of 10%, the casualties
in Nelson's three chief battles were as follows: Nile, 896 out of
7401, or 12.1%; Copenhagen, 941 out of 6892, or 13.75%; Trafalgar,
1690 out of 17,256, or 9.73%.]

Duncan's otherwise undistinguished career, and the somewhat unstudied
methods of his one victory, may explain why he has not attained the
fame which the energy displayed and results achieved would seem
to deserve. "He was a valiant officer," writes his contemporary
Jervis, "little versed in subtleties of tactics, by which he would
have been quickly confused. When he saw the enemy, he ran down upon
them, without thinking of a fixed order of battle. To conquer,
he counted on the bold example he gave his captains, and the event
completely justified his hopes."

Whatever its tactical merits, the battle had the important strategic
effect of putting the Dutch out of the war. The remnants of their fleet
were destroyed in harbor during an otherwise profitless expedition
into Holland led by the Duke of York in 1799. By this time, when
naval requirements and expanding trade had exhausted England's
supply of seamen, and forced her to relax her navigation laws,
it is estimated that no less than 20,000 Dutch sailors had left
their own idle ships and were serving on British traders and
men-of-war.[1]

[Footnote 1: For references, see end of Chapter XIII, page 285.]

CHAPTER XII

THE NAPOLEONIC WARS [_Continued_]: THE RISE OF NELSON

In the Mediterranean, where the protection of commerce, the fate
of Italy and all southern Europe, and the exposed interests of
France gave abundant motives for the presence of a British fleet,
the course of naval events may be sufficiently indicated by following
the work of Nelson, who came thither in 1793 in command of the
_Agamemnon_ (64) and remained until the withdrawal of the fleet at
the close of 1796. Already marked within the service, in the words
of his senior, Hood, as "an officer to be consulted on questions
relative to naval tactics," Nelson was no doubt also marked as
possessed of an uncomfortable activity and independence of mind.
Singled out nevertheless for responsible detached service, he took
a prominent part in the occupation of Corsica, where at the siege
of Calvi he lost the sight of his right eye, and later commanded
a small squadron supporting the left flank of the Austrian army
on the Riviera.

In these latter operations, during 1795 and 1796, Nelson felt that
much more might ha