asy that no such notice had been taken of the Battle of Copenhagen,
for the custom of the Corporation of the chief city of the Empire,
thus to honor the great achievements of their armed forces, was, he
asserted, invariable in his experience; consequently, the omission in
the case of Copenhagen was a deliberate slight, the implication of
which, he thought, could not be disregarded. Delay, up to the time
then present, might be attributed to other causes, not necessarily
offensive, although, from a letter to his friend Davison, he seems to
have feared neglect; but the vote of thanks to the two Services for
their successes in Egypt left no room to doubt, that the failure to
take similar action in the case of Copenhagen was intentional.

This Nelson regarded, and justly, as an imputation upon the
transactions there. Where a practice is invariable, omission is as
significant as commission can be. Either the victory was doubtful, or
of small consequence, or, for some other reason, not creditable to
the victors. He wrote at once to the Lord Mayor. After recalling the
facts, he said: "If I were only personally concerned, I should bear
the stigma, now first attempted to be placed upon my brow, with
humility. But, my Lord, I am the natural guardian of the characters of
the Officers of the Navy, Army, and Marines, who fought, and so
profusely bled, under my command on that day.... When I am called upon
to speak of the merits of the Captains of his Majesty's ships, and of
the officers and men, whether seamen, marines, or soldiers, I that day
had the happiness to command, _I say_, that never was the glory of
this country upheld with more determined bravery than upon that
occasion, and more important service was never rendered to our King
and Country. It is my duty to prove to the brave fellows, my
companions in dangers, that _I_ have not failed, at every proper
place, to represent, as well as I am able, their bravery and
meritorious services."

This matter was the occasion, possibly the cause, of bringing him into
collision with the Admiralty and the Government on the same subject.
Although his private representations, soon after his return to
England, had obtained from Lord St. Vincent, as he thought, a promise
that medals should be issued for the battle, no steps thereto had been
taken. He now enclosed to the Prime Minister and to the First Lord a
copy of his letter to the Lord Mayor; and to both he alluded to the
assurance he b