the life of horatio lord nelson-第37章

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e　sincerity　of　his　character；　bore　willing　testimony　to　the　valour　of　his　foes。　He　told　the　prince　that　he　had　been　in　a　hundred　and　five　engagements；　but　that　this　was　the　most　tremendous　of　all。　〃The　French；〃　he　said；　〃fought　bravely；　but　they　could　not　have　stood　for　one　hour　the　fight　which　the　Danes　had　supported　for　four。〃　He　requested　that　Villemoes　might　be　introduced　to　him；　and；　shaking　hands　with　the　youth；　told　the　prince　that　he　ought　to　be　made　an　admiral。　The　prince　replied：　〃If；　my　lord；　I　am　to　make　all　my　brave　officers　admirals；　I　should　have　no　captains　or　lieutenants　in　my　service。〃

The　sympathy　of　the　Danes　for　their　countrymen　who　had　bled　in　their　defence；　was　not　weakened　by　distance　of　time　or　place　in　this　instance。　Things　needful　for　the　service；　or　the　comfort　of　the　wounded；　were　sent　in　profusion　to　the　hospitals；　till　the　superintendents　gave　public　notice　that　they　could　receive　no　more。　On　the　third　day　after　the　action；　the　dead　were　buried　in　the　naval　churchyard：　the　ceremony　was　made　as　public　and　as　solemn　as　the　occasion　required；　such　a　procession　had　never　before　been　seen　in　that；　or　perhaps　in　any　other　city。　A　public　monument　was　erected　upon　the　spot　where　the　slain　were　gathered　together。　A　subscription　was　opened　on　the　day　of　the　funeral　for　the　relief　of　the　sufferers；　and　collections　in　aid　of　it　made　throughout　all　the　churches　in　the　kingdom。　This　appeal　to　the　feelings　of　the　people　was　made　with　circumstances　which　gave　it　full　effect。　A　monument　was　raised　in　the　midst　of　the　church；　surmounted　by　the　Danish　colours：　young　maidens；　dressed　in　white；　stood　round　it；　with　either　one　who　had　been　wounded　in　the　battle；　or　the　widow　and　orphans　of　some　one　who　had　fallen：　a　suitable　oration　was　delivered　from　the　pulpit；　and　patriotic　hymns　and　songs　were　afterwards　performed。　Medals　were　distributed　to　all　the　officers；　and　to　the　men　who　had　distinguished　themselves。　Poets　and　painters　vied　with　each　other　in　celebrating　a　battle　which；　disastrous　as　it　was；　had　yet　been　honourable　to　their　country：　some；　with　pardonable　sophistry；　represented　the　advantage　of　the　day　as　on　their　own　side。　One　writer　discovered　a　more　curious；　but　less　disputable　ground　of　satisfaction；　in　the　reflection　that　Nelson；　as　may　be　inferred　from　his　name；　was　of　Danish　descent；　and　his　actions　therefore；　the　Dane　argued；　were　attributable　to　Danish　valour。

The　negotiation　was　continued　during　the　five　following　days；　and　in　that　interval　the　prizes　were　disposed　of；　in　a　manner　which　was　little　approved　by　Nelson。　Six　line…of…battle　ships　and　eight　praams　had　been　taken。　Of　these　the　HOLSTEIN；　sixty…four；　was　the　only　one　which　was　sent　home。　The　ZEALAND　was　a　finer　ship；　but　the　ZEALAND　and　all　the　others　were　burned；　and　their　brass　battering　cannon　sunk　with　the　hulls　in　such　shoal　water；　that；　when　the　fleet　returned　from　Revel；　they　found　the　Danes；　with　craft　over　the　wrecks；　employed　in　getting　the　guns　up　again。　Nelson；　though　he　forbore　from　any　public　expression　of　displeasure　at　seeing　the　proofs　and　trophies　of　his　victory　destroyed；　did　not　forget　to　represent　to　the　Admiralty　the　case　of　those　who　were　thus　deprived　of　their　prize…money。　〃Whether；〃　said　he　to　Earl　St。　Vincent；　〃Sir　Hyde　Parker　may　mention　the　subject　to　you；　I　know　not；　for　he　is　rich；　and　does　not　want　it：　nor　is　it；　you　will　believe　me；　any　desire　to　get　a　few　hundred　pounds　that　actuates　me　to　address　this　letter　to　you；　but　justice　to　the　brave　officers　and　men　who　fought　on　that　day。　It　is　true　our　opponents　were　in　hulks　and　floats；　only　adapted　for　the　position　they　were　in；　but　that　made　our　battle　so　much　the　harder；　and　victory　so　much　the　more　difficult　to　obtain。　Believe　me；　I　have　weighed　all　circumstances；　and；　in　my　conscience；　I　think　that　the　king　should　send　a　gracious　message　to　the　House　of　Commons　for　a　gift　to　this　fleet；　for　what　must　be　the　natural　feelings　of　the　officers　and　men　belonging　to　it；　to　see　their　rich　commander…in…chief　burn　all　the　fruits　of　their　victory；　which；　if　fitted　up　and　sent　to　England　（as　many　of　them　might　have　been　by　dismantling　part　of　our　fleet）；　would　have　sold　for　a　good　round　sum。〃

On　the　9th；　Nelson　landed　again；　to　conclude　the　terms　of　the　armistice。　During　its　continuance　the　armed　ships　and　vessels　of　Denmark　were　to　remain　in　their　actual　situation；　as　to　armament；　equipment；　and　hostile　position；　and　the　treaty　of　armed　neutrality；　as　far　as　related　to　the　co…operation　of　Denmark；　was　suspended。　The　prisoners　were　to　be　sent　on　shore；　an　acknowledgment　being　given　for　them；　and　for　the　wounded　also；　that：　they　might　be　carried　to　Great　Britain's　credit　in　the　account　of　war；　in　case　hostilities　should　be　renewed。　The　British　fleet　was　allowed　to　provide　itself　with　all　things　requisite　for　the　health　and　comfort　of　its　men。　A　difficulty　arose　respecting　the　duration　of　the　armistice。　The　Danish　commissioners　fairly　stated　their　fears　of　Russia；　and　Nelson；　with　that　frankness　which　sound　policy　and　the　sense　of　power　seem　often　to　require　as　well　as　justify　in　diplomacy；　told　them　his　reason　for　demanding　a　long　term　was；　that　he　might　have　time　to　act　against　the　Russian　fleet；　and　then　return　to　Copenhagen。　Neither　party　would　yield　upon　this　point；　and　one　of　the　Danes　hinted　at　the　renewal　of　hostilities。　〃Renew　hostilities！〃　cried　Nelson　to　one　of　his　friendsfor　he　understood　French　enough　to　comprehend　what　was　said；　though　not　to　answer　it　in　the　same　language　〃tell　him　we　are　ready　at　a　moment！　ready　to　bombard　this　very　night！〃　The　conference；　however；　proceeded　amicably　on　both　sides；　and　as　the　commissioners　could　not　agree　on　this　head；　they　broke　up；　leaving　Nelson　to　settle　it　with　the　prince。　A　levee　was　held　forthwith　in　one　of　the　state…rooms；　a　scene　well　suited　for　such　a　consultation；　for　all　these　rooms　had　been　stripped　of　their　furniture；　in　fear　of　a　bombardment。　To　a　bombardment　　also　Nelson　was　looking　at　this　time：　fatigue　and　anxiety；　and　vexation　at　the　dilatory　measures　of　the　commander…in…chief；　combined　to　make　him　irritable；　and　as　he　was　on　his　way　to　the　prince's　dining…room；　he　whispered　to　the　officer　on　whose　arm　he　was　leaning；　〃Though　I　have　only　one　eye；　I　can　see　that　all　this　will　burn　well。〃　After　dinner　he　was　closeted　with　the　prince；　and　they　agreed　that　the　armistice　should　continue　fourteen　weeks；　and　that；　at　its　termination；　fourteen　days'　notice　should　be　given　before　the　　recommencement　of　hostilities。

An　official　account　of　the　battle　was　published　by　Olfert　Fischer；　the　Danish　commander…in…chief　in　which　it　was　asserted　that　our　force　was　greatly　superior；　nevertheless；　that　two　of　our　ships　of　the　line　had　struck；　that　the　others　were　so　weakened；　and　especially　Lord　Nelson's　own　ship；　as　to　fire　only　single　shots　for　an　hour　before　the　end　of　the　action；　and　that　this　hero　himself；　in　the　middle　and　very　heat　of　the　conflict；　sent　a　flag　of　truce　on　shore；　to　propose　a　cessation　of　hostilities。　For　the　truth　of　this　account　the　Dane　appealed　to　the　prince；　and　all　those　who；　like　him；　had　been　eyewitnesses　of　the　scene。　Nelson　was　exceedingly　indignant　at　such　a　statement；　and　addressed　a　letter　in　confutation　of　it　to　the　Adjutant…　General　Lindholm；　thinking　this　incumbent　on　him　for　the　information　of　the　prince；　since　His　Royal　Highness　had　been　appealed　to　as　a　witness：　〃Otherwise；〃　said　he；　〃had　Commodore　Fischer　confined　himself　to　his　own　veracity；　I　should　have　treated　his　official　letter　with　the　contempt　it　deserved；　and　allowed　the　world　to　appreciate　the　merits　of　the　two　commanding　officers。〃　After　pointing　out　and　detecting　some　of　the　misstatements　in　the　account；　he　proceeds：　〃As　to　his　nonsense　about　victory；　His　Royal　Highness　will　not　much　credit　him。　I　sunk；　burnt；　captured；　or　drove　into　the　harbour；　the　whole　line　of　defence　to　the　southward　of　the　Crown　Islands。　He　says　he　is　told　that　two　British　ships　struck。　Why　did　he　not　take　possession　of　them？　I　took　possession　of　his　as　fast　as　they　struck。　The　reason　is　clear；　that　he　did　not　believe　it：　he　must　have　known　the　falsity　of　the　report。　He　states　that　the　ship　in　which　I　had　the　honour　to　hoist　my　flag　fired　latterly　only　single　guns。　It　is　true；　for　steady　and　cool　were　my　brave　fellows；　and　did　not　wish　to　throw　away　a　single　shot。　He　seems　to　exult　that　I　sent　on　shore　a　flag　of　truce。　You　know；　and　His　Royal　Highness　knows；　that　the　guns　fired　from　the　shore　could　only　fire　through　the　Danish　ships　which　had　surrendered；　and　that；　if　I　fired　at　the　shore；　it　could　only　be　in　the　same　manner。　God　forbid　that　I　should　destroy　an　unresisting　Dane！　When　they　become　my　prisoners；　I　become　their　protector。〃

This　letter　was　written　in　terms　of　great　asperity　to　the　Danish　commander。　Lindholm　replied　in　a　manner　every　way　honourable　to　himself。　He　vindicated　the　commodore　in　some　points；　and　excused　him　in　others；　reminding　Nelson　that　every　commander…in…chief　was　liable　to　receive　incorrect　reports。　With　a　natural　desire　to　represent　the　action　in　the　most　favourable　light　to　Denmark；　he　took　into　the　comparative　strength　of　the　two　parties　the　ships　which　were　aground；　and　which　could　not　get　into　action；　and　omitted　the　Trekroner　and　the　batteries　upon　Amak　Island。　He　disclaimed　all　idea　of　claiming　as　a　victory；　〃what；　to　every　intent　and　purpose；〃　said　he；　〃was　a　defeatbut　not　an　inglorious　one。　As　to　your　lordship's　motive　for　sending　a　flag　of　truce；　it　never　can　be　misconstrued　and　your　subsequent　conduct　has　sufficiently　shown　that　humanity　is　always　the　companion　of　true　valour。　You　have　done　more：　you　have　shown　yourself　a　friend　to　the　re…establishment　of　peace　and　good　harmony　between　this　country　and　Great　Britain。　It　is；　therefore；　with　the　　sincerest　esteem　I　shall　always　feel　myself　attached　to　your　lordship。〃　Thus　handsomely　winding　up　his　reply；　he　soothed　and　contented　Nelson；　who　drawing　up　a　memorandum　of　the　comparative　force　of　the　two　parties　for　his　own　satisfaction；　assured　Lindholm　that；　if　the　commodore's　statement　had　been　in　the　same　manly　and　honourable　strain；　he　would　have　been　the　last　man　to　have　noticed　any　little　inaccuracies　which　might　get　into　a　commander…in…chiefs　public　letter。

For　the　battle　of　Copenhagen　Nelson　was　raised　to　the　rank　of　viscountan　inadequate　mark　of　reward　for　services　so　splendid；　and　of　such　paramount　importance　to　the　dearest　interests　of　England。　There　was；　however；　some　prudence　in　dealing　out　honours　to　him　step　by　step：　had　he　lived　long　enough；　he　would　have　fought　his　way　up　to　a　dukedom。




CHAPTER　VIII

1801　…　1805

Sir　Hyde　Parker　is　recalled　and　Nelson　appointed　Commander　He　goes　to　RevelSettlement　of　Affairs　in　the　BalticUn…　successful　Attempt　upon　the　Flotilla　at　BoulognePeace　of　AmiensNelson　takes　Command　in　the　Mediterranean　on　the　Renewal　of　the　WarEscape　of　the　Toulon　FleetNelson　chases　them　to　the　West　Indies　and　backDelivers　up　his　Squadron　to　Admiral　Cornwallis　and　lands　in　England。

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WHEN　Nelson　informed　Earl　St。　Vincent　that　the　armistice　had　been　concluded；　he　told　him　also；　without　reserve；　his　own　discontent　at　the　dilatoriness　and　indecision　which　he　witnessed；　and　could　not　remedy。　〃No　man；〃　said　he；　〃but　those　who　a