the life of horatio lord nelson-第23章

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s。；　and　a　diamond　aigrette；　valued　at　18；000　dols。；　the　most　honourable　badge　among　the　Turks；　and　in　this　instance　more　especially　honourable；　because　it　was　taken　from　one　of　the　royal　turbans。　〃If　it　were　worth　a　million；〃　said　Nelson　to　his　wife；　〃my　pleasure　would　be　to　see　it　in　your　possession。〃　The　sultan　also　sent；　in　a　spirit　worthy　of　imitation；　a　purse　of　2000　sequins；　to　be　distributed　among　the　wounded。　The　mother　of　the　sultan　sent　him　a　box；　set　with　diamonds；　valued　at　L1000。　The　Czar　Paul；　in　whom　the　better　part　of　his　strangely　compounded　nature　at　this　time　predominated；　presented　him　with　his　portrait；　set　in　diamonds；　in　a　gold　box；　accompanied　with　a　letter　of　congratulation；　written　by　his　own　hand。　The　king　of　Sardinia　also　wrote　to　him；　and　sent　a　gold　box　set　with　diamonds。　Honours　in　profusion　were　awaiting　him　at　Naples。　In　his　own　country　the　king　granted　these　honourable　augmentations　to　his　armorial　ensign：　a　chief　undulated；　ARGENT：　thereon　waves　of　the　sea；　from　which　a　palm　tree　issuant；　between　a　disabled　ship　on　the　dexter；　and　a　ruinous　battery　on　the　sinister　all　proper；　and　for　his　crest；　on　a　naval　crown；　OR；　the　chelengk；　or　plume；　presented　to　him　by　the　Turk；　with　the　motto；　PALMAM　QUI　MERUIT　FERAT。　And　to　his　supporters；　being　a　sailor　on　the　dexter；　and　a　lion　on　the　sinister；　were　given　these　honourable　augmentations：　a　palm　branch　in　the　sailor's　hand；　and　another　in　the　paw　of　the　lion；　both　proper；　with　a　tri…coloured　flag　and　staff　in　the　lion's　mouth。　He　was　created　Baron　Nelson　of　the　Nile；　and　of　Burnham　Thorpe；　with　a　pension　of　L2000　for　his　own　life；　and　those　of　his　two　immediate　successors。　When　the　grant　was　moved　in　the　House　of　Commons；　General　Walpole　expressed　an　opinion　that　a　higher　degree　of　rank　ought　to　be　conferred。　Mr。　Pitt　made　answer；　that　he　thought　it　needless　to　enter　into　that　question。　〃Admiral　Nelson's　fame；〃　he　said；〃would　be　co…equal　with　the　British　name；　and　it　would　be　remembered　that　he　had　obtained　the　greatest　naval　victory　on　record；　when　no　man　would　think　of　asking　whether　he　had　been　created　a　baron；　a　viscount；　or　an　earl。〃　It　was　strange　that；　in　the　very　act　of　conferring　a　title；　the　minister　should　have　excused　himself　for　not　having　conferred　a　higher　one；　by　representing　all　titles；　on　such　an　occasion；　as　nugatory　and　superfluous。　True；　indeed；　whatever　title　had　been　bestowed；　whether　viscount；　earl；　marquis；　duke；　or　prince；　if　our　laws　had　so　permitted；　he　who　　received　it　would　have　been　Nelson　still。　That　name　he　had　ennobled　beyond　all　addition　of　nobility；　it　was　the　name　by　which　England　loved　him；　France　feared　him；　Italy；　Egypt；　and　Turkey　celebrated　him；　and　by　which　he　will　continue　to　be　known　while　the　present　kingdoms　and　languages　of　the　world　endure；　and　as　long　as　their　history　after　them　shall　be　held　in　remembrance。　It　depended　upon　the　degree　of　rank　what　should　be　the　fashion　of　his　coronet；　in　what　page　of　the　red　book　his　name　was　to　be　inserted；　and　what　　precedency　should　be　allowed　his　lady　in　the　drawing…room　and　at　the　ball。　That　Nelson's　honours　were　affected　thus　far；　and　no　further；　might　be　conceded　to　Mr。　Pitt　and　his　colleagues　in　administration；　but　the　degree　of　rank　which　they　thought　proper　to　allot　was　the　measure　of　their　gratitude；　though　not　of　his　service。　This　Nelson　felt；　and　this　he　expressed；　with　indignation；　among　his　friends。

Whatever　may　have　been　the　motives　of　the　ministry；　and　whatever　the　formalities　with　which　they　excused　their　conduct　to　themselves；　the　importance　and　magnitude　of　the　victory　were　universally　acknowledged。　A　grant　of　L10；000　was　voted　to　Nelson　by　the　East　India　Company；　the　Turkish　Company　presented　him　with　a　piece　of　plate；　the　City　of　London　presented　a　sword　to　him；　and　to　each　of　his　captains；　gold　medals　were　distributed　to　the　captains；　and　the　first　lieutenants　of　all　the　ships　were　promoted；　as　had　been　done　after　Lord　Howe's　victory。　Nelson　was　exceedingly　anxious　that　the　captain　and　first　lieutenant　of　the　CULLODEN　should　not　be　passed　over　because　of　their　misfortune。　To　Troubridge　himself　he　said；　〃Let　us　rejoice　that　the　ship　which　got　on　shore　was　commanded　by　an　officer　whose　character　is　so　thoroughly　established。〃　To　the　Admiralty　he　stated　that　Captain　Troubridge's　conduct　was　as　fully　entitled　to　praise　as　that　of　any　one　officer　in　the　squadron；　and　as　highly　deserving　of　reward。　〃It　was　Troubridge；〃　said　he；　〃who　equipped　the　squadron　so　soon　at　Syracuse；　it　was　Troubridge　who　exerted　himself　for　me　after　the　action；　it　was　Troubridge　who　saved　the　CULLODEN；　when　none　that　I　know　in　the　service　would　have　attempted　it。〃　The　gold　medal；　therefore；　by　the　king's　express　desire；　was　given　to　Captain　Troubridge；　〃for　his　services　both　before　and　since；　and　for　the　great　and　wonderful　exertion　which　he　made　at　the　time　of　the　action　in　saving　and　getting　off　his　ship。〃　The　private　letter　from　the　Admiralty　to　Nelson　informed　him　that　the　first　lieutenants　of　all　the　ships　ENGAGED　were　to　be　promoted。　Nelson　instantly　wrote　to　the　commander…in…chief：　〃I　sincerely　hope；〃　said　he；　〃this　is　not　intended　to　exclude　the　first　lieutenant　of　the　CULLODEN。　For　heaven's　sakefor　my　sake；　if　it　be　soget　it　altered。　Our　dear　friend　Troubridge　has　endured　enough。　His　sufferings　were；　in　every　respect；　more　than　any　of　us。〃　To　the　Admiralty　he　wrote　in　terms　equally　warm。　〃I　hope；　and　believe；　the　word　ENGAGED　is　not　intended　to　exclude　the　CULLODEN。　The　merits　of　that　ship；　and　her　gallant　Captain；　are　too　well　known　to　benefit　by　anything　I　could　say。　Her　misfortune　was　great　in　getting　aground；　while　her　more　fortunate　companions　were　in　the　full　tide　of　happiness。　No：　I　am　confident　that　my　good　Lord　Spencer　will　never　add　misery　to　　misfortune。　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。〃　Thus　feelingly　alive　was　Nelson　to　the　claims；　and　interests；　and　feelings　of　others。　The　Admiralty　replied；　that　the　exception　was　necessary；　as　the　ship　had　not　been　in　action；　but　they　desired　the　commander…in…chief　to　promote　the　lieutenant　upon　the　first　vacancy　which　should　occur。

Nelson；　in　remembrance　of　an　old　and　uninterrupted　friendship；　ap…　pointed　Alexander　Davison　sole　prize　agent　for　the　captured　ships：　upon　which　Davison　ordered　medals　to　be　struck　in　gold；　for　the　captains；　in　silver；　for　the　lieutenants　and　warrant　officers；　in　gilt　metal　for　the　petty　officers；　and　in　copper　for　the　seamen　and　marines。　The　cost　of　this　act　of　liberality　amounted　nearly　to　L2000。　It　is　worthy　of　record　on　another　account；for　some　of　the　gallant　men；　who　received　no　other　honorary　badge　of　their　conduct　on　that　memorable　day　than　this　copper　medal　from　a　private　individual；　years　　afterwards；　when　they　died　upon　a　foreign　station；　made　it　their　last　request；　that　the　medals　might　carefully　be　sent　home　to　their　respective　friends。　So　sensible　are　brave　men　of　honour；　in　　whatever　rank　they　may　be　placed。

Three　of　the　frigates；　whose　presence　would　have　been　so　essential　a　few　weeks　sooner；　joined　the　squadron　on　the　twelfth　day　after　the　action。　The　fourth　joined　a　few　days　after　them。　Nelson　thus　received　despatches；　which　rendered　it　necessary　for　him　to　return　to　Naples。　Before　he　left　Egypt　he　burned　three　of　the　prizes；　they　could　not　have　been　fitted　for　a　passage　to　Gibraltar　in　less　than　a　month；　and　that　at　a　great　expense；　and　with　the　loss　of　the　services　of　at　least　two　sail　of　the　line。　〃I　rest　assured；〃　he　said　to　the　Admiralty；　〃that　they　will　be　paid　for；　and　have　held　out　that　assurance　to　the　squadron。　For　if　an　admiral；　after　a　victory；　is　to　look　after　the　captured　ships；　and　not　to　the　distressing　of　the　enemy；　very　dearly；　indeed；　must　the　nation　pay　for　the　prizes。　I　trust　that　L60；000　will　be　deemed　a　very　moderate　sum　for　them：　and　when　the　services；　time；　and　men；　with　the　expense　of　fitting　the　three　ships　for　a　voyage　to　England；　are　considered；　government　will　save　nearly　as　much　as　they　are　valued　at。　Paying　for　prizes；〃　he　continued；　〃is　no　new　idea　of　mine；　and　would　often　prove　an　amazing　saving　to　the　state；　even　without　taking　into　calculation　what　the　nation　loses　by　the　attention　of　admirals　to　the　property　of　the　captors；　an　attention　absolutely　necessary；　as　a　recompence　for　the　exertions　of　the　officers　and　men。　An　admiral　may　be　amply　rewarded　by　his　own　feelings；　and　by　the　approbation　of　his　superiors；　but　what　reward　have　the　inferior　officers　and　men　but　the　value　of　the　prizes？　If　an　admiral　takes　that　from　them；　on　any　consideration；　he　cannot　expect　to　be　well　supported。〃　To　Earl　St。　Vincent　he　said；　〃If　he　could　have　been　sure　that　government　would　have　paid　a　reasonable　value　for　them；　he　would　have　ordered　two　of　the　other　prizes　to　be　burnt；　for　they　would　cost　more　in　refitting；　and　by　the　loss　of　ships　attending　them；　than　they　were　worth。〃

Having　sent　the　six　remaining　prizes　forward；　under　Sir　James　Saumarez；　Nelson　left　Captain　Hood；　in　the　ZEALOUS　off　Alexandria；　with　the　SWIFTSURE；　GOLIATH；　Alcmene；　ZEALOUS；　and　EMERALD；　and　stood　out　to　sea　himself　on　the　seventeenth　day　after　the　battle。




CHAPTER　VI

1798　…　1800

Nelson　returns　to　NaplesState　of　that　Court　and　Kingdom　General　MackThe　French　approach　NaplesFlight　of　the　Royal　FamilySuccesses　of　the　Allies　in　ItalyTransactions　in　the　Bay　of　NaplesExpulsion　of　the　French　from　the　Neapolitan　and　Roman　StatesNelson　is　made　Duke　of　BronteHe　leaves　the　Mediterranean　and　returns　to　England。

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NELSON's　health　had　suffered　greatly　while　he　was　in　the　AGAMEMNON。　〃My　complaint；〃　he　said；　〃is　as　if　a　girth　were　buckled　taut　over　my　breast；　and　my　endeavour　in　the　night　is　to　get　it　loose。〃　After　the　battle　of　Cape　St。　Vincent　he　felt　a　little　rest　to　be　so　essential　to　his　recovery；　that　he　declared　he　would　not　continue　to　serve　longer　than　the　ensuing　summer；　unless　it　should　be　absolutely　necessary；　for　in　his　own　strong　language；　he　had　then　been　four　years　and　nine　months　without　one　moment's　repose　for　body　or　mind。　A　few　months'　intermission　of　labour　he　had　obtainednot　of　rest；　for　it　was　purchased　with　the　loss　of　a　limb；　and　the　greater　part　of　the　time　had　been　a　season　of　constant　pain。　As　soon　as　his　shattered　frame　had　sufficiently　recovered　for　him　to　resume　his　duties；　he　was　called　to　services　of　greater　importance　than　any　on　which　he　had　hitherto　been　employed；　which　brought　with　them　commensurate　fatigue　and　care。

The　anxiety　which　he　endured　during　his　long　pursuit　of　the　enemy；　was　rather　changed　in　its　direction　than　abated　by　their　defeat；　and　this　constant　wakefulness　of　thought；　added　to　the　effect　of　his　wound；　and　the　exertions　from　which　it　was　not　possible　for　one　of　so　ardent　and　wide…reaching　a　mind　to　spare　himself；nearly　proved　fatal。　On　his　way　back　to　Italy　he　was　seized　with　fever。　For　eighteen　hours　his　life　was　despaired　of；　and　even　when　the　disorder　took　a　favourable　turn；　and　he　was　s