the officer, who knew Captain Suckling,
+showed Horatio every kindness, and after giving him a good dinner,
+finally saw him safely on board the _Raisonable_.
+
+On arrival at the ship another disappointment awaited our hero.  His
+uncle was away, and nobody on board knew anything about young Nelson,
+nor even expected a boy to arrive at all.  However, he had to make
+the best of it somehow, and with the help of an old sailor, who took
+pity on his loneliness, he soon settled down to his new life, and
+from that time till the day of his death, except for a few brief
+months on shore, his home was on board ship.
+
+These first few hours of misery and loneliness at Chatham Nelson
+never forgot.
+
+In later years, remembering his own bitter experiences, he always
+made a point of giving a friendly welcome, and speaking a few words
+of encouragement and advice, to any young midshipman on first joining
+his ship; and he took good care that the boy's start in life should
+not be as trying and forlorn as his own had been.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+NELSON'S EARLY YEARS AT SEA--HIS FIRST COMMAND
+
+Before, however, war had actually begun, Great Britain and Spain
+agreed to come to terms, so Horatio was not yet to "smell powder."
+
+Very shortly afterwards the _Raisonable_ was paid off, and Captain
+Suckling got the command of the _Triumph_, 74 guns, then the
+guardship in the Medway.  To this ship his nephew followed him, and
+was on her books for the next two years.  During this time, however,
+the boy, in order to gain experience in his profession, by his
+uncle's advice went a cruise to the West Indies on board a
+merchantman.  On this voyage he shipped as a volunteer, and as a
+common seaman he shared the hard work and rough life of a fore-mast
+hand.
+
+Life in the forecastle of a merchant ship was, of course, very
+uncomfortable, but it had its advantages, and he returned after a
+year's experience, to use his own words, "a practical seaman."
+
+On rejoining the _Triumph_ his uncle took care that his time should
+not be wasted, and among other duties he was continually employed in
+the cutter and long-boat.  Thus he not only became a good pilot,
+"confident of himself among rocks and sands," as he afterwards wrote,
+but he was at the same time learning the lessons of responsibility
+and self-reliance.
+
+Shortly after this, an expedition to the North Pole was fitted out,
+and although an order was given that no boys were wanted, Nelson so
+earnestly begged Captain Lutwidge, the commander of the expedition,
+to let him come, that his wish was granted, and he sailed as the
+captain's coxswain, a position for which his lessons in managing a
+small boat, learnt in the Medway, quite fitted him, in spite of his
+youth.
+
+In these Arctic seas our hero came neat ending his life.  One clear
+moonlight night, while the ship was lying ice-bound, he and another
+midshipman, armed with a rusty musket between them, slipped down over
+the side and started off over the frozen sea to try to shoot a Polar
+bear.
+
+They had to wait some time before one was sighted, but at length a
+huge white fellow appeared.  The middy took careful aim, pulled the
+trigger, but the musket missed fire.
+
+"Never mind!" shouted young Horatio; "do but let me get a blow at him
+with the butt end and we shall have him."  So saying, he dashed off
+with raised gun, determined to come to close quarters.  Fortunately
+at this moment the noise of a gun from the ship broke the stillness
+of the Arctic night, and so startled the bear that, with a defiant
+growl, he turned tail and shambled off over the frozen snow.
+
+When the boys got back to the ship, Captain Lutwidge, who had
+witnessed the scene and been thoroughly alarmed for their safety,
+spoke somewhat sharply to them for this piece of daring folly.  Asked
+what he meant by it, Horatio, with the pout of his lip peculiar to
+him, could think of no other excuse than that "he wished to kill the
+bear that he might carry the skin to his father."
+
+On his return from the Pole, he was as eager as ever for more
+service, and at his own wish he was transhipped, with scarcely a day
+on shore, to a small ship, the _Seahorse_, under orders to sail for
+the East Indies.
+
+From the extremes of cold he was to go direct to the extremes of
+heat.  "Nothing less than such a distant voyage could in the least
+satisfy my desire of maritime knowledge," he afterwards explained.
+
+On the _Seahorse_ he at first did the work of an ordinary seaman
+aloft, but in a short time he was finally rated as midshipman and
+placed on the quarter-deck.  We are told that he started from England
+a thick-set, athletic young man, with a ruddy-brown face and healthy
+complexion.
+
+The frozen Pole was, however, kinder to him than the sun and heat of
+India.  After two years he was invalided home, his life despaired of,
+and it was probably owing to the nursing and tender care of Captain
+Pigot of the _Dolphin_, in which ship he made the return voyage, that
+our future admiral owed his life.
+
+He arrived in England three years from the time of his departure, no
+longer stout and strong as he had started, but a mere living
+skeleton, for some time scarcely able to use his limbs.
+
+When he had recovered, his next duty was that of acting lieutenant of
+the _Worcester_, 64 guns, then going out to Gibraltar on convoy duty.
+Nothing of special interest happened while on this ship, but the
+young man always after remembered with pride the words of his
+captain, "that he felt as easy when Nelson was upon deck, as any
+officer of the ship."
+
+Some six months after joining the _Worcester_, another rung of the
+ladder was reached, another milestone on the road to fame was left
+behind, for on the 8th April 1777 he passed his examination for
+lieutenant.
+
+Two days later he got his commission to the _Lowestoffe_, a frigate
+of 32 guns.  Once again he visited the West Indies; but whereas
+before he had shared the hardships and labour of a common seaman in
+the merchant service, this time he sailed as a full-fledged ward-room
+officer in the Royal Navy.
+
+Great Britain was now at war with her revolted American colonies,
+which were soon to be known as the United States.
+
+Promotion on such a station was always rapid, and a frigate, being
+both fast-sailing and active, was considered a grand school for a
+young officer.
+
+But even a frigate was not active enough for Nelson's mind, and he
+soon managed to be transferred to the schooner which acted as tender
+to the _Lowestoffe_.  Here he was able to put into practice the
+lessons in pilotage learned in the Medway.  There was much
+responsibility laid on his shoulders, and his position gave scope for
+the fearless self-reliance which he already was seen to possess.
+
+Before leaving the Lowestoffe he had distinguished himself by an act
+of skilful seamanship and great bravery.
+
+The frigate had captured a Yankee privateer, and the first lieutenant
+had been sent to board the prize.  There was a heavy sea running at
+the time, and after one or two attempts the boat was obliged to
+return, having failed in her object.
+
+[Illustration: There was a heavy sea running]
+
+"Have I no officer in the ship who can board her?" exclaimed the
+captain.
+
+"It is my turn now!  If I come back, it is yours," said Nelson,
+stopping another officer who had hurried to the side, and jumping
+into the boat himself.
+
+Then, as always, he was "the first on every service, whether by day
+or night," and his zeal and love of duty were bringing their reward,
+for promotion was coming fast.
+
+Joining the _Bristol_, Sir Peter Parker's flagship, as third
+lieutenant, in July, he had risen to be first by September.  The
+admiral took a great liking to the eager young lieutenant, and,
+showing the greatest interest in him and in another young officer,
+afterwards to become famous as Lord Collingwood, did his best to
+bring the two young men forward.  Both more than bore out their
+chief's sound judgment, and showed that the fine old sailor had not
+been mistaken in his men.
+
+At twenty, Nelson was a commander, while a year later he was
+post-captain of the _Hinchinbrook_.
+
+Great Britain was by this time at war with both France and Spain, and
+there was a great deal of fighting on shore, in which Nelson had his
+share and showed great courage.
+
+In the words of an eye-witness, "he did more than his duty; when
+anything was to be done, he saw no difficulties."
+
+The climate was a trying one, the work hard, and the food often
+scarce, and there was little wonder that his health gave way.  For a
+long time he refused to leave his post, until finally, almost at
+death's door, he was carried to the admiral's house in Jamaica.  Here
+he had always been treated almost like a son of the house, and now,
+thanks to Lady Parker's care and nursing, he partly recovered, and
+was at length able to return to England.
+
+After some nine months' illness, he began to feel a little better,
+and the first thing he thought of was to apply for a new ship.
+
+The Admiralty gave him the command of the _Albemarle_, a frigate of
+28 guns, and though still an invalid, and often in great pain, Nelson
+was glad to be employed again, and entered on his new duties with
+cheerfulness.
+
+He had the power of winning men's hearts, and his new ship's company,
+both officers and men, soon showed that they would do anything to
+serve him.
+
+After visiting the Baltic, where he was afterwards to become so
+famous, the _Albemarle_ sailed for Quebec, and while on this station
+Nelson soon gave a proof of his skill and coolness in the face of
+danger.
+
+His little frigate was met and chased one day by a whole French
+squadron.  Escape seemed impossible, but holding on under every
+stitch of canvas, Nelson coolly threaded his way among the shoals and
+sands of Boston Bay, where the big French vessels were afraid to
+follow for fear of running aground.  One frigate, indeed, tried to do
+so, but on the _Albemarle_ clearing for action, thought better of it,
+and afraid to attack single-handed, turned back and rejoined the
+other ships.  Well might Lord Hood declare that the young captain
+"knew as much about naval tactics as any officer in the fleet!"
+
+A midshipman on Lord Hood's flagship, no less a person than our
+future king, William IV., thus gives his early impressions of our
+hero, whom he met now for the first time, and with whom he formed a
+lasting friendship.  To him the commander of the _Albemarle_ appeared
+"the merest boy of a captain," but he adds, "there was something
+irresistibly pleasing in his address and conversation, _and an
+enthusiasm that showed he was no common being_."
+
+Peace was soon after declared, and the "boy captain" returned with
+Hood to England.  Of money from the capture of the enemies' vessels
+he had little, but of honour, which he prized far above riches, he
+had had his share.
+
+On the _Albemarle_ being paid off, his whole ship's company showed
+the affection they felt for her captain by offering, if he could get
+another ship, to enter her immediately.  Nelson was much touched by
+this devotion, but he had earned a rest, and after being presented to
+his sovereign by Hood, he returned once more to his father's quiet
+rectory, to wait till the Admiralty should again call on his
+services.  While thus on half-pay, and being eager to gain any
+knowledge likely to help him in his profession, he got leave of
+absence to visit France, in order to learn the language.
+
+Of this holiday he writes: "I hate their country and their manners;"
+and this view he never altered.  To the day of his death the man who
+broke and destroyed the power of France "hated a Frenchman like the
+devil."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+NELSON IN THE WEST INDIES--AND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
+
+Thanks to Lord Hood, very shortly after Nelson's return to England he
+was appointed to the command of the frigate _Boreas_.
+
+In this ship he again sailed for the West Indies, taking on board Sir
+Richard Hughes, the commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands, and
+Lady Hughes.
+
+There were some thirty midshipmen on board, and Lady Hughes was much
+struck with Nelson's interest in and kindness to "the young gentlemen
+who had the happiness of being on his quarter-deck," as she calls
+them.
+
+"Well, sir," he would say to some midshipman newly come from a life
+on shore, and naturally rather timid of going aloft, "I am going a
+race to the mast-head, and beg I may meet you there."
+
+Encouraged by this, the boy would clamber up somehow, to be met at
+the top by his captain, who would assure him that it was very foolish
+to imagine that there was any danger in the feat, and very soon the
+youngster would be as much at home scaling the rigging as if he were
+climbing a tree bird-nesting.
+
+When Nelson had to attend any big dinner or state banquet on shore a
+middy always went with him.
+
+"Your Excellency must excuse me for bringing one of my midshipmen,"
+he said to the Governor of Barbadoes, "as I make it a rule to
+introduce them to all the good company I can, as they have few to
+look up to besides myself during the time they are at sea."
+
+Nelson was by this time second in command on the station, so quickly
+had he risen; and as senior captain he had a great deal of work to
+do.  One of his chief duties was to prevent smuggling between the
+British colonies and the new United States.  This may have been not
+quite to his liking, and for the first and only time in his life
+Nelson was to feel that he was unpopular.  Bitterly he felt it; but
+in spite of the cold looks and angry murmurings of those around
+him--especially of his former friends, the planters--he stuck to his
+duty, and earned the thanks and gratitude of his king and country.
+
+Some of his West Indian friends remained true to him, especially a
+Mr. P. Herbert, the President of the island of Nevis, who lived with
+his niece, Mrs. Nisbet, a young widow of twenty-eight, and her son, a
+child of three.
+
+The latter soon made great friends with the warm-hearted sailor, who
+romped and played with him to his heart's content.  One day, hearing
+that Nelson had called, Mr. Herbert hastened to greet him, when, to
+his astonishment, he found "that great little man, of whom everybody
+is so afraid, playing under the dining-table with Mrs. Nisbet's
+child."
+
+Mrs. Nisbet was much touched by the kindness to her boy, and Nelson
+soon won her heart also.
+
+They were married on 11th March 1787, Prince William adding
+distinction to his friend's wedding by giving away the bride.
+
+Three months after the _Boreas_ sailed for England, and, on arrival
+there, Nelson went with his wife and stepson to live under his
+father's roof at Burnham Thorpe.
+
+Mr. Nelson was now an old man, and had long been an invalid, but the
+sight of his dear son, he declared, had given him new life.  The
+latter had intended to go to France to again study the language, but
+his father begged him so hard to stay and cheer his old age, that
+Nelson felt it would be cruel to distress the fond parent he might
+never see again.
+
+While at the parsonage he spent his time quietly, but on the whole
+happily enough.  Sometimes he would dig for hours at a time in the
+garden, for the sheer pleasure of feeling weary after hard exercise.
+At other times his boyish spirit came out, and he would go long
+bird-nesting excursions with Mrs. Nelson as his companion.  But on
+the whole the idle life of a country gentleman did not suit the man
+whose real home was on the sea.
+
+He took an interest in greyhounds and coursing.  "Shoot I cannot, so
+I have not taken out a licence," he writes to a friend.  His habit of
+carrying his gun at full cock and letting it off without even
+bringing it to his shoulder was scarcely likely to kill much game,
+though he proudly relates that he once shot a partridge.
+
+The events of the French Revolution were, however, soon to provide
+him with more exciting work than shooting and bird-nesting.
+
+In 1793 all Europe was horrified by the news that the French had
+beheaded their king and queen, and had promised "assistance to all
+peoples and countries wishing to be free."
+
+This was a direct challenge to all forms of law and order, and was a
+threat at the loyal people of Britain, who were wisely and kindly
+governed and had no wish for any change.
+
+The country had need of her seamen, and on the 30th January Nelson
+got what he had always wished for--the command of a battleship, the
+_Agamemnon_, of 64 guns.
+
+Two days later Great Britain and Holland declared war on the French
+Republic.
+
+Already Nelson had become known as a brave and kind captain to serve
+under, and a fresh proof of his popularity was given on his taking up
+his new command.  From his native county, Norfolk, seamen flocked in
+numbers to his flag, and captains whose ships were filled by the aid
+of the hated pressgang looked on with envy at the ease with which the
+_Agamemnon_ secured a crew.  Nor were friends of Nelson's own rank
+lacking; for, besides his stepson, Josiah Nisbet, who went with him,
+many of his neighbours, the Norfolk squires, were glad to let their
+sons serve under him.
+
+Nelson was a good hater, and his advice to his midshipmen was short
+and to the point:--
+
+"First," he said, "you must always implicitly obey orders without
+attempting to form any opinion of your own respecting their
+propriety; secondly, you must consider every man your enemy who
+speaks ill of the king; and, thirdly, _you must hate a Frenchman as
+you do the devil_."
+
+The French were said to have found a way by which they could throw
+red-hot shot upon their enemy's ships, and thus set them on fire.
+This caused some alarm in England, but Nelson only laughingly said,
+"Then we must get so close to those red-hot gentlemen that their shot
+may go through both sides, when it will not matter whether they are
+hot or cold."  And in this wish to come to close quarters the captain
+and crew of the _Agamemnon_ sailed.
+
+Their first duty was the blockade of the towns of Toulon and
+Marseilles.  This was not exciting work, and Nelson longed for actual
+fighting.
+
+"All we get here," he writes, "is honour and salt beef;" and greatly
+did he rejoice when, after nineteen weeks, he was sent to the island
+of Corsica.
+
+Corsica had lately been given up to France by the Republic of Genoa,
+without asking the wishes of the natives.
+
+Under their brave chief Paoli, who declared that "the rocks which
+surrounded him should melt away" before he gave in, they made a brave
+fight, but the French were too strong.  And so the British determined
+to help these islanders in their struggle for liberty.
+
+To Nelson, in whom Lord Hood had the greatest confidence, was
+entrusted the siege of Bastia, an important town, to the capture of
+which he gave his whole heart and mind.  But the task was a hard one.
+The strength of the enemy was much greater than Hood had fancied, and
+to have failed against such odds would have been no disgrace.
+Indeed, had Nelson let his commander-in-chief know how greatly
+outnumbered he was, the risk might never have been taken.
+
+The captain of the _Agamemnon_, however, was not the man to think of
+difficulty or danger, and in the end he triumphed.
+
+"I always was of opinion, have ever acted up to it, and never had any
+reason to repent it, that one Englishman was equal to three
+Frenchmen," he had declared; and after some sharp fighting the
+garrison of Bastia, consisting of 4500 men, laid down their arms to
+less than 1200 British seamen.
+
+Unhurt before Bastia, Nelson was not to be so lucky at his next
+fight, the siege of Calvi.  Here much of his duty lay on shore.  The
+climate was a deadly one; men died around him in scores; he himself
+was constantly ill, but his pluck and spirits seemed to keep life
+within him.
+
+"I am the reed among the oaks," he wrote; "I bow before the storm
+while the sturdy oak is laid low."  To add to his sufferings, a shot
+struck near him, while in the batteries before the town, and blinded
+him with sand and gravel.
+
+[Illustration: Nelson wounded at Calvi]
+
+Though he lost the sight of one eye and suffered great pain, he still
+stuck to his post.  "Nothing but the loss of a limb would have kept
+me from my duty," he declared.
+
+At length Calvi fell, and the wounded captain got back to the
+_Agamemnon_, now more like a floating hospital than a ship of war, so
+filled was she by the sick and wounded.
+
+Though defeated in Corsica, the French were everywhere else
+successful.
+
+The combined armies of Great Britain, Austria, and Holland had been
+driven out of France and Belgium, and the Prussians and Austrians had
+retreated to the right bank of the Rhine.  In Spain also France was
+victorious, and Italy was soon to be crushed.
+
+The fate of Europe hung in the balance.  Bonaparte and his conquering
+armies seemed to have cast a great shadow of fear and oppression over
+the nations, and all eyes were turned upon England and her sea power
+as the one means of saving Europe.
+
+With Corsica as a place of shelter for her ships, the influence of
+Britain had greatly increased in the Mediterranean.  The French saw
+that to make all their conquests secure the British fleet must be
+destroyed, and on 8th March 1795 they sent out fifteen ships of the
+line, with six smaller vessels.
+
+Admiral Hotham, who was now in Lord Hood's place, sailed to meet them
+with a smaller force.  The French, though in much greater strength,
+did not venture nearer than three miles to our ships.  They kept this
+distance till dawn the next morning, when, still not liking the look
+of things, they sailed away, and orders for a general chase were
+given to the British fleet.
+
+The _Agamemnon_ got a good start, and being a fast sailer, soon came
+up with one of the enemy's ships, the _Ça Ira_, of 80 guns.
+
+The latter had run into the vessel in front of her, and lost both her
+fore and main top-masts.
+
+Nelson saw his chance in her disabled condition, and quickly seized
+it.  The Frenchman "was absolutely large enough to take _Agamemnon_
+in her hold"; but her size mattered little to the _Agamemnon's_
+captain.  Down on the enemy she swooped; reserving her fire till at
+close range, she poured in a storm of shot.  The other French ships
+were meanwhile hastening to the rescue; the British vessel was alone,
+far in front of her fleet, and Hotham made the signal for recall, but
+not before the _Ça Ira_ had been so damaged that she had to be taken
+in tow by another French vessel, _Le Censeur_.
+
+Next morning both these ships had fallen so far behind that they were
+surrounded and had to strike their flags.
+
+Thus Nelson's skill and daring caused the loss of two fine ships; but
+this was not enough to satisfy him.  In vain he pleaded with the
+admiral to pursue and attack the whole French fleet, which he felt
+sure would be destroyed.
+
+Hotham, a cool but cautious leader, refused to act.  "We must be
+contented; we have done very well," he replied to all entreaties.
+
+"_Now, had we taken ten sail, and had allowed the eleventh to escape,
+when it had been possible to have got at her, I should never have
+called it well done,_" said Nelson.
+
+Whether Hotham was too cautious, or whether he was right in acting as
+he did, it is hard to say; but it is certain that had Nelson been in
+command he would have risked everything on a battle.  His plan was
+always to attack, and either destroy or severely damage the enemy.
+His own loss he never thought about.
+
+After the excitement of the battle, Nelson, who always seemed well
+and in good spirits when there was fighting, began to feel ill, and
+was much troubled by pain in his wounded eye.
+
+He had been looking forward to Lord Hood's coming out as
+commander-in-chief.  The latter had, to use his own words, always
+"treated him like a son," and he was much disappointed when Lord Howe
+was sent in his stead.
+
+Lord Howe was "a great officer in the management of a fleet," he
+said; "but Lord Hood is equally great in all situations which an
+admiral can be placed in."
+
+However, it really mattered little to him, as he was at this time
+given command of a detached squadron, with which he was to help on
+sea the Austrians, who were fighting the French on land, in the part
+of Italy known as the Riviera.
+
+On this service, while showing his usual zeal in all purely naval
+matters, he gave proof of great skill in dealing with political and
+diplomatic questions.
+
+The duties of a naval officer upholding the honour of his country all
+over the world are many-sided.
+
+"Soldiers have not the same boldness in undertaking a political
+measure that we have," Nelson used to say.  "We look to the benefit
+of our country, and risk our fame every day to save her: a soldier
+obeys his orders and no more."
+
+At this time we must remember that the British army had not yet
+become famous under Wellington.  Our power on land was not strong
+enough to make much way against the all-conquering Frenchmen--Great
+Britain was looked on purely as a sea power.
+
+"We had yet to see how these sea-wolves could fight on land," writes
+a French historian.
+
+Shortly after Admiral Jervis, afterwards Lord St. Vincent, took
+command of the fleet.
+
+"You must have a larger ship, for we cannot spare you either as
+captain or admiral," was his greeting to Nelson.  And on the 11th of
+June the latter, now a commodore, shifted his pendant to the
+_Captain_, of 74 guns, and bade farewell to the battered,
+storm-tossed _Agamemnon_, with her crew "who minded shot as little as
+peas."  The old ship was again to appear in his fleet and share the
+glories of Copenhagen and Trafalgar.  Like her former captain, she
+ended her career on active service; for, fifteen years after Nelson
+left her, she grounded off the coast of South America and was totally
+lost.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+BATTLE OF ST. VINCENT
+
+The French, everywhere victors on land, now made an alliance with
+Spain, with the help of whose large navy they hoped to be able to
+beat the British at sea.
+
+At Toulon a powerful squadron was being made ready.  Genoa signed a
+treaty with the all-conquering Frenchmen, who were now so powerful
+that the British fleet was for a time forced to leave the
+Mediterranean.  Bastia was abandoned; the Island of Elba was kept for
+a short time, but even Elba had to be given up after a little.
+Before this took place, however, Nelson had a sharp action while on
+the frigate _Minerve_, which showed that our sailors were still what
+he declared they always ought to be, "almost invincible."
+
+The _Minerve_, after a hot fight, captured the Spanish frigate _La
+Sabina_, whose captain, Don Jacobo Stuart, a descendant of the
+unlucky royal house of Britain, was taken prisoner.
+
+While the _Minerve_ was taking possession of her prize, two ships of
+the line and another Spanish frigate came in sight.  A sharp chase
+followed, and the little _Minerve_, her masts and sails damaged
+during her late fight, was hard put to it before she could shake off
+her pursuers and reach a place of safety in the port of Ferrajo.
+
+Don Jacobo had remained a prisoner on board during the pursuit; but
+no sooner was the _Minerve_ safe than Nelson returned him his sword
+and sent him back under a flag of truce to Spain.  Such a generous
+deed was contrary to the usual custom of war, but Nelson felt it to
+be worthy of "the dignity of his country" to treat one of their
+exiled royal family with this respect.  The Stuarts all were brave
+men, whatever their faults, and this Stuart was no exception.
+
+"He was the best officer in Spain, and his men were worthy of such a
+commander," said Nelson, who always honoured a brave man even though
+he was an enemy.
+
+Nelson received much praise for this brilliant little action and
+"dignified retreat," as the admiral called it, before a much larger
+force of the enemy.  It was the first sign of more brilliant
+victories to follow.
+
+Shortly afterwards the _Minerve_ had another exciting escape from the
+enemy.
+
+Slipping out of Gibraltar in order to join Jervis and his ships, the
+little vessel was espied by the whole Spanish fleet, which quickly
+started off in pursuit.  They gained fast; one huge ship was already
+quite close, and Nelson, fairly brought to bay, had already given the
+order to "clear for action."
+
+"Before the Dons get hold of that bit of bunting I will have a
+struggle with them," he said, pointing to his flag; "and sooner than
+give up the frigate I'll run her ashore."
+
+At this anxious moment a shout of "Man overboard" was heard, and
+Lieutenant Hardy, in whose arms Nelson died at Trafalgar, on the
+instant lowered a boat and started to save the drowning seaman.  Soon
+those on the _Minerve_ saw that the boat, which had by this time
+picked up the sailor, could not regain the frigate, try as hard as
+they might.
+
+The leading Spaniard was already within gun-shot; to stop meant
+almost certain loss of the ship.  Nelson's mind was made up on the
+instant; come what might, he would not desert a shipmate in danger.
+
+"By God, I'll not lose Hardy!" he shouted; "back the mizzen topsail!"
+
+The order was quickly obeyed; the frigate slowed down in face of her
+pursuers.  The Spaniards, astonished at this daring act, for some
+strange reason failed to press on, and the _Minerve_, with Hardy and
+the rescuing party safe on board, went on her way unharmed.
+
+That same night, in a haze, the little frigate, which seemed to bear
+a charmed life, had an even more thrilling and mysterious adventure.
+
+Suddenly she found herself sailing in the very midst of a large
+fleet, which they knew could not be that of Jervis.  Partly hidden by
+the fog, Nelson continued on his way, obeying the Spanish admiral's
+signals, and behaving just as though the _Minerve_ were one of the
+enemy's frigates.
+
+It was a time of breathless excitement.  Should the fog lift, and the
+enemy discover the strange ship in their midst, Nelson knew that he
+would have no mercy shown him and no chance of escape.
+
+Whether he was with the Spanish main fleet or only a portion of it he
+had no means in the darkness of finding out.  He himself thought that
+he was in company with a squadron on its way to the West Indies.  In
+this case his mind was made up; unprepared as the _Minerve_ was for
+such a long voyage, she would have to sail at her best speed, ahead
+of the enemy, and trust to reach the islands in time to warn them to
+be ready to meet an attack.
+
+The suspense was growing greater every minute, with the prospect of
+dawn and the mist clearing.  Suddenly the ships went about and
+pointed towards Cadiz: the Indies was not their object.
+
+Nelson, now satisfied that he had been sailing in the very middle of
+the Spanish Grand Fleet, turned and rejoined Jervis; and at seven
+that evening he went on board his own ship, the _Captain_.
+
+All night the ships sailed in close order prepared for action, our
+sailors standing to their guns.  At daybreak next morning the enemy
+were in sight, their twenty-seven ships of the line advancing in
+straggling array.
+
+They were divided in squadrons, six ships in the lee division, the
+main body of twenty-one sail being in the weather division.  Three
+ships from the larger division, however, quickly crossed over before
+the British could get near enough to engage them, and joined the
+leeward squadron.
+
+The British were at first sailing in two columns, "line ahead," a
+half-dozen of their faster ships pressing on under full canvas to cut
+in between the gradually widening gap in the enemy's divisions.
+
+Before the Spaniards had time to form a regular order of battle, and
+while they were still in confusion, Jervis had split their force in
+two.  He was thus able to fling his whole fighting force on the
+larger Spanish squadron, before their friends to leeward could come
+to their aid.  When they attempted to do so they were beaten back,
+after some rough handling.
+
+Nelson, who was in the rear of the British line, now saw that the
+enemy's leading ships of the weather division were bearing up before
+the wind, and would in a short time either pass behind the British
+rear and join the lee division, or else avoid the fight by sailing
+away before the wind.
+
+In a moment, and without orders, he made up his mind to spoil the
+foeman's plan.  Giving orders to "wear ship," he turned and threw
+himself on the enemy's van.
+
+He had disobeyed the admiral's orders, but the Spanish admiral's
+plans had been prevented.  The Dons were brought to bay by one ship;
+it only remained for the other British vessels to hasten up and
+complete the enemy's ruin.
+
+From the rear on the starboard tack the _Captain_ now took the lead
+on the larboard, and single-handed she at first engaged the foe.
+
+The _Culloden_, _Blenheim_, and the _Excellent_--the latter under the
+command of Collingwood--were the first to arrive and bring help to
+the Captain in her gallant fight against such odds.
+
+When Collingwood, to use Nelson's own words, "disdaining the parade
+of taking possession of beaten enemies, with every sail set, pushed
+up to save his old messmate," Nelson's gallant vessel had suffered
+severely.
+
+She had lost her fore-topmast, not a sail, shroud, or rope was left,
+her wheel was shot away.
+
+Thus, unfit for further service in the line, and unable to pursue,
+there was only one thing left; and, putting her helm a-starboard,
+Nelson gave the order so dear to a British seaman, "Out cutlasses,
+and board!"
+
+First into the _San Nicholas_ the boarders leapt.  Captain Miller had
+started to lead his men.  "No, Miller, I must have that honour!" said
+Nelson, slipping in front of his junior officer, and heading the
+attack in person.
+
+Many of our sailors, climbing to the yards which were locked in the
+Spaniard's main-rigging, dropped down on deck from above.  The foe
+could not resist their furious charge--our seamen swept the decks.
+The enemy were driven below; such as still remained yielded, and the
+officers gave up their swords.
+
+Leaving some men to guard the _San Nicholas_, Nelson now turned to
+the _San Josef_, lying alongside.  Again the order to board was
+given, Nelson, with a shout of "Westminster Abbey, or victory!"
+leading the way.
+
+Berry, the first man to get on the _San Nicholas_, was again in
+front, and with his own hand helped Nelson into the main-chains.
+Hardly had they reached the deck before the Spaniards surrendered.
+Nelson receiving their swords himself, and coolly handing them over
+to one of the old Agamemnon's crew, who had stuck by his side while
+the fight lasted.
+
+[Illustration: Berry helped Nelson into the main chains of the San
+Josef]
+
+When the _Victory_, the admiral's flagship, passed a few moments
+later, both of the Spanish ships of the line had struck their flags
+to Nelson.
+
+Cheer after cheer rose from the _Victory_, and the ringing huzzas
+were taken up by the whole fleet.
+
+"_Nothing in the world was ever more noble than the action of the
+_Captain_ from beginning to end._"  So wrote Sir Gilbert Elliot, who
+was with the fleet during the fight.
+
+At 4 p.m. the orders to cease fighting, and to cover the four prizes
+and the crippled _Captain_, were given.  The defeated enemy sailed
+away, and Nelson went on board the flagship.  There Sir John Jervis
+met him on the quarter-deck, and, taking him in his arms, told Nelson
+he scarcely knew how to thank him.
+
+On Captain Calder saying that the _Captain's_ wearing out of the
+line--which really won the battle--was an act of disobedience, the
+admiral replied, "It certainly was so; and if ever you commit such a
+breach of orders I shall forgive you also."
+
+For this brilliant victory Jervis was made a peer, with the title of
+Lord St. Vincent.  Nelson was offered a baronetcy, which he was too
+poor to accept, so he was made instead a Knight of the Garter.
+
+Jervis made him a present which he valued highly--the sword of the
+Spanish rear-admiral.  This gift he sent to the city of Norwich,
+saying that "he knew no place where it would give him or his family
+more pleasure to have it kept than in the chief city of the county
+where he was born."
+
+His father wrote that "tears of joy had trickled down his aged
+cheeks" to read of his son's bravery.  "The name and services of
+Nelson have sounded from the common ballad-singer to the public
+theatre," he added.
+
+The _Captain_ had been so knocked about in the battle as to be of no
+further use, so Sir Horatio, now a Rear-Admiral of the Blue, shifted
+his flag to the _Theseus_, a fine ship which had just come from
+England.
+
+On Nelson's first going to the Theseus there was some doubt how the
+crew would behave.  There had lately been a mutiny in England among
+the sailors, in which the Theseus had taken part.  Nelson was so
+beloved that it was felt he was the captain to take command of
+discontented men.
+
+His tact and kindness, as well as his bravery and renown, won the day.
+
+Very soon after he came on board he received a packet which was
+dropped one night on the deck, and which enclosed a paper signed by
+the whole crew, containing these words:--
+
+"Success attend Admiral Nelson!  God bless Captain Miller!  We thank
+them for the officers they have placed over us.  We are happy and
+comfortable; and will shed every drop of blood in our veins to
+support them."
+
+The paper ended by promising that the name of the _Theseus_ should be
+as famous as that of her captain; and the brave sailors kept their
+word, nor did they ever give trouble by their conduct.
+
+Sir Horatio was now put in command of an in-shore squadron, which had
+orders to blockade Cadiz.  There was a lot of work in small boats,
+and some fierce fights took place between the little craft on both
+sides.
+
+At no time in his life was Nelson's bravery greater than in these
+hand-to-hand conflicts.  The danger suited him, for he loved fighting
+for fighting's sake.  Once his barge was boarded by a number of
+Spaniards, and in the hand-to-hand struggle John Sykes, his faithful
+coxswain, twice at great risk saved his admiral's life.
+
+During the blockade news came that the Spanish treasure-ships from
+Mexico had heard that Lord St. Vincent was in wait for them, and had
+taken refuge at Teneriffe.  This was found to be untrue, but a
+homeward-bound Manilla ship had put into Santa Cruz, and Nelson was
+told to command an assault on the town, and secure the treasure.
+
+The attack was beaten back, though Nelson and his men fought with
+splendid bravery.
+
+Nelson, while leading the force, was struck in the right arm by a
+grape-shot.  His step-son, Josiah Nisbet, into whose arms he had
+fallen, with great skill and coolness bound the wound; otherwise he
+must have bled to death.
+
+Returning to the ship, the wounded admiral refused all help, and,
+steadying himself with one hand, jumped up the ship's side.  Arrived
+on deck, he called for the surgeon, and quietly told him "to get his
+instruments ready, for he knew he must lose his arm, and that the
+sooner it was off the better."
+
+He bore the operation without a murmur, and never even mentioned his
+own wound in his despatches home.  What he minded more was the
+failure of the attack; and what with fretting over this, and the pain
+of his wound, he became very ill.
+
+"I am become," he said, "a burthen to my friends, and useless to my
+country."  To Lord St. Vincent he wrote: "I hope you will be able to
+give me a frigate to convey the remains of my carcass to England: a
+left-handed admiral will never again be considered as useful."
+
+When he reached home, Nelson was greatly cheered by the splendid
+welcome he got.  The freedom of the cities of London and Bristol was
+given to him, while the king received him most graciously, and
+decorated him with the Order of the Bath, besides giving him a
+pension of £1000 a year.
+
+After a time the wound which had caused him so much suffering healed,
+and Nelson wrote to a London clergyman, begging him to announce in
+church the next Sunday: "An officer desires to return thanks to
+Almighty God for his perfect recovery from a severe wound, and also
+for many mercies bestowed upon him."
+
+As soon as he was well he was given the command of the _Vanguard_, 74
+guns, in which he sailed to join the squadron off Cadiz.  "I do
+assure you that the arrival of Admiral Nelson has given me new life,"
+wrote St. Vincent, who, now an old man and in failing health,
+joyfully welcomed the return of the brilliant seaman he so trusted
+and admired.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+BATTLE OF THE NILE
+
+Great Britain was now alone in her struggle with France, and
+Bonaparte resolved that it should be a war to the death.  With Great
+Britain defeated, the conqueror would have the whole of Europe at his
+feet.  First he meant to strike a blow at our power in the East, and
+a great number of transports, filled with the best and bravest French
+soldiers, sailed for Egypt under escort of the French fleet.  From
+there they were to go on to India, and with the aid of the rebel
+Tippoo, try to drive us out of the country.
+
+To prevent this, Nelson was sent from Cadiz with a large force of
+ships.
+
+Heavy weather was met with, during which the _Vanguard_ lost her main
+and mizzen top-masts, while her foremast snapped off close to the
+deck.  So damaged was she that she had to be taken in tow.  In the
+meantime the frigates of the squadron, thinking the flagship would
+have to return to refit at Gibraltar, sailed back to that port.
+
+"I thought Hope" (the commander of the frigates) "would have known me
+better," Nelson bitterly said; and in four days the _Vanguard_,
+having been what is called "jury-rigged," continued on her way.
+
+The loss of the frigates, "the eyes of the fleet," was a great
+misfortune, and in the eight weeks' chase which followed Nelson had
+much cause to regret their absence.
+
+Alexandria reached, there was no news of the enemy, though three days
+after, while the British were sailing between Cyprus and the island
+of Rhodes, they actually arrived.
+
+This Nelson of course did not know, and doubling back he reached
+Syracuse, where he anchored, "having gone a round of six hundred
+leagues," to use his own words, "and still as ignorant of the
+situation as he was twenty-seven days ago."
+
+Already at home people were beginning to murmur, and to wonder what
+the great Nelson was about to let the foe escape him in this way.
+
+He himself was very sad at his want of success.  "My return to
+Syracuse broke my heart; more people die of broken hearts than we are
+aware of," he afterwards said.
+
+Again the squadron sailed, and this time the foe were found and
+brought to bay.
+
+At length on the 1st of August 1798 the look-out at the mast-head
+made the signal that the French were at anchor in Aboukir Bay, 15
+miles east of Alexandria, and thus the long pursuit had ended.
+
+In numbers the two fleets were equal, but Brueys, the French admiral,
+had larger ships and more guns.  To attack him the British would have
+to advance through unknown and shallow waters.
+
+Brueys did not believe that our vessels could thread their way among
+the shoals which lay between him and the shore, and in this belief he
+prepared to meet the attack, which he felt sure must be made from the
+more open sea on his rear.
+
+Nelson, who in his early days had been famous for his skill and
+daring as a pilot, was to rudely shake this mistaken idea.
+
+The wind blew along the French line, and he was thus able by
+attacking their van and centre to throw what force he pleased on a
+few ships.  All his plans were made, and in order that there might be
+no mistake about his orders being quickly understood, the admiral had
+caused new signals to be written in the signal-books.
+
+His captains had often met on the _Vanguard_ and talked of the coming
+battle.  "First gain the victory," Nelson had told them, "and then
+make the best use of it you can."  Now they were all eager for the
+fight, and full of admiration for the admiral's plan of battle.  "If
+we succeed, what will the world say?" exclaimed Captain Berry.
+
+"There is no _if_ in the case," answered Nelson; "that we shall
+succeed is certain: who may live to tell the story, is a very
+different question."
+
+At 5.30 p.m.--less than three hours after the enemy had been
+sighted--the signal was given to the British fleet to form line of
+battle in single column, the ships ranged ahead and astern of each
+other.
+
+Captain Hood of the _Zealous_, carefully sounding as he went, with
+Captain Foley of the _Goliath_, led the way, the latter ship ahead of
+but outside the _Zealous_.
+
+The flagship came sixth in order, so that Nelson could, if he thought
+it best to do so, change the plan of attack of the other vessels
+which came after him.  The _Vanguard_ had six flags flying in
+different parts of her rigging, so that her colours might not be shot
+away: "_That they should be struck_," to quote Southey, "_no British
+admiral considers as a possibility_."
+
+Keeping out of every danger in the way of shoals, the British bore up
+to battle; so coolly and steadily did they advance, and so skilfully
+did they haul round every danger, that Brueys felt sure they must
+have pilots on board.
+
+A brilliant idea here struck Captain Foley.  Taking the depth
+carefully as he went along, he passed round _on the inside_ of the
+leading French ship, and brought up opposite the _Conquerant_, second
+of the enemy's line.  The _Zealous_, _Orion_, _Theseus_, and
+_Audacious_ followed, and placed themselves between the Frenchmen and
+the shore.  The _Vanguard_, with the other British ships, passed on
+the outside.
+
+By this means the French were caught between two fires, and within a
+few minutes five French ships were defending themselves against the
+attack of eight British, while the other French vessels to leeward
+were forced to look on.
+
+The battle was partly hidden by smoke and the fading light.  In the
+growing darkness the _Bellerophon_ and the _Majestic_ pushed up.  The
+former drew up abreast of the _Orient_, a ship whose power was double
+her own, and with whom she was soon engaged in a desperate single
+combat.  The _Majestic_, raked by the fire--in which her captain
+fell--of the first French ship she met, the _Heureux_, sailed on and
+fell upon the _Mercure_, into whose sides she poured a desperate
+volley.
+
+For an hour the British ships kept their places, and during the
+hottest of the fight Nelson was struck on the forehead, and, for the
+time being, was quite blinded.
+
+With the words, "I am killed," he sank into Berry's arms.  With
+tender care he was carried to the cockpit.  Here, as at Santa Cruz,
+and as afterwards at Trafalgar, he refused to have his wound looked
+to before his humbler messmates had been attended by the surgeons.
+
+When the admiral's time came it was found that the wound was less
+serious than at first thought.  Rest was ordered, but this the
+impatient spirit of Nelson could not stand while the battle was
+raging round him and the result was still uncertain.
+
+Meanwhile the other British ships were hastening up to throw their
+weight into the balance and turn the scale towards victory.
+
+The gallant Troubridge had the ill fortune of seeing his ship, the
+_Culloden_, run aground and stick fast.  All efforts to get her off
+failed, and she lay there a helpless log, while her captain and crew
+longed to be in the thick of the battle.
+
+Unable to fight, Troubridge was yet able to give his comrades great
+help, and to play a big part in the victory.
+
+By constant signalling in the growing _darkness_ by means of
+lanterns, he warned the other captains of his position, and prevented
+them from sharing his own fate.  With this beacon in the shape of a
+stranded ship to guide them, they were able, by avoiding the way she
+had come, to sail on with greater speed and confidence to battle.
+
+Nelson saw the service _Troubridge_ had done, and pitied him greatly
+for the accident, while he praised his skill in saving the ship.
+
+"It was Troubridge," said he, "who saved the _Culloden_ when none
+that I know in the service would have attempted it."
+
+"Her misfortune was great in getting aground," he wrote to the
+Admiralty, "while her more fortunate companions were in full tide of
+happiness.  Captain Troubridge on shore is superior to captains
+afloat: in the midst of his great misfortunes he made those signals
+which prevented, certainly, the _Alexander_ and _Swiftsure_ from
+running on the shoals.  I beg your pardon for writing on a subject
+which I verily believe has never entered your lordship's head; but my
+heart, as it ought to be, is warm to my gallant friends."
+
+This letter was sent because he heard that the gold medals given to
+the captains at the fight might not include Troubridge, whose ship
+had not been in action.
+
+[Illustration: The Battle of the Nile]
+
+Pouring their fire on the enemy's centre, the new arrivals, which the
+_Culloden_ had guided, put the fate of the battle beyond doubt.
+
+A little before nine, Admiral Brueys' flagship took fire, and at a
+quarter to ten she blew up, with a terrific explosion, the flames
+illuminating the whole bay, and showing a picture of awful grandeur.
+
+A death-like silence followed the explosion; both sides for the time
+ceased firing.  Of the brave foemen who fought their ship to the
+last, only some seventy were saved by the British crews.  Among the
+many who perished was the commodore's son, Casa Bianca, a brave boy
+of thirteen, the hero of the poem, "The boy stood on the burning
+deck," who refused to leave the doomed ship.
+
+When dawn broke over the scene of wreck and ruin, the extent of the
+victory was seen.
+
+The leading French ships had struck; the flagship was no more; the
+_Tonnant_ was still afloat, but mastless; the _Heureux_ and _Mercure_
+ashore.
+
+Three ships of the enemy's line only were still standing, and of
+these two escaped under Rear-Admiral Villeneuve.  The third, the
+_Timoleon_, ran aground, when she was set fire to by her captain, and
+went down with her colours flying in all the pride of "no surrender."
+
+The fight had been fierce, and the victory was great.  The British
+crews, who had been "working and fighting at their hardest for near
+twelve hours," no sooner cast anchor than they dropped on deck
+completely tired out, and slept where they lay.
+
+On the 2nd of August, "Almighty God having blessed His Majesty's arms
+with victory"--so ran the memorandum--a public thanksgiving was held
+throughout the fleet.
+
+On the same day, Nelson sent to the captains, officers, and seamen of
+the fleet, asking them "to accept the Admiral's most sincere and
+cordial thanks for their very gallant behaviour in this glorious
+battle."
+
+Honours fell fast upon the victor.  Letters of congratulation from
+the Czar, the Sultan, the Kings of Sardinia and the two Sicilies
+reached him.  A grateful country gave him the honour of a peerage,
+under the title of Baron Nelson of the Nile, besides a pension of
+£2000 a year.  The East India Company, who felt that he had saved
+India by his victory, made him a present of £10,000.
+
+At home the whole country spoke of little else but of Nelson and his
+glorious deeds.  Indeed, throughout all Europe the fame of the great
+admiral was ringing.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+IN THE MEDITERRANEAN--AND AT HOME
+
+After the battle Nelson sailed for Italy.  On this voyage he became
+seriously ill, and for eighteen hours he was not expected to get
+better.
+
+Feeling his end to be near, he wrote to the chief he so loved, Lord
+St. Vincent, bidding him farewell.
+
+"I never expect, my dear lord, to see your face again," he said.  "It
+may please God that this will be the finish to that fever of anxiety
+which I have endured from the middle of June"--during the search for
+the French fleet.  "But be that as it pleases His goodness.  I am
+resigned to His will."
+
+The voyage, however, seemed to do him good, and on arrival at Naples
+a splendid welcome cheered his drooping spirits.
+
+The Queen of Naples--who was a sister of the unfortunate and
+beautiful Marie Antoinette, the queen whom the French had
+beheaded--greeted him with every show of joy and delight.
+
+"O brave Nelson!  O God! bless and protect our brave deliverer!" she
+said.  "O Nelson!  Nelson! what do we not owe you!  O conqueror!
+saviour of Italy!  The whole of the sea-coast of Italy is saved; and
+this is owing alone to the generous English."
+
+The people of Naples had all along had kindly feelings to Great
+Britain, but they had been afraid of seeming too friendly lest they
+should offend the French.
+
+The latter had now overthrown the Pope and his government, and put in
+their place a Roman republic.  This was a constant danger to the
+kingdom of Naples.  Not only were they frightened of being attacked,
+but they also feared that the people would follow the example of the
+French, raise the standard of revolt, and perhaps treat the king and
+queen as the French had used their royal family.
+
+At the advice of Nelson, and urged thereto by the queen and Lady
+Hamilton, her great friend, the wife of the English minister, the
+king at length made war on the French, and his army marched on Rome.
+
+Nelson in the meanwhile promised that the Bay of Naples should never
+be left without an English man-of-war to protect the royal family.
+
+At first the Neapolitan army did very well; after some skirmishing
+they forced the French general to leave Rome, and they then entered
+the city in triumph.
+
+This was, however, the end of their success.  The army was composed
+of fine stalwart men, and in their bright uniforms had at first so
+pleased Nelson that the great seaman compared them to the finest
+troops in Europe.  They were, however, useless when it came to hard
+knocks and real fighting.
+
+When they attempted to follow up the retreating Frenchmen, the
+latter, though outnumbered by two to one, turned at bay.
+
+The result was not long in doubt; the well-trained French soldiers
+utterly broke and beat them, and sent them flying back like a flock
+of sheep to Naples.
+
+The town was in a state of panic, and unsafe for peaceable people.
+
+The king and queen were in great danger, and Nelson determined to
+rescue them from their rebel subjects.
+
+Lady Hamilton, with no thought for the danger she was running, found
+out and carefully explored an underground passage leading from the
+palace to the seashore.  Through this passage the royal treasures, to
+the amount of two millions and a half of money, were secretly
+carried, and safely put on board the British vessels.
+
+On a wild stormy night Nelson himself landed and brought off the
+whole royal family in three barges, which in face of the storm and
+heavy sea reached the _Vanguard_ without accident.
+
+For two more days the _Vanguard_ waited in the bay to rescue any such
+people as felt they were in danger.  The property of all British
+merchants had been saved, and they were offered a refuge on board any
+British ship in the squadron.
+
+At length, when everything had been done to save our countrymen in
+peril, the fleet sailed; and after meeting the worst storm Nelson had
+ever sailed through, after a three days' stormy passage, landed the
+rescued royal family at Palermo, where they were safe from all harm.
+
+All through this exciting time Nelson acted with the most cool
+bravery and perfect tact.  His presence of mind never left him;
+sailor and fighter first and above all things, he was at the same
+time bold and skilful in dealing with affairs of state.
+
+"You are as great in the Cabinet as on the ocean," was the praise
+given by Lord St. Vincent.
+
+"The world knows that Lord Nelson can fight the battles of his
+country," said Lord Minto; but he went on to say that besides his
+skill and courage as a seaman, Nelson possessed judgment, ability,
+and patience, with which to protect his country's honour and
+interests--qualities "_not always allied to the sort of spirit which,
+without an instant's hesitation, can attack the whole Spanish line
+with his single ship_."
+
+The power of the French in the Mediterranean was now greatly
+weakened.  Their army, watched by the English fleet as a cat watches
+a mouse, was not allowed to leave Egypt.  In Malta they were being
+sorely pressed, and to make matters worse, the Portuguese made an
+alliance with Great Britain, and sent their fleet to be under
+Nelson's orders.
+
+The British admiral was determined to destroy their power still more.
+
+"_Down, down with the French!_ is my constant prayer," wrote Nelson.
+"_Down, down with the French!_ ought to be placed in the council-room
+of every country in the world."
+
+Meanwhile, the French, though so thoroughly beaten at Aboukir, had
+not altogether lost heart, and on the 12th of May news came to Nelson
+at Palermo that a French fleet had been seen off Oporto, heading
+towards the Straits of Gibraltar.
+
+The admiral, who had been in poor health and low spirits, fretting at
+the idle and peaceful life he was leading, on the instant became like
+a new man.
+
+"Not a moment shall be lost in bringing them to battle," he joyfully
+exclaimed.
+
+"Your lordship may depend that the squadron under my command shall
+never fall into the hands of the enemy," he wrote to St. Vincent;
+adding, "and before we are destroyed I have little doubt that the
+enemy will have their wings so completely clipped that they may be
+easily overtaken."
+
+The words, "before we are destroyed," show the sort of fighter Nelson
+was.  He did not fight only for victory and when he felt sure of
+beating the enemy.  For the good of his country he would have hurled
+a few ships on the whole fleet of the foe, satisfied if he made the
+enemy suffer--"clipped their wings," to use his own words.
+
+At this time Nelson received a strange present from a Captain
+Hallwell, in the shape of a coffin made out of the mainmast of the
+French flagship which blew up at Aboukir.  Nelson was greatly pleased
+with the gift, which he had placed in his cabin just behind where he
+sat at dinner.  "We shall have hot work of it, indeed," the crew
+said.  "You see the admiral intends to fight till he is killed; and
+there he is to be buried."
+
+That this battle never took place was due to no fault of Nelson, who
+waited eagerly for the enemy at Palermo.
+
+At this time he learnt to his great grief that Lord St. Vincent, his
+old chief and firm friend, was going home.
+
+Admiral Keith, the new commander-in-chief, found a splendid force
+under him when he took command.  This was divided into two
+divisions--thirteen ships under Nelson cruising in Sicilian waters,
+while his own force of twenty ships was off Toulon.
+
+Had Nelson's squadron been stronger, he might have forced the enemy
+to fight, but even Nelson shrank from the foolhardy attempt of
+wilfully attacking twenty-two French sail with a very much weaker
+force.
+
+He therefore made up his mind to wait for more ships before going in
+search of the enemy.  Should the French, however, approach either
+Naples or Sicily, he was ready to fight to the death, and at least
+damage their fleet so much that they could do no further mischief,
+and be quite unfitted "even for a summer cruise."
+
+As the enemy made no attempt on either Naples or Sicily, Nelson, with
+the help of his squadron, began to restore order in the former place.
+
+Troubridge fought manfully in driving out the French.  The fighting
+was for the greater part on shore, and Nelson laughingly called the
+brave seaman "a first-rate general."
+
+He replied to those who thought naval officers ought not to be used
+in attacking fortifications, "We have but one idea--to get close
+alongside."
+
+"None but a sailor would have placed a battery only 180 yards from
+the Castle of St. Elmo" (a fortress in Naples), he wrote.  "A soldier
+must have gone according to art, and the wwww way"--making with his
+pen these zigzags like four w's, to show a roundabout way of attack.
+"My brave Troubridge went straight on, for we had no time to spare."
+
+Soon the whole of the French force was driven out of Naples and the
+royal family were able to return.  They showed how grateful they were
+to the brave Englishman who had not only saved them from danger, but
+restored them to their rights, by making Nelson Duke of Bronté, with
+a property of about £3000 a year; and from that time Nelson signed
+his name "Nelson and Bronté" in all letters and despatches.
+
+While the British squadron was in the Bay of Naples, Caraccioli, the
+head of the rebel Neapolitan navy, was captured.
+
+He had been a commodore in his country's navy, but when the rebellion
+broke out he deserted his king and joined the rebels.  On being tried
+on board the _Foudroyant_, he was found guilty by a court-martial of
+his fellow-countrymen.  He was plainly a traitor, and he suffered the
+end of traitors, being by Nelson's orders hanged at the yardarm of
+the _Minerva_, his betrayed royal master's frigate.
+
+For this act Nelson has often been blamed, but we must remember that
+the man was a traitor; it was necessary to make an example, and the
+crime of which Caraccioli was guilty was one hateful to all seamen,
+and to all loyal men.
+
+Keith had now gone back to England, and it might have been expected
+that Nelson, now an Admiral of the Red, would remain in chief
+command.  But the Admiralty had other views, and shortly afterwards
+sent Keith back to command in the Mediterranean.  Nelson felt this as
+a slight put upon him.
+
+"Greenwich Hospital seems a fit retreat for me after being evidently
+thought unfit to command in the Mediterranean," he wrote.
+
+Another event took place which caused him much sorrow and regret.
+Bonaparte, who had always said, "We will arrive safe; Fate will never
+abandon us; we will arrive safe in spite of the enemy," made good his
+boast by sailing from Egypt in spite of all the watchfulness of the
+British, and landing safely in France on the 11th of October.
+
+Nelson, who wished that not one Frenchman should be allowed to leave
+Egypt, was much annoyed at this escape; for had Bonaparte been caught
+the war would probably have ceased, and the whole course of history
+been changed.
+
+It was no fault of our admiral's, for his ships were being used in
+the blockade of Malta.
+
+"If I could have had cruisers, as was my plan, off Cape Bon," he
+said, "Mr. Bonaparte could not probably have got to France."
+
+Soon after Keith returned, Nelson, "the heaven-born admiral," as one
+of his captains called him, aided by luck, had a triumphant ending to
+this period of his career in the Mediterranean; for both _Le
+Genereux_ and the _Guillaume Tell_, the two French ships which had
+escaped the battle of the Nile, were captured by him.
+
+During the fight with the former, a shot passed through the mizzen
+stay-sail of the admiral's ship.  Nelson, patting one of the
+midshipmen on the head, asked him laughingly "how he liked the
+music."  Seeing the boy looked rather alarmed, he spoke kindly to
+him, told him that Charles XII. ran away from the first shot he
+heard, though afterwards he was called "The Great," from his bravery.
+"I therefore," said Nelson, "hope much from you in future."
+
+With the capture of the last of the Nile fleet Nelson felt that his
+work was for the time being done.  "My task is done, my health is
+lost, and the orders of the great Earl St. Vincent are completely
+fulfilled," he wrote.
+
+Having obtained leave to go home, he started to travel through
+Germany, where he was treated as a popular hero, and taking ship from
+Hamburg, he arrived at Yarmouth on the 6th November 1800, two years
+and eight months from the time he left Spithead.
+
+On going on shore the admiral received a splendid welcome.  He was
+the idol of the whole nation, his name on every one's lips.  The
+freedom of the city was presented to him; at night bonfires and
+illuminations were lit in his honour.
+
+His whole journey to London was a triumphal procession, and when he
+arrived the mob insisted on taking the horses out of the carriage and
+drawing him in state to the city.
+
+After a short time in London, Nelson went to spend Christmas with his
+friends, the Hamiltons, at the country house of Mr. Beckford, a
+mutual friend.
+
+During this visit a curious tale is told by his host of Nelson (as
+showing what different forms courage may take).
+
+The latter, in order to show his famous visitor some distant part of
+the estate, took him for a drive in his mail phaeton, drawn by four
+horses.
+
+The horses were quite under control, but, being fresh, rattled along
+at a good pace.
+
+Nelson sat in silence for a time, with a fixed, drawn face.  Finally
+he could stand it no longer, and saying quietly, "This is too much
+for me; you must set me down," he insisted on getting out and walking
+the whole way home.
+
+The man whose whole life was a record of daring and bravery at sea
+and in action was, after all, only human!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN
+
+His time at home was short, for again there were signs of war, and
+the fleet was once more to be called upon to strike a blow for our
+national honour.
+
+At this time Great Britain claimed the right of searching the vessels
+of other countries who were not at war with either England or France,
+and if any goods were found on board which were being carried to the
+French, they were seized.  This had more than once led to quarrels
+with Denmark, and there had already been some fighting between
+British and Danish ships, though there was no actual declaration of
+war.
+
+Paul I., Czar of Russia, was very angry at the British for not
+allowing him to take Malta, and in revenge he seized three hundred of
+our merchant ships, which were lying in Russian ports, and made their
+crews prisoners.  Not content with this, he revived an old treaty of
+1780, and Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and Prussia formed themselves into
+an alliance known as the "Armed Neutrality," the object of which was
+to prevent the British searching their ships, by force if it were
+necessary.
+
+Napoleon naturally did his best to help and encourage the northern
+powers.  His own fleet and that of Spain had been crushed, or were
+unable to do any harm owing to the strict watch the British kept on
+them, which prevented them coming out of harbour.  The northern
+powers had, however, a fine fleet of some fifty battleships, and he
+hoped to be able to use these as a weapon against his unyielding foe,
+Great Britain, who was once again left without an ally in Europe.
+
+Great Britain at first meant to try and reason with Denmark, and in
+order to show the Danes that she was in earnest, and at the same time
+prevent the Russian ships from joining their allies, a fleet under
+Sir Hyde Parker, with Nelson as second-in-command, set sail on the
+12th of March from Yarmouth.
+
+"I hate your pen and ink men.  A fleet of British ships of war are
+the best negotiators in Europe," Nelson had said, and the Government
+also seemed to think so.
+
+Meanwhile the Danes were toiling manfully at the defence of their
+capital.  Workmen, country peasants, city merchants, students, young
+and old alike of all classes, enrolled themselves as volunteers, and
+prepared to make their beloved Copenhagen secure against assault, or
+lay down their lives in its defence.
+
+Rather less than three weeks from the time they had left England the
+fleet arrived, and passing the island of Elsinore, dropped anchor
+about five miles from Copenhagen.
+
+Sir Hyde Parker, who all through acted with an extreme caution, which
+was very unlike Nelson's methods, was for a long time uncertain
+whether to take his ships by the narrower Sound or by the more open
+Great Belt.
+
+At length he decided to risk going by the Sound, and sent word to
+tell Nelson of his intention.
+
+"I don't care by which passage we go," said the latter, "so that we
+fight them."
+
+He had been in a great state of anxiety lest his chief might think
+the fortifications, floating batteries, and ships of the Danes too
+strong to assault.  Now that the attack was to take place, he again
+felt happy, and was able to give his whole mind to the best means of
+making victory certain.
+
+In front of Copenhagen there is a large shoal between the two
+channels through which big ships can sail.  Along the land side of
+the inner channel the Danes were posted in greatest strength.
+
+Here they waited for the British attack, sure that the fleet would
+enter by the inner channel, and confident in their power to defeat it.
+
+They did not know the great seaman.  His plan was quite different to
+what they thought, and was to go in by the outer channel, and
+flinging himself on their rear, fight his way up the inner channel.
+
+To make matters still more difficult for our ships, all the buoys had
+been taken away, so that it was impossible to guess where the channel
+lay, and easy to run aground on the many shoals and sandbanks.
+
+This was a serious drawback, but Nelson overcame it, though at great
+risk to himself.
+
+Under cover of darkness and fog, he spent two nights in an open boat,
+rowing with muffled oars, and silently taking soundings and finding
+out the depth.
+
+On April 1 the fleet sailed up still closer to the doomed city, and
+was now only two miles away.  After anchoring, Captain Hardy set off
+in a small rowing boat, and in the most fearless way slipped under
+the Danish batteries.
+
+Hidden by the darkness, he rounded the Danish flagship.  Not daring
+to heave the lead in the ordinary way, for fear the noise of the
+splash would betray him, he carefully sounded with a pole.
+
+The slightest whisper would have ruined all, but with bated breath
+the British seamen continued to take the depth under the batteries
+and round the ships, and Fortune favoured them.  The Danish sentinels
+never heard them, and they returned to their ship in safety, with a
+full knowledge of where their vessels could swing, and what parts of
+the channel they must avoid.
+
+Nelson had only asked for ten ships of the line of light draught,
+with which to make the attack.  Admiral Parker, however, gave him two
+more vessels than he had asked for, as he feared there was a great
+chance of some of the ships sticking fast and falling out of the
+line.  Parker himself drew off, ready to help if he could do so, but
+more for the purpose of preventing the Russian and Swedish ships,
+should they come up, from joining their Danish allies.
+
+In the morning the wind, which had hitherto been adverse, changed,
+and blew fair for the British attack.  But now a hitch occurred in
+the plans, which might have proved fatal.
+
+By eight o'clock not a pilot could be found willing to guide the
+British fleet.
+
+"I experienced in the Sound the misery of having the honour of our
+country entrusted to pilots who have no other thought than to keep
+the ship clear of danger, and their silly heads clear of shot,"
+Nelson used afterwards bitterly to relate.
+
+In justice to the men he so severely blames, we must remember that
+they were the masters and mates of merchant ships engaged in the
+Baltic trade.  These vessels were small and of shallow draught, and
+guiding a mighty battleship during the thick of a fight was a
+different affair to piloting their little craft through the channels
+they had learned to know in time of peace.
+
+While in this difficulty, Captain Murray, in the _Edgar_, volunteered
+to lead the line, his master, Mr. Brierly, taking upon him the hard
+task of pilot.
+
+At about ten in the morning all was ready, and the signal to weigh in
+succession was given.
+
+The _Edgar_, as arranged, advanced, showing the way, and right well
+did she play her part.  Not so fortunate was Nelson's old flagship,
+the _Agamemnon_, which, failing to round the middle ground, went
+ashore, where she stuck, in spite of all the exertions of her crew to
+get her off.
+
+Nor did the British misfortunes end here, for the next two ships, the
+_Bellona_ and _Russel_, following close in her wake, shared the same
+fate, and thus a quarter of the attacking force was already out of
+action.
+
+Nelson, who came next, in the _Elephant_, was like to come to grief
+in the same manner.  Had he followed his own orders to the fleet,
+"that each ship should pass her leader on the starboard aide," he
+must have run aground.
+
+In an instant he saw the danger, and, ordering his helm to be put
+hard a-starboard, passed the _Russel_ on the larboard beam.  The
+whole line followed him, and entering the true channel the battle was
+saved.
+
+The rest of the ships all made the dangerous passage in safety, and
+on reaching their stations anchored by the stern and began to pour
+both broadsides on the Danes.
+
+Captain Rioux, with the light division of frigates, was now ordered
+to take the place of the three stranded battleships, and attack the
+batteries.  Gallantly did the light division play its part, firing
+with deadly effect on the Danish works, and heedless of their own
+loss.
+
+  "Again, again, again,
+    And the havoc did not slack."
+
+"Here was no manœuvring: it was downright fighting."
+
+"It is warm work, and this day may be the last to any of us at a
+moment," said Nelson, amid a shower of splinters; "but mark you," he
+added, his eye kindling with the light of battle, "I would not be
+elsewhere for thousands."
+
+The pounding at short range was deadly and unceasing; scarcely two
+hundred yards separated the combatants.
+
+The Danish flagship, fighting to the end with desperate courage, took
+fire; still, amid the flames, the gunners continued to fire a deadly
+storm of shot and shell.  Only when the fire got the mastery, and
+with a mighty roar the gallant ship blew up, did she cease to trouble
+her foes.
+
+Meanwhile, out in the Sound the thunder of the fight was borne to the
+anxious ears of Sir Hyde Parker.  The admiral knew the sore straits
+from the loss of three ships Nelson was bound to be in, and the odds
+against which he was fighting.  A stormy wind was blowing dead
+against him, and he could not hope to beat up against it in time to
+bring aid.
+
+Nelson, he knew, would never give in while he lived: he was not the
+man to turn back from a fight.  At length the admiral could stand the
+suspense no longer, and the famous signal, No. 39, the order to cease
+action, was hoisted.
+
+What follows is known to every schoolboy wherever the English tongue
+is spoken.
+
+Nelson was pacing his quarter-deck when the signal-lieutenant
+interrupted his walk and reported the signal.  "Acknowledge it,"
+replied the admiral shortly, adding fiercely, "Is mine, No. 16" (for
+close action), "still flying?"  On being told that it was, "Then mind
+you keep it so," he said, turning on his heel and resuming his
+restless pacing of the deck.
+
+"Leave off action!" he added; "I'm hanged if I do!"
+
+Clapping his glass to his sightless eye, "You know, Foley," he added,
+turning to his captain, "I've a right to be blind sometimes.  I
+really do not see the signal.  _D---n the signal! keep mine for
+closer action flying._"
+
+As at Cape St. Vincent, so at Copenhagen, this act of seeming
+disobedience won the day.
+
+Unfortunately, the squadron of frigates and small craft under
+Rioux--"the gallant good Rioux" of Campbell's poem--took the order
+literally.  "What will Nelson think of us?" said the brave captain,
+as he obediently withdrew.  Just as he spoke a chain-shot ploughed
+into the deck, killing a party of marines and striking him down, with
+the ringing words, "Come, then, my boys, let us all die together," on
+his lips.
+
+By two o'clock the Danish fire had slackened; half their line were
+wrecks, the floating batteries were either sunk or nearly silenced;
+their flagship was ablaze.
+
+Nelson's humane nature could not bear that so many brave men should
+be killed, now that their valour was useless and his own victory
+complete.  Calling for pen and ink, he wrote the following:--
+
+
+"_To the brothers of Englishmen, the Danes_.
+
+"Lord Nelson has directions to spare Denmark when no longer
+resisting; but if the firing is continued on the part of Denmark,
+Lord Nelson will be obliged to set on fire all the floating batteries
+he has taken, without having the power of saving the brave Danes who
+have defended them."
+
+
+His secretary was about to close the letter in its envelope with the
+ordinary wafer then in common use, but Nelson objected to this, and
+bade him bring wax and a taper, with which the letter was carefully
+sealed.
+
+"Had I made use of the wafer," he explained to those around him, "it
+would have been wet when presented to the Crown Prince.  He would
+have inferred that the letter was sent off in a hurry, and that we
+had some very pressing reason for being in a hurry.  _The wax told no
+tales_."
+
+The Crown Prince wrote back proposing that they should stop fighting
+for the time and try to come to terms.  Nelson, with great
+shrewdness, said he must first ask Sir Hyde Parker.  He knew that it
+would take some time before he could get an answer from the latter,
+and in the meanwhile he would be able to get his battered ships out
+of reach of the Danish guns, and into the open channel.
+
+By nightfall a truce was agreed upon, and the British were busy
+floating their own ships which had run aground, and securing their
+prizes, only one of which could, however, be used again, so fiercely
+had fought the two nations, both sprung from a race of sea-kings.
+
+"The French and Spanish fight well; but they could not have stood for
+an hour such a fire as the Danes sustained for four hours," Nelson
+said.
+
+The British admiral's aim was next to attack the Russian squadron
+lying in Revel, but in order to do this the fleet would have to pass
+the batteries which commanded the shoal ground above Copenhagen.
+
+Parker naturally did not care to leave Denmark hostile in his rear,
+while the Crown Prince was afraid that if he came too quickly to
+terms he would offend his powerful ally and neighbour, the Czar.
+
+Matters were in this state, when, on April 4, while Nelson was on
+shore trying to arrange for at least a four months' peace, news was
+brought that the Czar had been murdered.
+
+With this monarch's death the chief reason for the alliance was taken
+away, and Napoleon's dreams of a great fleet with which he might
+attack Great Britain had come to nothing.
+
+Five days after, Denmark agreed to take no further part in the Armed
+Neutrality, and also promised to take no further steps to prepare her
+ships for war.
+
+Nelson had again shown himself "as great in the Cabinet as on the
+ocean."  His victory had been a glorious one, but his skill and tact
+in arranging terms after the battle were equally remarkable.  Friend
+and foe alike agreed that it was he that had brought about the peace.
+
+"Your Lordship's whole conduct, from your first appointment to this
+hour," wrote Lord St. Vincent, "is the subject of our constant
+admiration.  It does not become me to make comparisons; all agree
+there is but one Nelson."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+NAPOLEON'S THREATENED INVASION OF ENGLAND
+
+As soon as peace had been made with the Danes, the British fleet set
+out for the Baltic, with the object of finding the Swedish squadron.
+
+Nelson had in the meantime shifted his flag to the _St. George_, and
+as some repairs had to be made to this ship, he was forced to remain
+behind till she could be got ready.
+
+"We have reports," he had written to Lady Hamilton, "that the Swedish
+fleet is above the Shallows.  All our fellows are longing to be at
+them, and so do I, as great a boy as any of them, for I consider this
+as being at school, and going to England as going home for the
+holidays; therefore I really long to finish my task."
+
+Before his flagship was ready for sea a report came that the Swedish
+admiral had sailed.
+
+The idea that a fight should take place, and Nelson himself not be
+present, was not to be thought of.  Instantly he ordered a boat to be
+lowered, and in this he started off to join the fleet.
+
+His only feeling was one of fear lest the fleet should have sailed
+before he got on board one of the ships.
+
+So great was his hurry that he would not even wait till his overcoat
+was brought to him.
+
+"No, I am not cold," he kept repeating: "my anxiety for my country
+will keep me warm."
+
+"Do you think the fleet has sailed?" he added; "if they are, we shall
+follow them to Carlscrona, by Gad!"
+
+In the words of one of his officers, "The idea of going in a small
+boat, rowing six oars, without a single morsel of anything to eat or
+drink, the distance of about ten leagues, must convince the world
+_that every other earthly consideration than that of saving his
+country was totally banished from his thoughts_."
+
+About midnight the tired rowers reached the _Elephant_, up whose side
+Nelson clambered half dead with cold after his five hours' row in the
+bitter northern night.
+
+Next morning the Swedes were seen, but they quickly retired into
+shelter behind the batteries of Carlscrona.
+
+After some letters had passed between them, Parker saw that the
+Swedish Government sincerely wished for peace, and he gave orders for
+the fleet to sail to the Gulf of Finland.
+
+They had not got far on their way, however, when a despatch-boat from
+the Russian ambassador at Copenhagen overtook them.  This boat had
+been sent to tell the British admiral of the Czar Paul's death, and
+to say that the new emperor had accepted an offer made by Great
+Britain to end the dispute by agreement, without actually coming to
+blows.
+
+The fleet returned to Zealand on hearing this news, and cast anchor
+in Kioge Bay, where they remained till despatches arrived from home
+on the 5th of May, recalling Parker, and making Nelson
+commander-in-chief.
+
+Left to himself, the new commander-in-chief was not long in getting
+to work.  First he politely but firmly told the Swedish admiral that
+his fleet must remain in port.  Next, by going to Revel as soon as
+Parker had left, he let the Russians see that for their own sake they
+had better stay where they were.
+
+"I shall now go there as a friend," he had written; "but the two
+fleets shall not form a junction, unless my orders permit it."
+
+On his arrival with his twelve ships of the line, he went on shore
+and paid an official visit to the authorities, and the presence of
+the mightiest seaman of the day, backed as he was by a fleet, had the
+wished-for effect.
+
+The British ships with their goods and their crews were instantly
+given up; all Nelson asked for was promptly granted, after which the
+Czar most prudently, to use Nelson's own words, "begged that he would
+go away."
+
+Soon after this, to his great delight, now that there was no more
+fighting to be done, he was relieved, and bidding farewell to the
+Baltic on the 19th of June, he landed at Yarmouth some three weeks
+after.  "To find a proper successor," St. Vincent had written to him,
+"your lordship knows is no very easy task, for I never saw the man in
+our profession, excepting yourself and Troubridge, who possessed _the
+magic art of infusing the same spirit into others which inspired
+their own actions_."
+
+On arrival at Yarmouth he was received by vast crowds, who did all
+they knew to honour the conquering admiral.
+
+Nelson never halted, but quickly making his way through the dense,
+cheering throng, he went straight to the hospital, where lay so many
+of his men, wounded in the late battle.
+
+Stopping at every bed, he spoke a few words to each sailor.
+
+"Well, Jack, what's the matter?" he asked of one.
+
+"Lost my right arm, your honour," came the answer.
+
+Nelson stopped, then holding up his own empty sleeve, shook it at the
+sailor, and said playfully--
+
+"Well, Jack, then you and I are spoilt for fishermen.  Cheer up, my
+brave fellow."
+
+At every bed he came to he said something kind and encouraging.  And
+the surgeon said the admiral did more good than a doctor; every eye
+seemed to sparkle, and every sufferer to forget his pain when Nelson
+spoke to him.
+
+Before leaving for the Baltic, Nelson, who, after the Nile, described
+his career as having been far beyond his greatest hopes in the way of
+honour and rewards, had serious thoughts of giving up the sea and
+settling down to a life of peace on shore.
+
+There was yet, however, much of his finest work to do.
+
+Lord St. Vincent had from the first begged him not to retire, and
+events abroad were in such a dangerous state that Nelson could not
+possibly leave the service and desert the country he so well and
+bravely served.
+
+Baffled in his attempt on India, his fleet destroyed at the Nile,
+Napoleon had declared that he had no choice left but to make a
+descent on Britain.
+
+To meet this danger the presence of the great admiral was of the
+greatest importance.  The knowledge that he was at the head of the
+plans made for the defence of his country would alone calm the public
+mind.  At the same time the very name of Nelson was enough to make
+the enemy think twice before making any attempt in which they were
+likely to meet him in battle.
+
+In answer to the call of his country, Nelson undertook its defence,
+and, as usual, entered on his task with energy and zeal.
+
+He found the country quite unprepared to meet an invasion.
+"Everything must have a beginning," he wrote to Lord St. Vincent,
+"and we are literally at the foundation of our fabric of defence."
+
+Calais, Boulogne, and Dieppe, although the ports nearest to England,
+were not in Nelson's opinion suitable for the embarking of troops;
+that the attack would come from Flanders he thought more likely.
+
+"Great preparations at Ostend," he writes; "Augereau commands that
+part of the army.  I hope to let him feel the bottom of the Goodwin
+Sand."
+
+That Napoleon thought of making a serious invasion of the country
+seemed scarcely possible.  That he might be able to land some troops,
+and with them make a dash on London, both Nelson and the nation
+thought possible.
+
+The aim of the British defence was, as it is to this day, to keep the
+enemy away from our coasts and attack them the instant they came out
+of port.
+
+Should the French get a calm day they would most probably row over in
+boats, in which case our fleet might not be able to get at them, with
+no wind to fill their sails.
+
+In that case the British were to attack them in small boats, no
+matter how great the enemy's superiority in numbers might be.
+
+"The courage of Britons," Nelson proudly boasted, "will never, I
+believe, allow one Frenchman to leave the beach."
+
+The boats would take some twelve hours to row over from France.
+Although they started in a calm, a breeze might quite well spring up
+in this time.  In that case the British fleet were to make an
+onslaught on the small craft and transports.  Their cannon would mow
+through the ranks of transports, the loss of the enemy would be
+terrible, but, as Nelson grimly said, "No delicacy can be observed on
+this great occasion."
+
+"Whatever plans may be adopted," he wrote, "the moment the enemy
+touch our coast, be it where it may, they are to be attacked by
+_every man afloat and on shore:_ this must be perfectly understood.
+_Never fear the event_."
+
+England was now like a large armed camp; the great shadow of invasion
+was hanging over the country.  "Bony" himself, with whose name nurses
+were used to frighten children, was coming over to try and conquer
+Britain as he had conquered Europe.  Small wonder that the whole
+country sprang to arms!
+
+Having drawn up his plan of defence, the admiral, only three weeks
+after his return, again hoisted his flag, this time at Sheerness, on
+the _Unité_ frigate.
+
+No time was lost; in all his actions he used every haste, "in order
+to give an example to the country and the service of the advantage of
+all getting to their posts as speedily as possible."
+
+Nelson never spared himself.  One day he would be at Sheerness
+inspecting the thirty ships there under his command; two days later
+he would hold a review on land of the "Sea Fencibles," a force newly
+raised to meet the invasion; again he would appear off Boulogne,
+where the French admiral, La Touche Tréville, with his fleet, lay
+moored.
+
+On August 15 an attack was made on Boulogne with fifty-seven boats.
+The British fought gallantly, but luck was against them, and they
+were beaten back.
+
+Nelson, however, had seen enough of the French flat-bottomed clumsy
+craft to feel sure that they would be no match at sea for his own
+swift cutters.  He also saw that there was little on a great scale
+that could be done, and that owing to tides and sandbanks any attack
+on the enemy while in port was scarcely worth the risk of so much
+loss of life to our brave seamen.
+
+At length the French also saw that the invasion of England was too
+difficult to be thought of, and peace was made.
+
+Nelson, though his flag still continued to fly as commander-in-chief,
+went on shore and took up his abode at Merton, an estate which he had
+newly bought, and which was the only home of his own he ever had on
+English soil.
+
+That the peace would last he never for a moment thought likely.  And
+though he might long for quiet and rest, still he was ready at the
+call of his country.  "Whenever it is necessary, I am your admiral,"
+he wrote to the Prime Minister.
+
+Already there had been some talk of his returning to the
+Mediterranean.  His very presence there would, in the words of Lord
+Minto, "show Bonaparte, if he hoists his flag, it will not be in
+joke."
+
+On the 16th of May war was again declared, and four days later Nelson
+sailed in the _Victory_.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+  NELSON IN CHIEF COMMAND IN THE
+  MEDITERRANEAN--IN PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY
+
+Nelson was now in chief command of the Mediterranean squadron.  Great
+Britain was once more waging war single-handed against the French
+Empire.  The rest of Europe was crushed: everywhere on land the
+French were victors, and resistance was for the time being at an end.
+
+Spain was a mere vassal of France; she did not indeed at this period
+supply her fleet, but gave to Napoleon a money tribute instead.
+Portugal, the ancient friend of Britain, had at the bidding of the
+tyrant been forced to close her ports to Nelson's ships.
+
+Never before had Nelson been so impatient to get at the foe.
+
+"If the Devil stands at the door," he said, "we shall sail to-morrow
+forenoon."
+
+So eager was he to reach the Mediterranean that having been ordered
+to keep the _Victory_ waiting to join Admiral Cornwallis oft Brest,
+he left the ship, and with his suite got into a frigate, in which he
+pressed on to join the fleet, "going out in all the discomfort of a
+convict," as St. Vincent said, and sleeping seven or eight in a
+cabin, from his own account.
+
+The French fleet were in Toulon, and off this port Nelson set himself
+to wait the coming out of the enemy.
+
+On his arrival he early found an opportunity of showing his zeal and
+love for the honour and interests of his own service.
+
+There were at that time several artillerymen serving on board the
+bomb-vessels.  Some of the young officers did not like their men
+being made to perform other duties than those of soldiers, and were
+very angry at having to take their orders from naval officers.  There
+thus arose some ill-feeling between the navy and army.
+
+"With all content and smiles around me," Nelson wrote to Lord St.
+Vincent, "up start these artillery boys and set us at defiance."
+
+"You and I are on the eve of quitting the theatre of our exploits,"
+he adds, with a feeling that his end was near, "but we hold it due to
+our successors never, whilst we have a tongue to speak or hand to
+write, to allow the navy to be in the smallest degree injured in its
+discipline by our conduct."
+
+Nelson felt that a soldier, no matter how high his rank, must, when
+on board ship, take his orders from a sailor.  He was backed up in
+this by an Act of Parliament.
+
+"It is the old history," he said, "trying to do away the Act of
+Parliament: but I trust they will never succeed; for when they do,
+farewell to our naval superiority.  We should be prettily commanded."
+"Although my career is nearly run, yet it would embitter my future
+days and expiring moments _to hear of our navy sacrificed to our
+army_."
+
+As a means to put an end to all dispute, he suggested that the navy
+should have a separate corps of artillery attached to them, and it is
+to this that we owe that splendid body of men, the Royal Marine
+Artillery, or "Blue Marines," as they are called in the navy.
+
+The watch off Toulon was a long and weary one.
+
+"I have made up my mind never to go into port till after the battle,
+if they make me wait a year," Nelson had said, and for almost two
+years did our fleet remain ready for action; nor during that time did
+it ever go into harbour.  When, after the long months of waiting, it
+was called upon to pursue the enemy for four thousand miles, it was
+found, to quote Nelson's words, "in a perfect state of readiness to
+act."
+
+This management of the fleet was really as great a triumph in many
+ways as his most brilliant victories had been.
+
+The people at nearly every port were in dread of the French, and it
+was very difficult to get supplies, so great was their fear of
+rousing Napoleon's anger.
+
+No British ships were allowed to enter Spanish ports, though from
+these very ports the French privateers sailed out and attacked our
+merchantmen.
+
+Nelson pitied the once proud mistress of the world, who was now too
+weak to resist, and had no choice left but to obey the all-conquering
+French.  "We ought," he said, "by mutual consent to be the very best
+friends, and both to be ever hostile to France."
+
+At the same time, though willing to make every allowance for the
+miserable situation in which Spain had placed herself, he plainly let
+the Spaniards feel that he must be treated with respect.  He had
+strictly observed Spain's neutrality by giving up French vessels
+taken within gunshot of the Spanish shore, yet from the coasts of
+Spain these same French vessels sailed out and attacked our ships.
+
+Nelson said this must stop.  "In whatever place the Spaniards allow
+the French to attack us," he told the British ambassador at Madrid,
+"assure them that I shall order the French to be attacked."
+
+Meanwhile, the station off Toulon Nelson called his home.  His ships,
+thanks to his great care, were in fairly good repair; his men were in
+the right fighting trim.  "Let them come as soon as they please," he
+wrote, "I never saw a fleet together so well officered and manned."
+
+La Touche Tréville, who had commanded at Boulogne when Nelson's
+attack of boats had been beaten back, was now the admiral of the
+French fleet.
+
+One day, while the main body of the British fleet was out of sight,
+Rear-Admiral Campbell, with only three ships, appeared in the offing.
+Seeing this, La Touche, with every sail set, left port and bore down
+on the three vessels, on which, as was natural, the little squadron
+retired.
+
+The new experience of pursuing, instead of being pursued, so
+delighted the Frenchman that he published a most boastful and quite
+untrue account of how he had chased Nelson and the whole British
+fleet.
+
+This idle brag stung Nelson to the quick, and he promptly sent home a
+copy of the _Victory's_ log on the day in question to show what the
+real facts were.
+
+"As for myself," he said, "if my character was not established by
+that time _for not being apt to run away_, it would not be worth my
+while to put the world right."
+
+At the time, he wrote, "Monsieur La Touche came out with eight sail
+of the line and six frigates, cut a caper off Sepet, and went in
+again."
+
+Two months later, when a copy of the French admiral's letter reached
+him, he broke out in wrath.
+
+"You will have seen Monsieur La Touche's letter of how he chased me,
+and how I _ran_.  He is a poltroon, liar, and a miscreant.  I keep
+his letter, and, by Gad! if I take him, he shall _eat_ it."
+
+In vain did Nelson try to draw his enemy out to fight by every means
+he could think of.  The Frenchman would not walk into the trap, nor
+be tempted into giving battle until the appointed time came.
+
+The dread of missing the enemy in a fog was one of Nelson's chief
+anxieties, and he kept thinking of his long chase of Admiral Brueys
+before the battle of the Nile.
+
+"If I should miss these fellows my heart will break," he kept
+repeating.
+
+"If that admiral were to cheat me out of my hopes of meeting him," he
+added, "it would kill me much easier than one of his balls."
+
+The life on board ship was meanwhile a dull one; daily they cruised
+about, one day passing very much like another.  The weather in these
+parts is stormy; even during the summer there was a gale almost every
+week, followed by two days' heavy swell.  The health of the crews
+was, considering the life they were leading, wonderfully good, and
+for this they had to thank Nelson.  The admiral took every care for
+the comfort of his men, and did his very best to secure lemons,
+onions, and other fresh food, without which disease must have broken
+out.
+
+The patience with which our fleet bore the long watch off Toulon is,
+in Nelson's own words, a "record of perseverance at sea which had
+never been surpassed."  From May 1803 to August 1805 the admiral
+himself was only out of his ship three times; on each of these
+occasions he was absent less than an hour, and was "upon the king's
+service," as the saying went.
+
+The whole fleet bore the long wait patiently; the men behaved well,
+and all earned Nelson's thanks.  The officers were not behind the men
+in doing their duty either.  "Such a gallant set of fellows!  Such a
+band of brothers!  My heart swells at the thought of them," wrote
+Nelson.
+
+
+In October the patience of Great Britain was tired out, and war was
+declared against Spain.  About three months after, while the British
+fleet was at anchor off the coast of Sardinia, the Toulon fleet at
+last put to sea and joined the Spaniards.  On getting this news the
+British fleet weighed and put to sea, while next morning the signal
+was made to prepare for battle.
+
+A chase somewhat like the former pursuit of Brueys now began, stormy
+weather keeping pursuers and pursued apart.
+
+After seeing that Sardinia, Naples, and Sicily were safe, as before
+Nelson made for Egypt.  Not finding the enemy there this time, he
+doubled back for Malta, where news reached him that they had
+dispersed in a gale and put back to Toulon.
+
+"These gentlemen are not accustomed to a Gulf of Lions gale; we have
+buffeted them for one and twenty months and not carried away a spar,"
+Nelson declared with pride.
+
+From the 21st of January till he anchored in Cagliari Bay on the 27th
+of February, the ships had been cleared for action, without a
+bulkhead up, night or day.
+
+During this chase of the enemy and weary buffeting against foul
+winds, a despatch-vessel had been wrecked, a convoy had been waylaid,
+and the two small ships protecting it taken.
+
+To add to these small losses, another despatch-vessel had gone ashore
+off Cadiz and fallen into the hands of the enemy.
+
+The captain of the latter, Captain Layman, had earned Nelson's praise
+and esteem by his smartness and bravery at Copenhagen, and Nelson
+could not bear that a brave man should be blamed.
+
+The admiral never turned his back upon a friend, more especially did
+he stick by a friend in misfortune.
+
+"Dear Parker is my child, for I found him in distress," he had
+written of a captain wounded in the attack of boats at Boulogne.  To
+this other captain in distress, the great seaman's tender heart went
+out, and he wrote to the Admiralty on his behalf.
+
+
+"My dear Lord," he began, "give me leave to recommend Captain Layman
+to your kind protection; for notwithstanding the court-martial has
+thought him worthy of censure for his running in with the land, yet,
+my Lord, allow me to say that Captain Layman's misfortune was,
+perhaps, conceiving other people's abilities were equal to his own,
+which indeed very few people's are.
+
+"Captain Layman has served with me in three ships, and I am well
+acquainted with his bravery, zeal, judgment, and activity; nor do I
+regret the loss of the _Raven_ compared to the value of Captain
+Layman's services, which are a national loss.
+
+"You must, my dear Lord, forgive the warmth which I express for
+Captain Layman; but he is in adversity, and therefore has the more
+claim to my attention and regard.
+
+"_If I had been censured every time I have run my ship, or fleets
+under my command, into great danger, I should long ago have been out
+of the service, and never in the House of Peers._
+
+  "I am, my dear Lord, most faithfully,
+      "Your obedient servant,
+            "NELSON AND BRONTE."
+
+
+Small wonder the whole fleet adored "Our Nel," as they called him,
+and who, they said, was "as brave as a lion but as gentle as a lamb."
+
+On the 4th of April, while bearing up for his old station, Toulon, he
+learnt that Villeneuve had five days previously put to sea, with
+eleven ships of the line, seven frigates, and two brigs.
+
+At first he searched for them down the Mediterranean, still thinking
+that Egypt must be their object.  At length he heard that the enemy
+had passed the Straits of Gibraltar, and might be half-way to Ireland
+or Jamaica, an attack on both of which places had been thought likely.
+
+Beating up against adverse winds, Nelson, who said that his "good
+fortune had flown away," could only pass the narrow straits on the
+5th of May, when a favouring wind at last sprung up.
+
+Just before this, a Scotsman, Donald Campbell, who was at that time
+an admiral in the Portuguese service, came on board the _Victory_
+with the news that the combined fleets were on their way to the West
+Indies.
+
+Though the enemy were in far greater numbers than the British, the
+admiral started off in hot pursuit with only ten sail of the line and
+three frigates.
+
+"Take you a Frenchman apiece," he told his captains, "and leave me
+his Spaniards" (there were six Spanish battleships).  "When I haul
+down my colours, I expect you to do the same, and not till then."
+
+Meanwhile Nelson was suffering the same torture of mind and spirit as
+when once before the enemy escaped him before the battle of the Nile.
+
+"Oh, French fleet!  French fleet!" he wrote, "if I can but once get
+up with you, I'll make you pay dearly for all that you have made me
+suffer."
+
+By June 4 the British were at Barbadoes, where, misled by reports,
+they expected to find the enemy.  They entered the Gulf of Paria with
+their ships cleared for action, only to find the enemy gone.
+
+Coming to the rapid but, as it happened, correct decision that the
+enemy had returned to Europe, Nelson lost no time in sailing after
+them.
+
+As going out he had been able to gain ten days on them, and they had
+only five days' start of him on the return to Europe, Nelson thought
+he would be able to come up with Villeneuve before the latter had
+done much harm.
+
+For three weeks the combined fleet had the West Indies at their
+mercy, and as they had not attacked the islands, Nelson felt no great
+alarm as to what they would do in Europe.
+
+On the 19th of June he was back again at Gibraltar, and the next day
+he went on shore for the first time since June 18, 1803.  Thus for
+two years he had not had his foot on dry land.
+
+Though he had not found the enemy, he had at least chased them out of
+the West Indies, which were then among Britain's most wealthy and
+important colonies.
+
+Had the enemy been met, though they were in far greater numbers,
+Nelson had determined to attack them, come what might to his own
+squadron.
+
+"Though we are but eleven to eighteen or twenty, we won't part
+without a battle," he kept repeating.
+
+That this fight he had in his mind never took place was due to no
+fault of Nelson's.  A few days later, however, Admiral Calder with
+fifteen ships met twenty of the enemy, and a drawn battle took place.
+The British admiral, though he had the best of the fight, thought it
+more prudent to draw off and let the enemy escape, after they had
+been roughly handled.
+
+This made the people in England very angry, for the country could not
+but feel how different the result would have been if their beloved
+admiral had been in Calder's place.  Nelson, they knew, would never
+have left the enemy, even though half his own ships had been
+destroyed.
+
+Nelson's truly great spirit could not bear that his unfortunate
+brother admiral should be blamed.
+
+"It most sincerely grieves me," he wrote, "that in any of the papers
+it should be insinuated that Lord Nelson could have done better.  Who
+can say what will be the event of a battle?  I could have fought the
+enemy, so did my friend Calder; but who can say that he will be more
+successful than another?"
+
+On August 18 the _Victory_ anchored at Portsmouth and the long chase
+was at an end.
+
+Nelson no sooner landed than he posted up to London, where he had
+much to talk about, not only with the Admiralty but with the
+Secretary for War.
+
+On this visit to London the famous meeting between Nelson, "the
+greatest sailor since our world began," and the Duke of Wellington,
+the conqueror of Napoleon, "the great world's victor's victor," took
+place.  Neither knew who the other was.  They were both waiting in
+the anteroom of the Secretary of State.  At first "the Iron Duke"
+found Nelson's talk trifling and silly.  But when the war and the
+state of Europe were touched upon, then in an instant the somewhat
+boastful trifler vanished, and Nelson, the statesman, sailor, and
+saviour of his country appeared in his true colours.
+
+On the 2nd of September Captain Blackwood called at Merton at five in
+the morning.  Nelson, who was already up and dressed, eagerly greeted
+him with the words, "I am sure you bring me news of the French and
+Spanish fleets, and I think I shall yet have to beat them."
+
+On Blackwood telling him that the French squadron had arrived off
+Cadiz, he could scarcely conceal his joy.  "Depend upon it,
+Blackwood," he exclaimed, "I shall yet give Mr. Villeneuve a
+drubbing."
+
+All haste was made to get ready the fleet Nelson had chosen.  He
+stuck to the _Victory_ as his flagship.  Already a feeling of his
+coming death was upon him: he knew "_they meant to make a dead set at
+the Victory_," he told his brother.
+
+In his private journal are found these words:--
+
+
+"Friday night (Sept. 13), at half-past ten, I drove from dear, dear
+Merton to go to serve my king and country.  May the great God, whom I
+adore, enable me to fulfil the expectations of my country.
+
+"And, if it is His good pleasure that I should return, my thanks will
+never cease being offered up to the throne of His mercy.
+
+"If it is His good providence to cut short my days upon earth, I bow
+with the greatest submission, relying that He will protect those so
+dear to me, whom I may leave behind!  His will be done.  Amen!  Amen!
+Amen!"
+
+
+Nelson had felt his reception at Court after his return from
+Copenhagen to be a cold one.  Now, his leave-taking must have assured
+him of the love and admiration of a whole nation.
+
+[Illustration: Nelson leaving Portsmouth to join the 'Victory']
+
+Vast crowds had gathered at Portsmouth to catch a glimpse of, and to
+bid God-speed to, the national hero.
+
+To quote Southey: "They pressed forward to obtain sight of his face.
+Many were in tears, and many knelt down before him and blessed him as
+he passed.
+
+"England has had many heroes, but never one who so entirely possessed
+the love of his fellow-countrymen as Nelson."
+
+On the 25th the _Victory_ was off Lisbon, and letters were sent on
+shore begging that the fleet's arrival might be kept secret.
+
+At all costs Villeneuve was to be tempted to put to sea and give
+battle.
+
+"Day by day," wrote Nelson, "I am expecting the allied fleet to put
+to sea--every day, hour, and moment.  I am convinced that you
+estimate, as I do, the importance of not letting those rogues escape
+us without a fair fight, _which I pant for by day and dream of by
+night_."
+
+On September 28 the _Victory_ reached the fleet; the day after was
+Nelson's birthday.
+
+The reception he met with, he declared, "caused the sweetest
+sensation of his life."
+
+The officers who came on board to welcome his return--"the band of
+brothers," as he called them--forgot his rank as commander-in-chief,
+in the joy with which they greeted him.
+
+"When I came to explain to them the 'Nelson touch,'" the admiral
+writes to Lady Hamilton, "it was like an electric shock.  Some shed
+tears; all approved."
+
+The "Nelson touch," which has passed into a saying common in the navy
+to this day, was the great admiral's plan of attack or conduct of war.
+
+"The business of an English commander-in-chief"--so ran Nelson's
+famous order--"is first to bring an enemy's fleet to battle, on the
+most advantageous terms to himself (I mean that of laying his ships
+close on board the enemy as quickly as possible); and, secondly, to
+continue them there without separating until their business is
+decided."
+
+"First, to lay his ships close on board the enemy; and, secondly, to
+continue them there."  Surely this, in a few simple words, is the
+secret of England's naval greatness, and Nelson's own fame.
+
+On the 10th of October Nelson was to have his longed-for wish granted.
+
+The day previous he had noted in his diary--
+
+"Fine weather; wind easterly: the combined fleets cannot have finer
+weather to put to sea."
+
+Next morning the signal was flashed throughout the British fleet,
+with what feelings of joy we can well imagine--
+
+  "THE ENEMY ARE COMING OUT
+  OF PORT."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+TRAFALGAR--DEATH OF NELSON
+
+The rival Fleets were made up as follows:--
+
+
+Franco-Spanish, 33 ships of the line, firing a broadside of 30,000
+lbs.
+
+British, 27 ships of the line, firing a broadside of 29,000 lbs.
+
+
+It will thus be seen that though Nelson had fewer ships, yet the
+destructive power of his fire was almost as great as that of his
+enemies.
+
+On the 13th of October Nelson's old ship, the _Agamemnon, under the
+command of "the hero of a hundred fights_," Captain Berry, joined the
+fleet.  "Here comes Berry.  Now we shall have a fight!" joyfully
+exclaimed his chief.
+
+At last the action for which the great admiral was so eagerly longing
+was about to take place.
+
+On the 21st October, forty-eight years earlier, his uncle, Captain
+Maurice Suckling, had greatly distinguished himself in a desperate
+action against a superior force of the enemy.  "The 21st will be our
+day; it is the happiest day in the year for my family," Nelson had
+declared a few days previously.
+
+"This day or to-morrow will be a fortunate one for you young
+gentlemen," he said to a group of midshipmen.  And again on the
+evening of the 20th he said, "To-morrow I will do that which will
+give you younger gentlemen something to talk and think about for the
+rest of your lives, but I shall not live to know about it myself."
+
+The morning of the 21st showed the sea to be calm, with only a slight
+swell; the wind was light, and made the progress of the sailing ships
+slow.
+
+To understand the battle we must picture to ourselves the allied
+fleet moving in two long lines abreast.  Nelson, on the other hand,
+divided his ships into two columns which moved to battle in
+"line-a-head" and "line-a-bearing," or what we might almost call
+Indian file.  Thus, while the Franco-Spanish fleet came on in a
+crescent shape, Nelson sailed to meet them in two perpendicular
+lines, which he flung right on their centre.
+
+His object was, as ever, destruction, and complete destruction, of
+the enemy, no matter what loss he himself might sustain.
+
+"In cases where signals cannot be seen or clearly understood, no
+captain can do wrong if he places his ship alongside that of an
+enemy."  These were roughly his orders to the fleet.  Before entering
+the battle he thought deeply for a suitable signal to give to his
+ships and men.  Finally he decided on the now immortal words:
+"England expects that every man will do his duty."  Amidst ringing
+cheers the flags spelt this sentence out to the fleet.  "You must be
+quick," Nelson said to his signallers, "for I have another signal to
+make--'Close Action!'"
+
+Duty and close action, these were the watchwords of Nelson's life and
+career.  No more fitting sentiments could come from him on the day of
+his death and last and greatest victory.
+
+Nelson's own ship, the _Victory_, led his column.  Collingwood, in
+the _Royal Sovereign_, led the other column.
+
+The battle began about noon.  The allies commenced firing at long
+range.  Nelson, confident in the better discipline and fighting
+powers of his crews, pressed on in silence, withholding his fire.
+
+The _Victory_ was under a storm of shot and shell.  In a minute fifty
+of her men were killed or wounded.  One shot alone killed a party of
+eight marines; another actually went screaming on its way between
+Nelson and Captain Hardy.  Still the British stood to their guns, but
+the order to fire did not yet come.
+
+At last the weary waiting and suspense were at an end.  The _Victory_
+was at length to speak and to hit back.  "This is too warm work to
+last long," Nelson said to Captain Hardy.
+
+When close between the French ship _Redoubtable_, and the huge
+Spanish _Santisima Trinidad_, the longed-for order came; the
+_Victory's_ broadsides poured in at close range.  The effect was
+nearly instantaneous; so close were the combatants that the flames
+from Nelson's guns set fire to the French and Spanish ships.
+
+The enemy fought with unflinching courage.  Twice was the order given
+to cease firing on the _Redoubtable_, as it was thought that she had
+struck her flag and that her guns were silenced.  Twice did the
+_Redoubtable_ reply with shouts of defiance and a storm of shot.
+
+From this ship, which he had twice spared, came the hero's death.
+
+Conspicuous by the medals which covered his breast, the admiral made
+an easy mark for the French sharp-shooters stationed in the
+mizzen-top.
+
+"In honour I gained them, in honour I shall die with them," he
+declared when his officers begged him to take them off before action.
+
+Recognising Lord Nelson, a French sharpshooter took careful aim and
+fired.  "They have done for me at last, Hardy," the admiral
+exclaimed, sinking to the deck.
+
+[Illustration: They have done for me at last, Hardy.]
+
+In mortal agony he was carried below.  Heedless of his own pain, he
+gave orders that a handkerchief should be spread over his face and
+medals, lest his men should see, and be disheartened by the
+knowledge, that he was hit.
+
+"You can do nothing for me," he said to the surgeon who hastened to
+his side, and he bade him go and attend to those whose lives he had a
+chance of saving.
+
+From the first he knew he had only a few hours to live; but in spirit
+he was still on his quarter-deck, and his thoughts were of the battle
+raging round him, not of his own suffering.  He repeatedly asked for
+Hardy, who could not as yet be spared from his duty on the
+quarter-deck.
+
+At length, feeling victory was assured, Hardy left the deck.  "Well,
+Hardy, how goes the battle?" was his chief's first eager question.
+
+On Hardy bringing the joyful news that all was going well, and that
+twelve or fourteen of the enemies' ships had struck, "I hope none of
+our ships have struck, Hardy?" Nelson anxiously exclaimed.  "No, my
+lord, there is no fear of that," came the answer.  Nelson then again
+shook hands with him, and, assuring him that he was dying, said
+farewell to his old and well-tried friend.
+
+Again Hardy returned.  This time he confirmed the capture of fourteen
+or fifteen ships.  (There were really eighteen.)  "That is well,"
+replied the dying admiral, "but I bargained for twenty."  "Anchor!
+Hardy, anchor!"  He gave the order, ever mindful of the well-being of
+his fleet, and in those last moments feeling sure that a storm was
+coming on.  This was indeed the case, and in the gale that followed
+the battle, many ships which had been captured foundered and were
+lost.
+
+The end was now near.  The shouts of triumph and victory were in his
+dying ear.
+
+"Thank God I have done my duty.  God be praised I have done my duty,"
+he kept repeating at intervals.
+
+Finally, with the words, "God and my country," the mighty spirit left
+the pain-racked body.  Nelson, "the saviour of our silver-coasted
+isle," the greatest seaman the world has ever seen, had fought his
+last fight, gained his most splendid victory.
+
+The destruction was complete; the naval power of our foes was
+shattered; the British loss was almost trifling in comparison with
+that of the enemy.  Some 4400 of the allies were killed, about 2500
+were wounded, and many were prisoners.  On the British side there
+were 402 killed, and about 1129 seriously wounded.
+
+Seventeen of the enemies' ships were in the hands of the conquerors,
+and one had blown up.
+
+Nelson, before battle, had prayed for a great and glorious victory,
+and that no misconduct in any one might tarnish it.  "May humanity
+after victory be the predominant feature in the British fleet," so
+ran his prayer.
+
+His wishes were fulfilled, and our tars spared no effort to save the
+lives of their gallant foes, now that the battle was over.
+
+Of the whole allied force only eleven sail of the line succeeded in
+making good their escape to Cadiz.  Nelson's fondest hopes had been
+realised: the enemy were annihilated.
+
+
+In those days news travelled slowly, and the official despatches did
+not reach London till November 6, or rather more than a fortnight
+after the battle.
+
+They were carried by post-chaise, to which was fastened a pole with
+the Union Jack flying above the Tricolour.  Thus, as the horses
+galloped through the country on their way to London, was the news of
+victory conveyed to the country-people and way-farers.  The
+mail-coaches took up the tale and spread the tidings.  Many were
+draped in black, and the triumphant flag they carried was wreathed in
+crape, to tell the people that though a glorious victory had been
+won, Nelson, the national hero, had laid down his life to gain it.
+
+"I had their huzzas before: I have their hearts now," Nelson had
+written to Hardy before he embarked from England for the last time.
+Then cheering crowds had followed him, striving to get a glimpse of
+his well-loved face, or even to touch the hem of his garment.
+
+Now, amid the mourning of a whole nation, he was followed by a
+sorrowing people to his resting-place in St. Paul's.  Sir Peter
+Parker, his early admiral, who had been one of the first to discover
+his genius, was chief mourner.
+
+As Lady Londonderry then wrote: "He now begins his immortal career,
+having nothing to achieve left, and bequeathing to the English fleet
+a legacy which they alone are able to improve."
+
+That legacy the British fleet to this day strive to guard jealously.
+
+Nelson, the boy who knew no fear, had gained his great end.  He had
+saved his beloved country; nay, he had saved the whole of Europe.  He
+had made the British navy a force which no power has since dared to
+attack: he had secured to us India and our colonies.
+
+In the words of Southey we may bid farewell to our greatest national
+hero:--
+
+"He has left us a name and an example which are at this moment
+inspiring hundreds of the youth of England--a name which is our
+pride, and an example which will continue to be our shield and
+strength."
+
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+  PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY
+  THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78115 ***
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+<link rel="icon" href="images/img-cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover">
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+<title>
+The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Story of Nelson, 
+by Edmund Francis Sellar
+</title>
+
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+<body>
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78115 ***</div>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="transnote">
+[Transcriber's note: the source book was in extremely poor condition,
+with its illustrations in varying states of wear and tear.]
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-front"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-front.jpg" alt="Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen (page 75)">
+<br>
+Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen (<a href="#p75">page 75</a>)
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3b">
+  THE CHILDREN'S HEROES SERIES<br>
+</p>
+
+<h1>
+<br><br>
+  THE STORY OF<br>
+  NELSON<br>
+</h1>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3b">
+  BY EDMUND FRANCIS SELLAR<br>
+  WITH PICTURES BY MONRO S. ORR<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+  LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, LTD.,<br>
+  35 and 36 Paternoster Row, E.C.<br>
+  AND EDINBURGH<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t4">
+  PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY<br>
+  THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD.<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+TO
+</p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+Miss E. RUTH DENT
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+MY DEAR RUTH,
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This little book tells the story of
+the greatest seaman that the world has ever
+known.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I hope it says enough to make you want
+one day to read for yourself the many other
+things about him that I have not room to tell
+you here.
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+  Yours affectionately,<br>
+  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;THE AUTHOR.<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3b">
+CONTENTS
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+Chapter
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+I. <a href="#chap01">Early Boyhood&mdash;Joins his Ship</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+II. <a href="#chap02">Nelson's Early Years at Sea&mdash;His First Command</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+III. <a href="#chap03">Nelson in the West Indies&mdash;and in the Mediterranean</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+IV. <a href="#chap04">Battle of St. Vincent</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+V. <a href="#chap05">Battle of the Nile</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+VI. <a href="#chap06">In the Mediterranean&mdash;and at Home</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+VII. <a href="#chap07">Battle of Copenhagen</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+VIII. <a href="#chap08">Napoleon's threatened Invasion of England</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+IX. <a href="#chap09">Nelson in Chief Command in the Mediterranean&mdash;In Pursuit
+of the Enemy</a>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+X. <a href="#chap10">Trafalgar&mdash;Death of Nelson</a>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap01"></a></p>
+
+<p class="t2">
+THE STORY OF NELSON
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER I
+<br><br>
+EARLY BOYHOOD&mdash;JOINS HIS SHIP
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+On the 29th of September 1758, or nearly
+a hundred and fifty years ago, Horatio
+Nelson, "the greatest of our heroes and the
+dearest to ourselves," was born.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His father was a country clergyman, who
+lived at Burnham Thorpe, in the county of
+Norfolk.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The boy had many brothers and sisters.
+There were eleven children in the family,
+only two of whom, however, lived to grow old.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Horatio as a child was weak and sickly,
+and all his life he was delicate.  Even after
+his many years afloat, we are told that he
+never quite got over the feeling of
+seasickness.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Although not a strong boy, there was
+nothing of the milksop about him, and at an
+early age he showed the spirit of absolute
+fearlessness which in later years was to
+stand him in such good stead.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Fear, grandmamma!  I never saw fear;
+what is it?" he once asked while quite a
+little child.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His father, in bringing up his children,
+trusted entirely to their own sense of
+honour, and in this respect Horatio never
+failed him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Once, while riding with his brother to
+school through deep snow, William, the elder,
+wanted to turn back, as the drifts were
+thick, and in parts dangerous.  "No! we
+must get there if we possibly can.
+Remember, we are on our honour to do so,"
+was Horatio's reply; and his pony and he
+struggled on, and after some difficulty
+reached their journey's end in safety.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-010"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-010.jpg" alt="His pony and he struggled on">
+<br>
+His pony and he struggled on
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On another occasion, while at school, he
+lowered himself with sheets from a window,
+and took a quantity of fine ripe pears from
+the head-master's favourite tree.  On his
+return to the dormitory he laid down the
+spoil before his companions, who had often
+coveted the fruit, but had not dared to
+take it because of the severe flogging which
+would probably follow.  Our hero refused to
+eat a single pear, for greed had not prompted
+his daring action.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"He only took them," he explained, "because
+every other boy was afraid."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Horatio's school days were brief.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the time when he was twelve years old,
+Spain suddenly attacked the Falkland Islands,
+a British colony in the far South Atlantic,
+and forced our colonists to lower their flag.
+This act naturally aroused great anger in
+England, and as a result our ships were
+immediately made ready for war.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this time both Spain and France had
+mighty fleets, manned by skilful and brave
+seamen, and Britain was not yet the
+all-conquering power at sea which she
+afterwards became, thanks to Nelson and his
+sailors.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The boy himself wished to go to sea, and
+on his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling,
+getting command of the <i>Raisonable</i>, he begged
+hard to be allowed to serve in his uncle's
+ship.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mr. Nelson, who had always said that in
+whatever station his son might be placed he
+would, if possible, climb to the top of the tree,
+accordingly wrote to his brother-in-law.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"What has poor Horatio done," came the
+answer, "who is so weak, that he, above all
+the rest, should be sent to rough it out at sea?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Still, his uncle said he might come, though
+he evidently did not approve of his choice of
+a profession.  And so, at an age when boys
+nowadays have not yet gone to a public
+school, Nelson said farewell to lessons, and,
+no doubt to his great delight, started off
+alone to join the <i>Raisonable</i>, then lying at
+Chatham, in the Medway.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+No boy going to school for the first time
+ever had more reason to feel unhappy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On leaving the stage-coach at Chatham, he
+was at a loss where to go, and how to find
+his ship.  Too shy to ask his way, he was
+wandering about feeling very forlorn and
+miserable, when fortunately a kind officer saw
+him, and spoke to him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On learning that the unhappy-looking
+youngster was no lost lad, but a midshipman
+seeking his ship, the officer, who knew
+Captain Suckling, showed Horatio every
+kindness, and after giving him a good dinner,
+finally saw him safely on board the <i>Raisonable</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On arrival at the ship another disappointment
+awaited our hero.  His uncle was away,
+and nobody on board knew anything about
+young Nelson, nor even expected a boy to
+arrive at all.  However, he had to make the
+best of it somehow, and with the help of an
+old sailor, who took pity on his loneliness, he
+soon settled down to his new life, and from
+that time till the day of his death, except
+for a few brief months on shore, his home
+was on board ship.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These first few hours of misery and loneliness
+at Chatham Nelson never forgot.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In later years, remembering his own bitter
+experiences, he always made a point of giving
+a friendly welcome, and speaking a few words
+of encouragement and advice, to any young
+midshipman on first joining his ship; and he
+took good care that the boy's start in life
+should not be as trying and forlorn as his
+own had been.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap02"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER II
+<br><br>
+NELSON'S EARLY YEARS AT SEA&mdash;HIS FIRST COMMAND
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+Before, however, war had actually begun,
+Great Britain and Spain agreed to come
+to terms, so Horatio was not yet to "smell
+powder."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Very shortly afterwards the <i>Raisonable</i> was
+paid off, and Captain Suckling got the
+command of the <i>Triumph</i>, 74 guns, then
+the guardship in the Medway.  To this
+ship his nephew followed him, and was on
+her books for the next two years.  During
+this time, however, the boy, in order to gain
+experience in his profession, by his uncle's
+advice went a cruise to the West Indies on
+board a merchantman.  On this voyage he
+shipped as a volunteer, and as a common
+seaman he shared the hard work and rough
+life of a fore-mast hand.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Life in the forecastle of a merchant ship
+was, of course, very uncomfortable, but it had
+its advantages, and he returned after a year's
+experience, to use his own words, "a practical
+seaman."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On rejoining the <i>Triumph</i> his uncle took
+care that his time should not be wasted,
+and among other duties he was continually
+employed in the cutter and long-boat.  Thus
+he not only became a good pilot, "confident
+of himself among rocks and sands," as he
+afterwards wrote, but he was at the same
+time learning the lessons of responsibility
+and self-reliance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Shortly after this, an expedition to the North
+Pole was fitted out, and although an order
+was given that no boys were wanted, Nelson
+so earnestly begged Captain Lutwidge, the
+commander of the expedition, to let him
+come, that his wish was granted, and he
+sailed as the captain's coxswain, a position
+for which his lessons in managing a small
+boat, learnt in the Medway, quite fitted him,
+in spite of his youth.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In these Arctic seas our hero came neat
+ending his life.  One clear moonlight night,
+while the ship was lying ice-bound, he and
+another midshipman, armed with a rusty
+musket between them, slipped down over
+the side and started off over the frozen sea
+to try to shoot a Polar bear.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They had to wait some time before one was
+sighted, but at length a huge white fellow
+appeared.  The middy took careful aim,
+pulled the trigger, but the musket missed fire.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Never mind!" shouted young Horatio;
+"do but let me get a blow at him with the
+butt end and we shall have him."  So saying,
+he dashed off with raised gun, determined
+to come to close quarters.  Fortunately at
+this moment the noise of a gun from the
+ship broke the stillness of the Arctic night,
+and so startled the bear that, with a defiant
+growl, he turned tail and shambled off over
+the frozen snow.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When the boys got back to the ship,
+Captain Lutwidge, who had witnessed the
+scene and been thoroughly alarmed for their
+safety, spoke somewhat sharply to them for
+this piece of daring folly.  Asked what he
+meant by it, Horatio, with the pout of his
+lip peculiar to him, could think of no other
+excuse than that "he wished to kill the bear
+that he might carry the skin to his father."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On his return from the Pole, he was as
+eager as ever for more service, and at his
+own wish he was transhipped, with scarcely
+a day on shore, to a small ship, the <i>Seahorse</i>,
+under orders to sail for the East Indies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From the extremes of cold he was to go
+direct to the extremes of heat.  "Nothing
+less than such a distant voyage could in
+the least satisfy my desire of maritime
+knowledge," he afterwards explained.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the <i>Seahorse</i> he at first did the work
+of an ordinary seaman aloft, but in a short
+time he was finally rated as midshipman and
+placed on the quarter-deck.  We are told
+that he started from England a thick-set,
+athletic young man, with a ruddy-brown face
+and healthy complexion.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The frozen Pole was, however, kinder to
+him than the sun and heat of India.  After
+two years he was invalided home, his life
+despaired of, and it was probably owing to
+the nursing and tender care of Captain Pigot
+of the <i>Dolphin</i>, in which ship he made the
+return voyage, that our future admiral owed his life.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He arrived in England three years from
+the time of his departure, no longer stout
+and strong as he had started, but a mere
+living skeleton, for some time scarcely able
+to use his limbs.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When he had recovered, his next duty was
+that of acting lieutenant of the <i>Worcester</i>, 64
+guns, then going out to Gibraltar on convoy
+duty.  Nothing of special interest happened
+while on this ship, but the young man always
+after remembered with pride the words of his
+captain, "that he felt as easy when Nelson
+was upon deck, as any officer of the ship."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Some six months after joining the <i>Worcester</i>,
+another rung of the ladder was reached,
+another milestone on the road to fame was
+left behind, for on the 8th April 1777 he passed
+his examination for lieutenant.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Two days later he got his commission to
+the <i>Lowestoffe</i>, a frigate of 32 guns.  Once
+again he visited the West Indies; but whereas
+before he had shared the hardships and labour
+of a common seaman in the merchant service,
+this time he sailed as a full-fledged ward-room
+officer in the Royal Navy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Great Britain was now at war with her
+revolted American colonies, which were soon
+to be known as the United States.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Promotion on such a station was always
+rapid, and a frigate, being both fast-sailing
+and active, was considered a grand school for
+a young officer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But even a frigate was not active enough
+for Nelson's mind, and he soon managed to
+be transferred to the schooner which acted
+as tender to the <i>Lowestoffe</i>.  Here he was able
+to put into practice the lessons in pilotage
+learned in the Medway.  There was much
+responsibility laid on his shoulders, and his
+position gave scope for the fearless self-reliance
+which he already was seen to possess.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Before leaving the Lowestoffe he had distinguished
+himself by an act of skilful seamanship
+and great bravery.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The frigate had captured a Yankee privateer,
+and the first lieutenant had been sent to board
+the prize.  There was a heavy sea running at
+the time, and after one or two attempts the
+boat was obliged to return, having failed in
+her object.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-027"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-027.jpg" alt="There was a heavy sea running">
+<br>
+There was a heavy sea running
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Have I no officer in the ship who can
+board her?" exclaimed the captain.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"It is my turn now!  If I come back, it is
+yours," said Nelson, stopping another officer
+who had hurried to the side, and jumping
+into the boat himself.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Then, as always, he was "the first on every
+service, whether by day or night," and his zeal
+and love of duty were bringing their reward,
+for promotion was coming fast.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Joining the <i>Bristol</i>, Sir Peter Parker's flagship,
+as third lieutenant, in July, he had risen
+to be first by September.  The admiral took
+a great liking to the eager young lieutenant,
+and, showing the greatest interest in him and
+in another young officer, afterwards to become
+famous as Lord Collingwood, did his best to
+bring the two young men forward.  Both more
+than bore out their chief's sound judgment,
+and showed that the fine old sailor had not
+been mistaken in his men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At twenty, Nelson was a commander, while
+a year later he was post-captain of the
+<i>Hinchinbrook</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Great Britain was by this time at war with
+both France and Spain, and there was a great
+deal of fighting on shore, in which Nelson had
+his share and showed great courage.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the words of an eye-witness, "he did
+more than his duty; when anything was to
+be done, he saw no difficulties."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The climate was a trying one, the work
+hard, and the food often scarce, and there
+was little wonder that his health gave way.
+For a long time he refused to leave his post,
+until finally, almost at death's door, he was
+carried to the admiral's house in Jamaica.
+Here he had always been treated almost like
+a son of the house, and now, thanks to Lady
+Parker's care and nursing, he partly recovered,
+and was at length able to return to England.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After some nine months' illness, he began
+to feel a little better, and the first thing he
+thought of was to apply for a new ship.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Admiralty gave him the command
+of the <i>Albemarle</i>, a frigate of 28 guns, and
+though still an invalid, and often in great
+pain, Nelson was glad to be employed again,
+and entered on his new duties with cheerfulness.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He had the power of winning men's hearts,
+and his new ship's company, both officers and
+men, soon showed that they would do
+anything to serve him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After visiting the Baltic, where he was
+afterwards to become so famous, the <i>Albemarle</i>
+sailed for Quebec, and while on this station
+Nelson soon gave a proof of his skill and
+coolness in the face of danger.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His little frigate was met and chased one
+day by a whole French squadron.  Escape
+seemed impossible, but holding on under every
+stitch of canvas, Nelson coolly threaded his
+way among the shoals and sands of Boston
+Bay, where the big French vessels were afraid
+to follow for fear of running aground.  One
+frigate, indeed, tried to do so, but on the
+<i>Albemarle</i> clearing for action, thought better
+of it, and afraid to attack single-handed,
+turned back and rejoined the other ships.
+Well might Lord Hood declare that the young
+captain "knew as much about naval tactics
+as any officer in the fleet!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A midshipman on Lord Hood's flagship, no
+less a person than our future king, William IV.,
+thus gives his early impressions of our hero,
+whom he met now for the first time, and
+with whom he formed a lasting friendship.
+To him the commander of the <i>Albemarle</i>
+appeared "the merest boy of a captain," but
+he adds, "there was something irresistibly
+pleasing in his address and conversation, <i>and
+an enthusiasm that showed he was no common
+being</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Peace was soon after declared, and the "boy
+captain" returned with Hood to England.  Of
+money from the capture of the enemies' vessels
+he had little, but of honour, which he prized
+far above riches, he had had his share.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the <i>Albemarle</i> being paid off, his whole
+ship's company showed the affection they felt
+for her captain by offering, if he could get
+another ship, to enter her immediately.  Nelson
+was much touched by this devotion, but he
+had earned a rest, and after being presented
+to his sovereign by Hood, he returned once
+more to his father's quiet rectory, to wait
+till the Admiralty should again call on his
+services.  While thus on half-pay, and being
+eager to gain any knowledge likely to help
+him in his profession, he got leave of absence
+to visit France, in order to learn the language.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Of this holiday he writes: "I hate their
+country and their manners;" and this view
+he never altered.  To the day of his death
+the man who broke and destroyed the power
+of France "hated a Frenchman like the
+devil."
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap03"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER III
+<br><br>
+NELSON IN THE WEST INDIES&mdash;AND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+Thanks to Lord Hood, very shortly
+after Nelson's return to England he
+was appointed to the command of the frigate
+<i>Boreas</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In this ship he again sailed for the West
+Indies, taking on board Sir Richard Hughes,
+the commander-in-chief of the Leeward
+Islands, and Lady Hughes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There were some thirty midshipmen on
+board, and Lady Hughes was much struck
+with Nelson's interest in and kindness to
+"the young gentlemen who had the happiness
+of being on his quarter-deck," as she
+calls them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Well, sir," he would say to some midshipman
+newly come from a life on shore, and
+naturally rather timid of going aloft, "I am
+going a race to the mast-head, and beg I
+may meet you there."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Encouraged by this, the boy would clamber
+up somehow, to be met at the top by his
+captain, who would assure him that it was
+very foolish to imagine that there was any
+danger in the feat, and very soon the
+youngster would be as much at home scaling
+the rigging as if he were climbing a tree
+bird-nesting.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When Nelson had to attend any big dinner
+or state banquet on shore a middy always
+went with him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Your Excellency must excuse me for
+bringing one of my midshipmen," he said to
+the Governor of Barbadoes, "as I make it
+a rule to introduce them to all the good
+company I can, as they have few to look
+up to besides myself during the time they
+are at sea."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson was by this time second in command
+on the station, so quickly had he risen; and
+as senior captain he had a great deal of work
+to do.  One of his chief duties was to prevent
+smuggling between the British colonies and
+the new United States.  This may have been
+not quite to his liking, and for the first and
+only time in his life Nelson was to feel that
+he was unpopular.  Bitterly he felt it; but in
+spite of the cold looks and angry murmurings
+of those around him&mdash;especially of his former
+friends, the planters&mdash;he stuck to his duty,
+and earned the thanks and gratitude of his king and country.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Some of his West Indian friends remained
+true to him, especially a Mr. P. Herbert, the
+President of the island of Nevis, who lived
+with his niece, Mrs. Nisbet, a young widow
+of twenty-eight, and her son, a child of three.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The latter soon made great friends with the
+warm-hearted sailor, who romped and played
+with him to his heart's content.  One day,
+hearing that Nelson had called, Mr. Herbert
+hastened to greet him, when, to his astonishment,
+he found "that great little man, of
+whom everybody is so afraid, playing under
+the dining-table with Mrs. Nisbet's child."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mrs. Nisbet was much touched by the
+kindness to her boy, and Nelson soon won her
+heart also.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They were married on 11th March 1787,
+Prince William adding distinction to his
+friend's wedding by giving away the bride.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Three months after the <i>Boreas</i> sailed for
+England, and, on arrival there, Nelson went
+with his wife and stepson to live under his
+father's roof at Burnham Thorpe.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mr. Nelson was now an old man, and had
+long been an invalid, but the sight of his dear
+son, he declared, had given him new life.  The
+latter had intended to go to France to again
+study the language, but his father begged him
+so hard to stay and cheer his old age, that
+Nelson felt it would be cruel to distress the
+fond parent he might never see again.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While at the parsonage he spent his time
+quietly, but on the whole happily enough.
+Sometimes he would dig for hours at a time
+in the garden, for the sheer pleasure of feeling
+weary after hard exercise.  At other times his
+boyish spirit came out, and he would go long
+bird-nesting excursions with Mrs. Nelson as
+his companion.  But on the whole the idle life
+of a country gentleman did not suit the man
+whose real home was on the sea.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He took an interest in greyhounds and
+coursing.  "Shoot I cannot, so I have not
+taken out a licence," he writes to a friend.
+His habit of carrying his gun at full cock
+and letting it off without even bringing it to
+his shoulder was scarcely likely to kill much
+game, though he proudly relates that he once
+shot a partridge.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The events of the French Revolution were,
+however, soon to provide him with more
+exciting work than shooting and bird-nesting.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In 1793 all Europe was horrified by the news
+that the French had beheaded their king and
+queen, and had promised "assistance to all
+peoples and countries wishing to be free."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This was a direct challenge to all forms of
+law and order, and was a threat at the loyal
+people of Britain, who were wisely and kindly
+governed and had no wish for any change.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The country had need of her seamen, and
+on the 30th January Nelson got what he had
+always wished for&mdash;the command of a
+battleship, the <i>Agamemnon</i>, of 64 guns.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Two days later Great Britain and Holland
+declared war on the French Republic.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Already Nelson had become known as a
+brave and kind captain to serve under, and
+a fresh proof of his popularity was given on
+his taking up his new command.  From his
+native county, Norfolk, seamen flocked in
+numbers to his flag, and captains whose ships
+were filled by the aid of the hated pressgang
+looked on with envy at the ease with which
+the <i>Agamemnon</i> secured a crew.  Nor were
+friends of Nelson's own rank lacking; for,
+besides his stepson, Josiah Nisbet, who went
+with him, many of his neighbours, the Norfolk
+squires, were glad to let their sons serve
+under him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson was a good hater, and his advice to
+his midshipmen was short and to the point:&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"First," he said, "you must always implicitly
+obey orders without attempting to form any
+opinion of your own respecting their propriety;
+secondly, you must consider every man your
+enemy who speaks ill of the king; and, thirdly,
+<i>you must hate a Frenchman as you do the devil</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The French were said to have found a way by
+which they could throw red-hot shot upon their
+enemy's ships, and thus set them on fire.  This
+caused some alarm in England, but Nelson
+only laughingly said, "Then we must get so
+close to those red-hot gentlemen that their
+shot may go through both sides, when it will
+not matter whether they are hot or cold."  And
+in this wish to come to close quarters
+the captain and crew of the <i>Agamemnon</i>
+sailed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Their first duty was the blockade of the
+towns of Toulon and Marseilles.  This was
+not exciting work, and Nelson longed for
+actual fighting.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"All we get here," he writes, "is honour
+and salt beef;" and greatly did he rejoice
+when, after nineteen weeks, he was sent to
+the island of Corsica.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Corsica had lately been given up to France
+by the Republic of Genoa, without asking the
+wishes of the natives.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Under their brave chief Paoli, who declared
+that "the rocks which surrounded him should
+melt away" before he gave in, they made a
+brave fight, but the French were too strong.
+And so the British determined to help these
+islanders in their struggle for liberty.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To Nelson, in whom Lord Hood had the
+greatest confidence, was entrusted the siege
+of Bastia, an important town, to the capture
+of which he gave his whole heart and mind.
+But the task was a hard one.  The strength
+of the enemy was much greater than Hood
+had fancied, and to have failed against such
+odds would have been no disgrace.  Indeed,
+had Nelson let his commander-in-chief know
+how greatly outnumbered he was, the risk
+might never have been taken.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain of the <i>Agamemnon</i>, however,
+was not the man to think of difficulty or
+danger, and in the end he triumphed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I always was of opinion, have ever acted
+up to it, and never had any reason to repent
+it, that one Englishman was equal to three
+Frenchmen," he had declared; and after some
+sharp fighting the garrison of Bastia,
+consisting of 4500 men, laid down their arms to
+less than 1200 British seamen.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Unhurt before Bastia, Nelson was not to
+be so lucky at his next fight, the siege of
+Calvi.  Here much of his duty lay on shore.
+The climate was a deadly one; men died
+around him in scores; he himself was constantly
+ill, but his pluck and spirits seemed to
+keep life within him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I am the reed among the oaks," he wrote;
+"I bow before the storm while the sturdy oak
+is laid low."  To add to his sufferings, a shot
+struck near him, while in the batteries before
+the town, and blinded him with sand and
+gravel.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-042"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-042.jpg" alt="Nelson wounded at Calvi">
+<br>
+Nelson wounded at Calvi
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Though he lost the sight of one eye and
+suffered great pain, he still stuck to his post.
+"Nothing but the loss of a limb would have
+kept me from my duty," he declared.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At length Calvi fell, and the wounded captain
+got back to the <i>Agamemnon</i>, now more like a
+floating hospital than a ship of war, so filled
+was she by the sick and wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Though defeated in Corsica, the French
+were everywhere else successful.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The combined armies of Great Britain,
+Austria, and Holland had been driven out of
+France and Belgium, and the Prussians and
+Austrians had retreated to the right bank of
+the Rhine.  In Spain also France was
+victorious, and Italy was soon to be crushed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fate of Europe hung in the balance.
+Bonaparte and his conquering armies seemed
+to have cast a great shadow of fear and
+oppression over the nations, and all eyes were
+turned upon England and her sea power as
+the one means of saving Europe.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With Corsica as a place of shelter for her
+ships, the influence of Britain had greatly
+increased in the Mediterranean.  The French
+saw that to make all their conquests secure
+the British fleet must be destroyed, and on
+8th March 1795 they sent out fifteen ships of
+the line, with six smaller vessels.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Admiral Hotham, who was now in Lord
+Hood's place, sailed to meet them with a
+smaller force.  The French, though in much
+greater strength, did not venture nearer than
+three miles to our ships.  They kept this
+distance till dawn the next morning, when, still
+not liking the look of things, they sailed
+away, and orders for a general chase were
+given to the British fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The <i>Agamemnon</i> got a good start, and being
+a fast sailer, soon came up with one of the
+enemy's ships, the <i>Ça Ira</i>, of 80 guns.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The latter had run into the vessel in front
+of her, and lost both her fore and main top-masts.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson saw his chance in her disabled
+condition, and quickly seized it.  The
+Frenchman "was absolutely large enough to take
+<i>Agamemnon</i> in her hold"; but her size
+mattered little to the <i>Agamemnon's</i> captain.
+Down on the enemy she swooped; reserving
+her fire till at close range, she poured in a
+storm of shot.  The other French ships were
+meanwhile hastening to the rescue; the British
+vessel was alone, far in front of her fleet, and
+Hotham made the signal for recall, but not
+before the <i>Ça Ira</i> had been so damaged that
+she had to be taken in tow by another French
+vessel, <i>Le Censeur</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Next morning both these ships had fallen
+so far behind that they were surrounded and
+had to strike their flags.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Thus Nelson's skill and daring caused the
+loss of two fine ships; but this was not
+enough to satisfy him.  In vain he pleaded
+with the admiral to pursue and attack the
+whole French fleet, which he felt sure would
+be destroyed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Hotham, a cool but cautious leader, refused
+to act.  "We must be contented; we have
+done very well," he replied to all entreaties.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"<i>Now, had we taken ten sail, and had
+allowed the eleventh to escape, when it had
+been possible to have got at her, I should
+never have called it well done,</i>" said Nelson.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Whether Hotham was too cautious, or
+whether he was right in acting as he did, it
+is hard to say; but it is certain that had
+Nelson been in command he would have
+risked everything on a battle.  His plan was
+always to attack, and either destroy or
+severely damage the enemy.  His own loss
+he never thought about.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After the excitement of the battle, Nelson,
+who always seemed well and in good spirits
+when there was fighting, began to feel ill, and
+was much troubled by pain in his wounded eye.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He had been looking forward to Lord Hood's
+coming out as commander-in-chief.  The latter
+had, to use his own words, always "treated
+him like a son," and he was much disappointed
+when Lord Howe was sent in his stead.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Lord Howe was "a great officer in the
+management of a fleet," he said; "but Lord
+Hood is equally great in all situations which
+an admiral can be placed in."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+However, it really mattered little to him, as
+he was at this time given command of a
+detached squadron, with which he was to help
+on sea the Austrians, who were fighting the
+French on land, in the part of Italy known as
+the Riviera.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On this service, while showing his usual
+zeal in all purely naval matters, he gave proof
+of great skill in dealing with political and
+diplomatic questions.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The duties of a naval officer upholding the
+honour of his country all over the world are
+many-sided.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Soldiers have not the same boldness in
+undertaking a political measure that we
+have," Nelson used to say.  "We look to the
+benefit of our country, and risk our fame
+every day to save her: a soldier obeys his
+orders and no more."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this time we must remember that the
+British army had not yet become famous
+under Wellington.  Our power on land was
+not strong enough to make much way against
+the all-conquering Frenchmen&mdash;Great Britain
+was looked on purely as a sea power.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"We had yet to see how these sea-wolves
+could fight on land," writes a French historian.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Shortly after Admiral Jervis, afterwards
+Lord St. Vincent, took command of the fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"You must have a larger ship, for we
+cannot spare you either as captain or admiral,"
+was his greeting to Nelson.  And on the 11th
+of June the latter, now a commodore, shifted
+his pendant to the <i>Captain</i>, of 74 guns, and
+bade farewell to the battered, storm-tossed
+<i>Agamemnon</i>, with her crew "who minded shot
+as little as peas."  The old ship was again to
+appear in his fleet and share the glories of
+Copenhagen and Trafalgar.  Like her former
+captain, she ended her career on active service;
+for, fifteen years after Nelson left her,
+she grounded off the coast of South America
+and was totally lost.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap04"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER IV
+<br><br>
+BATTLE OF ST. VINCENT
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+The French, everywhere victors on land,
+now made an alliance with Spain, with
+the help of whose large navy they hoped to
+be able to beat the British at sea.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At Toulon a powerful squadron was being
+made ready.  Genoa signed a treaty with the
+all-conquering Frenchmen, who were now so
+powerful that the British fleet was for a time
+forced to leave the Mediterranean.  Bastia
+was abandoned; the Island of Elba was kept
+for a short time, but even Elba had to be
+given up after a little.  Before this took
+place, however, Nelson had a sharp action
+while on the frigate <i>Minerve</i>, which showed
+that our sailors were still what he declared
+they always ought to be, "almost invincible."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The <i>Minerve</i>, after a hot fight, captured the
+Spanish frigate <i>La Sabina</i>, whose captain, Don
+Jacobo Stuart, a descendant of the unlucky
+royal house of Britain, was taken prisoner.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While the <i>Minerve</i> was taking possession
+of her prize, two ships of the line and another
+Spanish frigate came in sight.  A sharp chase
+followed, and the little <i>Minerve</i>, her masts
+and sails damaged during her late fight, was
+hard put to it before she could shake off her
+pursuers and reach a place of safety in the
+port of Ferrajo.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Don Jacobo had remained a prisoner on
+board during the pursuit; but no sooner was
+the <i>Minerve</i> safe than Nelson returned him
+his sword and sent him back under a flag of
+truce to Spain.  Such a generous deed was
+contrary to the usual custom of war, but
+Nelson felt it to be worthy of "the dignity of
+his country" to treat one of their exiled royal
+family with this respect.  The Stuarts all
+were brave men, whatever their faults, and
+this Stuart was no exception.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"He was the best officer in Spain, and his
+men were worthy of such a commander," said
+Nelson, who always honoured a brave man
+even though he was an enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson received much praise for this brilliant
+little action and "dignified retreat," as the
+admiral called it, before a much larger force
+of the enemy.  It was the first sign of more
+brilliant victories to follow.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Shortly afterwards the <i>Minerve</i> had another
+exciting escape from the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Slipping out of Gibraltar in order to join
+Jervis and his ships, the little vessel was
+espied by the whole Spanish fleet, which
+quickly started off in pursuit.  They gained
+fast; one huge ship was already quite close,
+and Nelson, fairly brought to bay, had already
+given the order to "clear for action."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Before the Dons get hold of that bit of
+bunting I will have a struggle with them,"
+he said, pointing to his flag; "and sooner
+than give up the frigate I'll run her ashore."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this anxious moment a shout of "Man
+overboard" was heard, and Lieutenant Hardy,
+in whose arms Nelson died at Trafalgar, on
+the instant lowered a boat and started to
+save the drowning seaman.  Soon those on
+the <i>Minerve</i> saw that the boat, which had by
+this time picked up the sailor, could not regain
+the frigate, try as hard as they might.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The leading Spaniard was already within
+gun-shot; to stop meant almost certain loss
+of the ship.  Nelson's mind was made up on
+the instant; come what might, he would not
+desert a shipmate in danger.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"By God, I'll not lose Hardy!" he shouted;
+"back the mizzen topsail!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The order was quickly obeyed; the frigate
+slowed down in face of her pursuers.  The
+Spaniards, astonished at this daring act,
+for some strange reason failed to press on,
+and the <i>Minerve</i>, with Hardy and the rescuing
+party safe on board, went on her way unharmed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+That same night, in a haze, the little
+frigate, which seemed to bear a charmed
+life, had an even more thrilling and
+mysterious adventure.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Suddenly she found herself sailing in the
+very midst of a large fleet, which they knew
+could not be that of Jervis.  Partly hidden
+by the fog, Nelson continued on his way,
+obeying the Spanish admiral's signals, and
+behaving just as though the <i>Minerve</i> were
+one of the enemy's frigates.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was a time of breathless excitement.
+Should the fog lift, and the enemy discover
+the strange ship in their midst, Nelson knew
+that he would have no mercy shown him
+and no chance of escape.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Whether he was with the Spanish main
+fleet or only a portion of it he had no
+means in the darkness of finding out.  He
+himself thought that he was in company
+with a squadron on its way to the West
+Indies.  In this case his mind was made up;
+unprepared as the <i>Minerve</i> was for such a
+long voyage, she would have to sail at her
+best speed, ahead of the enemy, and trust to
+reach the islands in time to warn them to
+be ready to meet an attack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The suspense was growing greater every
+minute, with the prospect of dawn and the
+mist clearing.  Suddenly the ships went about
+and pointed towards Cadiz: the Indies was
+not their object.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, now satisfied that he had been
+sailing in the very middle of the Spanish
+Grand Fleet, turned and rejoined Jervis;
+and at seven that evening he went on board
+his own ship, the <i>Captain</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+All night the ships sailed in close order
+prepared for action, our sailors standing to
+their guns.  At daybreak next morning the
+enemy were in sight, their twenty-seven ships
+of the line advancing in straggling array.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They were divided in squadrons, six ships
+in the lee division, the main body of twenty-one
+sail being in the weather division.  Three
+ships from the larger division, however,
+quickly crossed over before the British could
+get near enough to engage them, and joined
+the leeward squadron.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The British were at first sailing in two
+columns, "line ahead," a half-dozen of their
+faster ships pressing on under full canvas to
+cut in between the gradually widening gap
+in the enemy's divisions.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Before the Spaniards had time to form a
+regular order of battle, and while they were
+still in confusion, Jervis had split their force
+in two.  He was thus able to fling his whole
+fighting force on the larger Spanish squadron,
+before their friends to leeward could come to
+their aid.  When they attempted to do so
+they were beaten back, after some rough
+handling.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, who was in the rear of the British
+line, now saw that the enemy's leading ships
+of the weather division were bearing up
+before the wind, and would in a short time
+either pass behind the British rear and join
+the lee division, or else avoid the fight by
+sailing away before the wind.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In a moment, and without orders, he made
+up his mind to spoil the foeman's plan.
+Giving orders to "wear ship," he turned and
+threw himself on the enemy's van.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He had disobeyed the admiral's orders, but
+the Spanish admiral's plans had been
+prevented.  The Dons were brought to bay by
+one ship; it only remained for the other
+British vessels to hasten up and complete
+the enemy's ruin.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From the rear on the starboard tack the
+<i>Captain</i> now took the lead on the larboard, and
+single-handed she at first engaged the foe.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The <i>Culloden</i>, <i>Blenheim</i>, and the <i>Excellent</i>&mdash;the
+latter under the command of Collingwood&mdash;were
+the first to arrive and bring help
+to the Captain in her gallant fight against
+such odds.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When Collingwood, to use Nelson's own
+words, "disdaining the parade of taking
+possession of beaten enemies, with every
+sail set, pushed up to save his old messmate,"
+Nelson's gallant vessel had suffered
+severely.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+She had lost her fore-topmast, not a sail,
+shroud, or rope was left, her wheel was shot
+away.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Thus, unfit for further service in the line,
+and unable to pursue, there was only one
+thing left; and, putting her helm a-starboard,
+Nelson gave the order so dear to a British
+seaman, "Out cutlasses, and board!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+First into the <i>San Nicholas</i> the boarders
+leapt.  Captain Miller had started to lead his
+men.  "No, Miller, I must have that honour!"
+said Nelson, slipping in front of his junior
+officer, and heading the attack in person.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Many of our sailors, climbing to the yards
+which were locked in the Spaniard's
+main-rigging, dropped down on deck from above.
+The foe could not resist their furious
+charge&mdash;our seamen swept the decks.  The enemy
+were driven below; such as still remained
+yielded, and the officers gave up their swords.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Leaving some men to guard the <i>San Nicholas</i>,
+Nelson now turned to the <i>San Josef</i>, lying
+alongside.  Again the order to board was
+given, Nelson, with a shout of "Westminster
+Abbey, or victory!" leading the way.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Berry, the first man to get on the <i>San
+Nicholas</i>, was again in front, and with his
+own hand helped Nelson into the main-chains.
+Hardly had they reached the deck
+before the Spaniards surrendered.  Nelson
+receiving their swords himself, and coolly
+handing them over to one of the old
+Agamemnon's crew, who had stuck by his
+side while the fight lasted.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-059"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-059.jpg" alt="Berry helped Nelson into the main chains of the San Josef">
+<br>
+Berry helped Nelson into the main chains of the San Josef
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When the <i>Victory</i>, the admiral's flagship,
+passed a few moments later, both of the
+Spanish ships of the line had struck their
+flags to Nelson.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Cheer after cheer rose from the <i>Victory</i>,
+and the ringing huzzas were taken up by
+the whole fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"<i>Nothing in the world was ever more noble
+than the action of the </i>Captain<i> from beginning
+to end.</i>"  So wrote Sir Gilbert Elliot, who
+was with the fleet during the fight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 4 p.m. the orders to cease fighting, and
+to cover the four prizes and the crippled
+<i>Captain</i>, were given.  The defeated enemy
+sailed away, and Nelson went on board the
+flagship.  There Sir John Jervis met him
+on the quarter-deck, and, taking him in his
+arms, told Nelson he scarcely knew how to
+thank him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On Captain Calder saying that the <i>Captain's</i>
+wearing out of the line&mdash;which really won
+the battle&mdash;was an act of disobedience, the
+admiral replied, "It certainly was so; and if
+ever you commit such a breach of orders I
+shall forgive you also."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For this brilliant victory Jervis was made
+a peer, with the title of Lord St. Vincent.
+Nelson was offered a baronetcy, which he
+was too poor to accept, so he was made
+instead a Knight of the Garter.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jervis made him a present which he valued
+highly&mdash;the sword of the Spanish rear-admiral.
+This gift he sent to the city of Norwich,
+saying that "he knew no place where it
+would give him or his family more pleasure
+to have it kept than in the chief city of the
+county where he was born."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His father wrote that "tears of joy had
+trickled down his aged cheeks" to read of
+his son's bravery.  "The name and services
+of Nelson have sounded from the common
+ballad-singer to the public theatre," he added.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The <i>Captain</i> had been so knocked about
+in the battle as to be of no further use, so
+Sir Horatio, now a Rear-Admiral of the Blue,
+shifted his flag to the <i>Theseus</i>, a fine ship
+which had just come from England.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On Nelson's first going to the Theseus
+there was some doubt how the crew would
+behave.  There had lately been a mutiny in
+England among the sailors, in which the
+Theseus had taken part.  Nelson was so
+beloved that it was felt he was the captain
+to take command of discontented men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His tact and kindness, as well as his bravery
+and renown, won the day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Very soon after he came on board he
+received a packet which was dropped one
+night on the deck, and which enclosed a
+paper signed by the whole crew, containing
+these words:&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Success attend Admiral Nelson!  God
+bless Captain Miller!  We thank them for
+the officers they have placed over us.  We
+are happy and comfortable; and will shed
+every drop of blood in our veins to support
+them."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The paper ended by promising that the
+name of the <i>Theseus</i> should be as famous
+as that of her captain; and the brave sailors
+kept their word, nor did they ever give trouble
+by their conduct.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Horatio was now put in command of
+an in-shore squadron, which had orders to
+blockade Cadiz.  There was a lot of work in
+small boats, and some fierce fights took place
+between the little craft on both sides.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At no time in his life was Nelson's bravery
+greater than in these hand-to-hand conflicts.
+The danger suited him, for he loved fighting
+for fighting's sake.  Once his barge was
+boarded by a number of Spaniards, and in
+the hand-to-hand struggle John Sykes, his
+faithful coxswain, twice at great risk saved
+his admiral's life.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During the blockade news came that the
+Spanish treasure-ships from Mexico had heard
+that Lord St. Vincent was in wait for them,
+and had taken refuge at Teneriffe.  This was
+found to be untrue, but a homeward-bound
+Manilla ship had put into Santa Cruz, and
+Nelson was told to command an assault on
+the town, and secure the treasure.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The attack was beaten back, though
+Nelson and his men fought with splendid bravery.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, while leading the force, was struck
+in the right arm by a grape-shot.  His
+step-son, Josiah Nisbet, into whose arms he had
+fallen, with great skill and coolness bound
+the wound; otherwise he must have bled to
+death.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Returning to the ship, the wounded admiral
+refused all help, and, steadying himself with
+one hand, jumped up the ship's side.  Arrived
+on deck, he called for the surgeon, and
+quietly told him "to get his instruments
+ready, for he knew he must lose his arm,
+and that the sooner it was off the better."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He bore the operation without a murmur,
+and never even mentioned his own wound in
+his despatches home.  What he minded more
+was the failure of the attack; and what with
+fretting over this, and the pain of his wound,
+he became very ill.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I am become," he said, "a burthen to my
+friends, and useless to my country."  To
+Lord St. Vincent he wrote: "I hope you
+will be able to give me a frigate to convey
+the remains of my carcass to England: a
+left-handed admiral will never again be
+considered as useful."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When he reached home, Nelson was greatly
+cheered by the splendid welcome he got.
+The freedom of the cities of London and
+Bristol was given to him, while the king
+received him most graciously, and decorated
+him with the Order of the Bath, besides
+giving him a pension of £1000 a year.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After a time the wound which had caused
+him so much suffering healed, and Nelson
+wrote to a London clergyman, begging him
+to announce in church the next Sunday:
+"An officer desires to return thanks to
+Almighty God for his perfect recovery from
+a severe wound, and also for many mercies
+bestowed upon him."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As soon as he was well he was given the
+command of the <i>Vanguard</i>, 74 guns, in which
+he sailed to join the squadron off Cadiz.  "I
+do assure you that the arrival of Admiral
+Nelson has given me new life," wrote
+St. Vincent, who, now an old man and in failing
+health, joyfully welcomed the return of the
+brilliant seaman he so trusted and admired.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap05"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER V
+<br><br>
+BATTLE OF THE NILE
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+Great Britain was now alone in her
+struggle with France, and Bonaparte
+resolved that it should be a war to the
+death.  With Great Britain defeated, the
+conqueror would have the whole of Europe
+at his feet.  First he meant to strike a blow
+at our power in the East, and a great number
+of transports, filled with the best and bravest
+French soldiers, sailed for Egypt under escort
+of the French fleet.  From there they were to
+go on to India, and with the aid of the rebel
+Tippoo, try to drive us out of the country.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To prevent this, Nelson was sent from
+Cadiz with a large force of ships.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Heavy weather was met with, during which
+the <i>Vanguard</i> lost her main and mizzen
+top-masts, while her foremast snapped off close
+to the deck.  So damaged was she that she
+had to be taken in tow.  In the meantime
+the frigates of the squadron, thinking the
+flagship would have to return to refit at
+Gibraltar, sailed back to that port.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I thought Hope" (the commander of the
+frigates) "would have known me better,"
+Nelson bitterly said; and in four days the
+<i>Vanguard</i>, having been what is called
+"jury-rigged," continued on her way.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The loss of the frigates, "the eyes of the
+fleet," was a great misfortune, and in the
+eight weeks' chase which followed Nelson
+had much cause to regret their absence.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Alexandria reached, there was no news of
+the enemy, though three days after, while the
+British were sailing between Cyprus and the
+island of Rhodes, they actually arrived.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This Nelson of course did not know, and
+doubling back he reached Syracuse, where
+he anchored, "having gone a round of six
+hundred leagues," to use his own words,
+"and still as ignorant of the situation as he
+was twenty-seven days ago."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Already at home people were beginning
+to murmur, and to wonder what the great
+Nelson was about to let the foe escape him
+in this way.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He himself was very sad at his want of
+success.  "My return to Syracuse broke my
+heart; more people die of broken hearts than
+we are aware of," he afterwards said.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Again the squadron sailed, and this time
+the foe were found and brought to bay.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At length on the 1st of August 1798 the
+look-out at the mast-head made the signal
+that the French were at anchor in Aboukir
+Bay, 15 miles east of Alexandria, and thus
+the long pursuit had ended.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In numbers the two fleets were equal, but
+Brueys, the French admiral, had larger ships
+and more guns.  To attack him the British
+would have to advance through unknown and
+shallow waters.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Brueys did not believe that our vessels
+could thread their way among the shoals
+which lay between him and the shore, and
+in this belief he prepared to meet the attack,
+which he felt sure must be made from the
+more open sea on his rear.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, who in his early days had been
+famous for his skill and daring as a pilot,
+was to rudely shake this mistaken idea.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The wind blew along the French line, and
+he was thus able by attacking their van and
+centre to throw what force he pleased on a
+few ships.  All his plans were made, and in
+order that there might be no mistake about
+his orders being quickly understood, the
+admiral had caused new signals to be written
+in the signal-books.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His captains had often met on the <i>Vanguard</i>
+and talked of the coming battle.  "First gain
+the victory," Nelson had told them, "and
+then make the best use of it you can."  Now
+they were all eager for the fight, and full of
+admiration for the admiral's plan of battle.
+"If we succeed, what will the world say?"
+exclaimed Captain Berry.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"There is no <i>if</i> in the case," answered
+Nelson; "that we shall succeed is certain:
+who may live to tell the story, is a very
+different question."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 5.30 p.m.&mdash;less than three hours after the
+enemy had been sighted&mdash;the signal was given
+to the British fleet to form line of battle in
+single column, the ships ranged ahead and
+astern of each other.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Hood of the <i>Zealous</i>, carefully
+sounding as he went, with Captain Foley
+of the <i>Goliath</i>, led the way, the latter ship
+ahead of but outside the <i>Zealous</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The flagship came sixth in order, so that
+Nelson could, if he thought it best to do so,
+change the plan of attack of the other vessels
+which came after him.  The <i>Vanguard</i> had six
+flags flying in different parts of her rigging,
+so that her colours might not be shot away:
+"<i>That they should be struck</i>," to quote
+Southey, "<i>no British admiral considers as a
+possibility</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Keeping out of every danger in the way
+of shoals, the British bore up to battle; so
+coolly and steadily did they advance, and so
+skilfully did they haul round every danger,
+that Brueys felt sure they must have pilots on board.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A brilliant idea here struck Captain Foley.
+Taking the depth carefully as he went along,
+he passed round <i>on the inside</i> of the leading
+French ship, and brought up opposite the
+<i>Conquerant</i>, second of the enemy's line.  The
+<i>Zealous</i>, <i>Orion</i>, <i>Theseus</i>, and <i>Audacious</i>
+followed, and placed themselves between the
+Frenchmen and the shore.  The <i>Vanguard</i>, with
+the other British ships, passed on the outside.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By this means the French were caught
+between two fires, and within a few minutes
+five French ships were defending themselves
+against the attack of eight British, while the
+other French vessels to leeward were forced
+to look on.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The battle was partly hidden by smoke and
+the fading light.  In the growing darkness
+the <i>Bellerophon</i> and the <i>Majestic</i> pushed up.
+The former drew up abreast of the <i>Orient</i>, a
+ship whose power was double her own, and
+with whom she was soon engaged in a
+desperate single combat.  The <i>Majestic</i>, raked by
+the fire&mdash;in which her captain fell&mdash;of the first
+French ship she met, the <i>Heureux</i>, sailed on
+and fell upon the <i>Mercure</i>, into whose sides
+she poured a desperate volley.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For an hour the British ships kept their
+places, and during the hottest of the fight
+Nelson was struck on the forehead, and, for
+the time being, was quite blinded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With the words, "I am killed," he sank into
+Berry's arms.  With tender care he was
+carried to the cockpit.  Here, as at Santa
+Cruz, and as afterwards at Trafalgar, he
+refused to have his wound looked to before
+his humbler messmates had been attended
+by the surgeons.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When the admiral's time came it was found
+that the wound was less serious than at first
+thought.  Rest was ordered, but this the
+impatient spirit of Nelson could not stand
+while the battle was raging round him and
+the result was still uncertain.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile the other British ships were
+hastening up to throw their weight into the
+balance and turn the scale towards victory.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The gallant Troubridge had the ill fortune
+of seeing his ship, the <i>Culloden</i>, run aground
+and stick fast.  All efforts to get her off failed,
+and she lay there a helpless log, while her
+captain and crew longed to be in the thick
+of the battle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Unable to fight, Troubridge was yet able to
+give his comrades great help, and to play a
+big part in the victory.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By constant signalling in the growing
+<i>darkness</i> by means of lanterns, he warned the
+other captains of his position, and prevented
+them from sharing his own fate.  With this
+beacon in the shape of a stranded ship to
+guide them, they were able, by avoiding the
+way she had come, to sail on with greater
+speed and confidence to battle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson saw the service <i>Troubridge</i> had done,
+and pitied him greatly for the accident, while
+he praised his skill in saving the ship.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"It was Troubridge," said he, "who saved
+the <i>Culloden</i> when none that I know in the
+service would have attempted it."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Her misfortune was great in getting
+aground," he wrote to the Admiralty, "while
+her more fortunate companions were in full
+tide of happiness.  Captain Troubridge on
+shore is superior to captains afloat: in the
+midst of his great misfortunes he made those
+signals which prevented, certainly, the
+<i>Alexander</i> and <i>Swiftsure</i> from running on the
+shoals.  I beg your pardon for writing on a
+subject which I verily believe has never entered
+your lordship's head; but my heart, as it ought
+to be, is warm to my gallant friends."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This letter was sent because he heard that
+the gold medals given to the captains at the
+fight might not include Troubridge, whose
+ship had not been in action.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-074"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-074.jpg" alt="The Battle of the Nile">
+<br>
+The Battle of the Nile
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Pouring their fire on the enemy's centre, the
+new arrivals, which the <i>Culloden</i> had guided,
+put the fate of the battle beyond doubt.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A little before nine, Admiral Brueys' flagship
+took fire, and at a quarter to ten she blew
+up, with a terrific explosion, the flames
+illuminating the whole bay, and showing a picture
+of awful grandeur.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A death-like silence followed the explosion;
+both sides for the time ceased firing.  Of the
+brave foemen who fought their ship to the
+last, only some seventy were saved by the
+British crews.  Among the many who perished
+was the commodore's son, Casa Bianca, a
+brave boy of thirteen, the hero of the poem,
+"The boy stood on the burning deck," who
+refused to leave the doomed ship.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When dawn broke over the scene of wreck
+and ruin, the extent of the victory was seen.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The leading French ships had struck; the
+flagship was no more; the <i>Tonnant</i> was still
+afloat, but mastless; the <i>Heureux</i> and <i>Mercure</i>
+ashore.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Three ships of the enemy's line only were
+still standing, and of these two escaped under
+Rear-Admiral Villeneuve.  The third, the
+<i>Timoleon</i>, ran aground, when she was set fire to by
+her captain, and went down with her colours
+flying in all the pride of "no surrender."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fight had been fierce, and the victory
+was great.  The British crews, who had been
+"working and fighting at their hardest for
+near twelve hours," no sooner cast anchor
+than they dropped on deck completely tired
+out, and slept where they lay.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 2nd of August, "Almighty God having
+blessed His Majesty's arms with victory"&mdash;so
+ran the memorandum&mdash;a public thanksgiving
+was held throughout the fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the same day, Nelson sent to the captains,
+officers, and seamen of the fleet, asking
+them "to accept the Admiral's most sincere
+and cordial thanks for their very gallant
+behaviour in this glorious battle."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Honours fell fast upon the victor.  Letters
+of congratulation from the Czar, the Sultan,
+the Kings of Sardinia and the two Sicilies
+reached him.  A grateful country gave him
+the honour of a peerage, under the title of
+Baron Nelson of the Nile, besides a pension
+of £2000 a year.  The East India Company,
+who felt that he had saved India by his victory,
+made him a present of £10,000.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At home the whole country spoke of little
+else but of Nelson and his glorious deeds.
+Indeed, throughout all Europe the fame of
+the great admiral was ringing.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap06"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER VI
+<br><br>
+IN THE MEDITERRANEAN&mdash;AND AT HOME
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+After the battle Nelson sailed for Italy.
+On this voyage he became seriously ill,
+and for eighteen hours he was not expected
+to get better.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Feeling his end to be near, he wrote to
+the chief he so loved, Lord St. Vincent, bidding
+him farewell.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I never expect, my dear lord, to see your
+face again," he said.  "It may please God
+that this will be the finish to that fever of
+anxiety which I have endured from the
+middle of June"&mdash;during the search for the
+French fleet.  "But be that as it pleases His
+goodness.  I am resigned to His will."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The voyage, however, seemed to do him
+good, and on arrival at Naples a splendid
+welcome cheered his drooping spirits.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Queen of Naples&mdash;who was a sister of
+the unfortunate and beautiful Marie Antoinette,
+the queen whom the French had beheaded&mdash;greeted
+him with every show of joy and
+delight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"O brave Nelson!  O God! bless and
+protect our brave deliverer!" she said.  "O
+Nelson!  Nelson! what do we not owe you!
+O conqueror! saviour of Italy!  The whole
+of the sea-coast of Italy is saved; and this
+is owing alone to the generous English."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The people of Naples had all along had
+kindly feelings to Great Britain, but they
+had been afraid of seeming too friendly lest
+they should offend the French.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The latter had now overthrown the Pope
+and his government, and put in their place
+a Roman republic.  This was a constant
+danger to the kingdom of Naples.  Not only
+were they frightened of being attacked, but
+they also feared that the people would follow
+the example of the French, raise the standard
+of revolt, and perhaps treat the king and
+queen as the French had used their royal
+family.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the advice of Nelson, and urged thereto
+by the queen and Lady Hamilton, her great
+friend, the wife of the English minister, the
+king at length made war on the French,
+and his army marched on Rome.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson in the meanwhile promised that
+the Bay of Naples should never be left
+without an English man-of-war to protect
+the royal family.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At first the Neapolitan army did very
+well; after some skirmishing they forced the
+French general to leave Rome, and they then
+entered the city in triumph.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This was, however, the end of their success.
+The army was composed of fine stalwart
+men, and in their bright uniforms had at
+first so pleased Nelson that the great
+seaman compared them to the finest troops in
+Europe.  They were, however, useless when
+it came to hard knocks and real fighting.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When they attempted to follow up the
+retreating Frenchmen, the latter, though
+outnumbered by two to one, turned at bay.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The result was not long in doubt; the
+well-trained French soldiers utterly broke and
+beat them, and sent them flying back like a
+flock of sheep to Naples.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The town was in a state of panic, and
+unsafe for peaceable people.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The king and queen were in great danger,
+and Nelson determined to rescue them from
+their rebel subjects.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Lady Hamilton, with no thought for the
+danger she was running, found out and
+carefully explored an underground passage
+leading from the palace to the seashore.
+Through this passage the royal treasures,
+to the amount of two millions and a half of
+money, were secretly carried, and safely put
+on board the British vessels.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On a wild stormy night Nelson himself
+landed and brought off the whole royal family
+in three barges, which in face of the storm
+and heavy sea reached the <i>Vanguard</i> without accident.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For two more days the <i>Vanguard</i> waited
+in the bay to rescue any such people as felt
+they were in danger.  The property of all
+British merchants had been saved, and they
+were offered a refuge on board any British
+ship in the squadron.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At length, when everything had been done
+to save our countrymen in peril, the fleet
+sailed; and after meeting the worst storm
+Nelson had ever sailed through, after a
+three days' stormy passage, landed the
+rescued royal family at Palermo, where they
+were safe from all harm.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+All through this exciting time Nelson acted
+with the most cool bravery and perfect tact.
+His presence of mind never left him; sailor
+and fighter first and above all things, he was
+at the same time bold and skilful in dealing
+with affairs of state.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"You are as great in the Cabinet as on
+the ocean," was the praise given by Lord
+St. Vincent.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The world knows that Lord Nelson can
+fight the battles of his country," said Lord
+Minto; but he went on to say that besides
+his skill and courage as a seaman, Nelson
+possessed judgment, ability, and patience,
+with which to protect his country's honour
+and interests&mdash;qualities "<i>not always allied to
+the sort of spirit which, without an instant's
+hesitation, can attack the whole Spanish line
+with his single ship</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The power of the French in the Mediterranean
+was now greatly weakened.  Their
+army, watched by the English fleet as a cat
+watches a mouse, was not allowed to leave
+Egypt.  In Malta they were being sorely
+pressed, and to make matters worse, the
+Portuguese made an alliance with Great
+Britain, and sent their fleet to be under
+Nelson's orders.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The British admiral was determined to
+destroy their power still more.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"<i>Down, down with the French!</i> is my
+constant prayer," wrote Nelson.  "<i>Down,
+down with the French!</i> ought to be placed
+in the council-room of every country in the
+world."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile, the French, though so thoroughly
+beaten at Aboukir, had not altogether
+lost heart, and on the 12th of May news
+came to Nelson at Palermo that a French
+fleet had been seen off Oporto, heading
+towards the Straits of Gibraltar.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The admiral, who had been in poor health
+and low spirits, fretting at the idle and
+peaceful life he was leading, on the instant
+became like a new man.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Not a moment shall be lost in bringing
+them to battle," he joyfully exclaimed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Your lordship may depend that the
+squadron under my command shall never
+fall into the hands of the enemy," he wrote
+to St. Vincent; adding, "and before we are
+destroyed I have little doubt that the enemy
+will have their wings so completely clipped
+that they may be easily overtaken."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The words, "before we are destroyed," show
+the sort of fighter Nelson was.  He did not
+fight only for victory and when he felt sure
+of beating the enemy.  For the good of his
+country he would have hurled a few ships on
+the whole fleet of the foe, satisfied if he made
+the enemy suffer&mdash;"clipped their wings," to
+use his own words.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this time Nelson received a strange
+present from a Captain Hallwell, in the shape
+of a coffin made out of the mainmast of the
+French flagship which blew up at Aboukir.
+Nelson was greatly pleased with the gift,
+which he had placed in his cabin just behind
+where he sat at dinner.  "We shall have hot
+work of it, indeed," the crew said.  "You see
+the admiral intends to fight till he is killed;
+and there he is to be buried."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+That this battle never took place was due
+to no fault of Nelson, who waited eagerly for
+the enemy at Palermo.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this time he learnt to his great grief
+that Lord St. Vincent, his old chief and firm
+friend, was going home.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Admiral Keith, the new commander-in-chief,
+found a splendid force under him when he
+took command.  This was divided into two
+divisions&mdash;thirteen ships under Nelson cruising
+in Sicilian waters, while his own force of
+twenty ships was off Toulon.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Had Nelson's squadron been stronger, he
+might have forced the enemy to fight, but
+even Nelson shrank from the foolhardy attempt
+of wilfully attacking twenty-two French sail
+with a very much weaker force.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He therefore made up his mind to wait for
+more ships before going in search of the
+enemy.  Should the French, however, approach
+either Naples or Sicily, he was ready to fight
+to the death, and at least damage their fleet
+so much that they could do no further
+mischief, and be quite unfitted "even for a
+summer cruise."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the enemy made no attempt on either
+Naples or Sicily, Nelson, with the help of his
+squadron, began to restore order in the former
+place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Troubridge fought manfully in driving out
+the French.  The fighting was for the greater
+part on shore, and Nelson laughingly called
+the brave seaman "a first-rate general."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He replied to those who thought naval
+officers ought not to be used in attacking
+fortifications, "We have but one idea&mdash;to get
+close alongside."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"None but a sailor would have placed a
+battery only 180 yards from the Castle of
+St. Elmo" (a fortress in Naples), he wrote.  "A
+soldier must have gone according to art, and
+the wwww way"&mdash;making with his pen these
+zigzags like four w's, to show a roundabout
+way of attack.  "My brave Troubridge went
+straight on, for we had no time to spare."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Soon the whole of the French force was
+driven out of Naples and the royal family
+were able to return.  They showed how
+grateful they were to the brave Englishman
+who had not only saved them from danger,
+but restored them to their rights, by making
+Nelson Duke of Bronté, with a property of
+about £3000 a year; and from that time
+Nelson signed his name "Nelson and Bronté"
+in all letters and despatches.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While the British squadron was in the Bay
+of Naples, Caraccioli, the head of the rebel
+Neapolitan navy, was captured.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He had been a commodore in his country's
+navy, but when the rebellion broke out he
+deserted his king and joined the rebels.  On
+being tried on board the <i>Foudroyant</i>, he was
+found guilty by a court-martial of his
+fellow-countrymen.  He was plainly a traitor, and
+he suffered the end of traitors, being by
+Nelson's orders hanged at the yardarm of
+the <i>Minerva</i>, his betrayed royal master's
+frigate.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For this act Nelson has often been blamed,
+but we must remember that the man was a
+traitor; it was necessary to make an example,
+and the crime of which Caraccioli was guilty
+was one hateful to all seamen, and to all loyal
+men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Keith had now gone back to England, and
+it might have been expected that Nelson,
+now an Admiral of the Red, would remain
+in chief command.  But the Admiralty had
+other views, and shortly afterwards sent
+Keith back to command in the Mediterranean.
+Nelson felt this as a slight put upon him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Greenwich Hospital seems a fit retreat
+for me after being evidently thought unfit to
+command in the Mediterranean," he wrote.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Another event took place which caused him
+much sorrow and regret.  Bonaparte, who had
+always said, "We will arrive safe; Fate will
+never abandon us; we will arrive safe in spite
+of the enemy," made good his boast by sailing
+from Egypt in spite of all the watchfulness of
+the British, and landing safely in France on the
+11th of October.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, who wished that not one Frenchman
+should be allowed to leave Egypt, was
+much annoyed at this escape; for had
+Bonaparte been caught the war would probably
+have ceased, and the whole course of history
+been changed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was no fault of our admiral's, for his
+ships were being used in the blockade of
+Malta.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If I could have had cruisers, as was my
+plan, off Cape Bon," he said, "Mr. Bonaparte
+could not probably have got to France."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Soon after Keith returned, Nelson, "the
+heaven-born admiral," as one of his captains
+called him, aided by luck, had a triumphant
+ending to this period of his career in the
+Mediterranean; for both <i>Le Genereux</i> and the
+<i>Guillaume Tell</i>, the two French ships which
+had escaped the battle of the Nile, were
+captured by him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During the fight with the former, a shot
+passed through the mizzen stay-sail of the
+admiral's ship.  Nelson, patting one of the
+midshipmen on the head, asked him laughingly
+"how he liked the music."  Seeing the boy
+looked rather alarmed, he spoke kindly to
+him, told him that Charles XII. ran away
+from the first shot he heard, though
+afterwards he was called "The Great," from his
+bravery.  "I therefore," said Nelson, "hope
+much from you in future."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With the capture of the last of the Nile
+fleet Nelson felt that his work was for the
+time being done.  "My task is done, my
+health is lost, and the orders of the great
+Earl St. Vincent are completely fulfilled,"
+he wrote.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Having obtained leave to go home, he
+started to travel through Germany, where he
+was treated as a popular hero, and taking
+ship from Hamburg, he arrived at Yarmouth
+on the 6th November 1800, two years and
+eight months from the time he left Spithead.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On going on shore the admiral received a
+splendid welcome.  He was the idol of the
+whole nation, his name on every one's lips.
+The freedom of the city was presented to
+him; at night bonfires and illuminations
+were lit in his honour.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His whole journey to London was a
+triumphal procession, and when he arrived
+the mob insisted on taking the horses out
+of the carriage and drawing him in state
+to the city.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After a short time in London, Nelson went
+to spend Christmas with his friends, the
+Hamiltons, at the country house of
+Mr. Beckford, a mutual friend.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During this visit a curious tale is told by
+his host of Nelson (as showing what different
+forms courage may take).
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The latter, in order to show his famous
+visitor some distant part of the estate, took
+him for a drive in his mail phaeton, drawn
+by four horses.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The horses were quite under control, but,
+being fresh, rattled along at a good pace.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson sat in silence for a time, with a
+fixed, drawn face.  Finally he could stand it
+no longer, and saying quietly, "This is too
+much for me; you must set me down," he
+insisted on getting out and walking the
+whole way home.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The man whose whole life was a record
+of daring and bravery at sea and in action
+was, after all, only human!
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap07"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER VII
+<br><br>
+BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+His time at home was short, for again
+there were signs of war, and the fleet
+was once more to be called upon to strike a
+blow for our national honour.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this time Great Britain claimed the right
+of searching the vessels of other countries
+who were not at war with either England or
+France, and if any goods were found on board
+which were being carried to the French, they
+were seized.  This had more than once led
+to quarrels with Denmark, and there had
+already been some fighting between British
+and Danish ships, though there was no actual
+declaration of war.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Paul I., Czar of Russia, was very angry at
+the British for not allowing him to take Malta,
+and in revenge he seized three hundred of
+our merchant ships, which were lying in
+Russian ports, and made their crews prisoners.
+Not content with this, he revived an old
+treaty of 1780, and Russia, Sweden, Denmark,
+and Prussia formed themselves into an
+alliance known as the "Armed Neutrality," the
+object of which was to prevent the British
+searching their ships, by force if it were
+necessary.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Napoleon naturally did his best to help and
+encourage the northern powers.  His own
+fleet and that of Spain had been crushed, or
+were unable to do any harm owing to the
+strict watch the British kept on them, which
+prevented them coming out of harbour.  The
+northern powers had, however, a fine fleet of
+some fifty battleships, and he hoped to be
+able to use these as a weapon against his
+unyielding foe, Great Britain, who was once
+again left without an ally in Europe.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Great Britain at first meant to try and reason
+with Denmark, and in order to show the Danes
+that she was in earnest, and at the same time
+prevent the Russian ships from joining their
+allies, a fleet under Sir Hyde Parker, with
+Nelson as second-in-command, set sail on the
+12th of March from Yarmouth.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I hate your pen and ink men.  A fleet of
+British ships of war are the best negotiators
+in Europe," Nelson had said, and the
+Government also seemed to think so.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile the Danes were toiling manfully
+at the defence of their capital.  Workmen,
+country peasants, city merchants, students,
+young and old alike of all classes, enrolled
+themselves as volunteers, and prepared to
+make their beloved Copenhagen secure against
+assault, or lay down their lives in its defence.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Rather less than three weeks from the time
+they had left England the fleet arrived, and
+passing the island of Elsinore, dropped anchor
+about five miles from Copenhagen.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Hyde Parker, who all through acted with
+an extreme caution, which was very unlike
+Nelson's methods, was for a long time
+uncertain whether to take his ships by the
+narrower Sound or by the more open Great
+Belt.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At length he decided to risk going by the
+Sound, and sent word to tell Nelson of his
+intention.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I don't care by which passage we go,"
+said the latter, "so that we fight them."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He had been in a great state of anxiety lest
+his chief might think the fortifications, floating
+batteries, and ships of the Danes too strong
+to assault.  Now that the attack was to take
+place, he again felt happy, and was able to
+give his whole mind to the best means of
+making victory certain.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In front of Copenhagen there is a large
+shoal between the two channels through
+which big ships can sail.  Along the land side
+of the inner channel the Danes were posted
+in greatest strength.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Here they waited for the British attack, sure
+that the fleet would enter by the inner channel,
+and confident in their power to defeat it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They did not know the great seaman.  His
+plan was quite different to what they thought,
+and was to go in by the outer channel, and
+flinging himself on their rear, fight his way
+up the inner channel.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To make matters still more difficult for our
+ships, all the buoys had been taken away, so
+that it was impossible to guess where the
+channel lay, and easy to run aground on the
+many shoals and sandbanks.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This was a serious drawback, but Nelson
+overcame it, though at great risk to himself.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Under cover of darkness and fog, he spent
+two nights in an open boat, rowing with
+muffled oars, and silently taking soundings
+and finding out the depth.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On April 1 the fleet sailed up still closer
+to the doomed city, and was now only two
+miles away.  After anchoring, Captain Hardy
+set off in a small rowing boat, and in the
+most fearless way slipped under the Danish
+batteries.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Hidden by the darkness, he rounded the
+Danish flagship.  Not daring to heave the
+lead in the ordinary way, for fear the noise
+of the splash would betray him, he carefully
+sounded with a pole.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The slightest whisper would have ruined
+all, but with bated breath the British
+seamen continued to take the depth under the
+batteries and round the ships, and Fortune
+favoured them.  The Danish sentinels never
+heard them, and they returned to their ship
+in safety, with a full knowledge of where
+their vessels could swing, and what parts of
+the channel they must avoid.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson had only asked for ten ships of
+the line of light draught, with which to
+make the attack.  Admiral Parker, however,
+gave him two more vessels than he
+had asked for, as he feared there was a great
+chance of some of the ships sticking fast and
+falling out of the line.  Parker himself drew
+off, ready to help if he could do so, but more
+for the purpose of preventing the Russian
+and Swedish ships, should they come up,
+from joining their Danish allies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the morning the wind, which had hitherto
+been adverse, changed, and blew fair for the
+British attack.  But now a hitch occurred in
+the plans, which might have proved fatal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By eight o'clock not a pilot could be found
+willing to guide the British fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I experienced in the Sound the misery of
+having the honour of our country entrusted
+to pilots who have no other thought than to
+keep the ship clear of danger, and their silly
+heads clear of shot," Nelson used afterwards
+bitterly to relate.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In justice to the men he so severely blames,
+we must remember that they were the masters
+and mates of merchant ships engaged in the
+Baltic trade.  These vessels were small and
+of shallow draught, and guiding a mighty
+battleship during the thick of a fight was
+a different affair to piloting their little craft
+through the channels they had learned to
+know in time of peace.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While in this difficulty, Captain Murray, in
+the <i>Edgar</i>, volunteered to lead the line, his
+master, Mr. Brierly, taking upon him the
+hard task of pilot.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At about ten in the morning all was ready,
+and the signal to weigh in succession was
+given.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The <i>Edgar</i>, as arranged, advanced, showing
+the way, and right well did she play her
+part.  Not so fortunate was Nelson's old
+flagship, the <i>Agamemnon</i>, which, failing to round
+the middle ground, went ashore, where she
+stuck, in spite of all the exertions of her
+crew to get her off.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nor did the British misfortunes end here,
+for the next two ships, the <i>Bellona</i> and <i>Russel</i>,
+following close in her wake, shared the same
+fate, and thus a quarter of the attacking force
+was already out of action.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, who came next, in the <i>Elephant</i>,
+was like to come to grief in the same manner.
+Had he followed his own orders to the fleet,
+"that each ship should pass her leader on the
+starboard aide," he must have run aground.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In an instant he saw the danger, and,
+ordering his helm to be put hard a-starboard,
+passed the <i>Russel</i> on the larboard beam.  The
+whole line followed him, and entering the
+true channel the battle was saved.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The rest of the ships all made the dangerous
+passage in safety, and on reaching their
+stations anchored by the stern and began to
+pour both broadsides on the Danes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Rioux, with the light division of
+frigates, was now ordered to take the place
+of the three stranded battleships, and attack
+the batteries.  Gallantly did the light division
+play its part, firing with deadly effect on the
+Danish works, and heedless of their own
+loss.
+</p>
+
+<p class="poem">
+  "Again, again, again,<br>
+  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And the havoc did not slack."<br>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+"Here was no manœuvring: it was downright
+fighting."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"It is warm work, and this day may be the
+last to any of us at a moment," said Nelson,
+amid a shower of splinters; "but mark you,"
+he added, his eye kindling with the light
+of battle, "I would not be elsewhere for
+thousands."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The pounding at short range was deadly
+and unceasing; scarcely two hundred yards
+separated the combatants.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Danish flagship, fighting to the end
+with desperate courage, took fire; still, amid
+the flames, the gunners continued to fire a
+deadly storm of shot and shell.  Only when
+the fire got the mastery, and with a mighty
+roar the gallant ship blew up, did she cease
+to trouble her foes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile, out in the Sound the thunder
+of the fight was borne to the anxious ears of
+Sir Hyde Parker.  The admiral knew the
+sore straits from the loss of three ships
+Nelson was bound to be in, and the odds
+against which he was fighting.  A stormy
+wind was blowing dead against him, and he
+could not hope to beat up against it in time
+to bring aid.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, he knew, would never give in while
+he lived: he was not the man to turn back
+from a fight.  At length the admiral could
+stand the suspense no longer, and the famous
+signal, No. 39, the order to cease action, was
+hoisted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+What follows is known to every schoolboy
+wherever the English tongue is spoken.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson was pacing his quarter-deck when
+the signal-lieutenant interrupted his walk and
+reported the signal.  "Acknowledge it,"
+replied the admiral shortly, adding fiercely, "Is
+mine, No. 16" (for close action), "still flying?"  On
+being told that it was, "Then mind you
+keep it so," he said, turning on his heel and
+resuming his restless pacing of the deck.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Leave off action!" he added; "I'm hanged
+if I do!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<a id="p75"></a>
+Clapping his glass to his sightless eye,
+"You know, Foley," he added, turning to his
+captain, "I've a right to be blind sometimes.
+I really do not see the signal.  <i>D&mdash;-n the
+signal! keep mine for closer action flying.</i>"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As at Cape St. Vincent, so at Copenhagen,
+this act of seeming disobedience won the day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Unfortunately, the squadron of frigates and
+small craft under Rioux&mdash;"the gallant good
+Rioux" of Campbell's poem&mdash;took the order
+literally.  "What will Nelson think of us?"
+said the brave captain, as he obediently
+withdrew.  Just as he spoke a chain-shot
+ploughed into the deck, killing a party of
+marines and striking him down, with the
+ringing words, "Come, then, my boys, let us
+all die together," on his lips.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By two o'clock the Danish fire had
+slackened; half their line were wrecks, the
+floating batteries were either sunk or nearly
+silenced; their flagship was ablaze.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson's humane nature could not bear that
+so many brave men should be killed, now that
+their valour was useless and his own victory
+complete.  Calling for pen and ink, he wrote
+the following:&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+"<i>To the brothers of Englishmen, the Danes</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Lord Nelson has directions to spare Denmark
+when no longer resisting; but if the
+firing is continued on the part of Denmark,
+Lord Nelson will be obliged to set on fire
+all the floating batteries he has taken,
+without having the power of saving the brave
+Danes who have defended them."
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+His secretary was about to close the letter
+in its envelope with the ordinary wafer then
+in common use, but Nelson objected to this,
+and bade him bring wax and a taper, with
+which the letter was carefully sealed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Had I made use of the wafer," he explained
+to those around him, "it would have
+been wet when presented to the Crown
+Prince.  He would have inferred that the
+letter was sent off in a hurry, and that we
+had some very pressing reason for being in
+a hurry.  <i>The wax told no tales</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Crown Prince wrote back proposing
+that they should stop fighting for the time
+and try to come to terms.  Nelson, with
+great shrewdness, said he must first ask Sir
+Hyde Parker.  He knew that it would take
+some time before he could get an answer
+from the latter, and in the meanwhile he
+would be able to get his battered ships out
+of reach of the Danish guns, and into the
+open channel.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By nightfall a truce was agreed upon,
+and the British were busy floating their own
+ships which had run aground, and securing
+their prizes, only one of which could, however,
+be used again, so fiercely had fought the two
+nations, both sprung from a race of sea-kings.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The French and Spanish fight well; but
+they could not have stood for an hour such
+a fire as the Danes sustained for four hours,"
+Nelson said.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The British admiral's aim was next to
+attack the Russian squadron lying in Revel,
+but in order to do this the fleet would have
+to pass the batteries which commanded the
+shoal ground above Copenhagen.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Parker naturally did not care to leave
+Denmark hostile in his rear, while the
+Crown Prince was afraid that if he came
+too quickly to terms he would offend his
+powerful ally and neighbour, the Czar.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Matters were in this state, when, on April 4,
+while Nelson was on shore trying to arrange
+for at least a four months' peace, news was
+brought that the Czar had been murdered.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With this monarch's death the chief
+reason for the alliance was taken away, and
+Napoleon's dreams of a great fleet with
+which he might attack Great Britain had
+come to nothing.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Five days after, Denmark agreed to take
+no further part in the Armed Neutrality, and
+also promised to take no further steps to
+prepare her ships for war.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson had again shown himself "as great
+in the Cabinet as on the ocean."  His victory
+had been a glorious one, but his skill and
+tact in arranging terms after the battle were
+equally remarkable.  Friend and foe alike
+agreed that it was he that had brought
+about the peace.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Your Lordship's whole conduct, from your
+first appointment to this hour," wrote Lord
+St. Vincent, "is the subject of our constant
+admiration.  It does not become me to make
+comparisons; all agree there is but one Nelson."
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap08"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER VIII
+<br><br>
+NAPOLEON'S THREATENED INVASION OF ENGLAND
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+As soon as peace had been made with
+the Danes, the British fleet set out
+for the Baltic, with the object of finding the
+Swedish squadron.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson had in the meantime shifted his
+flag to the <i>St. George</i>, and as some repairs
+had to be made to this ship, he was forced
+to remain behind till she could be got ready.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"We have reports," he had written to
+Lady Hamilton, "that the Swedish fleet is
+above the Shallows.  All our fellows are
+longing to be at them, and so do I, as
+great a boy as any of them, for I consider
+this as being at school, and going to
+England as going home for the holidays;
+therefore I really long to finish my task."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Before his flagship was ready for sea a
+report came that the Swedish admiral had
+sailed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The idea that a fight should take place,
+and Nelson himself not be present, was not
+to be thought of.  Instantly he ordered a
+boat to be lowered, and in this he started
+off to join the fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His only feeling was one of fear lest the
+fleet should have sailed before he got on
+board one of the ships.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+So great was his hurry that he would not
+even wait till his overcoat was brought to him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"No, I am not cold," he kept repeating:
+"my anxiety for my country will keep me warm."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Do you think the fleet has sailed?" he
+added; "if they are, we shall follow them to
+Carlscrona, by Gad!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the words of one of his officers, "The
+idea of going in a small boat, rowing six
+oars, without a single morsel of anything to
+eat or drink, the distance of about ten leagues,
+must convince the world <i>that every other
+earthly consideration than that of saving
+his country was totally banished from his
+thoughts</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About midnight the tired rowers reached
+the <i>Elephant</i>, up whose side Nelson clambered
+half dead with cold after his five hours' row
+in the bitter northern night.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Next morning the Swedes were seen, but
+they quickly retired into shelter behind the
+batteries of Carlscrona.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After some letters had passed between
+them, Parker saw that the Swedish Government
+sincerely wished for peace, and he gave
+orders for the fleet to sail to the Gulf of
+Finland.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They had not got far on their way, however,
+when a despatch-boat from the Russian
+ambassador at Copenhagen overtook them.
+This boat had been sent to tell the British
+admiral of the Czar Paul's death, and to say
+that the new emperor had accepted an offer
+made by Great Britain to end the dispute
+by agreement, without actually coming to
+blows.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fleet returned to Zealand on hearing
+this news, and cast anchor in Kioge Bay,
+where they remained till despatches arrived
+from home on the 5th of May, recalling
+Parker, and making Nelson commander-in-chief.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Left to himself, the new commander-in-chief
+was not long in getting to work.  First he
+politely but firmly told the Swedish admiral
+that his fleet must remain in port.  Next,
+by going to Revel as soon as Parker had
+left, he let the Russians see that for their
+own sake they had better stay where they
+were.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I shall now go there as a friend," he had
+written; "but the two fleets shall not form
+a junction, unless my orders permit it."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On his arrival with his twelve ships of the
+line, he went on shore and paid an official
+visit to the authorities, and the presence of
+the mightiest seaman of the day, backed as
+he was by a fleet, had the wished-for effect.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The British ships with their goods and
+their crews were instantly given up; all Nelson
+asked for was promptly granted, after which
+the Czar most prudently, to use Nelson's own
+words, "begged that he would go away."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Soon after this, to his great delight, now
+that there was no more fighting to be done,
+he was relieved, and bidding farewell to the
+Baltic on the 19th of June, he landed at
+Yarmouth some three weeks after.  "To
+find a proper successor," St. Vincent had
+written to him, "your lordship knows is no
+very easy task, for I never saw the man in
+our profession, excepting yourself and
+Troubridge, who possessed <i>the magic art of
+infusing the same spirit into others which
+inspired their own actions</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On arrival at Yarmouth he was received
+by vast crowds, who did all they knew to
+honour the conquering admiral.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson never halted, but quickly making his
+way through the dense, cheering throng, he
+went straight to the hospital, where lay so
+many of his men, wounded in the late battle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Stopping at every bed, he spoke a few words
+to each sailor.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Well, Jack, what's the matter?" he asked of one.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Lost my right arm, your honour," came
+the answer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson stopped, then holding up his own
+empty sleeve, shook it at the sailor, and said
+playfully&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Well, Jack, then you and I are spoilt for
+fishermen.  Cheer up, my brave fellow."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At every bed he came to he said something
+kind and encouraging.  And the surgeon said
+the admiral did more good than a doctor;
+every eye seemed to sparkle, and every
+sufferer to forget his pain when Nelson spoke
+to him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Before leaving for the Baltic, Nelson, who,
+after the Nile, described his career as having
+been far beyond his greatest hopes in the way
+of honour and rewards, had serious thoughts
+of giving up the sea and settling down to a
+life of peace on shore.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There was yet, however, much of his finest
+work to do.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Lord St. Vincent had from the first begged
+him not to retire, and events abroad were
+in such a dangerous state that Nelson could
+not possibly leave the service and desert the
+country he so well and bravely served.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Baffled in his attempt on India, his fleet
+destroyed at the Nile, Napoleon had declared
+that he had no choice left but to make a
+descent on Britain.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To meet this danger the presence of the
+great admiral was of the greatest importance.
+The knowledge that he was at the head of
+the plans made for the defence of his country
+would alone calm the public mind.  At the same
+time the very name of Nelson was enough to
+make the enemy think twice before making
+any attempt in which they were likely to meet
+him in battle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In answer to the call of his country, Nelson
+undertook its defence, and, as usual, entered
+on his task with energy and zeal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He found the country quite unprepared to
+meet an invasion.  "Everything must have a
+beginning," he wrote to Lord St. Vincent,
+"and we are literally at the foundation of our
+fabric of defence."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Calais, Boulogne, and Dieppe, although the
+ports nearest to England, were not in Nelson's
+opinion suitable for the embarking of troops;
+that the attack would come from Flanders he
+thought more likely.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Great preparations at Ostend," he writes;
+"Augereau commands that part of the army.
+I hope to let him feel the bottom of the
+Goodwin Sand."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+That Napoleon thought of making a serious
+invasion of the country seemed scarcely
+possible.  That he might be able to land
+some troops, and with them make a dash
+on London, both Nelson and the nation
+thought possible.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The aim of the British defence was, as it is
+to this day, to keep the enemy away from our
+coasts and attack them the instant they came
+out of port.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Should the French get a calm day they would
+most probably row over in boats, in which case
+our fleet might not be able to get at them, with
+no wind to fill their sails.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In that case the British were to attack them
+in small boats, no matter how great the enemy's
+superiority in numbers might be.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The courage of Britons," Nelson proudly
+boasted, "will never, I believe, allow one
+Frenchman to leave the beach."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The boats would take some twelve hours to
+row over from France.  Although they started
+in a calm, a breeze might quite well spring up
+in this time.  In that case the British fleet
+were to make an onslaught on the small craft
+and transports.  Their cannon would mow
+through the ranks of transports, the loss of
+the enemy would be terrible, but, as Nelson
+grimly said, "No delicacy can be observed on
+this great occasion."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Whatever plans may be adopted," he wrote,
+"the moment the enemy touch our coast, be
+it where it may, they are to be attacked by
+<i>every man afloat and on shore:</i> this must be
+perfectly understood.  <i>Never fear the event</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+England was now like a large armed camp;
+the great shadow of invasion was hanging
+over the country.  "Bony" himself, with
+whose name nurses were used to frighten
+children, was coming over to try and
+conquer Britain as he had conquered Europe.
+Small wonder that the whole country sprang
+to arms!
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Having drawn up his plan of defence, the
+admiral, only three weeks after his return,
+again hoisted his flag, this time at Sheerness,
+on the <i>Unité</i> frigate.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+No time was lost; in all his actions he used
+every haste, "in order to give an example to
+the country and the service of the advantage
+of all getting to their posts as speedily as
+possible."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson never spared himself.  One day he
+would be at Sheerness inspecting the thirty
+ships there under his command; two days
+later he would hold a review on land of the
+"Sea Fencibles," a force newly raised to
+meet the invasion; again he would appear off
+Boulogne, where the French admiral, La
+Touche Tréville, with his fleet, lay moored.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On August 15 an attack was made on
+Boulogne with fifty-seven boats.  The British
+fought gallantly, but luck was against them,
+and they were beaten back.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, however, had seen enough of the
+French flat-bottomed clumsy craft to feel sure
+that they would be no match at sea for his own
+swift cutters.  He also saw that there was
+little on a great scale that could be done, and
+that owing to tides and sandbanks any attack
+on the enemy while in port was scarcely worth
+the risk of so much loss of life to our brave
+seamen.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At length the French also saw that the
+invasion of England was too difficult to be
+thought of, and peace was made.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, though his flag still continued to
+fly as commander-in-chief, went on shore and
+took up his abode at Merton, an estate which
+he had newly bought, and which was the
+only home of his own he ever had on English
+soil.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+That the peace would last he never for a
+moment thought likely.  And though he might
+long for quiet and rest, still he was ready at
+the call of his country.  "Whenever it is
+necessary, I am your admiral," he wrote to
+the Prime Minister.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Already there had been some talk of his
+returning to the Mediterranean.  His very
+presence there would, in the words of Lord
+Minto, "show Bonaparte, if he hoists his
+flag, it will not be in joke."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 16th of May war was again declared,
+and four days later Nelson sailed in the
+<i>Victory</i>.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap09"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER IX
+<br><br>
+NELSON IN CHIEF COMMAND IN THE<br>
+MEDITERRANEAN&mdash;IN PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+Nelson was now in chief command of
+the Mediterranean squadron.  Great
+Britain was once more waging war single-handed
+against the French Empire.  The rest
+of Europe was crushed: everywhere on land
+the French were victors, and resistance was
+for the time being at an end.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Spain was a mere vassal of France; she
+did not indeed at this period supply her fleet,
+but gave to Napoleon a money tribute
+instead.  Portugal, the ancient friend of Britain,
+had at the bidding of the tyrant been forced
+to close her ports to Nelson's ships.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Never before had Nelson been so impatient
+to get at the foe.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If the Devil stands at the door," he said,
+"we shall sail to-morrow forenoon."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+So eager was he to reach the Mediterranean
+that having been ordered to keep the
+<i>Victory</i> waiting to join Admiral Cornwallis oft
+Brest, he left the ship, and with his suite got
+into a frigate, in which he pressed on to join
+the fleet, "going out in all the discomfort of
+a convict," as St. Vincent said, and sleeping
+seven or eight in a cabin, from his own
+account.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The French fleet were in Toulon, and off
+this port Nelson set himself to wait the
+coming out of the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On his arrival he early found an opportunity
+of showing his zeal and love for the
+honour and interests of his own service.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There were at that time several artillerymen
+serving on board the bomb-vessels.
+Some of the young officers did not like their
+men being made to perform other duties than
+those of soldiers, and were very angry at
+having to take their orders from naval
+officers.  There thus arose some ill-feeling
+between the navy and army.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"With all content and smiles around me,"
+Nelson wrote to Lord St. Vincent, "up start
+these artillery boys and set us at defiance."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"You and I are on the eve of quitting
+the theatre of our exploits," he adds, with
+a feeling that his end was near, "but we
+hold it due to our successors never, whilst
+we have a tongue to speak or hand to write,
+to allow the navy to be in the smallest degree
+injured in its discipline by our conduct."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson felt that a soldier, no matter how
+high his rank, must, when on board ship,
+take his orders from a sailor.  He was
+backed up in this by an Act of Parliament.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"It is the old history," he said, "trying to
+do away the Act of Parliament: but I trust
+they will never succeed; for when they do,
+farewell to our naval superiority.  We should
+be prettily commanded."  "Although my
+career is nearly run, yet it would embitter my
+future days and expiring moments <i>to hear of
+our navy sacrificed to our army</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As a means to put an end to all dispute,
+he suggested that the navy should have a
+separate corps of artillery attached to them,
+and it is to this that we owe that splendid
+body of men, the Royal Marine Artillery, or
+"Blue Marines," as they are called in the navy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The watch off Toulon was a long and weary one.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I have made up my mind never to go
+into port till after the battle, if they make
+me wait a year," Nelson had said, and for
+almost two years did our fleet remain ready
+for action; nor during that time did it ever
+go into harbour.  When, after the long
+months of waiting, it was called upon to
+pursue the enemy for four thousand miles, it
+was found, to quote Nelson's words, "in a
+perfect state of readiness to act."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This management of the fleet was really as
+great a triumph in many ways as his most
+brilliant victories had been.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The people at nearly every port were in
+dread of the French, and it was very difficult
+to get supplies, so great was their fear of
+rousing Napoleon's anger.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+No British ships were allowed to enter
+Spanish ports, though from these very ports
+the French privateers sailed out and attacked
+our merchantmen.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson pitied the once proud mistress of
+the world, who was now too weak to resist,
+and had no choice left but to obey the
+all-conquering French.  "We ought," he said,
+"by mutual consent to be the very best
+friends, and both to be ever hostile to
+France."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the same time, though willing to make
+every allowance for the miserable situation
+in which Spain had placed herself, he plainly
+let the Spaniards feel that he must be
+treated with respect.  He had strictly
+observed Spain's neutrality by giving up French
+vessels taken within gunshot of the Spanish
+shore, yet from the coasts of Spain these
+same French vessels sailed out and attacked
+our ships.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson said this must stop.  "In whatever
+place the Spaniards allow the French to
+attack us," he told the British ambassador
+at Madrid, "assure them that I shall order
+the French to be attacked."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile, the station off Toulon Nelson
+called his home.  His ships, thanks to his
+great care, were in fairly good repair; his
+men were in the right fighting trim.  "Let
+them come as soon as they please," he wrote,
+"I never saw a fleet together so well officered
+and manned."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+La Touche Tréville, who had commanded
+at Boulogne when Nelson's attack of boats
+had been beaten back, was now the admiral
+of the French fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+One day, while the main body of the
+British fleet was out of sight, Rear-Admiral
+Campbell, with only three ships, appeared in
+the offing.  Seeing this, La Touche, with every
+sail set, left port and bore down on the three
+vessels, on which, as was natural, the little
+squadron retired.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The new experience of pursuing, instead of
+being pursued, so delighted the Frenchman
+that he published a most boastful and quite
+untrue account of how he had chased Nelson
+and the whole British fleet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This idle brag stung Nelson to the quick,
+and he promptly sent home a copy of the
+<i>Victory's</i> log on the day in question to show
+what the real facts were.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"As for myself," he said, "if my character
+was not established by that time <i>for not being
+apt to run away</i>, it would not be worth my
+while to put the world right."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the time, he wrote, "Monsieur La
+Touche came out with eight sail of the line
+and six frigates, cut a caper off Sepet, and
+went in again."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Two months later, when a copy of the
+French admiral's letter reached him, he broke
+out in wrath.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"You will have seen Monsieur La Touche's
+letter of how he chased me, and how I <i>ran</i>.
+He is a poltroon, liar, and a miscreant.  I
+keep his letter, and, by Gad! if I take him,
+he shall <i>eat</i> it."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In vain did Nelson try to draw his enemy
+out to fight by every means he could think
+of.  The Frenchman would not walk into the
+trap, nor be tempted into giving battle until
+the appointed time came.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The dread of missing the enemy in a fog
+was one of Nelson's chief anxieties, and he
+kept thinking of his long chase of Admiral
+Brueys before the battle of the Nile.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If I should miss these fellows my heart
+will break," he kept repeating.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If that admiral were to cheat me out of
+my hopes of meeting him," he added, "it
+would kill me much easier than one of his balls."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The life on board ship was meanwhile a
+dull one; daily they cruised about, one
+day passing very much like another.  The
+weather in these parts is stormy; even during
+the summer there was a gale almost every
+week, followed by two days' heavy swell.
+The health of the crews was, considering the
+life they were leading, wonderfully good, and
+for this they had to thank Nelson.  The
+admiral took every care for the comfort of his
+men, and did his very best to secure lemons,
+onions, and other fresh food, without which
+disease must have broken out.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The patience with which our fleet bore
+the long watch off Toulon is, in Nelson's
+own words, a "record of perseverance at
+sea which had never been surpassed."  From
+May 1803 to August 1805 the admiral himself
+was only out of his ship three times; on each
+of these occasions he was absent less than an
+hour, and was "upon the king's service," as
+the saying went.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The whole fleet bore the long wait patiently;
+the men behaved well, and all earned Nelson's
+thanks.  The officers were not behind the men
+in doing their duty either.  "Such a gallant
+set of fellows!  Such a band of brothers!  My
+heart swells at the thought of them," wrote
+Nelson.
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+In October the patience of Great Britain
+was tired out, and war was declared against
+Spain.  About three months after, while the
+British fleet was at anchor off the coast of
+Sardinia, the Toulon fleet at last put to sea
+and joined the Spaniards.  On getting this
+news the British fleet weighed and put to
+sea, while next morning the signal was
+made to prepare for battle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A chase somewhat like the former pursuit
+of Brueys now began, stormy weather keeping
+pursuers and pursued apart.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After seeing that Sardinia, Naples, and
+Sicily were safe, as before Nelson made for
+Egypt.  Not finding the enemy there this
+time, he doubled back for Malta, where news
+reached him that they had dispersed in a
+gale and put back to Toulon.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"These gentlemen are not accustomed to
+a Gulf of Lions gale; we have buffeted them
+for one and twenty months and not carried
+away a spar," Nelson declared with pride.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From the 21st of January till he anchored
+in Cagliari Bay on the 27th of February,
+the ships had been cleared for action, without
+a bulkhead up, night or day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During this chase of the enemy and weary
+buffeting against foul winds, a despatch-vessel
+had been wrecked, a convoy had been waylaid,
+and the two small ships protecting it
+taken.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To add to these small losses, another
+despatch-vessel had gone ashore off Cadiz
+and fallen into the hands of the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain of the latter, Captain Layman,
+had earned Nelson's praise and esteem by
+his smartness and bravery at Copenhagen,
+and Nelson could not bear that a brave man
+should be blamed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The admiral never turned his back upon
+a friend, more especially did he stick by a
+friend in misfortune.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Dear Parker is my child, for I found
+him in distress," he had written of a captain
+wounded in the attack of boats at Boulogne.
+To this other captain in distress, the great
+seaman's tender heart went out, and he wrote
+to the Admiralty on his behalf.
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+"My dear Lord," he began, "give me
+leave to recommend Captain Layman to
+your kind protection; for notwithstanding
+the court-martial has thought him worthy
+of censure for his running in with the land,
+yet, my Lord, allow me to say that Captain
+Layman's misfortune was, perhaps, conceiving
+other people's abilities were equal to his
+own, which indeed very few people's are.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Captain Layman has served with me in
+three ships, and I am well acquainted with
+his bravery, zeal, judgment, and activity;
+nor do I regret the loss of the <i>Raven</i>
+compared to the value of Captain Layman's
+services, which are a national loss.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"You must, my dear Lord, forgive the
+warmth which I express for Captain Layman;
+but he is in adversity, and therefore has
+the more claim to my attention and regard.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"<i>If I had been censured every time I have
+run my ship, or fleets under my command,
+into great danger, I should long ago have
+been out of the service, and never in the
+House of Peers.</i>
+</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">
+  "I am, my dear Lord, most faithfully,<br>
+  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Your obedient servant,<br>
+  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"NELSON AND BRONTE."<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+Small wonder the whole fleet adored "Our
+Nel," as they called him, and who, they said,
+was "as brave as a lion but as gentle as a
+lamb."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 4th of April, while bearing up for
+his old station, Toulon, he learnt that
+Villeneuve had five days previously put to
+sea, with eleven ships of the line, seven
+frigates, and two brigs.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At first he searched for them down the
+Mediterranean, still thinking that Egypt
+must be their object.  At length he heard
+that the enemy had passed the Straits of
+Gibraltar, and might be half-way to Ireland
+or Jamaica, an attack on both of which
+places had been thought likely.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Beating up against adverse winds, Nelson,
+who said that his "good fortune had flown
+away," could only pass the narrow straits on
+the 5th of May, when a favouring wind at
+last sprung up.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Just before this, a Scotsman, Donald
+Campbell, who was at that time an admiral
+in the Portuguese service, came on board
+the <i>Victory</i> with the news that the combined
+fleets were on their way to the West Indies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Though the enemy were in far greater
+numbers than the British, the admiral started
+off in hot pursuit with only ten sail of the
+line and three frigates.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Take you a Frenchman apiece," he told
+his captains, "and leave me his Spaniards"
+(there were six Spanish battleships).  "When
+I haul down my colours, I expect you to do
+the same, and not till then."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile Nelson was suffering the same
+torture of mind and spirit as when once
+before the enemy escaped him before the
+battle of the Nile.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Oh, French fleet!  French fleet!" he wrote,
+"if I can but once get up with you, I'll
+make you pay dearly for all that you have
+made me suffer."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By June 4 the British were at Barbadoes,
+where, misled by reports, they expected to
+find the enemy.  They entered the Gulf of
+Paria with their ships cleared for action, only
+to find the enemy gone.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Coming to the rapid but, as it happened,
+correct decision that the enemy had returned
+to Europe, Nelson lost no time in sailing
+after them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As going out he had been able to gain
+ten days on them, and they had only five
+days' start of him on the return to Europe,
+Nelson thought he would be able to come
+up with Villeneuve before the latter had
+done much harm.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For three weeks the combined fleet had
+the West Indies at their mercy, and as they
+had not attacked the islands, Nelson felt no
+great alarm as to what they would do in
+Europe.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 19th of June he was back again at
+Gibraltar, and the next day he went on shore
+for the first time since June 18, 1803.
+Thus for two years he had not had his foot
+on dry land.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Though he had not found the enemy, he
+had at least chased them out of the West
+Indies, which were then among Britain's most
+wealthy and important colonies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Had the enemy been met, though they were
+in far greater numbers, Nelson had
+determined to attack them, come what might to
+his own squadron.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Though we are but eleven to eighteen
+or twenty, we won't part without a battle,"
+he kept repeating.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+That this fight he had in his mind never
+took place was due to no fault of Nelson's.
+A few days later, however, Admiral Calder
+with fifteen ships met twenty of the enemy,
+and a drawn battle took place.  The British
+admiral, though he had the best of the fight,
+thought it more prudent to draw off and let
+the enemy escape, after they had been roughly
+handled.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This made the people in England very
+angry, for the country could not but feel how
+different the result would have been if their
+beloved admiral had been in Calder's place.
+Nelson, they knew, would never have left the
+enemy, even though half his own ships had
+been destroyed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson's truly great spirit could not bear
+that his unfortunate brother admiral should
+be blamed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"It most sincerely grieves me," he wrote,
+"that in any of the papers it should be
+insinuated that Lord Nelson could have
+done better.  Who can say what will be the
+event of a battle?  I could have fought the
+enemy, so did my friend Calder; but who
+can say that he will be more successful
+than another?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On August 18 the <i>Victory</i> anchored at
+Portsmouth and the long chase was at an end.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson no sooner landed than he posted
+up to London, where he had much to talk
+about, not only with the Admiralty but with
+the Secretary for War.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On this visit to London the famous
+meeting between Nelson, "the greatest sailor
+since our world began," and the Duke of
+Wellington, the conqueror of Napoleon, "the
+great world's victor's victor," took place.
+Neither knew who the other was.  They
+were both waiting in the anteroom of the
+Secretary of State.  At first "the Iron Duke"
+found Nelson's talk trifling and silly.  But
+when the war and the state of Europe were
+touched upon, then in an instant the somewhat
+boastful trifler vanished, and Nelson, the
+statesman, sailor, and saviour of his country
+appeared in his true colours.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 2nd of September Captain Blackwood
+called at Merton at five in the morning.
+Nelson, who was already up and dressed,
+eagerly greeted him with the words, "I am
+sure you bring me news of the French and
+Spanish fleets, and I think I shall yet have
+to beat them."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On Blackwood telling him that the French
+squadron had arrived off Cadiz, he could
+scarcely conceal his joy.  "Depend upon it,
+Blackwood," he exclaimed, "I shall yet give
+Mr. Villeneuve a drubbing."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+All haste was made to get ready the fleet
+Nelson had chosen.  He stuck to the <i>Victory</i>
+as his flagship.  Already a feeling of his
+coming death was upon him: he knew
+"<i>they meant to make a dead set at the
+Victory</i>," he told his brother.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In his private journal are found these
+words:&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+"Friday night (Sept. 13), at half-past ten, I
+drove from dear, dear Merton to go to serve
+my king and country.  May the great God,
+whom I adore, enable me to fulfil the
+expectations of my country.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"And, if it is His good pleasure that I
+should return, my thanks will never cease
+being offered up to the throne of His mercy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If it is His good providence to cut short
+my days upon earth, I bow with the greatest
+submission, relying that He will protect those
+so dear to me, whom I may leave behind!
+His will be done.  Amen!  Amen!  Amen!"
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson had felt his reception at Court after
+his return from Copenhagen to be a cold one.
+Now, his leave-taking must have assured
+him of the love and admiration of a whole
+nation.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-091"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-091.jpg" alt="Nelson leaving Portsmouth to join the 'Victory'">
+<br>
+Nelson leaving Portsmouth to join the 'Victory'
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Vast crowds had gathered at Portsmouth
+to catch a glimpse of, and to bid God-speed
+to, the national hero.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To quote Southey: "They pressed forward
+to obtain sight of his face.  Many were in
+tears, and many knelt down before him and
+blessed him as he passed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"England has had many heroes, but never
+one who so entirely possessed the love of
+his fellow-countrymen as Nelson."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 25th the <i>Victory</i> was off Lisbon,
+and letters were sent on shore begging that
+the fleet's arrival might be kept secret.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At all costs Villeneuve was to be tempted
+to put to sea and give battle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Day by day," wrote Nelson, "I am expecting
+the allied fleet to put to sea&mdash;every
+day, hour, and moment.  I am convinced that
+you estimate, as I do, the importance of not
+letting those rogues escape us without a fair
+fight, <i>which I pant for by day and dream of
+by night</i>."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On September 28 the <i>Victory</i> reached the
+fleet; the day after was Nelson's birthday.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The reception he met with, he declared,
+"caused the sweetest sensation of his life."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The officers who came on board to welcome
+his return&mdash;"the band of brothers," as he
+called them&mdash;forgot his rank as commander-in-chief,
+in the joy with which they greeted him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"When I came to explain to them the
+'Nelson touch,'" the admiral writes to Lady
+Hamilton, "it was like an electric shock.
+Some shed tears; all approved."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The "Nelson touch," which has passed into
+a saying common in the navy to this day, was
+the great admiral's plan of attack or conduct
+of war.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The business of an English commander-in-chief"&mdash;so
+ran Nelson's famous order&mdash;"is
+first to bring an enemy's fleet to battle, on
+the most advantageous terms to himself (I
+mean that of laying his ships close on
+board the enemy as quickly as possible);
+and, secondly, to continue them there without
+separating until their business is decided."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"First, to lay his ships close on board
+the enemy; and, secondly, to continue them
+there."  Surely this, in a few simple words, is
+the secret of England's naval greatness, and
+Nelson's own fame.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 10th of October Nelson was to have
+his longed-for wish granted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The day previous he had noted in his
+diary&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Fine weather; wind easterly: the
+combined fleets cannot have finer weather to
+put to sea."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Next morning the signal was flashed
+throughout the British fleet, with what
+feelings of joy we can well imagine&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+  "THE ENEMY ARE COMING OUT<br>
+  OF PORT."<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap10"></a></p>
+
+<h2>
+CHAPTER X
+<br><br>
+TRAFALGAR&mdash;DEATH OF NELSON
+</h2>
+
+<p>
+The rival Fleets were made up as follows:&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p class="hang">
+Franco-Spanish, 33 ships of the line,
+firing a broadside of 30,000 lbs.
+</p>
+
+<p class="hang">
+British, 27 ships of the line, firing a
+broadside of 29,000 lbs.
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+It will thus be seen that though Nelson
+had fewer ships, yet the destructive power
+of his fire was almost as great as that of
+his enemies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 13th of October Nelson's old ship,
+the <i>Agamemnon, under the command of "the
+hero of a hundred fights</i>," Captain Berry,
+joined the fleet.  "Here comes Berry.  Now
+we shall have a fight!" joyfully exclaimed
+his chief.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At last the action for which the great
+admiral was so eagerly longing was about
+to take place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 21st October, forty-eight years earlier,
+his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, had
+greatly distinguished himself in a desperate
+action against a superior force of the enemy.
+"The 21st will be our day; it is the happiest
+day in the year for my family," Nelson had
+declared a few days previously.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"This day or to-morrow will be a fortunate
+one for you young gentlemen," he said to
+a group of midshipmen.  And again on the
+evening of the 20th he said, "To-morrow I
+will do that which will give you younger
+gentlemen something to talk and think about
+for the rest of your lives, but I shall not
+live to know about it myself."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The morning of the 21st showed the sea
+to be calm, with only a slight swell; the
+wind was light, and made the progress of
+the sailing ships slow.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To understand the battle we must picture
+to ourselves the allied fleet moving in two
+long lines abreast.  Nelson, on the other
+hand, divided his ships into two columns
+which moved to battle in "line-a-head" and
+"line-a-bearing," or what we might almost
+call Indian file.  Thus, while the
+Franco-Spanish fleet came on in a crescent shape,
+Nelson sailed to meet them in two perpendicular
+lines, which he flung right on their
+centre.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His object was, as ever, destruction, and
+complete destruction, of the enemy, no matter
+what loss he himself might sustain.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"In cases where signals cannot be seen
+or clearly understood, no captain can do wrong
+if he places his ship alongside that of an
+enemy."  These were roughly his orders to
+the fleet.  Before entering the battle he
+thought deeply for a suitable signal to give
+to his ships and men.  Finally he decided on
+the now immortal words: "England expects
+that every man will do his duty."  Amidst
+ringing cheers the flags spelt this sentence
+out to the fleet.  "You must be quick," Nelson
+said to his signallers, "for I have another
+signal to make&mdash;'Close Action!'"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Duty and close action, these were the
+watchwords of Nelson's life and career.  No
+more fitting sentiments could come from him
+on the day of his death and last and
+greatest victory.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson's own ship, the <i>Victory</i>, led his
+column.  Collingwood, in the <i>Royal Sovereign</i>,
+led the other column.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The battle began about noon.  The allies
+commenced firing at long range.  Nelson,
+confident in the better discipline and fighting
+powers of his crews, pressed on in silence,
+withholding his fire.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The <i>Victory</i> was under a storm of shot
+and shell.  In a minute fifty of her men
+were killed or wounded.  One shot alone
+killed a party of eight marines; another
+actually went screaming on its way between
+Nelson and Captain Hardy.  Still the British
+stood to their guns, but the order to fire did
+not yet come.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At last the weary waiting and suspense
+were at an end.  The <i>Victory</i> was at length
+to speak and to hit back.  "This is too warm
+work to last long," Nelson said to Captain
+Hardy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When close between the French ship
+<i>Redoubtable</i>, and the huge Spanish <i>Santisima
+Trinidad</i>, the longed-for order came; the
+<i>Victory's</i> broadsides poured in at close range.
+The effect was nearly instantaneous; so
+close were the combatants that the flames
+from Nelson's guns set fire to the French
+and Spanish ships.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The enemy fought with unflinching courage.
+Twice was the order given to cease firing
+on the <i>Redoubtable</i>, as it was thought that
+she had struck her flag and that her guns
+were silenced.  Twice did the <i>Redoubtable</i>
+reply with shouts of defiance and a storm
+of shot.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From this ship, which he had twice spared,
+came the hero's death.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Conspicuous by the medals which covered
+his breast, the admiral made an easy mark
+for the French sharp-shooters stationed in
+the mizzen-top.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"In honour I gained them, in honour I
+shall die with them," he declared when his
+officers begged him to take them off before
+action.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Recognising Lord Nelson, a French sharpshooter
+took careful aim and fired.  "They
+have done for me at last, Hardy," the admiral
+exclaimed, sinking to the deck.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-106"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-106.jpg" alt="They have done for me at last, Hardy.">
+<br>
+They have done for me at last, Hardy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In mortal agony he was carried below.
+Heedless of his own pain, he gave orders
+that a handkerchief should be spread over
+his face and medals, lest his men should see,
+and be disheartened by the knowledge, that
+he was hit.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"You can do nothing for me," he said to
+the surgeon who hastened to his side, and
+he bade him go and attend to those whose
+lives he had a chance of saving.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From the first he knew he had only a few
+hours to live; but in spirit he was still on
+his quarter-deck, and his thoughts were of
+the battle raging round him, not of his own
+suffering.  He repeatedly asked for Hardy,
+who could not as yet be spared from his
+duty on the quarter-deck.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At length, feeling victory was assured, Hardy
+left the deck.  "Well, Hardy, how goes the
+battle?" was his chief's first eager question.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On Hardy bringing the joyful news that all
+was going well, and that twelve or fourteen
+of the enemies' ships had struck, "I hope
+none of our ships have struck, Hardy?" Nelson
+anxiously exclaimed.  "No, my lord, there
+is no fear of that," came the answer.  Nelson
+then again shook hands with him, and, assuring
+him that he was dying, said farewell to his
+old and well-tried friend.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Again Hardy returned.  This time he confirmed
+the capture of fourteen or fifteen ships.
+(There were really eighteen.)  "That is well,"
+replied the dying admiral, "but I bargained
+for twenty."  "Anchor!  Hardy, anchor!"  He
+gave the order, ever mindful of the well-being
+of his fleet, and in those last moments feeling
+sure that a storm was coming on.  This was
+indeed the case, and in the gale that followed
+the battle, many ships which had been captured
+foundered and were lost.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The end was now near.  The shouts of
+triumph and victory were in his dying ear.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Thank God I have done my duty.  God
+be praised I have done my duty," he kept
+repeating at intervals.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Finally, with the words, "God and my
+country," the mighty spirit left the
+pain-racked body.  Nelson, "the saviour of our
+silver-coasted isle," the greatest seaman the
+world has ever seen, had fought his last fight,
+gained his most splendid victory.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The destruction was complete; the naval
+power of our foes was shattered; the British
+loss was almost trifling in comparison with
+that of the enemy.  Some 4400 of the
+allies were killed, about 2500 were wounded,
+and many were prisoners.  On the British
+side there were 402 killed, and about 1129
+seriously wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Seventeen of the enemies' ships were in the
+hands of the conquerors, and one had blown up.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, before battle, had prayed for a great
+and glorious victory, and that no misconduct
+in any one might tarnish it.  "May humanity
+after victory be the predominant feature in
+the British fleet," so ran his prayer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His wishes were fulfilled, and our tars
+spared no effort to save the lives of their
+gallant foes, now that the battle was over.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Of the whole allied force only eleven sail
+of the line succeeded in making good their
+escape to Cadiz.  Nelson's fondest hopes had
+been realised: the enemy were annihilated.
+</p>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p>
+In those days news travelled slowly, and
+the official despatches did not reach London
+till November 6, or rather more than a
+fortnight after the battle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They were carried by post-chaise, to which
+was fastened a pole with the Union Jack
+flying above the Tricolour.  Thus, as the
+horses galloped through the country on their
+way to London, was the news of victory
+conveyed to the country-people and way-farers.
+The mail-coaches took up the tale
+and spread the tidings.  Many were draped
+in black, and the triumphant flag they carried
+was wreathed in crape, to tell the people
+that though a glorious victory had been won,
+Nelson, the national hero, had laid down his
+life to gain it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I had their huzzas before: I have their
+hearts now," Nelson had written to Hardy
+before he embarked from England for the
+last time.  Then cheering crowds had followed
+him, striving to get a glimpse of his well-loved
+face, or even to touch the hem of his garment.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Now, amid the mourning of a whole nation,
+he was followed by a sorrowing people to
+his resting-place in St. Paul's.  Sir Peter
+Parker, his early admiral, who had been one
+of the first to discover his genius, was chief
+mourner.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As Lady Londonderry then wrote: "He now
+begins his immortal career, having nothing to
+achieve left, and bequeathing to the English
+fleet a legacy which they alone are able to
+improve."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+That legacy the British fleet to this day
+strive to guard jealously.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nelson, the boy who knew no fear, had
+gained his great end.  He had saved his
+beloved country; nay, he had saved the whole
+of Europe.  He had made the British navy
+a force which no power has since dared to
+attack: he had secured to us India and our
+colonies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the words of Southey we may bid
+farewell to our greatest national hero:&mdash;
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"He has left us a name and an example
+which are at this moment inspiring hundreds
+of the youth of England&mdash;a name which is
+our pride, and an example which will continue
+to be our shield and strength."
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+THE END
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t4">
+  PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY<br>
+  THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD.<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br><br></p>
+
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78115 ***</div>
+</body>
+
+</html>
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for eBook #78115
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