The perception of his control over the communications from Rosetta to Alexandria dawned rather late upon Nelson, for on the 5th of August he had announced his purpose of starting down the Mediterranean on the 19th.  This he postponed afterwards to the first part of September, and again for as long as possible.  While in this intention, most secret and urgent orders came on the 15th from St. Vincent, to return to the westward with his command, and to co-operate with an expedition planned against Minorca.  Six prizes, with seven of the British ships-of-the-line, had started on the 14th for Gibraltar, under the command of Sir James Saumarez.  The three remaining prizes were burned, and hasty temporary repairs, adequate only for a summer voyage, were put upon the “Vanguard,” “Culloden,” and “Alexander,” the three most defective ships of his fleet.  On the 19th he sailed with these three for Naples, which he had from the first intended to visit, in order to give them the complete overhauling they imperatively needed.  On and after the 13th of August several frigates had joined him.  Three of these, with three ships-of-the-line, were left with Captain Hood, to conduct the blockade of Alexandria, and to suppress the enemy’s communications by water along the coasts of Egypt and Syria.

FOOTNOTES: 

[60] The author is indebted to the present Lord De Saumarez for a copy of the opinion of Sir James Saumarez, written on board the “Vanguard” at this meeting:—­

“The French fleet having left Malta six days ago, had their destination been the Island of Sicily there is reason to presume we should have obtained information of it yesterday off Syracuse, or the day before in coming through the Pharo of Messina—­under all circumstances I think it most conducive to the good of His Majesty’s service to make the best of our way for Alexandria, as the only means of saving our possessions in India, should the French armament be destined for that country.

“Vanguard, at sea, 22d June 1798.  JAMES SAUMAREZ.”

[61] Clarke and M’Arthur’s Life of Nelson, vol. ii. p. 100.

[62] That is, counting from May 19, when Bonaparte left Toulon, to June 7, when Troubridge’s squadron joined, and pursuit began.

[63] Nelson to Lord Howe.

[64] G. Lathom Browne’s Life of Nelson, p. 198.

[65] An interesting example of the illuminating effect of a sound maxim upon different phases of a man’s life and actions, and one illustrative of the many-sidedness of this motto of Nelson’s, occurs later in his career, and not long before his death.  When the frigates “Phoebe” and “Amazon” were ordered to cruise before Toulon in October, 1804, “Lord Nelson gave Captains Capel and Parker several injunctions, in case they should get an opportunity of attacking two of the French frigates, which now got under way more frequently.  The principal one was, that they should not each single out and attack an opponent, but ’that both should endeavour together to take one frigate; if successful, chase the other; but if you do not take the second, still you have won a victory, and your country will gain a frigate.’” (Phillimore’s Last of Nelson’s Captains, p. 122.) When summarized, this again is—­Victory first; afterwards the results, as circumstances may permit.