a great expense, and with the loss of the services of at least two sail
of the line. "I rest assured," he said to the Admiralty, "that they will
be paid for, and have held out that assurance to the squadron. For if an
admiral, after a victory, is to look after the captured ships, and not
to the distressing of the enemy, very dearly, indeed, must the nation
pay for the prizes. I trust that L60,000 will be deemed a very moderate
sum for them: and when the services, time, and men, with the expense
of fitting the three ships for a voyage to England, are considered,
government will save nearly as much as they are valued at. Paying for
prizes," he continued, "is no new idea of mine, and would often prove an
amazing saving to the state, even without taking into calculation what
the nation loses by the attention of admirals to the property of the
captors; an attention absolutely necessary, as a recompence for the
exertions of the officers and men. An admiral may be amply rewarded
by his own feelings, and by the approbation of his superiors; but what
reward have the inferior officers and men but the value of the prizes?
If an admiral takes that from them, on any consideration, he cannot
expect to be well supported." To Earl St. Vincent he said, "If he could
have been sure that government would have paid a reasonable value for
them, he would have ordered two of the other prizes to be burnt, for
they would cost more in refitting, and by the loss of ships attending
them, than they were worth."

Having sent the six remaining prizes forward, under Sir James Saumarez,
Nelson left Captain Hood, in the ZEALOUS off Alexandria, with the
SWIFTSURE, GOLIATH, Alcmene, ZEALOUS, and EMERALD, and stood out to sea
himself on the seventeenth day after the battle.

CHAPTER VI

1798 - 1800

Nelson returns to Naples--State of that Court and Kingdom--General
Mack--The French approach Naples--Flight of the Royal Family--Successes
of the Allies in Italy--Transactions in the Bay of Naples--Expulsion of
the French from the Neapolitan and Roman States--Nelson is made Duke of
Bronte--He leaves the Mediterranean and returns to England.

NELSON's health had suffered greatly while he was in the AGAMEMNON. "My
complaint," he said, "is as if a girth were buckled taut over my breast,
and my endeavour in the night is to get it loose." After the battle
of Cape St. Vincent he felt a little rest to be so essential to his
recovery, that he declared he wo