t to
sea the first opportunity. Villeneuve, however, hesitated when he heard
that Nelson had resumed the command. He called a council of war; and
their determination was, that it would not be expedient to leave Cadiz,
unless they had reason to believe themselves stronger by one-third than
the British force. In the public measures of this country secrecy
is seldom practicable, and seldomer attempted: here, however, by the
precautions of Nelson and the wise measures of the Admiralty, the enemy
were for once kept in ignorance; for as the ships appointed to reinforce
the Mediterranean fleet were despatched singly, each as soon as it was
ready, their collected number was not stated in the newspapers, and
their arrival was not known to the enemy. But the enemy knew that
Admiral Louis, with six sail, had been detached for stores and water to
Gibraltar. Accident also contributed to make the French admiral doubt
whether Nelson himself had actually taken the command. An American,
lately arrived from England, maintained that it was impossible, for he
had seen him only a few days before in London, and at that time there
was no rumour of his going again to sea.

The station which Nelson had chosen was some fifty or sixty miles to the
west of Cadiz, near Cape St. Marys. At this distance, he hoped to decoy
the enemy out while he guarded against the danger of being caught with a
westerly wind near Cadiz and driven within the Straits. The blockade of
the port was rigorously enforced, in hopes that the combined fleet might
be forced to sea by want. The Danish vessels, therefore, which were
carrying provisions from the French ports in the bay, under the name
of Danish property, to all the little ports from Ayamonte to Algeziras,
from whence they were conveyed in coasting boats to Cadiz, were seized.
Without this proper exertion of power, the blockade would have been
rendered nugatory by the advantage thus taken of the neutral flag. The
supplies from France were thus effectually cut off. There was now every
indication that the enemy would speedily venture out: officers and men
were in the highest spirits at the prospects of giving them a decisive
blow; such, indeed, as would put an end to all further contest upon the
seas. Theatrical amusements were performed every evening in most of
the ships; and God save the King was the hymn with which the sports
concluded. "I verily believe," said Nelson (writing on the 6th of
October), "that the coun