The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire 1793-1812, Vol II

57

Parliamentary History, vol. xxxvi. p. 47.

58

Commentaires de Napoléon, vol. iii. p. 377.

59

Hist. de France depuis 1789, vol. i. p. 396.

60

Speech of Nov. 3, 1801.

61

Annual Register 1801, p. 280.

62

See ante, p. 70.

63

Am. State Papers, vol. ii. pp. 509, 511.

64

Am. State Papers, vol. ii. p. 511.

65

The slightest delay under these circumstances is very prejudicial, and may be of great consequence to our squadrons and naval expeditions.—Corr. de Nap., March 11, 1802.

66

Corr. de Nap., March 12, 1802, vol. vii. p. 522.

67

Ibid., April 3, 1802, vol. vii. p. 543.

68

Corr. de Nap., July 1, 1802, vol. vii. p. 641.

69

Ibid., April 13, 1801, vol. vii. p. 153.

70

Ibid., April 18, 1801, vol. vii. p. 162.

71

Corr. de Nap., August 2, 1802, vol. vii. p. 696.

72

Ibid., vol. vii. pp. 528, 544.

73

Ibid., vol. vii. p. 578.

74

Decree of Nov. 19, 1792.

75

Thiers, Cons. et Emp., livre xv. p. 38.

76

Ibid., livre xv. pp. 50, 51.

77

Ibid., xvi. p. 234.

78

Note Verbale. Remonstrance addressed to the French government. (Ann. Reg. 1802; State Papers, p. 675.)

79

Lord Hawkesbury's speech; Parl. Hist., vol. xxxvi. p. 971.

80

Parl. Hist., vol. xxxvi. p. 1380.

81

Annual Register, 1803, p. 681.

82

Secret Instructions to Lord Whitworth; Yonge's Life of Lord Liverpool, vol. i. p. 93.

83

Adams, Hist. of the United States, 1801-1817, vol. ii. pp. 13-21.

84

The San Domingo expedition cost the lives of over twenty-five thousand French soldiers.

85

The British ambassador in Paris reached the same conclusion from the instructions sent by Talleyrand to the French envoy in London. "It appears from this note that this government is not desirous to proceed to extremities; that is to say, it is not prepared to do so." (March 18; Parl. Hist., vol. xxxvi. p. 1315.) The United States minister in Paris also wrote, March 24, "Here there is an earnest and sincere desire to avoid war, as well in the government as the people." (Am. State Papers, ii. 549.)

86

Instructions to Duroc, March 12, 1803, Corr. de Nap., vol. viii. pp. 307-311. It is noteworthy that these instructions were issued the same day that was received in Paris information of the king's message to Parliament of March 8, that "in consequence of military preparations in the ports of France and Holland he had adopted additional measures of precaution." Two days later the militia was called out.

87

Corr. de Nap., vol. viii. p. 308.

88

Parl. Hist., vol. xxxvi. p. 1293.

89

Speech of May 23, 1803.

90

Naval Chronicle, vol. ix. pp. 243, 247, 329, 330, 332, 491.

91

Am. State Papers, vol. ii. p. 553.

92

Ibid.

93

In case of war, it was the purpose of the British government to send an expedition to occupy New Orleans, as it did afterwards in 1814. (Am. State papers, vol. ii. pp. 551, 557.)

94

Napoleon to Talleyrand; Corr. de Nap., May 13, 1803.

95

Thiers, Consulat et Empire, livre xx. p. 182.

96

The French republic had devoured under the form of assignats an immense amount of national property.—Thiers: Cons. et Emp., livre xvii. p. 377.

97

"Holland," says Thiers, "would have wished to remain neutral; but the first consul had taken a resolution, whose justice cannot be denied, to make every maritime nation aid in our strife against Great Britain." (Cons. et Emp., livre xvii. p. 383.)

98

Metternich's Memoirs, vol. i. p. 48, note.

99

Chénier's Vie du Maréchal Davout, Paris, 1866.

100

See Naval Chronicle, vol. x. pp. 508, 510; vol. xi. p. 81. Nelson's Dispatches, vol. v. p. 438.

101

Pellew's Life of Lord Sidmouth, vol. ii. p. 237.

102

Nelson's Dispatches, vol. iv. p. 452.

103

Parl. Debates, March 15, 1804.

104

Mémoires du Duc de Raguse, vol. ii. p. 212.

105

Nelson's Disp. and Letters, vol. iv pp. 444-447.

106

Nelson's Disp., vol. iv. p 500.

107

James, Nav. Hist., vol. iii. p. 212 (ed. 1878).

108

See Cobbett's Reg., vol. v. pp. 442, 443, for some very sensible remarks on Pitt's attack, written by Cobbett himself.

109

Stanhope's Pitt, vol. iv. p. 94.

110

Parl. Debates, 1804, p. 892.

111

Nels. Disp., vol. v. p. 283.

112

Ibid., p. 306.

113

Ibid., p. 174. The following references also show conditions of Nelson's ships: vol. v. pp. 179, 211, 306, 307, 319, 334; vol. vi. pp. 38, 84, 99, 100, 103, 134, 158.

114

Corr. de Nap., vol. viii. p. 657.

115

Corr. de Nap., vol. ix. p. 168.

116

Nels. Disp., vol. v. pp. 115, 136.

117

"It is at best but a guess," to use his own words, "and the world attaches wisdom to him that guesses right." (Nels. Disp., vol. vi. p. 193.)

118

See Nels. Disp., vol. v. pp. 179, 185, 247, 309, 374.

119

Nels. Disp., vol. v. p. 309.

120

Ibid., p. 374.

121

Ibid., p. 388.

122

Ibid., pp. 405, 411.

123

Ibid., p. 498.

124

Ibid., p. 411.

125

Ibid., p. 300.

126

Nels. Disp., vol. v. p. 306.

127

Ibid., pp. 253, 254.

128

Ibid., p. 438.

129

Ibid., p. 388.

130

Ibid., p. 395.

131

See Nels. Disp., vol. v. pp. 145, 162, 413; vol. vi. pp. 84, 328, 329.

132

Corr. de. Nap., vol. ix. p. 226.

133

Corr. de Nap., vol. ix. p. 475.

134

Ibid., p 513.

135

Ibid., Sept. 12, 1804.

136

Corr. de Nap., vol. ix. p. 700, Sept. 29, 1804.

137

The former Spanish part of the island was still in the hands of France.

138

Corr. de Nap., Sept. 27 and 29, 1804.

139

For Bonaparte's attitude toward Spain, see two letters to Talleyrand, Aug. 14 and 16, 1803; Corr. de Nap. vol. viii. pp. 580-585.

140

Signed Oct. 19, 1803. (Combate Naval de Trafalgar, by D. José? de Couto, p. 79.)

141

Parl. Debates, 1805, vol. iii. p. 70.

142

Parl. Debates, 1805, vol. iii. p. 72.

143

Ibid., p. 372.

144

Ibid., p. 81.

145

Jan. 24, 1804. Ibid., p. 85.

146

Ibid., p. 89.

147

Ibid.

148

Ibid., pp. 85, 89.

149

For some account of the advantages to French privateers arising from this use of Spanish ports, with interesting particulars, see Naval Chronicle, vol. xiii. p. 76. In March, 1804, Spain prohibited the sale of prizes in her ports.

150

Parl. Debates, 1805, vol. iii. p. 86.

151

Corr. de Nap. vol. ix. p. 482.

152

Parl. Debates, 1805, vol. iii. p. 93.

153

Ibid., p. 122.

154

Ibid., pp. 95, 122.

155

Thiers, Cons. et Emp. livre xvii. pp. 383, 384.

156

Pitt's Speech of February 11, 1805.

157

D. José de Couto, Combate Naval de Trafalgar (Madrid, 1851), pp. 83, 89.

158

Nels. Disp., vol. vi. p. 240. This letter was not sent, Nelson soon after receiving the Admiralty's order.

159

Jurien de la Gravière, Revue des Deux Mondes, Oct. 1887, p. 611.

160

Correspondance de Napoléon, vol. x. pp. 79-97.

161

Nelson's Dispatches, vol. vi. p. 333.

162

After writing these words the author noted Nelson's opinion to the same effect: "Had they not been crippled, nothing could have hindered our meeting them on January 21, off the south end of Sardinia." (Dispatches, vol. vi. p. 354.)

163

For Villeneuve's opinion see Chevalier's Hist. de la Mar. Fran. sous l'Empire, p. 134; for Nelson's, Disp. vol. vi. pp. 334, 339.

164

Corr. de Nap., vol. ix. p. 701.

165

Ibid., Jan. 16, 1805.

166

Compare with Nelson's views on attacking Russian fleet, ante, p. 46.

167

Corr. de Nap., April 29, 1805, vol. x. p. 443.

168

Letter to Pitt by Robert Francis; Castlereagh's Memoirs, vol. v. p. 444. The whole letter is most suggestive, not to say prophetic. From internal indications it is extremely probable that the writer of these letters, signed Robert Francis, was Robert Fulton, though the fact is not mentioned in any of his biographies.

169

Mémoires du Duc de Raguse, vol. ii. p. 261.

170

Thiers, Cons. et Emp., vol. v. p. 413.

171

Barrow's Autobiography, p. 263.

172

Ibid. Nav. Chron., vol. xiii. p. 328.

173

The above account depends mainly upon the "Naval Chronicle" for April 15, 1805; vol. xiii. pp. 365-367,—checked by James and other sources.

174

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 227.

175

So in the orders, Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 232. At a later date this rendezvous is spoken of by Napoleon as in the Cape de Verde. (Corr. de Nap., vol. xi. p. 50.) A singular confusion in such important orders.

176

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 447.

177

Ibid., 324.

178

Nels. Disp., vol. vi. pp. 338-341.

179

Nelson's Dispatches, vol. vi. p. 397.

180

Chevalier, Mar. Fran. sous l'Empire, p. 142.

181

Nelson's Dispatches, vol. vi. pp. 410, 411, 415.

182

See ante, p. 142. Missiessy sailed from the West Indies in the same week that Villeneuve sailed for them.

183

Corr. de Nap., April 13, 1805, vol. x. p. 390.

184

Ibid., April 20 and 23.

185

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 394.

186

Ibid., p. 490.

187

Ibid., p. 571.

188

Ibid., p. 616.

189

Ibid., p. 624.

190

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 708.

191

For example, Thiers, Cons. et Emp., liv. xx. p. 178; Jurien de la Gravière, Guerres Maritimes, vol. ii. p. 224 (first edition).

192

Corr. de Nap., vol. xi. p. 162.

193

Nels. Disp., vol. vi. p. 401. In a former work ("The Influence of Sea Power upon History," p. 23), the author casually spoke of this as a false step, into which Nelson had been misled. A closer study has convinced him that the British admiral did quite right.

194

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 624. Compare this with Nelson's remark, just quoted.

195

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 624.

196

Ibid., June 22, 1805, p. 686.

197

Nap. to Decrès, May 10, 1805.

198

Corr. de Nap., June 9, p. 624.

199

Annual Register, 1805, p. 225; Naval Chronicle, vol. xiii. p. 399.

200

Naval Chronicle, vol. xiii. p. 484. The expression "balayer la Manche"—sweep the Channel—is far stronger than the Chronicle's translation, which is preserved in the quotation.

201

Apparently a prize. (Nels. Disp., vol. vi. p. 410.)

202

Nels. Disp., vol. vi. p. 411.

203

Ibid., Sept. 6, 1804.

204

Corr. de Nap., June 28, 1805, vol. x. p. 708.

205

Ibid., p. 705.

206

Nels. Disp., vol. vi. p. 457.

207

Ibid., p. 45.

208

Nels. Disp., vol. vi. p. 459.

209

On this date is the first intimation of Nelson's sailing as known to Napoleon. June 27, he writes, "I do not clearly see where Nelson has been." (Corr. de Nap., vol. x. p. 701.)

210

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. April 23 and May 4, 1805, pp. 420, 465.

211

Ibid., May 24, p. 544.

212

Ibid., May 29, pp. 563, 624.

213

Corr. de Nap., vol. x. June 22, p. 686.

214

Ibid., p. 545.

215

See, for his reasoning, letter of June 16, three days after leaving Antigua; and also, for his uncertainty after reaching Europe, July 18. (Nels. Disp., vol. vi. pp. 457, 473.)

216

Naval Chronicle, vol. xiv. p. 64.

217

Napoleon to Decrès, July 18, 1805.

218

Naval Chronicle, vol. xiv. p. 64.

219

Barrow's Autobiography, pp. 276-290.

220

See ante, p. 162.

221

Napoleon to Berthier, Decrès, and Ganteaume, July 20, 1805.

222

Napoleon to Decrès, July 27, 1805.

223

Calder's Defence, Naval Chronicle, vol. xv. p. 167. The words quoted, frequently repeated in different terms, embody the spirit of the whole paper.

224

Chevalier, Mar. Fran. sous l'Emp., p. 171. Couto (Combate de Trafalgar, p. 107) gives a very serious account of the injuries suffered by the four remaining Spanish ships.

225

Nelson's Disp., vol. vi. p. 457.

226

Nelson's Disp., vol. vii. p. 16.

227

Corr. de Napoléon, July 16, 1805.

228

The harbors of Ferrol, Coruña, and a third called Betanzos, are inlets having a common entrance from the sea.

229

See Napoleon's letters to Decrès, Allemand, and others, July 26, 1805.

230

Napoleon to Decrès, August 29.

231

Napoleon to Talleyrand, Dec. 18, 1799. "Frame your reply to Genoa in such terms as to leave us free to incorporate the Ligurian Republic with France, within a few months."

232

Stanhope's Pitt, vol. iv. p. 318.

233

Napoleon to Talleyrand, July 31, 1805.

234

Ibid., August 13.

235

Napoleon to Villeneuve, August 13.

236

Napoleon to Decrès, August 14.

237

Twenty-nine only of the line.

238

Chevalier, Marine Française sous l'Empire, p. 180.

239

Collingwood's Correspondence, August 21, 1805.

240

Thiers, Cons. et Emp., livre xxii. pp. 125, 128.

241

Thiers, Cons. et Emp., livre xxviii. p. 233.

242

Napoleon to St. Cyr, Sept. 2, 1805.

243

Napoleon to Decrès, Sept. 15.

244

Ibid., Sept. 4.

245

Nels. Disp., vol. vii. p. 80.

246

Fyffe's History of Modern Europe, vol. i. p. 281.

247

To the King of Wurtemburg, April 2, 1811; Corr., vol. xxii. p. 19.

248

Life of Sir Wm. Parker, vol. i. p. 39. Ross's Life of Lord de Saumarez, vol. ii. p. 214. Naval Chronicle, Plymouth Report, Dec. 10, 1800.

249

Message of Directory to Council of Five Hundred, Jan., 1799; Moniteur, An 7, p. 482.

250

McArthur, Financial and Political Facts of the Eighteenth Century, London, 1801, p. 308. Norman (Corsairs of France, London, 1887, App.) gives the number of French privateers taken in the same period as 556.

251

Sir J. Barrow, then a Secretary to the Admiralty, mentions in a letter to J. W. Croker, July 18, 1810, that two colliers had been captured in sight of Ramsgate, close under the North Foreland; and on July 27 an ordnance hoy taken close under Galloper Light, in the face of the whole squadron in the Downs, not one of which moved. (Croker's Diary, vol. i. p. 33)

252

Naval Chronicle, vol. xxiv. p. 327. For further curious particulars concerning French privateering in the narrow seas, see Nav. Chron., vol. xxii. p. 279; vol. xxiv. pp. 327, 448, 460-462, 490; vol. xxv. pp. 32-34, 44, 203, 293; vol. xxvii. pp. 102, 237.

253

See, for example, the account of the privateer captain, Jean Blackeman Nav. Chron., vol. xii. p. 454.

254

Naval Chronicle, vol. ii. p. 535; vol. iii. p. 151.

255

In 1806, on the Jamaica station alone, were captured by the British forty-eight public or private armed vessels, two of which were frigates, the rest small. (Nav. Chron., vol. xvii. pp. 255, 337.)

256

American State Papers, vol. ii. pp. 670, 771.

257

James (Naval Hist., ed. 1878, vol. iii. p. 249) says that though denominated 1,200-ton ships, the registered tonnage of most exceeds 1,300, and in some cases amounts to 1,500 tons.

258

Nav. Chronicle, vol. vi. p. 251.

259

Brenton's Naval Hist. (first ed.) vol. i. p. 346. Low's Indian Navy, vol. i. 204.

260

Low's Indian Navy, vol. i. 205. Milburn's Oriental Commerce, vol. i. 405.

261

The premium of insurance, which had in 1782 been fifteen guineas per cent on ships engaged in the trade with China and India, did not exceed half that rate at any period between the spring of 1793 and the end of the struggle. (Lindsay's Merchant Shipping, vol. ii. 265. See also Chalmer's Historical View, pp. 308-310.)

262

Letter of Bombay merchants to Sir Edward Pellew; Nav. Chron., vol. xxiii. 107.

263

Robert Surcouf, by J. K. Laughton; Colburn's United Service Magazine, 1883, part i. pp. 331, 332.

264

Milburn's Oriental Commerce, vol. i. p. xci.

265

Naval Chronicle, vol. vii. 276.

266

Naval Chronicle, vol. iv. pp. 150, 151, 326.

267

Registration of vessels made in all ports of France (except the newly acquired departments) from September 1793, to September 1796:—

It should be explained that as all ships, old as well as new, had to register, this gives the total of French shipping without deduction for losses.

268

Moniteur, 26 Floréal, An 9 (May 16, 1801).

269

Macpherson's Annals of Commerce, vol. iv. 359.

270

Cobbett's Parl. Debates, March 15, 1804, p. 921.

271

Naval Chronicle, vol. xvii. p. 369.

272

Norman gives the total number of captures, 1793-1800, as 5,158 against Lloyd's 3,639. Through the kindness of Captain H. M. Hozier, Secretary of Lloyd's, the author has received a list of British ships taken, annually, 1793-1814. This list makes the numbers considerably less than the earlier one used in the text. By it, between 1793 and 1800, both inclusive, only 3,466 British ships were captured.

273

Moniteur, 16 Pluviôse, An 7 (Feb. 5, 1799), pp. 582, 583.

274

Guérin gives the total number of captures by France from Great Britain, from 1793 to the Peace of Amiens, March 25, 1802, including both ships of war and merchant vessels, as 2,172; while the French lost in all, from ships-of-the-line to fishing-boats, between 1,520 and 1,550. Of this total, 27 were ships-of-the-line and 70 frigates,—a number considerably below that given by James, the painstaking English naval historian. Allowing 150 as the number of smaller naval vessels taken, there would remain, by Guérin's estimate, about 1,300 French trading vessels which fell into British hands. Of these a large proportion must have been the chasse-marées that carried on the coasting trade (as their expressive name implies); attacks on which formed so frequent and lucrative a diversion from the monotony of blockade service. (Hist. Mar de la France, vol. iii. p. 674.)