Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/400

* NELSON. 350 NELSON. rear-admiral of the blue. 11 is next duty was to briiig the troops away from Elba, a task which lie promi»tly accomplished. It is interesting to note that thouyh at this time the serious mutinies in the lleet at Spithead and the Xore took place, Xelson had no dilliculty with his men, who assured liini of their loyalty. For a lew weeks Kelson served oil" Cadiz, aud then, at his own suggestion, he was detached to make an attack on the town of Santa Cruz, on the island of Teneriffe, believing that large Mexican treas- ure ships had taken refuge there, whose capture would deal a severe blow to Spain. The expedi- tion arrived at its destination on July 20, 1797, and the folhjwing day an attack was made. This assault and stinie hiter ones were all repulsed. Tlic plan had never anything to recommend it but its boldness and a ijelief that the place was not strongly defended. Xclson himself fought ■with great heroism and lost his right arm, and, as the wound did not heal well, he was compelled to return to Kngland, where he arrived on Sep- tember 3, 1797. On September 27 he was invested with the Order of the Bath by George III. in person, and at the same time a pension of £1000 a year was awarded him. At this time, on ac- count of his ill health and a fear that he would never again be able to enter active service, his spirits were gieatly depressed, but he revived at once when on March 29, 1798. his flag was again hoisted over a ship. On April .SOth he rejoined the Earl of Saint Vincent off Cadiz. From this time a new period in Nelson's life begins. He soon becomes the great man of his service, instead of merelj' one of many distin- guished naval oflicers. It is the period which opens with Abukir Bay and closes with Trafalgar. It is necessary to consider now the state of Europe at the time when Xelson rejoined the fleet. Aus- tria had been compelled by Napoleon's victories in Italy to sign the Preliminaries of Leoben on -Vpril 18, 1707, which were ratified soon after by the Treaty of Campo-Formio (q.v.). This left England with only one weak ally. Portugal, while it set Xapolcon free to attack England itself. He thought the best place to injure England would be in the East, and for this purpose prepared his great Egyptian expedition. (See N.poleo.v I.) The news of Napoleon's intentions soon reached Saint Vincent, and in spite of the jeal- ousy of some older olTieers, he detached Nelson to watch the French fleet and to check it. Nel- son was unable to prevent it from getting to Egv'pt. and for months there was a weary hunt to find the French ships and compel them to fight. Finally, on August I, 179S, Nelson discovered them in the Bay of Abukir, and in the battle that ensued the French lleet was completely defeated, and only two ve.ssels esca|K!d. Nel- son received a wound on the head from which he sutlVred f<uever after. The brilliant victory at .bukir practically insured the failure of Na- poleon's expedition, since it cut him off from his liasc of supplies. Nelson was created I?ar<m Kelson of the Nile, and received a pension ol £2(11)1) a year, besides other numerous gifts and compliments both from England and abroad. On .ugiist 19th he sailed from .Alexandria and on September 22d he finally arrived at Naples. The Neapolitan period of Nelson's life, which covered the cnsninL' two venrs. was the one blem- ish on -his otherwisp glorious career. Here began his criminal relations with the wife of the Eng- lish Minister at Naples, Sir William Hamil- ton, which led to a complete separation of Nelson and his wife early in ISOl. Moreover, Lady Hamilton inlluenced Nelson's public acts, so that for a time he behaved rather as com- mander-in-chief of the Neapolitan navy than as an Kaglish admiral. He induced Naples, how- ever, to make war upon France, but the Nea- politan army was soon decisively defeated, and the royal family was compelled in December, 1708, to leave Naples, where the French pro- claimed the Parthenopean Republic. After re- siding for a while with the Hamiltons at I'alermo, and vexed for a time on account of the ap])ointment of a junior ollicer, Sir Sidney Smith, to an important com- mand in the Levant, Nelson was linally roused again to action on May 12, 1790, by the news that Admiral Bruix with the French Brest lleet had escaped from that harbor aud was about to enter the Mediterranean. The danger was iuuni- uent that the French would recover the naval supremacy in the ^Mediterranean, which had been destroyed by the victory at Abukir Bay. Nelson prepared for the emergency with his usual ability, when, to his disgust, Jcrvis resigned his command and was succeeded by Keith, an honest bvit by no means brilliant oflicer. Friction between him and Nelson existed from the start. On June 24, 1709, Nelson appeared before Naples intent upon securing that city before the French fleet should appear. He found that the Republicans had com- plete control and were aided by a Neapcditan squadron under Commodore Caraccioli. The Nea- ])olitan admiral was captured on June 20th. and Nelson, as eonunander-in-chief of the Neapolitan navy, immediately ordered a court-martial, which sentenced the Commodore to death, and he was executed at once. Nelson has often been blamed unjustly for this action, the only fault which can possibly be imputed to him being that pos- sibly he might have ])roceeded with more delibera- tion. The forts of the city had surrendered on .Tune 26th. At this time Nelson was created Duke of Bronte by the despicable Ferdinand TV. of Naples. To the inlluence of Lady Hamilton, who was the intimate of the Queen of Naples, must be charged the serious disol)edience of or- ders by Nelson shortly after. He had been or- dered to join Lord Keith and to assist him to meet a laige French fleet, but he preferred to retnain at Naples. The danger, it is true, was averted; for on August 13, 1790, the French fleet reentered Brest, but had Nelson come up in time it is just possible that another great victory might have been won. For a short time Nelson was eonnnander in the Mediterranean, but he displayed no enthusiasm for his work. On .Janu- ary 20. 1800. he united his command with that of Keith, and after several quarrels Nelson was finally recalled by orders which reached him in June. He traveled overland with the Hamiltons, and, though he was received everywhere with great enthusiasm, his conduct gave great cause of scandal to all his friends. On November (J, 1800. the party arrived in England, and soon after Nelson's final breach with his wife took place. On .Tanuary 1. 1801, Nelson was promoted to be vice-admiral, and he was assigned to the com- mand of Sir Hyde Parker, who was to coerce the Northern Confederation. This league, composed of the States on the Baltic, had been maintaining nn' armed neutrality, which in truth was only