the life of horatio lord nelson-第52章

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aid；〃they　must　send　more　admirals；　for　the　keen　air　of　the　north　had　cut　him　to　the　heart。〃　He　felt　the　want　of　activity　and　decision　in　the　commander…in…chief　more　keenly；　and　this　affected　his　spirits；　and；　consequently；　his　health；　more　than　the　inclemency　of　the　Baltic。　Soon　after　the　armistice　was　signed；　Sir　Hyde　proceeded　to　the　eastward　with　such　ships　as　were　fit　for　service；　leaving　Nelson　to　follow　with　the　rest；　as　soon　as　those　which　had　received　slight　damages　should　be　repaired；　and　the　rest　sent　to　England。　In　passing　between　the　isles　of　Amak　and　Saltholm；　most　of　the　ships　touched　the　ground；　and　some　of　them　stuck　fast　for　a　while：　no　serious　injury；　however；　was　sustained。　It　was　intended　to　act　against　the　Russians　first；　before　the　breaking　up　of　the　frost　should　enable　them　to　leave　Revel；　but　learning　on　the　way　that　the　Swedes　had　put　to　sea　to　effect　a　junction　with　them；　Sir　Hyde　altered　his　course；　in　hopes　of　intercepting　this　part　of　the　enemy's　force。　Nelson　had；　at　this　time；　provided　for　the　more　pressing　emergencies　of　the　service；　and　prepared　on　the　18th　to　follow　the　fleet。　The　ST。　GEORGE　drew　too　much　water　to　pass　the　channel　between　the　isles　without　being　lightened；　the　guns　were　therefore　taken　out；　and　put　on　board　an　American　vessel；　a　contrary　wind；　however；　prevented　Nelson　from　moving；　and　on　that　same　evening；　while　he　was　thus　delayed；　information　reached　him　of　the　relative　situation　of　the　Swedish　and　British　fleets；　and　the　probability　of　an　action。　The　fleet　was　nearly　ten　leagues　distant；　and　both　wind　and　current　contrary；　but　it　was　not　possible　that　Nelson　could　wait　for　a　favourable　season　under　such　an　expectation。　He　ordered　his　boat　immediately；　and　stepped　into　it。　Night　was　setting　in；　one　of　the　cold　spring　nights　of　the　north；　and　it　was　discovered；　soon　after　they　left　the　ship；　that　in　their　haste　they　had　forgotten　to　provide　him　with　a　boat…cloak。　He；　however；　forbade　them　to　return　for　one；　and　when　one　of　his　companions　offered　his　own　great…coat；　and　urged　him　to　make　use　of　it；　he　replied；　〃I　thank　you　very　much；　but；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　my　anxiety　keeps　me　sufficiently　warm　at　present。〃

〃Do　you　think；〃　said　he　presently；〃that　our　fleet　has　quitted　Bornholm？　If　it　has；　we　must　follow　it　to　Carlscrona。〃　About　midnight　he　reached　it；　and　once　more　got　on　board　the　ELEPHANT。　On　the　following　morning　the　Swedes　were　discovered；　as　soon；　however；　as　they　perceived　the　English　approaching；　they　retired；　and　took　shelter　in　Carlscrona；　behind　the　batteries　on　the　island；　at　the　entrance　of　that　port。　Sir　Hyde　sent　in　a　flag　of　truce；　stating　that　Denmark　had　concluded　an　armistice；　and　requiring　an　explicit　declaration　from　the　court　of　Sweden；　whether　it　would　adhere　to　or　abandon　the　hostile　measures　which　it　had　taken　against　the　rights　and　interests　of　Great　Britain？　The　commander；　Vice…Admiral　Cronstadt；　replied；　〃That　he　could　not　answer　a　question　which　did　not　come　within　the　particular　circle　of　his　duty；　but　that　the　king　was　then　at　Maloe；　and　would　soon　be　at　Carlscrona。〃　Gustavus　shortly　afterwards　arrived；　and　an　answer　was　then　returned　to　this　effect：　〃That　his　Swedish　majesty　would　not；　for　a　moment；　fail　to　fulfil；　with　fidelity　and　sincerity；　the　engagements　he　had　entered　into　with　his　allies；　but　he　would　not　refuse　to　listen　to　equitable　proposals　made　by　deputies　furnished　with　proper　authority　by　the　King　of　Great　Britain　to　the　united　northern　powers。〃　Satisfied　with　this　answer；　and　with　the　known　disposition　of　the　Swedish　court；　Sir　Hyde　sailed　for　the　Gulf　of　Finland；　but　he　had　not　proceeded　far　before　a　despatch　boat　from　the　Russian　ambassador　at　Copenhagen　arrived；　bringing　intelligence　of　the　death　of　the　Emperor　Paul；　and　that　his　successor　Alexander　had　accepted　the　offer　made　by　England　to　his　father　of　terminating　the　dispute　by　a　convention：　the　British　admiral　was；　therefore；　required　to　desist　from　all　further　hostilities。

It　was　Nelson's　maxim；　that；　to　negotiate　with　effect；　force　should　be　at　hand；　and　in　a　situation　to　act。　The　fleet；　having　been　reinforced　from　England；　amounted　to　eighteen　sail　of　the　line；　and　the　wind　was　fair　for　Revel。　There　he　would　have　sailed　immediately　to　place　himself　between　that　division　of　the　Russian　fleet　and　the　squadron　at　Cronstadt；　in　case　this　offer　should　prove　insincere。　Sir　Hyde；　on　the　other　hand；　believed　that　the　death　of　Paul　had　effected　all　which　was　necessary。　The　manner　of　that　death；　indeed；　rendered　it　apparent　that　a　change　of　policy　would　take　place　in　the　cabinet　of　Petersburgh；　but　Nelson　never　trusted　anything　to　the　uncertain　events　of　time；　which　could　possibly　be　secured　by　promptitude　or　resolution。　It　was　not；　therefore；　without　severe　mortification；　that　he　saw　the　commander…in…　chief　return　to　the　coast　of　Zealand；　and　anchor　in　Kioge　Bay；　there　to　wait　patiently　for　what　might　happen。

There　the　fleet　remained　till　dispatches　arrived　from　home；　on　the　5th　of　May；　recalling　Sir　Hyde；　and　appointing　Nelson　commander…in…　chief。

Nelson　wrote　to　Earl　St。　Vincent　that　he　was　unable　to　hold　this　honourable　station。　Admiral　Graves　also　was　so　ill　as　to　be　confined　to　his　bed；　and　he　entreated　that　some　person　might　come　out　and　take　the　command。　〃I　will　endeavour；〃　said　he；　〃to　do　my　best　while　I　remain；　but；　my　dear　lord；　I　shall　either　soon　go　to　heaven；　I　hope；　or　must　rest　quiet　for　a　time。　If　Sir　Hyde　were　gone；　I　would　now　be　under　sail。〃　On　the　day　when　this　was　written；　he　received　news　of　his　appointment。　Not　a　moment　was　now　lost。　His　first　signal；　as　commander…　in…chief；　was　to　hoist　in　all　launches　and　prepare　to　weigh；　and　on　the　7th　he　sailed　from　Kioge。　Part　of　his　fleet　was　left　at　Bornholm；　to　watch　the　Swedes；　from　whom　he　required　and　obtained　an　assurance　that　the　British　trade　in　the　Cattegat　and　in　the　Baltic　should　not　be　molested；　and　saying　how　unpleasant　it　would　be　to　him　if　anything　should　happen　which　might　for　a　moment　disturb　the　returning　harmony　between　Sweden　and　Great　Britain；　he　apprised　them　that　he　was　not　directed　to　abstain　from　hostilities　should　he　meet　with　the　Swedish　fleet　at　sea。　Meantime　he　himself；　with　ten　sail　of　the　line；　two　frigates；　a　brig；　and　a　schooner；　made　for　the　Gulf　of　Finland。　Paul；　in　one　of　the　freaks　of　his　tyranny；　had　seized　upon　all　the　British　effects　in　Russia；　and　even　considered　British　subjects　as　his　prisoners。　〃I　will　have　all　the　English　shipping　and　property　restored；〃　said　Nelson；　〃but　I　will　do　nothing　violently；　neither　commit　the　affairs　of　my　country；　nor　suffer　Russia　to　mix　the　affairs　of　Denmark　or　Sweden　with　the　detention　of　our　ships。〃　The　wind　was　fair；　and　carried　him　in　four　days　to　Revel　Roads。　But　the　Bay　had　been　clear　of　firm　ice　on　the　29th　of　April；　while　the　English　were　lying　idly　at　Kioge。　The　Russians　had　cut　through　the　ice　in　the　mole　six　feet　thick；　and　their　whole　squadron　had　sailed　for　Cronstadt　on　the　3rd。　Before　that　time　it　had　lain　at　the　mercy　of　the　English。　〃Nothing；〃　Nelson　said；　〃if　it　had　been　right　to　make　the　attack；　could　have　saved　one　ship　of　them　in　two　hours　after　our　entering　the　bay。〃

It　so　happened　that　there　was　no　cause　to　regret　the　opportunity　which　had　been　lost；　and　Nelson　immediately　put　the　intentions　of　Russia　to　the　proof。　He　sent　on　shore；　to　say　that　he　came　with　friendly　views；　and　was　ready　to　return　a　salute。　On　their　part　the　salute　was　delayed；　till　a　message　was　sent　to　them　to　inquire　for　what　reason；　and　the　officer　whose　neglect　had　occasioned　the　delay；　was　put　under　arrest。　Nelson　wrote　to　the　emperor；　proposing　to　wait　on　him　personally　and　congratulate　him　on　his　accession；　and　urged　the　immediate　release　of　British　subjects；　and　restoration　of　British　property。

The　answer　arrived　on　the　16th：　Nelson；　meantime；　had　exchanged　visits　with　the　governor；　and　the　most　friendly　intercourse　had　subsisted　between　the　ships　and　the　shore。　Alexander's　ministers；　in　their　reply；　expressed　their　surprise　at　the　arrival　of　a　British　fleet　in　a　Russian　port；　and　their　wish　that　it　should　return：　they　professed；　on　the　part　of　Russia；　the　most　friendly　disposition　towards　Great　Britain；　but　declined　the　personal　vi