e Italian states, or had the conduct of Austria
been directed by anything like a principle of honour, a more favourable
opportunity could not have been desired for restoring order and
prosperity in Europe, than the misconduct of the French Directory
at this time afforded. But Nelson perceived selfishness and knavery
wherever he looked; and even the pleasure of seeing a cause prosper,
in which he was so zealously engaged, was poisoned by his sense of the
rascality of those with whom he was compelled to act. At this juncture
intelligence arrived that the French fleet had escaped from Brest, under
cover of a fog, passed Cadiz unseen by Lord Keith's squadron, in hazy
weather, and entered the Mediterranean. It was said to consist of
twenty-four sail of the line, six frigates, and three sloops. The object
of the French was to liberate the Spanish fleet, form a junction with
them, act against Minorca and Sicily, and overpower our naval force
in the Mediterranean, by falling in with detached squadrons, and
thus destroying it in detail. When they arrived off Carthagena, they
requested the Spanish ships to make sail and join; but the Spaniards
replied they had not men to man them. To this it was answered that the
French had men enough on board for that purpose. But the Spaniards seem
to have been apprehensive of delivering up their ships thus entirely
into the power of such allies, and refused to come out. The fleet from
Cadiz, however, consisting of from seventeen to twenty sail of the line,
got out, under Masaredo, a man who then bore an honourable name, which
he has since rendered infamous by betraying his country. They met with
a violent storm off the coast of Oran, which dismasted many of their
ships, and so effectually disabled them as to prevent the junction, and
frustrate a well-planned expedition.

Before this occurred, and while the junction was as probable as it would
have been formidable, Nelson was in a state of the greatest anxiety.
"What a state am I in!" said he to Earl St. Vincent. "If I go, I risk,
and more than risk, Sicily; for we know, from experience, that more
depends upon opinion than upon acts themselves; and, as I stay, my heart
is breaking." His first business was to summon Troubridge to join him,
with all the ships of the line under his command, and a frigate, if
possible. Then hearing that the French had entered the Mediterranean,
and expecting them at Palermo, where he had only his own ship--with that