The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25

from 100 to SO guns apiece, besides two brig
and several bomb vessels and Runboats. Tht
whole number OF guns on the French side wa'
1926. whilo the English had but LOLA The
number OF men was 1890 on the French side
and s,O6s upon the English. Mr.. Russell con
slders the overwhelming defeat of the French
in this battle OF the Nile one OF the most aston.
ishing OF naval achievements. There was alb.
solutely no mannuvrinR no opportunity for
| skilled seamanship on the part OF the British
commander beyond the judgment evinced In
taking up his position. There was no board
Ing in which the British sailor was an adept,
and by means OF which Nelson. as we have
seen. had at St Vincent taken two ships, one
| after the other. The battle OF the Nile was
simply a conflict Of bombardment. The ships
| lay at anchor and fired into one another, and
the only explanation OF the result is that tho
firing OF Nelson's vessels must have been in
comparably swifter and better aimed. Another
| ofNelsons opponents has borne testimony that
such was the ferociousness OF Nelson's firing
that 1t was like being In hell aboard the ship Mt
which he aimed. There had never been up to
that time in the naval history OF modern times
moro decisive victory than that won by Nell
son in Aboukir Bay Tho whole OF the French
fleet was destroyed or taken. except two line
of-battle ships and two frigates, and the loss on
the French side was 5.225 men. The English
loss in killed and wounded was nearly 900, and
Nelson himself received dreadful wound in
the head. The political effects OF this battle
are summed up In the following sentences
quoted by Mr. Russell from La Gravere 1t
was" he says. this battle which for two years
delivered up the Mediterranean to the power
OF England. summoned thther tho Russian
sIuadrons, left the French army isolated In tho
East amid q hostile population, decided the
Porte to declare against 1t. saved India from
French enterprise, and brought France within
q hairs breadth of ruin by revivinR tho smoul
dering flames OF war with Austria. and bring
ing Suwarrow and tho Austro- Russians to the
French frontier"
The Importance OF this battle was fully
appreciated by the English nation. but Mr..
Russell deems It indlsputable that Nelson
was shabbily treated by the Ministry OF
the day. Jervis had been made an Earl
and Duncan Viscount for successes incom-
parably smaller. On the pretext. however, that
Nelson had acted as subordinate to Earl st.
Vincent-who was at the further end OF the
ELECTROMAGNETIC received only the dignity OF
q Baron and q pension Of $4,000 a year. The
East India Company bestowed on him gift Of
10000, and valuable diamonds were present
ed to him by the Emperor OF Russia and the
Sultan. while the King of tho two Sicies gave
him sword of great historic interest and
partly in commemoration Of this battle subse-
1uently created him Commander OF tho Order
OF St. Ferdinand and Duke of Bront6. and set
tied pension on him. Nelson received at the
same time an odd present from ono OF the
Captains who had fought under him. in the
shape OF a coffin made from q section OF the
mainmast Of the Orient which had blown up
in Aboukir Bay. For q long time Nelson car
ried this coffin in his cabin. and he was actu-
ally buried in it.
The battle Of the Nile took place on Aug. l.
1908. Thenceforward until November. 1900.
when he returned to England, Nelson was oc-
,upied in sustaining the cause OF England and
Ter allies In the Mediterranean. If his time |
md the resources at his disposal were to an |
unreasonable extent expended In the interest |
If the Neapolitan Government, this was due to |
he influence which the Queen OF Naples exer-
Used over him through Lady Hamilton. We |
'annot attribute. however. to feminine as
,endancy the execution of Francisco Carac-
iolo an act which has left an ineffaceable
tain on Nelson's memory. Caracciolo had |
'een Commodore in the Neapolitan navy.
,ut during the brief existence OF the Partheno-
,eian republic had served with the republican
laval forces. When Naples was recovered the
leapolitan and English commanders granted
terms Of surrender to the defenders
u the city. among whom Caracciolo ought to
lave been included. When Nelson arrived.
However. he annulled the capitulation. threw
he republicans into prison. and had Caraccolo
ried by court martial. which sentenced him
o be hanged In two hours. The Lieutenant Of
nelson's ship implored him to grant the unfor-
unate man another trial. or at least to permit
i'm to be shot. But Nelson was inexorabe,
nd the sentence was carried out. There is
tory (which Mr. Russell seems to accept as
ell authenticated that some days after Car
cciolos body had been flung overheard. with
hot weighing $50 pounds attached it rose and
Dated. with the shot still tied to 1t. on the sur
ace OF the bay.