isplayed on this
occasion is well known. As soon as he had succeeded in rescuing the
Marquis of Romana, by seizing on the vessels at Nyborg, and
transporting his troops to the defenceless island of Langeland, he
despatched a vessel to Sir James, who immediately sailed from
Carlscrona, leaving behind Captain Hope, who went home in consequence
of the illness and subsequent demise of his wife, Lady Jemima, and
made all sail for the Belt. On this occasion Sir James gave a proof of
the decision of his character, which could not but make a deep
impression on all who were present.

The Victory, about sun-set, had doubled Dars Head, forming with the
opposite point in Zealand the entrance of the Great Belt from the
eastward. The wind was fresh and directly adverse, when Mr. Squire,
master of the fleet, acquainted the Admiral that the ship must anchor
for the night, as he could no longer take charge as pilot. Sir James,
who had examined the chart, and could see no great risk in working as
far as Femeren, where the channel became narrow and the soundings more
regular, demanded his reason; which being unsatisfactory, he sent for
Mr. Nelson, the master, and Mr. Webb, the north-sea pilot, but neither
would undertake the charge, or give any satisfactory reason. Sir James
immediately ordered the one master into the starboard, and the other
into the larboard main channels, to see that the lead was correctly
hove; and having directed the Cruiser brig, then in company, to keep
right a-head, he kept the ship under sail till midnight, when she had
worked up tack by tack to Femeren, a distance of six leagues. He was
thus enabled to reach Sir Richard Keats's division on the following
day in time to concert measures for the removal of Romana's army to
Gothenburg.

The conduct of these inferior officers could only arise from a desire
to make themselves appear of importance, especially in the absence of
the captain of the fleet; and their messmates could not but rejoice at
their failure, as it brought them sooner to the scene of action.

On the 14th of August, when the Victory arrived off the battery near
the centre of Langeland, an officer was despatched to the
head-quarters of the Marquis, who embarked on board that ship on the
following morning, and before night the whole of his troops were
afloat; the Marquis was then removed to the Superb, and the convoy
proceeded to Gothenburg, under the orders of Sir Richard Keats. It was
much to be r