On the 14th of July he received his orders, which were to seize Santa Cruz, the chief town, and hold the island to ransom, unless all public treasure were surrendered to his squadron, in which case the contribution on the inhabitants should not be levied.  “God bless and prosper you,” wrote Jervis, who, although he considered the enterprise promising, was less sanguine than his junior.  “I am sure you will deserve success.  To mortals is not given the power of commanding it.”  On the 15th Nelson sailed, having under his command three seventy-fours, a fifty-gun ship, three frigates, and a cutter.  Towards sundown of the 20th the Peak of Teneriffe was sighted, distant fifty or sixty miles.  The following morning the landing-party, a thousand strong, under the command of Captain Troubridge, was transferred to the frigates.  The intention was to keep the line-of-battle-ships out of sight, while the frigates, whose apparent force would carry no impression of menace, approached near enough to make a dash during the night.  It was hoped that thus the assault might be so far a surprise as to enable the British to storm from the rear a fort on the heights, to the northeast of the town, and commanding it.  Santa Cruz was then to be summoned.  In the meantime the ships-of-the-line would be coming in from the sea, and upon arrival would support the shore movement by bringing their broadsides to bear upon the walls.

By midnight the frigates were within three miles of the landing-place; but there strong wind and contrary current delayed them, and before they could get within a mile the day dawned.  Thus discovered, the hope of surprise was lost.  At 6 A.M., when the squadron approached, Troubridge went on board the “Theseus” and told Nelson that he thought, if the heights over the fort, in its rear, could be seized, he could yet compel it to surrender.  The landing-party was therefore put on shore at nine, but could not dispossess the enemy, who had recognized the importance of the position indicated by Troubridge, and had occupied it in force.  The ships-of-the-line endeavored to get within range of the fort, to batter it, but could not come nearer than three miles.  They were unable even to reach anchoring-ground, and, as it was blowing very fresh, they struck their topgallantmasts and stood off and on.  At night Troubridge re-embarked his men on board the frigates, which had remained where they were.  The following morning, July 23d, Nelson abandoned the attempt upon the fort, recalling the frigates; and, as the wind did not yet serve to approach the shore, he continued under sail during that day and the next.  The members of the landing-party rejoined their proper ships.