Chapters 7 and 8 Summary

Weeks pass and Hornblower's meager personal stores are exhausted—he subsists on ship's stores like an ordinary seaman. With the resumption of war, the British fleet has been mobilized and Hornblower's independent command has been replaced by a multi-tiered system. Hotspur is assigned to an inshore squadron, which in turn is assigned to a fleet responsible for blockading Brest. The main body of the fleet contains at least twelve ships-of-the-lines. The inshore squadron is composed of two two-deckers, two frigates, and Hotspur, and is then joined by another ship-of-the-line—Hornblower learns to his delight that it is Tonnant, commanded by Captain Edward Pellew. As a midshipman, Hornblower enjoyed a distinguished career serving under Pellew and the two men enjoy a mentor-student role as well as a close friendship. With Tonnant's arrival, Hotspur is resupplied with fresh foods and letters...