aits
against steady head winds; even then he could not, as he said,
"run to the West Indies without something beyond mere surmise."
Definite reports from Cadiz that the enemy had gone thither reached
him through an Admiral Campbell in the Portuguese service, and were
confirmed by the fact that they had been seen nowhere to northward.
On the 12th, leaving the _Royal Sovereign_ (100) to strengthen
the escort of Craig's convoy, which had now appeared, he set out
westward with 10 ships in pursuit of the enemy's 18.

He reached Barbados on June 4, only 21 days after Villeneuve's
arrival at Martinique. The latter had found that the Rochefort
squadron--as a result of faulty transmission of Napoleon's innumerable
orders--was already back in Europe, and that the Brest squadron had
not come. In fact, held tight in the grip of Cornwallis, it was
destined never to leave port. But a reenforcement of 2 ships had
reached Villeneuve with orders to wait 35 days longer and in the
meantime to harry the British colonies. Disgruntled and despondent, he
had scarcely got troops aboard and started north on this mission when
he learned that Nelson was hot on his trail. The troops were hastily
thrown into frigates to protect the French colonies. Without other
provision for their safety, and in disregard of orders, Villeneuve
at once turned back for Europe, hoping the Emperor's schemes would
still be set forward by his joining the ships at Ferrol.

Nelson followed four days later, on June 13, steering for his old
post in the Mediterranean, but at the same time despatching the
fast brig _Curieux_ to England with news of the French fleet's
return. This vessel by great good fortune sighted Villeneuve in
mid-ocean, inferred from his northerly position that he was bound
for Ferrol, and reached Portsmouth on July 8. Barham at the Admiralty
got the news the next morning, angry that he had not been routed out
of bed on the arrival of the captain the night before. By 9 o'clock
the same morning, orders were off to Calder on the Ferrol station
in time so that on the 22d of July he encountered the enemy, still
plowing slowly eastward, some 300 miles west of Cape Finisterre.

As a result of admirable communication work and swift administrative
action the critic of Nelson at Cape St. Vincent now had a chance
to rob the latter of his last victory and end the campaign then
and there. His forces were adequate. Though he had only 14 ships
to 20, his four three