The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-23
CHASING AN ENEMY AT SEA.
Experiences of Nelson in Hunting
French and Spanish Fleets.
Springfield Republican.


The Spanish squadron has NOT heen II,
the West Indies more than week. Vet we
are sure there are some people who spnnd ar
ago. How this war drass"' -
1t is well to cultivate your patience To
admiral CerVera wishes to avoid hattlA
al ana =, hSesitateS 10 make for Spanish port
IN cuba or Porto Rico the task of running
him down VIII necessarily be Somewhat diff.
cult. And this reminds us
LORD Nelson was the greatest and most
SucceSSIul ADMIRAL the world produced
down to the days of steam power Vet on
more than one occasion he let his enemy
slip past and lead him heart-rending chase
for months before blow could be struck
TWO such happenings in his career ii is
worth while to recall
Bonaparte's expedition for The conouest oP
Egypt and the Orient had been organizing
for many months at Toulon on Nav 9. las.
N N9ison saiied with flying squadron from
Gibraltar TO scout off the French port and
ascertain the mission of the French fleet
But the enemy eluded him completely. left
peared to sea with Nelson none the wiser
for having appeared in the Gulf of Lyons.
Reinforced by ten ships of the line Nelson
started in pursuit. But he kept missing the
French fleet. He called al Alexandria in
Egypt, but no French ship was there. Tt EN-
he chased off to Syracuse. but still no enc
my. Finally, after about three months of
vain pursuit he appeared on Aug. 1 off
Alexandra again. and there he beheld the
object of his search anchored IN Aboukir
bay. The army of Bonaparte had been safe
ly landed. The complete destruction of the
French fleet followed, however, and the oil
innate ruin of the Egyptian campaign was
assured.
The campaign of Trafalgar perhaps the
most memorable in naval history was in
tinitely more trying to the patience of both
Nelson and the English people than any
before it. Americans will grow restless lie
Cerveras squadron is not overhauled and
destroyed within another week: yet 1t took
Lord Nelson over two years to get within
striking distance of the combined French
and Spanish fleets which he sent to eternal
smash at Trafalgar.
The British admiral blockaded Toulon,
where the French fleet was fitting for sea.
full year and half. and in all that time
not once did he touch foot to the lands And
how his perseverance and vigilance
rewarded? On Jan IS, 1905. the enemy broke
away and swept of, to sea. 1t effected a
junction with the Spanish fleet at Cadiz,
which Nelson had determined to prevent
Then the allied force sailed to the West
Indies with Nelson in pursuit The chase
continued back to Europe again. without
success, and Nelson thereupon left his ship
and returned temporarily to England. 1t
was not until Oct s. 1893 over eight months
after the French forcc had escaped from
Toulon harbor that Nelson finally met it
and the Spanish allies in battle off Cape
Trafalgar.
The American navy has hardly begun to
chase the Spanish squadron, supposing that
the latter intends to run. We can afford
to be somewhat patient when we recall
these old chapters in the history of sea
fighting.