Nelson

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Cruising off the port in his flagship, the Vanguard, Nelson was struck by a violent northwesterly gale that blew his squadron off station and carried the French well on their way to their destination, Egypt. The British set out in pursuit, Nelson believing that the French were going either to Sicily or Egypt. After a somewhat confused chase the British caught up with the French squadron in the harbour at Alexandria near the mouth of the Nail. There the British saw the harbour crowded with empty French transports and, to the east, an escorting French squadron of 13 ships anchored in a defensive line across Abu Qir Bay near the months of the Nile. Once the signal to engage had been hoisted in the Vahguard, Nelson's ships attacked the French. With the French ships immobilized, the attacking British ships could anchor and concentrate their fire on each enemy before moving on to demolish their next target. Its outcome never in doubt from its beginning at sunset, the battle raged all night. By dawn the French squadron had been all annihilated. The strategic consequences of the Battle of the Nile were immense, and Nelson took immediate steps to broadcast the news throughout the Mediterranean as well as hastening it to London.

At Naples, the most convenient port for repairs, he was given a hero's welcome stagemanaged by Lady Hamilton. A prolonged British naval presence in Naples was useful in supporting the shaky of King Ferdinand, the one major ruler in Italy to be resisting the southward march of the French, who had already taken Rome and deposed the pope.

The love affair that developed between Nelson and Emma Hamilton came at a time of crisis. With Nelson's encouragement, King Ferdinand had indulged his own fantasies of glory and, openly joining the alliance of Great Britain, Russia and Austria against the French, led his own insignificant army to recapture Rome. Not only was this a disastrous failure but the French counteroffensive drove him back to Naples, which itself then fell. Nelson had to evacuate the Neapolitan royal family to Sicily, and at Palermo it became obvious to all that his infatuation with Emma Hamilton was complete. She had proved herself indispensable company to him.

Blockade of Naples and battle of Copenhagen.

In the summer of 1799, Nelson's squadron supported Ferdinand's successful attempt to recapture Naples, but word of his dalliance with Emma had reached the Admiralty, and his superiors began to lose patience. Bonaparte had escaped from Egypt to France, and the French still held Malta when Lord Keith, who had replaced ST. Vincent as commander in chief, decided that the enemy's next objective would be Minorca. Nelson was ordered to that island with all available ships but refused on the grounds that he expected the threat to be toward Naples. Events justified him, but to disobey orders so blatantly was unforgivable. The Admiralty, also angered by his acceptance of the dukedom of Bronte in Sicily from King Ferdinand, sent him an icy return home.

In 1800 he returned, but across the continent in company with the Hamilton. When the curious little party in England, it was at once clear that he was the nation's hero, and his progress to London was triumphal. Emma was pregnant by Nelson when he was appointed second in commanded to the elderly admiral Sir Hyde Parker, who was to command an expedition to the Baltic, Shortly before sailing, Nelson heard that Emma had borne him a daughter named Horatia.

Parker's fleet sailed the first objective, Copenhagen, early in 1801. At first Nelson's advice was not sought; then, as Danish resistance became increasingly likely, he could record, "Now we are sure of Fighting, I am sent for." By the stratagem of talking the fleet's ships of shallower draught through a difficult channel, Nelson bypassed the shore batteries covering the city's northern approaches. The next morning, April 2, he led his squadron into action. There was to be no room for tactical brilliance; only superior gunnery would tell. The Danes resisted bravely, and Parker, fearing that Nelson was suffering unacceptable losses, hoisted the signal to disengage. Nelson disregarded it, and, an hour later, victory was his; the Danish ships lay shattered and silent, their losses amounting to some 6,000 dead and wounded, six times than those of the British.

Реферат опубликован: 16/03/2006