The feeling against Sir Robert Calder for not having beaten or forced another battle on the allied fleets in July did not abate.  The public were out for impeachment, and the Government did nothing to discourage it; and when Nelson was on the point of leaving England the First Lord instructed him to convey to Calder the Government’s condemnation of his evident negligence or incapacity.  They gave him permission to ask for the inquiry, but should he not do so, it would be ordered.  Nelson wrote to Barham that he had delivered the message to Sir Robert, and that it would doubtless give his Lordship pleasure to learn that an inquiry was just what the Vice-Admiral was anxious to have, and that he had already sent a letter by the Nautilus to say so, but that he (Nelson) had detained it.  Nelson, in his goodness of heart, urged Sir Robert to remain until after the action, the result of which would inevitably change the feeling of the Government and the public in his favour, and he could then, without any fear, demand an inquiry.  Sir Robert was so crushed with the charge hanging over him, that he insisted on being allowed to proceed to England at once, and Nelson, to ease the humiliation and suffering he was passing through, sent him off in his ninety-gun ship, instead of a frigate.  The inquiry was held in due course, and judgment given against him.  The finding is, in our opinion, based more on prejudice than on any fault he committed, and as to “committing an error of judgment,” it is always difficult to know what is an error of judgment in circumstances such as he was confronted with.  In any case, it is evident that the Government were terrified of the effect that public opinion would have on themselves if they failed to take steps to appease it.  We think the Government would have been serving their country better by keeping this unfortunate officer in active service when its fleet was on the verge of a life-or-death struggle for naval supremacy than by dispensing with his services, which they had thought fit to retain from July to October.  Nelson’s attitude was the more patriotic and noble, and under such circumstances the verdict, however mild, was bound to be given against the man whose heart they had broken because they were afraid of public opinion.  Nelson was a better judge than they.  Discreet reprimand, combined with a few kindly words of encouragement, was the proper course at such a time, when every man and ship was so essential.

On a previous occasion, when a “seventy-four” had stranded, the officer whose skill and efforts had refloated her was told by Nelson that he had spoken favourably of him to the Admiralty.  The officer showed in suitable terms his gratitude, but added that he did not regard what he had done as meriting any notice or praise.  The Admiral pointed out that a battle might easily be lost by the absence of a line-of-battle ship.  When Nelson conveyed the ill-considered and stupid instructions of the Government