the life of horatio lord nelson-第12章

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ller　vessels；　put　to　sea。　Admiral　Hotham　received　this　information　at　Leghorn；　and　sailed　immediately　in　search　of　them。　He　had　with　him　fourteen　sail　of　the　line；　and　one　Neapolitan　seventy…four；　but　his　ships　were　only　half…manned；　containing　but　7650　men；　whereas　the　enemy　had　16；900。　He　soon　came　in　sight　of　them：　a　general　action　was　expected；　and　Nelson；　as　was　his　custom　on　such　occasions；　wrote　a　hasty　letter　to　his　wife；　as　that　which　might　possibly　contain　his　last　farewell。　〃The　lives　of　all；〃　said　he；　〃are　in　the　hand　of　Him　who　knows　best　whether　to　preserve　mine　or　not；　my　character　and　good　name　are　in　my　own　keeping。〃

But　however　confident　the　French　government　might　be　of　their　naval　superiority；　the　officers　had　no　such　feeling；　and　after　manoeuvring　for　a　day　in　sight　of　the　English　fleet；　they　suffered　themselves　to　be　chased。　One　of　their　ships；　the　CA　IRA；　of　eighty…four　guns；　carried　away　her　main　and　fore　top…masts。　The　INCONSTANT　frigate　fired　at　the　disabled　ship；　but　received　so　many　shot　that　she　was　obliged　to　leave　her。　Soon　afterwards　a　French　frigate　took　the　CA　IRA　in　tow；　and　the　SANS…CULOTTES；　one　hundred　and　twenty；　and　the　JEAN　BARRAS；　seventy…　four；　kept　about　gunshot　distance　on　her　weather　bow。　The　AGAMEMNON　stood　towards　her；　having　no　ship　of　the　line　to　support　her　within　several　miles。　As　she　drew　near；　the　CA　IRA　fired　her　stern　guns　so　truly；　that　not　a　shot　missed　some　part　of　the　ship；　and　latterly；　the　masts　were　struck　by　every　shot。　It　had　been　Nelson's　intention　not　to　fire　before　he　touched　her　stern；　but　seeing　how　impossible　it　was　that　he　should　be　supported；　and　how　certainly　the　AGAMEMNON　must　be　severely　cut　up　if　her　masts　were　disabled；　he　altered　his　plan　　according　to　the　occasion。　As　soon；　therefore；　as　he　was　within　a　hundred　yards　of　her　stern；　he　ordered　the　helm　to　be　put　a…starboard；　and　the　driver　and　after…sails　to　be　brailed　up　and　shivered；　and；　as　the　ship　fell　off；　gave　the　enemy　her　whole　broadside。　They　instantly　braced　up　the　after…　yards；　put　the　helm　a…port；　and　stood　after　her　again。　This　manoeuvre　he　practised　for　two　hours　and　a　quarter；　never　allowing　the　CA　IRA　to　get　a　single　gun　from　either　side　to　bear　on　him；　and　when　the　French　fired　their　after…guns　now；　it　was　no　longer　with　coolness　and　precision；　for　every　shot　went　far　ahead。　By　this　time　her　sails　were　hanging　in　tatters；　her　mizen…top…mast；　mizen…top…sail；　and　cross…jack…yards　shot　away。　But　the　frigate　which　had　her　in　tow　hove　in　stays；　and　got　her　round。　Both　these　French　ships　now　brought　their　guns　to　bear；　and　opened　their　fire。　The　AGAMEMNON　passed　them　within　half…pistol　shot；　almost　every　shot　passed　over　her；　for　the　French　had　elevated　their　guns　for　the　rigging；　and　for　distant　firing；　and　did　not　think　of　altering　the　elevation。　As　soon　as　the　AGAMEMNON's　after…guns　ceased　to　bear；　she　hove　in　stays；　keeping　a　constant　fire　as　she　came　round；　and　being　worked；　said　Nelson；　with　as　much　exactness　as　if　she　had　been　turning　into　Spithead。　On　getting　round；　he　saw　that　the　Sans…Culottes；　which　had　wore；　with　many　of　the　enemy's　ships；　was　under　his　lee　bow；　and　standing　to　leeward。　The　admiral；　at　the　same　time；　made　the　signal　for　the　van　ships　to　join　him。　Upon　this　Nelson　bore　away；　and　prepared　to　set　all　sail；　and　the　enemy；　having　saved　their　ship；　hauled　close　to　the　wind；　and　opened　upon　him　a　distant　and　ineffectual　fire。　Only　seven　of　the　AGAMEMNON's　men　were　hurta　thing　which　Nelson　himself　remarked　as　wonderful：　her　sails　and　rigging　were　very　much　cut；　and　she　had　many　shots　in　her　hull；　and　some　between　wind　and　water。　The　CA　IRA　lost　110　men　that　day；　and　was　so　cut　up　that　she　could　not　get　a　top…mast　aloft　during　the　night。

At　daylight　on　the　following　morning；　the　English　ships　were　taken　aback　with　a　fine　breeze　at　N。W。；　while　the　enemy's　fleet　kept　the　southerly　wind。　The　body　of　their　fleet　was　about　five　miles　distant；　the　CA　IRA　and　the　CENSEUR；　seventy…four；　which　had　her　in　tow；　about　three　and　a　half。　All　sail　was　made　to　cut　these　ships　off；　and　as　the　French　attempted　to　save　them；　a　partial　action　was　brought　on。　The　AGAMEMNON　was　again　engaged　with　her　yesterday's　antagonist；　but　she　had　to　fight　on　both　sides　the　ship　at　the　same　time。　The　CA　IRA　and　the　CENSEUR　fought　most　gallantly：　the　first　lost　nearly　300　men；　in　addition　to　her　former　loss；　the　last；　350。　Both　at　length　struck；　and　Lieutenant　Andrews；　of　the　AGAMEMNON；　brother　to　the　lady　to　whom　Nelson　had　become　attached　in　France；　and；　in　Nelson's　own　words；　〃as　gallant　an　officer　as　ever　stepped　a　quarter…deck；〃　hoisted　English　colours　on　board　them　both。　The　rest　of　the　enemy's　ships'　behaved　very　ill。　As　soon　as　these　vessels　had　struck；　Nelson　went　to　Admiral　Hotham　and　proposed　that　the　two　prizes　should　be　left　with　the　ILLUSTRIOUS　and　COURAGEUX；　which　had　been　crippled　in　the　action；　and　with　four　frigates；　and　that　the　rest　of　the　fleet　should　pursue　the　enemy；　and　follow　up　the　advantage　to　the　utmost。　But　his　reply　was〃We　must　be　contented：　we　have　done　very　well。〃〃Now；〃　said　Nelson；〃　had　we　taken　ten　sail；　and　allowed　the　eleventh　to　escape；　when　it　had　been　possible　to　have　got　at　her；　I　could　never　have　called　it　well　done。　Goodall　backed　me；　I　got　him　to　write　to　the　admiral；　but　it　would　not　do。　We　should　have　had　such　a　day　as；　I　believe；　the　annals　of　England　never　produced。〃　In　this　letter　the　character　of　Nelson　fully　manifests　itself。　〃I　wish〃　said　he；　〃to　be　an　admiral；　and　in　the　command　of　the　English　fleet：　I　should　very　soon　either　do　much；　or　be　ruined：　my　disposition　cannot　bear　tame　and　slow　measures。　Sure　I　am；　had　I　commanded　on　the　14th；　that　either　the　whole　French　fleet　would　have　graced　my　triumph；　or　I　should　have　been　in　a　confounded　scrape。〃　What　the　event　would　have　been；　he　knew　from　his　prophetic　feelings　and　his　own　consciousness　of　power；　and　we　also　know　it　now；　for　Aboukir　and　Trafalgar　have　told　it。

The　CA　IRA　and　CENSEUR　probably　defended　themselves　with　more　obstinacy　in　this　action；　from　a　persuasion　that；　if　they　struck；　no　quarter　would　be　given；　because　they　had　fired　red…hot　shot；　and　had　also　a　preparation　sent；　as　they　said；　by　the　convention　from　Paris；　which　seems　to　have　been　of　the　nature　of　the　Greek　fire；　for　it　became　liquid　when　it　was　discharged；　and　water　would　not　extinguish　its　flames。　This　combustible　was　concealed　with　great　care　in　the　captured　ships；　like　the　red…hot　shot；　it　had　been　found　useless　in　battle。　Admiral　Hotham's　action　saved　Corsica　for　the　time；　but　the　victory　had　been　incomplete；　and　the　arrival　at　Toulon　of　six　sail　of　the　line；　two　frigates；　and　two　cutters　from　Brest；　gave　the　French　a　superiority　which；　had　they　known　how　to　use　it；　would　materially　have　endangered　the　British　Mediterranean　fleet。　That　fleet　had　been　greatly　neglected　at　the　Admiralty　during　Lord　Chatham's　administration：　and　it　did　not；　for　some　time；　feel　the　beneficial　effect　of　his　removal。　Lord　Hood　had　gone　home　to　represent　the　real　state　of　affairs；　and　solicit　reinforcements　adequate　to　the　exigencies　of　the　time；　and　the　importance　of　the　scene　of　action。　But　that　fatal　error　of　under…　proportioning　the　force　to　the　service；　that　ruinous　economy；　which；　by　sparing　a　little；　renders　all　that　is　spent　useless；　infected　the　British　councils；　and　Lord　Hood；　not　being　able　to　obtain　such　rein…　forcements　as　he　knew　were　necessary；　resigned　the　command。　〃Surely；〃　said　Nelson；　〃the　people　at　home　have　forgotten　us。〃　Another　Neapolitan　seventy…four　joined　Admiral　Hotham；　and　Nelson　observed　with　sorrow　that　this　was　matter　of　exultation　to　an　English　fleet。　When　the　store…　ships　and　victuallers　from　Gibraltar　arrived；　their　escape　from　the　enemy　was　thought　wonderful；　and　yet；　had　they　not　escaped；　〃the　game；〃　said　Nelson；　〃was　up　here。　At　this　moment　our　operations　are　at　a　stand　for　want　of　ships　to　support　the　Austrians　in　getting　possession　of　the　sea…coast　of　the　king　of　Sardinia；　and　behold　our　admiral　does　not　feel　himself　equal　to　show　himself；　much　less　to　give　assistance　in　their　operations。〃　It　was　reported　that　the　French　were　again　out　with　18　or　20　sail。　The　combined　British　and　Neapolitan　were　but　sixteen；　should　the　enemy　be　only　eighteen；　Nelson　made　no　doubt　of　a　complete　victory；　but　if　they　were　twenty；　he　said；　it　was　not　to　be　expected；　and　a　battle；　without　complete　victory；　would　have　been　destruction；　because　another　mast　was　not　to　be　got　on　that　side　Gibraltar。　At　length　Admiral　Man　arrived　with　a　squadron　from　England。　〃What　they　can　mean　by　sending　him　with　only　five　sail　of　the　line；〃　said　Nelson；　〃is　truly　astonishing；　but　all　men　are　alike；　and　we　in　this　country　do　not　find　any　amendment　or　alteration　　from　the　old　Board　of　Admiralty。　They　should　know　that　half　the　ships　in　the　fleet　require　to　go　to　England；　and　that　long　ago　they　ought　to　have　reinforced　us。〃

About　this　time　Nelson　was　made　colonel　of　marines；　a　mark　of　approbation　which　he　had　long　wished　for　rather　than　expected。　It　came　in　good　season；　for　his　spirits　were　oppressed　by　the　thought　that　his　services　had　not　been　acknowledged　as　they　deserved；　and　it　abated　the　resentful　feeling　which　would　else　have　been　excited　by　the　answer　to　an　application　to　the　War…office。　During　his　four　months'　land　service　in　Corsica；　he　had　lost　all　his　ship　furniture；　owing　to　the　movements　of　a　camp。　Upon　this　he　wrote　to　the　Secretary　at　War；　briefly　stating　what　his　services　on　shore　had　been；　and　saying；　he　trusted　it　was　not　asking　an　improper　thing　to　request　that　the　same　allowance　might　be　made　to　him　which　would　be　made　to　a　land　officer　of　his　rank；　which；　situated　as　he　was；　would　be　that　of　a　brigadier…general：　if　this　could　not　be　accorded；　he　hoped　that　his　additional　expenses　would　be　paid　him。　The　answer　which　he　received　was；　that　〃no　pay　had　ever　been　issued　under　the　direction　of　the　War…office　to　officers　of　the　navy　serving　with　the　army　on　shore。〃

He　now　entered　upon　a　new　line　of　service。　The　Austrian　and　Sardinian　armies；　under　General　de　Vins；　required　a　British　squadron　to　co…operate　with　them　in　driving　the　French　from　the　Riviera　di　Genoa；　and　as　Nelson　had　been　so　much　in　the　habit　of　soldiering；　it　was　immediately　fixed　that　the　brigadier　should　go。　He　sailed　from　St。　Fiorenzo　on　this　destination；　but　fell　in；　off　Cape　del　Mele；　with　the　enemy's　fleet；　who　immediately　gave　his　squadron　chase。　The　chase　lasted　four…and…twenty　hours；　and；　owing　to　the　fickleness　of　the　wind；　the　British　ships　were　sometimes　hard　pressed；　but　the　want　of　skill　on　the　part　of　the　French　gave　Nelson　many　advantages。　Nelson　bent　his　way　back　to　St。　Fiorenzo；　where　the　fleet；　which　was　in　the　midst　of　watering　and　refitting；　had；　for　seven　hours；　the　mortification　of　seeing　him　almost　in　possession　of　the　enemy；　before　the　wind　would　allow　them　to　put　out　to　his　assist…　ance。　The　French；　however；　at　evening；　went　off；　not　choosing　to　approach　nearer　the　shore。　During　the　night；　Admiral　Hotham；　by　great　exertions；　got　under　weigh；　and；　having　sought　the　enemy　four　days；　came　in　sight　of　them　on　the　fifth。　Baffling　winds　and　vexatious　calms；　so　common　in　the　Mediterranean；　rendered　it　impossible　to　close　with　them；　only　a　partial　action　could　be