the command of the most enterprising young officers, watched every motion of the flotilla and the imperial legions, and lost no opportunity of shewing to them the kind of enemy they would have to encounter, should they ever reach the happy shores of Britain. The grand scene of naval operations extended from the Texel to Toulon, thence westward as far as the island of Trinidad, the Antilles, and Jamaica; but how little of his boastful schemes the artful Napoleon was able to achieve ! The intended capture of St. Helena and the four islands in the West Indies, the invasion of Ireland, and the reunion of all his forces in September, 1805, off Boulogne, by being mentioned only contributed to humble him both as a soldier and a politician in the utter abortion of such designs. The year 1804 had been suffered to pass away without any attempt on the part of France, and nothing was effected by us worthy of notice. It was pretended by Napoleon that his squadrons putting to sea simultaneously should raise the blockades of the ports of Europe, and after ravaging the British colonies, reunite in the Channel. In this he certainly pursued a very different system to that which had been adopted by his predecessors. Convinced that the failure of the maritime expeditions of France in her former wars was occasioned by precipitation, he resolved to collect an overpowering force, and not to hazard it in action until he could ensure a favourable result. See Précis, vol, xi, p. 317. "His plan was so good," says his eulogist, "that it ought to have succeeded even at the very last moment." This is a conclusion to which we should not have been led by reading the letters and instructions of Napoleon ; on the contrary, knowing as he did the force under the command of Nelson and Cornwallis, we cannot admit that he shewed any judgment in trusting to the union and resources of his scattered squadrons after months of separation, and in not having as many French three-deck ships under the command of Villeneuve as there were in the British fleet. Among the numerous projects laid down, it is difficult to say what he really intended, and probably his object was to mislead those into whose hands his despatches might fall. In a letter to his minister of the marine, dated at St. Cloud, 1st May, 1804, Napoleon gives the most positive injunctions for the Brest fleet to be daily under sail; he is discontented with the conduct of the admiral, who, notwithstanding his ur, gent commands, "had not caused one ship to weigh her anchor in the whole course of the year, in order to facilitate the passage of the flotilla from Audierne-bay:" so that, with a very small squadron, the English had been permitted to blockade their fleet. "Whenever the weather will permit," he says, "let light squadrons be kept constantly under weigh, to harass the enemy; even if they should receive a few broadsides." No excuse would be admitted for the neglect of this order, the execution of which was to keep the British on the alert, and the French in wind, "en haleine." Napoleon forgot that this exercise was at least as beneficial to us as to them; increasing the local knowledge of our officers, and the practical seamanship of our men. Rewards and promotions were liberally held forth to the most zealous; and by a letter to Admiral La Touche Treville, dated Malmaison, July 2, 1804, it would appear that a little energy had been instilled into them. To that officer Napoleon writes, "that the Rochefort squadron consists of five sail of the line and four frigates ready for sea. That at Brest there are twenty sail of the line, which are in the constant habit of weighing anchor to harass the enemy; that three Dutch ships of the line were blocked up in the Texel, with four frigates, and a convoy of thirty transports, having on board the army of Marmont.” That between Etaples, Boulogne, Vimereux, and Ambleteuse he had one thousand eight hundred gun-vessels, carrying one hundred and twenty thousand troops, and ten thousand horses." " Let us only be masters of the Channel six hours, and we shall be masters of the world." Précis, vol. xi. p. 200. "If," continues Napoleon, "you deceive Nelson, he will go to Sicily, to Egypt, or to Ferrol your squadron should get out of the Mediterranean, it will naturally be supposed that you intend to raise the blockade of the last-named place; it will therefore be advisable that you take a circuitous route to reach Rochefort; this will give you sixteen sail of the line and eleven frigates; then, without anchoringor losing one minute, you will either sail round Ireland at a great distance, or get before Boulogne." (We suppose by running up the English Channel.) "Our Brest fleet, of twenty-three* sail of the line, will have the army embarked, and by keeping under sail will oblige Cornwallis to remain close to the shores of Bretany, in order to prevent their escape." He adds, "It is probable that you will reach Boulogne in the course of September, when the nights will be reasonably long, and the weather not bad for any length of time.” When, in the autumn of 1804, Bonaparte was at Mayence, he ordered Decrees to prepare three expeditions. The first was to embrace two plans : that under Villeneuve, to sail from Toulon, was to consist of twelve sail of the line, eight frigates, and two brigs, with a body of troops. When in the Atlantic Ocean he was to detach two sail of the line, four frigates, and two brigs, with one thousand eight hundred troops, under the command of Brigadiergeneral Rielle, to take St. Helena; to carry succours to Senegal; retake Goree, and burn or lay under heavy contributions all the British settlements on the coast of Guinea. Villeneuve after having made this detachment, was to proceed in execution of the other part of his orders: with nine * Napoleon always varies in the statement of his forces. or ten sail of the line, three frigates, and five or six thousand men, he was to repair to Guayana, take on board Victor Hugues, and go to Surinam, of which no doubt he expected to become master... The moment it was known that this fleet had sailed from Toulon, the Rochefort squadron, under Vice-admiral Missiessy, was to sail directly to Martinique; to take Dominica, St. Lucia, and the Saints, and place himself under the orders of Villeneuve; who, thus reinforced, would lay all the British islands under contribution; take as many prizes as they could; shew themselves before every roadstead in the Windward Islands; run down to the city of St. Domingo, in which a few French troops still remained, reinforce them with twelve or fifteen hundred men; then returning to Europe, raise the blockade of Ferrol; release the five sail of the line in that port, and thus with a fleet of twenty sail of the line, proceed to Rochefort, then join the Brest fleet, and with the whole proceed to Boulogne. Villaret, who commanded the fleet at St. Domingo, in 1802, was appointed governor of Martinique; Victor Hugues to Surinam; and, as if success was certain, governors were also appointed to Demerara, Berbice, and Cayenne. The instructions respecting a fourth expedition are fully detailed in a letter from Napoleon to Decrees, dated Mayence, September 29, 1804. Précis, vol. xi. p. 212. This was to be undertaken by Gantheaume, with the Brest fleet. The |