[119] The author wishes to guard himself from seeming to share the perversion, as he thinks it, of this saying, into an argument against heavy ships, because the heavier the ships, the smaller the number.  Without here expressing any opinion upon this controverted subject, he would simply quote on the other side the view attributed to Nelson during the chase to the West Indies.  “He knew that the French had no three-decked ships in their fleet, and he reckoned on the great superiority in close action of three batteries of guns over two.” (Last of Nelson’s Captains, p. 137.) With this may be joined a quotation from himself involving implicitly the same idea:  “Two [two-deckers] alongside an enemy are better than three-deckers a great way off.”  This evidently suggests the idea that one three-decker was better than two seventy-fours, conditions being similar.  In truth, numbers should be read “numbers of guns”—­or, better still, “numbers, other things being equal.”

[120] The author has to thank the present Earl Nelson for this anecdote.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE ANTECEDENTS OF TRAFALGAR.

SEPTEMBER 15—­OCTOBER 19, 1805.  AGE, 47.

The crowds that had assembled to greet Nelson’s arrival at Portsmouth, four weeks before, now clustered again around his footsteps to bid him a loving farewell.  Although, to avoid such demonstrations, he had chosen for his embarkation another than the usual landing-place, the multitude collected and followed him to the boat.  “They pressed forward to obtain sight of his face,” says Southey; “Many were in tears, and many knelt down before him, and blessed him as he passed.  England has had many heroes, but never one,” he justly adds, “who so entirely possessed the love of his fellow countrymen as Nelson.”  There attached to him not only the memory of many brilliant deeds, nor yet only the knowledge that more than any other he stood between them and harm,—­his very name a tower of strength over against their enemies.  The deep human sympathy which won its way to the affections of those under his command, in immediate contact with his person, seamen as well as officers, had spread from them with quick contagion throughout all ranks of men; and heart answered to heart in profound trust, among those who never had seen his face.  “I had their huzzas before,” he said to Captain Hardy, who sat beside him in the boat.  “Now I have their hearts.”

He was accompanied to the ship by Mr. Canning and Mr. Rose, intimate associates of Mr. Pitt, and they remained on board to dine.  Nelson noted that just twenty-five days had been passed ashore, “from dinner to dinner.”  The next morning, Sunday, September 15th, at 8 A.M., the “Victory” got under way and left St. Helen’s, where she had been lying at single anchor, waiting to start.  Three other line-of-battle ships belonging to his fleet, and which followed him in time for Trafalgar,