delay had been of important advantage to the enemy, who had lined the northern edge of the shoals near the Crown batteries, and the front of the harbour and arsenal with a formidable flotilla. The Trekroner battery appeared, in particular, to have been strengthened, and all the buoys of the Northern, and of the King's Channels had been removed." The line of defence of the Danes extended no less than four miles, estimating from one extreme point to the other. (See Plate.) On the afternoon of the 31st a Council of War was held, and the mode which might be advisable for the attack was considered, that from the eastward appearing to be preferred. "Lord Nelson (Stewart says) offered his services, requiring ten line-of-battle ships, and the whole of the smaller craft. The Commander-in-chief, with sound discretion, and in a handsome manner, not only left every thing to Lord Nelson for this detached service, but gave two more line-ofbattle ships than he demanded. During this Council of War, the energy of Lord Nelson's character was remarked: certain difficulties had been started by some of the members, relative to each of the three Powers, we should either have to engage, in succession, or united, in those seas. The number of the Russians was, in particular, represented as formidable. Lord Nelson kept pacing the cabin, mortified at every thing which savoured either of alarm or irresolution. When the above remark was applied to the Swedes, he sharply observed, ‘The more numerous the better;' and when to the Russians, he repeatedly said, 'So much the better, I wish they were twice as many, the easier the victory, depend on it.' He alluded, as he afterwards explained in private, to the total want of tactique among the Northern fleets; and to his intention, whenever he should bring either the Swedes or Russians to action, of attacking the head of their line, and confusing their movements as much as possible. He used to say, 'Close with a Frenchman, but out-manœuvre a Russian.'

دوو

Nelson having made his last observations on the morning of the 1st of April, on board the Amazon, returned to the Elephant and made the signal to weigh. The shout with which it was received throughout the division, it is said, was heard to a considerable distance; the ships then weighed, and followed the Amazon in succession through the narrow

channel. The wind was light, but favourable, and not one accident occurred.

"On board the Elephant, the night of the 1st of April was an important one. As soon as the fleet was at anchor the gallant Nelson sat down, to table with a large party of his comrades in arms. He was in the highest spirits, and drank to a leading wind, and to the success of the ensuing day. Captains Foley, Hardy, Fremantle, Riou, Inman ;1 his Lordship's second in command, Admiral Graves, and a few others to whom he was particularly attached, were of this interesting party; from which every man separated with feelings of admiration for their great leader, and with anxious impatience to follow him to the approaching battle. The signal to prepare for action had been made early in the evening. All the Captains retired to their respective ships, Riou excepted, who, with Lord Nelson and Foley arranged the order of battle, and those instructions that were to be issued to each ship on the succeeding day. These three officers retired between nine and ten to the after-cabin, and drew up

1 Captain Henry Inman was the son of a clergyman, and born near Bristol. He entered the navy in 1776, with Captain, afterwards Lord Hood. He was in the Lark frigate when D'Estaing's squadron appeared off Rhode Island, and his vessel being run on shore, and burnt, he was ordered on board the Pearl, Captain Linzee, and proceeded to the West Indies. Made Lieutenant, in the Santa Monica, he was wrecked off Tortola, and again lost his property. After Sir George Rodney's action of the 12th of April, 1782, he was in the Hector, and narrowly escaped with life from shipwreck, after being attacked by two French frigates. The Hector, although severely crippled by the battle, successfully resisted the attack, drove off the two frigates, L'Aigle and Le Lion, which were afterwards captured. In 1790, Inman was appointed to the Latona, and then to the Pigmy cutter, from which he was removed to the Victory, proceeding for Toulon. His exertions in this service procured for him the command of L'Aurore, and he was made Post-Captain, October 9, 1794. In the Romney he came home with a convoy. After a variety of service, he was engaged on the blockade of Dunkirk, and in a most gallant attack, captured La Desirée, to which he was afterwards appointed, and proceeded in her to the attack on Copenhagen, where his services were conspicuous, and called forth the praises of Nelson. Upon the renewal of the war in 1803, Captain Inman was appointed to the Utrecht, and then to the Triumph, of 74 guns, and joined the Channel fleet. He was ordered to the blockade of Rochfort, whence he was removed to support Sir Robert Calder, in his attack on the Brest fleet. He then cruised with Sir Richard Strachan off the Western Isles, when his health failed, and he was appointed to the Sea Fencibles at Lynn, and afterwards made Naval Commissioner at Madras, whence he sailed, February 22, 1809. He reached Madras on the 4th of July, and on the 15th of the same month expired, at the early age of 47.

those orders that have been generally published, and which ought to be referred to as the best proof of the arduous nature of the enterprise in which the fleet was about to be engaged. From the previous fatigue of this day, and of the two preceding, Lord Nelson was so much exhausted while dictating his instructions, that it was recommended to him by us all, and, indeed, insisted upon by his old servant Allen, who assumed much command on these occasions, that he should go to his cot. It was placed on the floor, but from it he still continued to dictate. Captain Hardy returned about eleven, and reported the practicability of the channel, and the depth of water up to the ships of the enemy's line. Had we abided by this report in lieu of confiding in our masters and pilots, we should have acted better. The orders were completed about one o'clock, when half-a-dozen clerks in the foremost cabin proceeded to transcribe them. Lord Nelson's impatience again shewed itself; for instead of sleeping undisturbedly, as he might have done, he was every half hour calling from his cot to these clerks to hasten their work, for that the wind was becoming fair. He was constantly receiving a report of this during the night. Their work being finished about six in the morning, his Lordship, who was previously up and dressed, breakfasted, and about seven made the signal for all Captains. The instructions were delivered to each by eight o'clock; and a special command was given to Captain Riou to act as circumstances might require. The land forces and a body of 500 seamen were to have been united under the command of Captain Fremantle and the Honorable Colonel Stewart, and as soon as the fire of the Crown Battery should be silenced, they were to storm the work, and destroy it. The division under the Commander-in-chief was to menace the ships at the entrance of the harbour, the intricacy of the channel would, however, have prevented their entering; Captain Murray in the Edgar was to lead."

At five minutes past ten the action commenced, and in about half an hour half the fleet was engaged. By half-past eleven the action was general, and so ardently was the contest carried on by both sides, that at one o'clock the chance of

1 Hon. Colonel Stewart's Narrative.