Life of Nelson, Volume 1

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John Murray, 1828
 

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Page 59 - I am as old as the Prime Minister of England, and think myself as capable of commanding one of His Majesty's ships as that minister is of governing the state.
Page 198 - A left-handed admiral will never again be considered as useful ; therefore the sooner I get to a very humble cottage the better, and make room for a better man to serve the State.
Page 238 - A port -fire also fell into the main-royal of the Alexander ; the fire which it occasioned was speedily extinguished. Captain Ball had provided, as far as human foresight could provide, against any such danger. All the shrouds and sails of his...
Page 200 - ... served on shore with the army four months, and commanded the batteries at the sieges of Bastia and Calvi...
Page 217 - I am before your lordships' judgment; and if, under all circumstances, it is decided that I am wrong, I ought, for the sake of our country, to be superseded; for at this moment, when I know the French are not in Alexandria, I hold the same opinion as off Cape Passaro - that, under all circumstances, I was right in steering for Alexandria: and by that opinion I must stand or fall.
Page 224 - During the whole pursuit, it had been Nelson's practice, whenever circumstances would permit, to have his Captains on board the Vanguard and explain to them his own ideas of the different and best modes of attack, and such plans as he proposed to execute on falling in with the enemy, whatever their situation might be. There is no possible position, it is said, which he did not take into calculation.
Page 237 - It is upon record, that a battle between two armies was once broken off by an earthquake : — such an event would be felt like a miracle ; but no incident in war, produced by human means, has ever equalled the sublimity of this co-instantaneous pause, and all its circumstances. About seventy of the Orient's crew were saved by the English boats. Among the many hundreds who perished, were the commodore, Casa-Bianca, and his son, a brave boy, only ten years old. They were seen floating on a shattered...
Page 69 - ... public good. Duty is the great business of a sea officer : all private considerations must give way to it, however painful.
Page 142 - ia *' slow beyond all description; and I begin " to think that the emperor is anxious to *' touch another four millions of English *' money. As for the German generals, * ( war is their trade, and peace is ruin to " them; therefore we cannot expect that " they should have any wish to finish the
Page 30 - This project was to take Fort San Juan, on the river of that name, which flows from Lake Nicaragua into the Atlantic ; make himself master of the lake itself, and of the cities of Granada and Leon ; and thus cut off the communication of the Spaniards between their northern and southern possessions in America.

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