The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-30

was the more willing to obey as he had
thirty-five sail of the line, and he was not
aware that Nelson had as many as
twenty-three, which he really had.
On October 10 the conviction which
Nelson had expressed daily to his officers
every one that the long chase was about
to end. 1t was impossible to provision
Cadiz much longer, SO strict was the
blockade kept up by the small vessels
which closed the harbor mouth. On the
10th the combined fleets were observed to
be making preparations for sailing They
moved in a regular order toward the
mouth of the bay. But though Villeneuve
had ten more ships of the line than Mel
son, even then his only hope was in run
ming away. His design was to get
through the straits before Nelson cou d
come up with him. and then to crowd all
sail for Toulon. "That.' wrote Nelson,
"they shall not do if it is in the power
of Nelson to stop them. l will lay down
my life in the attempt. We are a very
powerful fleet and not to be had cheap -
He kept a position in the open sea off the
shoals of Trafalgar, about sixteen leagues
west of Cadiz, where Gravina watched
him. On the morning of October 81 he
put on his lighting coat, which he had SO
often worn on days of victory. On its
breast glittered many foreign decorations,
Including. the star of the Order of the
Bath, which was very conspicuously dis
played. In honor I gained them,'' he
said to Blackwood, land in honor / will
die with them. -
A light wind was blowing from the
southwest and the English ships rode the
long swell which set into the bay of Ca
diz, each vessel having crowded all pcs.
sible canvas: At about z a. m: the enc
my Wore and stood in close line on the
larboard tack toward Cadiz, the sun
shining brightly on their sails. The COM
bined fleet numbered thirty three vessels,
fifteen of which were Spanish; Admiral
Gravina had hoisted his flag on the San
tissina Trinidad of 40 guns; Admiral
VileneuVe's flagship was the Buoentaur,
which carried q powerful body of sharp
shooters On both sides novel and intrl-
cate plans Of battle had been adopted. A
British officer wrote after the event that
If the enemy's plan of battle had been
as well executed as it was contrived the
result might have been different; Admir-
al Vllleneuve declared that when he saw
Nelson's maDeuver he told his staff that
he knew no way of averting defeat, On
board both fleets much enthusiasm pre-
aviled. Collingwood' sailing captain in
the Royal Sovereign insisted on standing
on his quarterback in full uniform,
though the showers of musketry were in
cessant. His officers reconstructed with
him, to which he replied, "Let me alone;
l have always fought in cooked hat,
and | always will
Minor Incidents distinguish tn story
of the battle from that of others The
allies did not show any colors till late in
the action, even Admiral Gravina on the
Santissima Trinidad showing no flag.
In the attempt to break the allied line
Nelson's Victory and another English
vessel ran into two Spanish ships, and
f,Y, 1txf 1F he
of each other in the heat of battle, form
ing as compact tier as if they had been
moored together, their heads all lying the
same way. A novel danger arose from
this close proximity. The muzzles of the
Viotory's guns were in actual contact
with the sides of the Redoubtable, and it
was feared that if they set fire to tho
Frenchman both the Victory on one side
and the Temeraire on the other might
be enyeloped in the flames. A sailor was
consequently stationed alongside each
gun to empty a bucket of water into the
hole in the Spaniard which the English
shot made.
SO many reproductions have been made
OF the famous painting of "Nelson in the
cockpit of the Victory" that it Is we'll
known, but unless the accounts of the
battle are erroneous it must be a work of
fancy. The cockpit was SO crowded that
the wounded lay pell nell where they had
been placed, the admiral among them
on pallet in the midshipmans berth.
he declined the services of the ships
surgeon, desiring him to attend to those
whose lives could be saved. His wound
bled internally. and the lower cavity Of
the trunk filled with blood, which caused
exorutiating thirst But even then his
only thought was for the issue of the
battle. He kept calling for Handy, who
could not leave the deck at so critical a
moment. "Will no one,' ne cried,
bring Handy to me? He must be-
killed. I'm certain he is dead The air
OF the cockpit became sutfocating and he
tainted. When he came to his sight was
SO dim THAT he could not recognize the
officer who handed him lemonade
who is thatp' he asked. sit is Bulke-
ley, my lord" 'Ah, yes, recognize the
voice. Remember me to your father
Bulkeloy." Someone observing that he
would have glorious news to take to Ena.
land, he answered sharply: "Don't talk
nonsense; one would, indeed, like to live
little longer but know it is imnossi-
BILE. l have performed my duty -
The long chase was ended. The naval
power of France and Spain was broEen
villeneuve was prisoner. Admiral
Gravina made his escape to Cadi1 and T.
is recorded to his honor that MN i her 81 If
English wounded lhaving been hro,oi,t ~, ~,
there he had them tended as carePufir, a.,