the life of horatio lord nelson-第14部分

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d　as　they　deserved；　and　it　abated　the　resentful　feeling　which　would　else　have　been　excited　by　the　answer　to　an　application　to　the　War…office。　During　his　four　months'　land　service　in　Corsica；　he　had　lost　all　his　ship　furniture；　owing　to　the　movements　of　a　camp。　Upon　this　he　wrote　to　the　Secretary　at　War；　briefly　stating　what　his　services　on　shore　had　been；　and　saying；　he　trusted　it　was　not　asking　an　improper　thing　to　request　that　the　same　allowance　might　be　made　to　him　which　would　be　made　to　a　land　officer　of　his　rank；　which；　situated　as　he　was；　would　be　that　of　a　brigadier…general：　if　this　could　not　be　accorded；　he　hoped　that　his　additional　expenses　would　be　paid　him。　The　answer　which　he　received　was；　that　〃no　pay　had　ever　been　issued　under　the　direction　of　the　War…office　to　officers　of　the　navy　serving　with　the　army　on　shore。〃

He　now　entered　upon　a　new　line　of　service。　The　Austrian　and　Sardinian　armies；　under　General　de　Vins；　required　a　British　squadron　to　co…operate　with　them　in　driving　the　French　from　the　Riviera　di　Genoa；　and　as　Nelson　had　been　so　much　in　the　habit　of　soldiering；　it　was　immediately　fixed　that　the　brigadier　should　go。　He　sailed　from　St。　Fiorenzo　on　this　destination；　but　fell　in；　off　Cape　del　Mele；　with　the　enemy's　fleet；　who　immediately　gave　his　squadron　chase。　The　chase　lasted　four…and…twenty　hours；　and；　owing　to　the　fickleness　of　the　wind；　the　British　ships　were　sometimes　hard　pressed；　but　the　want　of　skill　on　the　part　of　the　French　gave　Nelson　many　advantages。　Nelson　bent　his　way　back　to　St。　Fiorenzo；　where　the　fleet；　which　was　in　the　midst　of　watering　and　refitting；　had；　for　seven　hours；　the　mortification　of　seeing　him　almost　in　possession　of　the　enemy；　before　the　wind　would　allow　them　to　put　out　to　his　assist…　ance。　The　French；　however；　at　evening；　went　off；　not　choosing　to　approach　nearer　the　shore。　During　the　night；　Admiral　Hotham；　by　great　exertions；　got　under　weigh；　and；　having　sought　the　enemy　four　days；　came　in　sight　of　them　on　the　fifth。　Baffling　winds　and　vexatious　calms；　so　common　in　the　Mediterranean；　rendered　it　impossible　to　close　with　them；　only　a　partial　action　could　be　brought　on；　and　then　the　firing　made　a　perfect　calm。　The　French　being　to　windward；　drew　inshore；　and　the　English　fleet　was　becalmed　six　or　seven　miles　to　the　westward。　L'ALCIDE；　of　seventy…four　guns；　struck；　but　before　she　could　be　taken　possession　of；　a　box　of　combustibles　in　her　fore…top　took　fire；　and　the　unhappy　crew　experienced　how　far　more　perilous　their　inventions　were　to　them…　selves　than　to　their　enemies。　So　rapid　was　the　conflagration；　that　the　French　in　their　official　account　say；　the　hull；　the　masts；　and　sails；　all　seemed　to　take　fire　at　the　same　moment；　and　though　the　English　boats　were　put　out　to　the　assistance　of　the　poor　wretches　on　board；　not　more　than　200　could　be　saved。　The　AGAMEMNON；　and　Captain　Rowley　in　the　CUMBERLAND；　were　just　getting　into　close　action　a　second　time；　when　the　admiral　called　them　off；　the　wind　now　blowing　directly　into　the　Gulf　of　Frejus；　where　the　enemy　anchored　after　the　evening　closed。

Nelson　now　proceeded　to　his　station　with　eight　sail　of　frigates　under　his　command。　Arriving　at　Genoa；　he　had　a　conference　with　Mr。　Drake；　the　British　envoy　to　that　state；　the　result　of　which　was；　that　the　object　of　the　British　must　be　to　put　an　entire　stop　to　all　trade　between　Genoa；　France；　and　the　places　occupied　by　the　French　troops；　for　unless　this　trade　were　stopped；　it　would　be　scarcely　possible　for　the　allied　armies　to　hold　their　situation；　and　impossible　for　them　to　make　any　progress　in　driving　the　enemy　out　of　the　Riviera　di　Genoa。　Mr。　Drake　was　of　opinion　that　even　Nice　might　fall　for　want　of　supplies；　if　the　trade　with　Genoa　were　cut　off。　This　sort　of　blockade　Nelson　could　not　carry　on　without　great　risk　to　himself。　A　captain　in　the　navy；　as　he　represented　to　the　envoy；　is　liable　to　prosecution　for　detention　and　damages。　This　danger　was　increased　by　an　order　which　had　then　lately　been　issued；　by　which；　when　a　neutral　ship　was　detained；　a　complete　specification　of　her　cargo　was　directed　to　be　sent　to　the　secretary　of　the　Admiralty；　and　no　legal　process　instituted　against　her　till　the　pleasure　of　that　board　should　be　communicated。　This　was　requiring　an　impossibility。　The　cargoes　of　ships　detained　upon　this　station；　consisting　chiefly　of　corn；　would　be　spoiled　long　before　the　orders　of　the　Admiralty　could　be　known；　and　then；　if　they　should　happen　to　release　the　vessel；　the　owners　would　look　to　the　captain　for　damages。　Even　the　only　precaution　which　could　be　taken　against　this　danger；　involved　another　danger　not　less　to　be　apprehended：　for　if　the　captain　should　direct　the　cargo　to　be　taken　out；　the　freight　paid　for；　and　the　vessel　released；　the　agent　employed　might　prove　fraudulent；　and　become　bankrupt；　and　in　that　case　the　captain　became　responsible。　Such　things　had　happened：　Nelson　therefore　required；　as　the　only　means　for　carrying　on　that　service；　which　was　judged　essential　to　the　common　cause；　without　exposing　the　officers　to　ruin；　that　the　British　envoy　should　appoint　agents　to　pay　the　freight；　release　the　vessels；　sell　the　cargo；　and　hold　the　amount　till　process　was　had　upon　it：　government　thus　securing　its　officers。　〃I　am　acting；〃　said　Nelson。　〃not　only　without　the　orders　of　my　commander…in…chief；　but；　in　some　measure；　contrary　to　him。　However；　I　have　not　only　the　support　of　his　Majesty's　ministers；　both　at　Turin　and　Genoa；　but　a　consciousness　that　I　am　doing　what　is　right　and　proper　for　the　service　of　our　king　and　country。　Political　courage；　in　an　officer　abroad；　is　as　highly　necessary　as　military　courage。〃

This　quality；　which　is　as　much　rarer　than　military　courage　as　it　is　more　valuable；　and　without　which　the　soldier's　bravery　is　often　of　little　avail；　Nelson　possessed　in　an　eminent　degree。　His　representations　were　attended　to　as　they　deserved。　Admiral　Hotham　commended　him　for　what　he　had　done；　and　the　attention　of　government　was　awakened　to　the　injury　which　the　cause　of　the　allies　continually　suffered　from　the　frauds　of　neutral　vessels。　〃What　changes　in　my　life　of　activity！〃　said　the　indefatigable　man。　〃Here　I　am；　having　commenced　a　co…operation　with　an　old　Austrian　general；　almost　fancying　myself　charging　at　the　head　of　a　troop　of　horse！　I　do　not　write　less　than　from　ten　to　twenty　letters　every　day；　which；　with　the　Austrian　general　and　aides…de…camp；　and　my　own　little　squadron；　fully　employ　my　time。　This　I　like；　active　service　or　none。〃　It　was　Nelson's　mind　which　supported　his　feeble　body　through　these　exertions。　He　was　at　this　time　almost　blind；　and　wrote　with　very　great　pain。　〃Poor　AGAMEMNON〃　he　sometimes　said；　〃was　as　nearly　worn　out　as　her　captain；　and　both　must　soon　be　laid　up　to　repair。〃

When　Nelson　first　saw　General　de　Vins；　he　thought　him　an　able　man；　who　was　willing　to　act　with　vigour。　The　general　charged　his　inactivity　upon　the　Piedmontese　and　Neapolitans；　whom；　he　said；　nothing　could　induce　to　act；　and　he　concerted　a　plan　with　Nelson　for　embarking　a　part　of　the　Austrian　army；　and　landing　it　in　the　rear　of　the　French。　But　the　English　commodore　soon　began　to　suspect　that　the　Austrian　general　was　little　disposed　to　any　active　operations。　In　the　hope　of　spurring　him　on；　he　wrote　to　him；　telling　him　that　he　had　surveyed　the　coast　to　the　W。　as　far　as　Nice；　and　would　undertake　to　embark　4000　or　5000　men；　with　their　arms　and　a　few　days'　provisions；　on　board　the　squadron；　and　land　them　within　two　miles　of　St。　Remo；　with　their　field…pieces。　Respecting　further　provisions　for　the　Austrian　army；　he　would　provide　convoys；　that　they　should　arrive　in　safety；　and　if　a　re…embarkation　should　be　found　necessary；　he　would　cover　it　with　the　squadron。　The　possession　of　St。　Remo；　as　headquarters　for　magazines　of　every　kind；　would　enable　the　Austrian　general　to　turn　his　army　to　the　eastward　or　westward。　The　enemy　at　Oneglia　would　be　cut　off　from　provisions；　and　men　could　be　landed　to　attack　that　place　whenever　　it　was　judged　necessary。　St。　Remo　was　the　only　place　between　Vado　and　Ville　Franche　where　the　squadron　could　lie　in　safety；　and　anchor　in　almost　all　winds。　The　bay　was　not　so　good　as　Vado　for　large　ships；　but　it　had　a　mole；　which　Vado　had　not；　where　all　small　vessels　could　lie；　and　load　and　unload　their　cargoes。　This　bay　being　in　possession　of　the　allies；　Nice　could　be　completely　blockaded　by　sea。　General　de　Vins　affecting；　in　his　reply；　to　consider　that　Nelson's　proposal　had　no　other　end　than　that　of　obtaining　the　bay　of　St。　Remo　as　a　station　for　the　ships；　told　him；　what　he　well　knew；　and　had　expressed　before；　that　Vado　Bay　was　a　better　anchorage；　nevertheless；　if　MONSIEUR　LE　COMMANDANT　NELSON　was　well　assured　that　part　of　the　fleet　could　winter　there；　there　was　no　risk　to　which　he　would　not　expose　himself　with　pleasure；　for　the　sake　of　procuring　a　safe　station　for　the　vessels　of　his　Britannic　Majesty。　Nelson　soon　assured　the　Austrian　commander　that　this　was　not　the　object　of　his　memorial。　He　now　began　to　suspect　that　both　the　Austrian　Court　and　their　general　had　other　ends　in　view　than　the　cause　of　the　allies。　〃This　army；〃　said　he；　〃is　slow　beyond　all　description；　and　I　begin　to　think　that　the　Emperor　is　anxious　to　touch　another　L4；000；000　of　English　money。　As　for　the　German　generals；　war　is　their　trade；　and　peace　is　ruin　to　them；　therefore　we　cannot　expect　that　they　should　have　any　wish　to　finish　the　war。　The　politics　of　courts　are　so　mean；　that　private　people　would　be　ashamed　to　act　in　the　same　way；　all　is　trick　and　finesse；　to　which　the　common　cause　is　sacrificed。　The　general　wants　a　loop…hole；　it　has　for　some　time　appeared　to　me　that　he　means　to　go　no　further　than　his　present　position；　and　to　lay　the　miscarriage　of　the　enterprise　against　Nice；　which　has　always　been　held　out　as　the　great　object　of　his　army；　to　the　non…co…　operation　of　the　British　fleet　and　of　the　　Sardinians。〃

To　prevent　this　plea；　Nelson　again　addressed　De　Vins；　requesting　only　to　know　the　time；　and　the　number　of　troops　ready　to　embark；　then　he　would；　he　said；　dispatch　a　ship　to　Admiral　Hotham；　requesting　transports；　having　no　doubt　of　obtaining　them；　and　trusting　that　the　plan　would　be　successful　to　its　fullest　extent。　Nelson　thought　at　the　time　that；　if　the　whole　fleet　were　offered　him　for　transports；　he　would　fin