the life of horatio lord nelson-第16节

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ay　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　find　some　other　excuse；　and　Mr。　Drake；　who　was　now　appointed　to　reside　at　the　Austrian　headquarters；　entertained　the　same　idea　of　the　general's　sincerity。　It　was　not；　however；　put　so　clearly　to　the　proof　as　it　ought　to　have　been。　He　replied　that；　as　soon　as　Nelson　could　declare　himself　ready　with　the　vessels　necessary　for　conveying　10；000　men；　with　their　artillery　and　baggage；　he　would　put　the　army　in　motion。　But　Nelson　was　not　enabled　to　do　this：　Admiral　Hotham；　who　was　highly　meritorious　in　leaving　such　a　man　so　much　at　his　own　discretion；　pursued　a　cautious　system；　ill　according　with　the　bold　and　comprehensive　views　of　Nelson；　who　continually　regretted　Lord　Hood；　saying　that　the　nation　had　suffered　much　by　his　resignation　of　the　Mediterranean　command。　The　plan　which　had　been　concerted；　he　said；　would　astonish　the　French；　and　perhaps　the　English。

There　was　no　unity　in　the　views　of　the　allied　powers；　no　cordiality　in　their　co…operation；　no　energy　in　their　councils。　The　neutral　powers　assisted　France　more　effectually　than　the　allies　assisted　each　other。　The　Genoese　ports　were　at　this　time　filled　with　French　privateers；　which　swarmed　out　every　night；　and　covered　the　gulf；　and　French　vessels　were　allowed　to　tow　out　of　the　port　of　Genoa　itself；　board　vessels　which　were　coming　in；　and　then　return　into　the　mole。　This　was　allowed　without　a　remonstrance；　while；　though　Nelson　abstained　most　carefully　from　offering　any　offence　to　the　Genoese　territory　or　flag；　complaints　were　so　repeatedly　made　against　his　squadron；　that；　he　says；　it　seemed　a　trial　who　should　be　tired　first；　they　of　complaining；　or　he　of　answering　their　complaints。　But　the　question　of　neutrality　was　soon　at　an　end。　An　Austrian　commissary　was　travelling　from　Genoa　towards　Vado；　it　was　known　that　he　was　to　sleep　at　Voltri；　and　that　he　had　L10；000　with　hima　booty　which　the　French　minister　in　that　city；　and　the　captain　of　a　French　frigate　in　that　port；　considered　as　far　more　important　than　the　word　of　honour　of　the　one；　the　duties　of　the　other；　and　the　laws　of　neutrality。　The　boats　of　the　frigate　went　out　with　some　privateers；　landed；　robbed　the　commissary；　and　brought　back　the　money　to　Genoa。　The　next　day　men　were　publicly　enlisted　in　that　city　for　the　French　army：　700　men　were　embarked；　with　7000　stand　of　arms；　on　board　the　frigates　and　other　vessels；　who　were　to　land　between　Voltri　and　Savona。　There　a　detachment　from　the　French　army　was　to　join　them；　and　the　Genoese　peasantry　were　to　be　invited　to　insurrectiona　measure　for　which　everything　had　been　prepared。　The　night　of　the　13th　was　fixed　for　the　sailing　of　this　expedition；　the　Austrians　called　loudly　for　Nelson　to　prevent　it；　and　he；　on　the　evening　of　the　13th；　arrived　at　Genoa。　His　presence　checked　the　plan：　the　frigate；　knowing　her　deserts；　got　within　the　merchant…ships；　in　the　inner　mole；　and　the　Genoese　government　did　not　now　even　demand　of　Nelson　respect　to　the　neutral　port；　knowing　that　they　had　allowed；　if　not　connived　at；　a　flagrant　breach　of　neutrality；　and　expecting　the　answer　which　he　was　prepared　to　return；　that　it　was　useless　and　impossible　for　him　to　respect　it　longer。

But　though　this　movement　produced　the　immediate　effect　which　was　designed；　it　led　to　ill　consequences；　which　Nelson　foresaw；　but　for　want　of　sufficient　force　was　unable　to　prevent。　His　squadron　was　too　small　for　the　service　which　it　had　to　perform。　He　required　two　seventy…fours　and　eight　or　ten　frigates　and　sloops；　but　when　he　demanded　this　reinforcement；　Admiral　Hotham　had　left　the　　command。　Sir　Hyde　Parker　had　succeeded　till　the　new　commander　should　arrive；　and　he　immediately　reduced　it　to　almost　nothing；　leaving　him　only　one　frigate　and　a　brig。　This　was　a　fatal　error。　While　the　Austrian　and　Sardinian　troops；　whether　from　the　imbecility　or　the　treachery　of　their　leaders；　remained　inactive；　the　French　were　preparing　for　the　invasion　of　Italy。　Not　many　days　before　Nelson　was　thus　summoned　to　Genoa；　he　chased　a　large　convoy　into　Alassio。　Twelve　vessels　he　had　formerly　destroyed　in　that　port；　though　2000　French　troops　occupied　the　t