summarized as
follows. With the existing winds, it would be impossible for such a
fleet as the enemy's to get to the westward. Had they aimed at Sicily,
an object concerning which explicit disclaimers had been given by the
French to the Neapolitan Government, some indication of their approach
must have been known at Syracuse, the day before, when the British
were off that city. Consequently, the expedition must have gone to the
eastward. The size and nature of the armament must also be
considered,--forty thousand troops, a dozen ships-of-the-line, besides
a staff of scientific men,--all pointed to a great, distant, and
permanent occupation. The object might be Corfu, or to overthrow the
existing government of Turkey, or to settle a colony in Egypt. As
between these, all equally possible, the last was the most direct and
greatest menace to present British interests, and should determine his
course. "If they have concerted a plan with Tippoo Saib, to have
vessels at Suez, three weeks, at this season, is a common passage to
the Malabar coast, where our India possessions would be in great
danger."

Such was the conclusion--how momentous at the moment can only be
realized by those who will be at the pains to consider a man still
young, with reputation brilliant indeed, but not established;
intrusted with a great chance, it is true, but also with a great
responsibility, upon which rested all his future. On slight, though
decisive, preponderance of evidence, he was about to risk throwing
away an advantage a seaman must appreciate, that of being to windward
of his enemy,--able to get at him,--the strategist's position of
command. The tongues of envy and censure might well be--we now know
that they were--busy in inquiring why so young an admiral had so high
charge, and in sneering at his failure to find the enemy. "Knowing my
attachment to you," wrote his old friend, Admiral Goodall, alongside
whom he had fought under Hotham, "how often have I been questioned:
'What is your favourite hero about? The French fleet has passed under
his nose,' &c., &c." Nelson was saved from fatal hesitation,
primarily, by his singleness of purpose, which looked first to his
country's service, to the thorough doing of the work given him to do,
and only afterwards to the consequences of failure to his own fame and
fortunes. At that moment the choice before him was either to follow
out an indication, slight, but as far as it went clear, which, thoug