e chief particulars of this,
at that time, unparalleled naval victory: particularly as, from the very
extraordinary share which Commodore Nelson actually had in this glorious
engagement, by disingenuously presenting a garbled account relative to
him alone, it might seem rather to appear as his battle, than that of
Sir John Jervis, the illustrious commander in chief; who derives, so
deservedly, from that splendid victory, his title of Earl of St.
Vincent.

The weakness of over-zealous friends is often more prejudicial than the
most violent efforts of professed enemies. No man ever less needed, or
less desired, to strip a single leaf from the honoured wreath of any
other hero, with the vain hope of augmenting his own, than the immortal
Nelson; no man ever more merited the whole of that which a generous
nation unanimously presented to Sir John Jervis, than the Earl of St.
Vincent.

"Before I enter," says Colonel Drinkwater, "on the detail of the
proceedings of the important day which will certainly immortalize
the name of Jervis, and of his brave seconds, it will be proper to
state the relative force of the British and Spanish fleets.

"The British fleet--or, to use, I believe, a more correct term, the
British squadron--consisted of fifteen sail of the line, four
frigates, a sloop of war, and a cutter; the Spanish fleet, of
twenty-seven sail of the line, ten frigates, and a brig.

"Before sun-set, in the evening of the 13th, the signal had been
made for the British squadron to prepare for battle, and the ships
were also directed to keep in close order during the night.

"At day-break, on the 14th--St. Valentine's Day--the British fleet
was in complete order, formed in two divisions, standing on a wind
to the south south-west. The morning was hazy. About half past six,
the Culloden made the signal for five sail in the south-west by
south quarter; which was soon after confirmed by the Lively and
Niger frigates, and that the strange sail were by the wind on the
starboard tack. The Bonne Citoyenne sloop of war, Captain Lindsey,
was therefore directed to reconnoitre.

"At a quarter past eight o'clock, the squadron was ordered,
by-signal, to form in a close order; and, in a few minutes
afterwards, the signal was repeated to prepare for battle.

"About half past nine o'clock, the Culloden, Blenheim, and Prince