The main idea was to humble the pride of France, that thenceforth there might be peace in Europe.  The Neapolitan revolutionists believed that the French intention was to set up a free government and deliver them from an unbearable despotism.  Quite naturally, the Court took an opposite view in believing that it foreshadowed deportation, so they lost no time in proclaiming it to be conquest and merciless plunder.  Nelson urged the vacillating King to advance against the French, to trust in God’s blessing being bestowed upon him, his army, and his cause, and to die like a hero, sword in hand, or lose his throne.  The King, always dauntless in the absence of danger, replied that he would do this, trusting in God and Nelson.  His Majesty, in tickling the Admiral’s susceptible spot by associating his name with that of the Deity, doubtless made a good shot, and had Nelson’s sense of humour been equal to his vanity, he might not have received the oily compliment with such delightful complacency.

We can imagine the scorn with which Troubridge would have received the potentate’s reply had he given the same advice as Nelson.  It is highly probable that had it been given on the quarterdeck of his ship, the King would have been treated to a vocabulary that would have impressed him with the necessity of scrambling quickly over the side.  Nelson, it is stated, turned the French out of Naples, and they were subsequently overpowered by a plan put in force by Nelson and Troubridge, and carried into effect by men from the fleet.  Captain Hallowell was ordered to proceed to Civita Vecchia and Castle St. Angelo to offer terms of capitulation.  He reported the position to Troubridge, who ordered a squadron in command of Captain Louis to proceed and enforce the terms.  The French, on the other hand, offered terms, but Troubridge, like Drake on another occasion, said that he had no time to parley, that they must agree to his terms or fight.  The French Ambassador at Rome argued that the Roman territory belonged to the French by conquest, and the British commander adroitly replied “that it was his by reconquest.”  The inevitable alternative was impressive—­capitulation.  This was arranged, and the Roman States came under the control of the victors.  Captain Louis proceeded in his cutter up the Tiber and planted the British colours at Rome, becoming its governor for a brief time.  The naval men had carried out, by clever strategy and pluck, an enterprise which Sir James Erskine declined to undertake because of the insurmountable difficulties he persisted in seeing.  General Mack was at the head of about 30,000 Neapolitan troops, said to be the finest in Europe.  This, however, did not prevent them from being annihilated by 15,000 French, when General Championnet evacuated Rome.  The King entered with all the swagger of an Oriental potentate.  The Neapolitans followed the French to Castellana, and when the latter faced up to them they stampeded in disordered panic.  Some were wounded, but few were killed, and the King, forgetting in his fright his pledged undertaking to go forth trusting in “God and Nelson,” fled in advance of his valiant soldiers to the capital, where they all arrived in breathless confusion.  General Mack had been introduced to Nelson by the King and Queen, the latter exhorting him to be on land what the Admiral had been on sea.