The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-02-11

pleteness Of immediate results upon
the field no feet action has ever equaled
the battle Of the Nile. Upon the for
tunes OF the particular enterprise which
elected it-Bonaparte's oriental expedi-
tion-the effect was absolutely deci-
.ive. 1t became impossible, and was by
experience demonstrated to be imposs-
ible, to afford to the expeditionary force
the renewal Of men and supplies upon
which depended not only the prosecu-
ton Of the undertaking but ever the
maintenance of the position already
achieved.
The influence of the battle Of the
Nile was more far-reaching still; the
continent of Europe became convulsed
from end to end as 500 as the news
was received. Elated by Bonaparte's
career of victory in Italy and by the
submission of Austria to terms of
peace, the French government had
entered upon a course of arrogant ag-
erosion toward other countries-of
which the unprovoked Egyptian expedi-
ton was only one eyample-that had
aroused the wrath Of all nations. Even
the United States was forced from its
attitude of benevolent neutrality, which
had depended upon the tradition Of the
wal of independence and the adoption
by France of republican institutions.
The general resentment in Europe
was, however. curbed by experience CT
the might of the French revolutionary
movement and of the French armies
when welded by a man like Bonaparte
and there was wanting the demonstra-
ton of some power capable of impos-
ing an absolute check upon their future
progress. The battle Of the Nile gave
such a demonstration. AS Nelson said,
it was more than a victory; it was a
catastrophe. The French fleet was an
initiated, the Mediterranean passed in
to the absolute control Of Great Bri-
tain, the flower of the French army
and the invincible Bonaparte were cut
off h~opelessly from France. Turkey,
previously overawed by the fleet, de-
clared wal in a month. Austria, Rus
STA and Naples had already drawn to-
gether in coalition. They were en-
boldened, as the permanence of the con-
dition due to the battle became evident,
to pursue their military enterprise upon
a scale which brought the republic to
the brink of ruin, from which it was
saved only by the unexpected and for
tuitous return of Bonaparte and his ac-
cession to supreme power a year later.
Before the year 1898 expired a COM
bined Russian and Turkish feet en-
tered the Mediterranean from the Black
islands from France. In India the
movements against the British domina-
ton. which had been fomented by
French negotiations, and which Bona
parte expected to foster, fell st.ll-born
when the disaster became known there,
news t British interests, had at once
dispatched a special messenger over
land to Bombay.
The general satisfaction, not to say
%exultation, was shown by the honors
and rewards showered from all sides
uDOH tnt NIStOl. II ouituh II AK
car, the kings of Sardinia and the two
Sicilies, sent messages Of congratula-
ton and rich presents, the car &C
companying his with an autograph let
ter. On the part of his own country
the two houses of parliament voted their
thanks and a pension of $4,000 a year.
The East India company by a gift Of
flo. 600 acknowledged the security gain
ed for the Indian possessions. Other
individual corporations took appropri-
ate notice Of the great event; instances
so far apart as the cities of London and
Palermo and the islands of Zante show
ing how widespread was the sense of
relief.
In titular rank Nelson was raised to
the lowest grade of the peerage as
Baron Nelson Of the Nile. Indignant
comment was made in some quarters
upon the inadequacy of this advance
ment to the brilliancy and Importance
of the service done. The ministry justi-
fed it's action upon the technical ground
that, though no superior was within
1000 miles of Aboukir, Nelson was
nevertheless a subordinate flag officer,
not a commander-in-chief
Not least gratifying to him, with his
sensitive appreciation of friendship and
susceptibility to fiattery. must have
beer the numerous letters of congra-
tulation he received from friends In and
ont OF the service, and especially from