the life of horatio lord nelson-第51章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


f　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。

*


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　are　on　the　spot；　can　tell　what　I　have　gone　through；　and　do　suffer。　I　make　no　scruple　in　saying；　that　I　would　have　been　at　Revel　fourteen　days　ago！　that；　without　this　armistice；　the　fleet　would　never　have　gone；　but　by　order　of　the　Admiralty；　and　with　it；　I　daresay；　we　shall　not　go　this　week。　I　wanted　Sir　Hyde　to　let　me；　at　least；　go　and　cruise　off　Carlscrona；　to　prevent　the　Revel　ships　from　getting　in。　I　said　I　would　not　go　to　Revel　to　take　any　of　those　laurels　which　I　was　sure　he　would　reap　there。　Think　for　me；　my　dear　lord：　and　if　I　have　deserved　well；　let　me　return；　if　ill；　for　Heaven's　sake　supersede　me；　for　I　cannot　exist　in　this　state。〃

Fatigue；　incessant　anxiety；　and　a　climate　little　suited　to　one　of　a　tender　constitution；　which　had　now　for　many　years　been　accustomed　to　more　genial　latitudes；　made　him　at　this　time　seriously　determine　upon　returning　home。　〃If　the　northern　business　were　not　settled；〃　he　said；〃they　must　send　more　admirals；　for　the　keen　air　of　the　north　had　cut　him　to　the　heart。〃　He　felt