merous other engagements took place, and frequently the portions of
the flotilla moving from the different ports towards Boulogne were
severely handled by the British cruisers. Occasionally, small English
vessels, venturing too close inshore for the purpose of attacking them,
were captured by the French.

At length Napoleon managed to collect a vast number of prames and
gun-vessels, with other craft, the whole flotilla amounting to 2293, of
which the larger were armed. These were intended to carry 163,645 men,
of whom 16,783 were sailors, besides 9059 horses. This flotilla was
organised in six grand divisions. One, denominated the left wing, was
stationed at Etaples, to convey the troops under Marshal Ney from the
camp of Mottrieux. Two other divisions were in the port of Boulogne, to
convey the troops from the two camps on either side of it, under Soult.
A fourth was at the port of Vimereux to carry the corps of Marshal
Lannes. The Gallo-Batavian flotilla, assembled off Ambleteuse, formed
the fifth grand division, destined to transport the troops under Marshal
Davoust; while the sixth, at Calais, was to carry the Italian infantry,
and various divisions of mounted and dismounted dragoons.

On the 3rd of August, 1805, Napoleon came to Boulogne to inspect the
flotilla, and so completely organised was it by this time, that although
the extremities of the camps were more than two miles from the point of
embarkation, an hour and a-half only was occupied in getting men and
horses on board. All he wanted was the arrival of his fleet under
Villeneuve, to protect his mighty flotilla during its passage across the
channel, and then, as his generals at all events believed, the conquest
of England was certain.

Meantime Nelson, who at the breaking out of the war had been appointed
to the command of the fleet in the Mediterranean, was watching
Villeneuve, resolved to prevent him from appearing on the spot where his
fleet was so anxiously looked for by Napoleon. On the 18th of May,
1803, he had hoisted his flag on board his old ship, the _Victory_, and
on the 20th had sailed from Spithead, first bound to Brest, and from
thence to the Mediterranean. Here he remained for nearly two years,
without once setting foot on shore, watching and waiting for the Toulon
fleet, endeavouring to induce them to come out and give him battle. At
length, on the 18th of January, 1805, the French fleet did come out, but
a heavy gale blowing. N