Este's departure Nelson had reconnoitred Toulon. A new
vice-admiral had hoisted his flag in place of Latouche Treville, who
had died on the 20th of August. "He has given me the slip," wrote
Nelson, who felt himself balked of his vengeance. "The French papers
say he died of walking so often up to the signal-post, upon Sepet, to
watch us: I always pronounced that would be his death." His successor
was Villeneuve, the predestined victim of Trafalgar. "They now amuse
themselves with night-signals," Nelson informed the First Lord; "and
by the quantity of rockets and blue lights they show with every
signal, they plainly mark their position. These gentlemen must soon be
so perfect in theory, that they will come to sea to put their
knowledge into practice. Could I see that day, it would make me
happy." The time was now not far distant. The weariness of waiting was
soon to give way to the anxious fever of doubtful and protracted
pursuit, of prolonged uncertainty and steadfast endurance, through
which he advanced to his final triumph, just as he had to those of the
past.

The seizure of the Spanish treasure-ships, with its lamentable
catastrophe, took place on the 5th of October. Nelson had the news on
the 8th of November, which, extraordinary as it may appear, was before
the fact was known in Madrid. On the 10th of November, when the
British minister received his passports upon his own demand, no word
had reached there. On the 15th, Nelson was informed that a British
vessel had been fired upon by the batteries of Barcelona, which was an
error; but receiving at the same time a letter from the minister,
probably to the effect that he would break off relations on the 10th,
he inferred that war existed, and issued orders for a general seizure
of Spanish vessels of war and commerce throughout the station. This
was done on his own responsibility, but he guarded himself by
stringent provisions against any injury beyond detention being
inflicted; and he alleged, very reasonably, that a commander-in-chief
who never got letters from home less than two months old must act upon
his own motion. "I am completely in the dark. It is now more than two
months since the John Bull [the last despatch boat] sailed." "I have
set the whole Mediterranean to work," he tells Lady Hamilton on the
23d; "and if I had had the spare troops at Malta at my disposal,
Minorca would at this moment have had English colours flying." A
Swedish ship, carrying a Spani