that had sailed from the road in December, 1805, and of whose respective fates we have already given so full an account, but a serious deficit had been caused in the stock of stores and provisions at the port. Hence the seven or eight line-of-battle ships that still remained afloat were not in a condition to go to sea; nor, during the whole of this year, did one of them make even a show of sailing out. However, on the 5th of October, during the temporary absence of the British squadron stationed off the port, the French 74-gun ship Régulus, after nearly a twelvemonth's successful cruise, the principal events of which we shall hereafter relate, got safe in.

Heavy as had been the loss to the French navy at the battle of Trafalgar, it was by no means in so desperate a state as some of the English periodical writers would have the public believe. Steel, in his monthly Navy-list for March in the present year, enumerates the number of line-of-battle ships then belonging to France at 19: while, with an air of triumph, he states the British line-force, including 50s, at 243 sail. This appears

in a small Table, entitled "Naval Force of Europe;" and in which France, as a naval power, ranks below Sweden, Denmark, and even Turkey. So far from the statement being correct as relates to France and England, the one possessed, in a state for sea-service and building, more than 53 sail of the line, thus::

Several of the ships here marked down as building were ready to be launched, and some were actually afloat. Among the ships of the line which Napoleon at the commencement of the war had ordered to be built, were two at Nantes, one at Bordeaux, one at Marseilles, one at Ostende, and one at Saint-Malo. These have been excluded from the statement, because it is doubtful whether or not they were proceeded upon. In the

course of two or three years, every one of the above 21 building ships was actually in commission; and it is believed that, before the close of the year 1806, several other line-of-battle ships, including two or three three-deckers of the class of the Impérial, were laid down in the different ports of the French empire.

Out of the above 53 ships, not one mounted, or was intended to mount, fewer than 74 guns; whereas England, if her 64-gun ships be excluded, possessed, in a state for service and building, but 102 sail of the line. Nor, with the addition of the 64s, would the number exceed 123. The absurdity of including stationary harbour-ships, hulks, and 50-gun ships, when the total on the opposite side contains no vessels of that description, has already been exposed. Even admitting that, in the year 1806, Russia or Spain had about the same number of line-of-battle ships as France, will any one say that, in point of maritime enterprise, physical strength, and means of annoyance, the latter did not rank far above them? Hence, so far from the British navy, in March 1806, being to the French navy, in ships of the line, as 12 to one, the difference, in reality, was but as two to one; and, so far from France being, at the time referred to, the seventh naval power in Europe, she was, as she long had been, the second.

The command of the British naval forces, on the extensive station of the Mediterranean, was still in the able hands in which we last year left it. Early in the month of February Vice-admiral Lord Collingwood, while cruising off Cadiz, received information that four of the five frigates which, with other ships of the late discomfited Franco-Spanish fleet, had sought refuge in the port after the battle of Trafalgar, were ready for sea, and intended to sail the first opportunity. By way of inducing the French frigates to do so, in the hope to intercept them soon after they quitted port, Lord Collingwood with his squadron retired to a station about 10 leagues distant from the harbour; where he lay out of sight, leaving the 38-gun frigate Hydra, Captain George Mundy, and 18-gun brig-sloop Moselle, Captain John Surman Carden, close off the port, with orders to keep a watchful eye upon any vessels sailing from it. On the 23rd of February a strong easterly wind began to blow, and by the 26th had driven the British squadron as far to the westward as Cape Sta.-Maria. Informed of this by the signal

1 See Appendix, Annual Abstract, No. 14.

2 See vol. i., p. 62.

3 See p. 1.

posts along the coast, M. La Marre-la-Meillerie, on the same evening, put to sea with the Hortense, Hermione, Rhin, and Thémis, and brig-corvette Furet, the frigates with six months' provisions and a number of troops on board. At 9 h. 15 m. P.M. the Hydra and Moselle, then about three miles west of Cadiz lighthouse, standing in-shore, discovered and chased the French squadron, which, with a wind so strong and favourable, had already got outside of them. The British frigate and brig immediately bore up after the four French frigates and brig, Captain Mundy intending to steer a parallel course, to watch their manoeuvres. At 11 P.M., observing that the French squadron continued a steady course, Captain Mundy detached the Moselle in search of the commander-in-chief, and, with the Hydra alone, gallantly continued the pursuit.

On the 27th, at 2 h. 30 m. A.M., in consequence of the French commodore having altered his course a point to the westward, the British captain found that he had considerably neared the squadron, particularly the brig, which was at some distance astern of the frigates. The object now was, to cut off this brig ; and at length, after a two hours' further chase, the Hydra overtook her. The Furet, mounting 18 long 8-pounders, with a complement of 130 men, commanded by Lieutenant de vaisseau Pierre-Antoine-Toussaint Demai, and victualled for a five months' cruise, fired a broadside "pour l'honneur de pavillon," and hauled down her colours. Apparently unmoved by this circumstance, M. La Marre-la-Meillerie permitted the British frigate to carry off her prize, and with his four French frigates, continued his route to the westward.

In the course of the summer the whole of the five French two-deckers that had escaped from the battle of Trafalgar, appear to have got themselves repaired and in readiness to put to sea, under Vice-admiral Rosily. The Spaniards also succeeded in getting ready one three-decker and five or six twodeckers; making a total of 11 or 12 sail of the line in Cadiz alone. In Carthagena lay ready for sea eight Spanish sail of the line, including two three-deckers. In Toulon there were three French two-deckers, and two or three frigates also ready; besides one or two sail of the line in ports of Venice, fitting. Whether it was that a want of concert existed among the allies, that Napoleon was too much occupied with his army to draw out a plan of operations, or that the scenes of the 21st of October, 1805, had made too deep an impression to be so soon obliterated, the year 1806, in respect to the movements of the

enemy's fleets within the limits of Lord Collingwood's command, was one of comparative repose.

Although the waters of the Mediterranean had been cleared of the fleets of the French emperor, his armies were still tyrannizing over the inhabitants of her shores, and the corrupt court of Naples was compelled again, as in the former war, to claim the protection of the British navy. Restricted as we are in our subject, a general view of the state of French power and influence in the Mediterranean states is all that will be required from us.

As the great battle of Marengo in the former war led to the peace of Luneville, so the still greater battle of Austerlitz in the present led to the peace of Presburg. But the terms granted to Austria were much less favourable in the latter than in the former case. There the acquisition of the Venetian states was considered to be no inadequate compensation for the loss of the Low Countries; but, by the treaty of Presburg, Austria renounced her share of those states, and consented that they should be annexed to the kingdom of Italy; taking, as her only possession on the shores of the Mediterranean, the comparatively insignificant port of Triest, at the head of the Adriatic. About the same time (December 26, 1806) that the treaty of Presburg was concluded with Austria, a treaty between Buonaparte and Prussia was signed at Vienna.

Peace with these two powers, and the withdrawal of the Russian army from Austria, left Napoleon to wreak his vengeance upon Ferdinand of Naples; who, in direct violation of the treaty of neutrality which he had concluded with the French emperor, on the 8th of October, 1805, had suffered an AngloRussian squadron to land a body of troops in the bay of Naples. This took place so shortly after the ratification of the treaty of Portici as on the 20th of November. The Russian troops were about 14,000 in number, and commanded by General Lasey. These were quartered in Naples and its environs. The British troops, amounting to about 10,000 men, were commanded by General Sir James Craig, and were cantoned at Castel-à-mare, Torre-del-Greco, and the vicinity. Nor was this all. The King of Naples began levying an army, and providing horses and waggons for its conveyance, and magazines of stores and ammunition for its use.

With his accustomed promptitude in carrying his measures into execution, Napoleon, on the 28th of December, the very day after the treaty of Presburg had been signed, issued from

his head-quarters at Vienna a proclamation, declaring that the Neapolitan dynasty had ceased to reign. The denouncement of this threat was the signal for the two allies of Naples to consult their own safety. The Russian troops re-embarked and retired to Corfu; and the English troops, being far too few for so extensive a line of defence as it would have been necessary to maintain, re-embarked also, and posted themselves at Messina, in Sicily.

Hearing of the advance of a French army, the King of Naples quitted his capital on the 23rd of January: and, embarking on board the British 74-gun ship Excellent, Captain Frank Sotheron, took refuge, a second time, at Palermo.1 The queen and a part of the court accompanied or quickly followed the king in his retreat; but the Duke of Calabria, the king's eldest son and the heir apparent to the throne, remained as regent of the kingdom until the 7th of February, when he also quitted Naples and retired to his dukedom. The French army, in the mean time, with Joseph Buonaparte for its nominal head, but really under the command of General Massena, assisted by General Reignier and other officers of reputation, had reached the frontiers, and on the 9th took post at Ferentino. From this place Joseph Buonaparte issued a proclamation, vowing vengeance upon the court of Naples, but promising protection to the people. Shortly afterwards the French army advanced in three divisions. The right division, under General Reignier, marched to Gaeta, a strong port situated upon a rocky promontory, three sides of which are washed by the sea, and the fourth connected with the continent by a narrow and well-fortified isthmus. The governor of this fortress, the Prince of Hesse-Philipsthadt, was summoned to surrender on favourable terms, but refused. immediate attack by the French gave them, with some loss, the possession of a redoubt; but, for the present, they gained no other advantage. The centre division, under General Massena, marched straight to Naples; and on the 12th and 15th of February Joseph Buonaparte entered successively, by capitulation with the garrisons, Capua and Naples. In short, before the end of March, the French had placed garrisons in Scylla and Tarento, and were in possession of the whole kingdom of Naples, except Gaeta, and Civitella del Tranto in the further Abruzzo.

An

On the 21st of April, while matters were in this state, Rearadmiral Sir William Sidney Smith, having been detached by 1 See vol. ii., p. 214.