f the ships and weight of metal. Some
of the ships, however, were worn out, and many of their crews were not
seamen.

[Sidenote: _BATTLE OF THE NILE._]

Though Troubridge's ship, the _Culloden_, and two others were not with
the main body, Nelson would not delay his attack, and at 5.30 P.M.
formed his line of battle, the wind being N.N.W. and blowing down the
French line. Very skilfully the British ships were taken round the
island and the shoals. They then swept round, and steering to the
south-west headed for the French van about 6.30, led by the _Goliath_
under Captain Foley. Near as the leading French ship, the _Guerrier_
(74), was to the shoal, Foley passed across her bows, and engaged the
next ship, the _Conquerant_ (74), on the inshore side. Hood followed
with the _Zealous_, and anchored by the _Guerrier_, and three more
engaged on the enemy's port side, Nelson's ship, the _Vanguard_, and the
two next attacking on the outside. Eight British ships set on the five
of the French van, the two others engaged two Frenchmen of much larger
size in the centre, and one of them, the _Bellerophon_, was dismasted
and drifted off. Later two of the missing ships of Nelson's squadron and
the _Leander_ came into action; the _Culloden_ having struck on a rock
off the island, remained aground. By that time the French van was
crushed, and the battle raged round the centre. Brueys fell, and soon
afterwards his ship, the _Orient_ (120), caught fire. Her assailants
poured so fierce a storm of shot upon her that her crew could not get
the fire under. The summer night was lightened by the sheet of flame
which wrapped her from the water-line to the mast-heads. The fire
reached her magazine, and the great ship blew up with a terrific
explosion. During the fight Nelson was badly wounded in the forehead. He
was soon on deck again, and sent boats to pick up the survivors of the
crew of the _Orient_. The British victory was completed in the morning,
and never was victory so complete. Of seventeen French ships two were
burnt besides the _Orient_, one sank, nine were taken, and only two
ships of the line and two frigates escaped.[288] Great was the rejoicing
in England at the news of the battle of the Nile. Nelson was raised to
the peerage as Baron Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe; other
honours were conferred on him both at home and by foreign sovereigns,
and parliament voted him a pension of L2,000 a year for two lives.

The king's spee