The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-05-13

the battle of the Nile. Upon the for
tunes of the particular enterprise which
elected it-Bonaparte's oriental expedl-
tion-the effect was absolutely deci-
sive. 1t became impossible, and was by
experience demonstrated to be imposs-
ible, to afford to the evolutionary force
the renewal of men and supplies upon
which depended not only the prosecu-
ton of the undertaking but even 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 soon 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 countrles-of
which the ~unprovoked Egyptian expedl-
ton was only one example-that had
aroused the wrath of all nations. Even
the United States was forced from us
attitude of benevolent neutrality, winch
had depended upon the tradition OF the
war of independence and the adoption
by France of republican institutions.
The general resentment in Europe
was, however, curbed by experience OF
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 Bril-
tain, the flower of the French army
and the invincible B%onaparte were cut
off hopelessly from France. Turkey,
previously overawed by the fleet, de-
clared war 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 vas
saved only by the unexpected and for
tuitous return of Bonaparte and his &C
cession to supreme power a year later.
Before the year 1898 expired a COM
bined Russian and Turkish fleet en-
tered the Mediterranean from the Black
Sea and undertook to wrest the Ionian
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 still-born
when the disaster became known there,
! Nelson, aware of the Importance of the
news to 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
upon the victor. The sultan and the
car, the kings of Sardinia and the two
Sicilies, sent messages of congratula-
ton and rich presents, the car ac-
c~ompanying his with an autograph let
ter. On the part of his own country
the two houses of parliamentvoted their
thanks and a pension of f2, 900 a year.
The East India company by a gift of
10000 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 i~nadequacy of this advance
ment to the brilliancy and Importance
of the service done. The ministry justi-
fed its action upon the technical ground
that, though no superior was within
1000 miles of Aboukir, Nelson was
nevertheless a subordinate flag officer,
net a commander-in-chief.
Not, least gratifying to him, with his
sensitive appreciation of friendship and
susceptibility to f1attery, must have
been the numerous letters of congra-
tulation he received from friends in and
out of the service, and especially from
men whose eminence and professional
standing made their praise a sound
criterion for the calm Acknowledgement
of mankind. Besides many other Off
GERS of character and reputation the
three great admirals,. Lords Howe,
Hood and st. Vincent, the leaders of
the navy in rank and distinguished
service, wrote 10 him in the strongest
terms of admiration. The latter two
did not hesitate to style the battle the
greatest achievement that history could
produce, while Howe's language. more
measured, was so only because. like
himself, it was more precise in charac-
terizing the special merits of the action,
and was, therefore, acknowledged by
Nelson with particular expressions of
pleasure.
How to Build a Railroad.
A former emperor of Russia wanted