ia, now acknowledged
the rule of France. The German imperial dignity no longer possessed
importance; and the whole system of the European states was overthrown.
The smaller German States of the Rhine, were formed by the conqueror
into what was called "the Confederation of the Rhine;" the old Germanic
empire was therefore dissolved, and the influence of the French fully
established over a great part of Germany. Very soon after this treaty,
indeed, the Emperor Francis formally renounced his title of Elective
Emperor of Germany, and assumed that of Hereditary Emperor of Austria.
The conquests of Napoleon were followed by the aggrandizement of his
house. Less than three weeks after signing the treaty of Presburg,
Eugene Beauharnois married the daughter of the King of Bavaria, and
shortly after, Princess Stephanie Beauharnois, Eugene's cousin, was
given in marriage to the son and heir of the Grand Duke of Baden.
Another matrimonial alliance was also contemplated with the family of
the King of Wurtemburg.

{GEORGE III. 1804--1807}

THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR, ETC.

Though successful on the Continent, the power of Napoleon by sea was
this year broken. Nelson had been appointed to the command of the
Mediterranean fleet in the autumn of the year 1803. In the first
month of the present year, while at anchor off Sardinia, he received
intelligence that the Toulon fleet had put to sea. Nelson instantly
weighed, and after beating about the Sicilian seas for ten days, he ran
for Egypt, under the impression that they were bound for that country.
Subsequently he discovered that the enemy had put back to Toulon; and,
in the hope of tempting it out to sea, he bore away for the coast
of Spain, and ran down as far as Barcelona. This stratagem failed of
effect; but on the last day of March he received intelligence that
Villeneuve had put to sea, with eleven ships of the line and seven
frigates, and when last seen was steering towards the coast of Africa.
Under the impression that the enemy was bound for Egypt, Nelson covered
the channel between Sardinia and Barbary, and when he found that he
was mistaken, he bore up for Palermo, and despatched cruizers in all
directions, lest it should pass to the north of Corsica. At length,
feeling that Villeneuve was not gone toward the Levant, he despatched
frigates to Gibraltar, to Lisbon, and to Admiral Cornwallis, off Brest,
beat up against contrary winds, and arrived in sight of Gibraltar, on