ly use of the naval co-operation is
the keeping out a supply of provisions." He therefore, after a night's
reflection, told the minister that if he would tell him, officially,
that it was for the benefit of his Majesty's service that he should
stop all trade between the neutral towns and France, and places
occupied by the armies of France, he would give the proper directions
for that purpose. It would have been possible for him, though with
some delay, to refer the matter to Hotham, but he knew the latter's
temperament, and distrusted it. "Our admiral has no political courage
whatever," he wrote to Collingwood, "and is alarmed at the mention of
any strong measure; but, in other respects, he is as good a man as can
possibly be." With a superior so little decided, it was better, by his
own independent initiative, to create a situation, which the former
would be as backward to reverse as he would have been to change the
previous and wholly different state of things. Like the American
frontiersman, whose motto was, "Be sure you're right, then go ahead,"
Nelson, when convinced, knew no hesitations; but further, he
unquestionably derived keen enjoyment from the sense that the thing
done involved risk to himself, appealed to and brought into play his
physical or moral courage, in the conscious exercise of which he
delighted. "I am acting, not only without the orders of my
commander-in-chief, but in some measure contrary to them. However, I
have not only the support of his Majesty's ministers, both at Turin
and Genoa, but a consciousness that I am doing what is right and
proper for the service of our King and Country. Political courage in
an officer abroad is as highly necessary as military courage." "The
orders I have given are strong, and I know not how my admiral will
approve of them, for they are, in a great measure, contrary to those
he gave me; but the service requires strong and vigorous measures to
bring the war to a conclusion."

The case bore some resemblance to that in which he had disobeyed
Hughes in the West Indies; but the disregard of the superior's orders
on the earlier occasion was more direct, and the necessity for it less
urgent. In both he disobeyed first, and referred afterwards, and in
both his action was practically sustained; for, whatever the technical
fault, the course taken was the one demanded by the needs of the
situation. It is possible to recognize the sound policy, the moral
courage, and the cor