at before had apparently been thought impossible
could be done, though involving a degree of anxiety and peril far
exceeding that of battle, while accompanied by none of the distinction,
nor even recognition, which battle bestows. "None but professional men
who have been on that service," says his biographer with simple truth,
"can have any idea of its difficulties,--surrounded by dangers of every
kind, exposed to the violence of storms, sailing amidst a multitude of
rocks and variable currents in the longest and darkest nights, and often
on a lee shore on the enemy's coast, while the whole of their fleet is
near, ready to take advantage of any disaster." Collingwood, who in the
next war succeeded to the same unenviable duty, wrote home that, even in
the summer month of August, "I bid adieu to comfortable naps at night,
never lying down but in my clothes. An anxious time I have of it, what
with tides and rocks, which have more of danger in them than a battle
once a week." In this laborious task Saumarez was the patient,
unobserved pioneer.

There was one man, however, who could and did recognize to the full the
quality of the work done by Saumarez, and its value to those sagacious
plans which he himself had framed, and which in the future were to sap
the foundations of the French power. That man was St. Vincent. "The
merit of Sir James Saumarez," he said, "cannot be surpassed;" and
again, to Saumarez himself, "The manner in which you have conducted the
advanced squadron calls upon me to repeat my admiration of it."
Succeeding soon after to the post of First Lord of the Admiralty, he
gave him an opportunity for distinction, which resulted in an action of
singular lustre and striking success.

Bonaparte, long before returned from Egypt, and now, as First Consul,
practically the absolute ruler of France, had overthrown all enemies on
the Continent. Peace with Austria, after her disasters of Marengo and
Hohenlinden, had been signed in February, 1801. The great objects of the
French ruler now were to compass a maritime peace and withal to retain
Egypt, associated from far back with the traditional policies of France,
and moreover a conquest in which his own reputation was peculiarly
interested. To compel Great Britain to peace, he sought, by diplomacy or
force, to exclude her commerce from the Continent, as well as to raise
up maritime enemies against her. Thus he had fostered, if not actually
engendered, the Baltic league