rd Strachan, who was cruising for the Rochefort
squadron, and were all taken. In the better days of France, if such
a crime could then have been committed, it would have received an
exemplary punishment from the French government. Under Buonaparte it was
sure of impunity, and perhaps might be thought deserving of reward. But
if the Spanish court had been independent, it would have become us to
have delivered Dumanoir and his captains up to Spain, that they might
have been brought to trial, and hanged in sight of the remains of the
Spanish fleet.

The total British loss in the battle of Trafalgar amounted to 1587.
Twenty of the enemy struck; but it was not possible to anchor the fleet,
as Nelson had enjoined. A gale came on from the S.W., some of the prizes
went down, some went on shore; one effected its escape into Cadiz;
others were destroyed; four only were saved, and those by the greatest
exertions. The wounded Spaniards were sent ashore, an assurance being
given that they should not serve till regularly exchanged; and the
Spaniards, with a generous feeling, which would not perhaps have been
found in any other people, offered the use of their hospitals for our
wounded, pledging the honour of Spain that they should be carefully
attended there. When the storm, after the action, drove some of the
prizes upon the coast, they declared that the English who were thus
thrown into their hands should not be considered as prisoners of war;
and the Spanish soldiers gave up their own beds to their shipwrecked
enemies. The Spanish vice-admiral, Alva, died of his wounds. Villeneuve
was sent to England, and permitted to return to France. The French
Government say that he destroyed himself on the way to Paris, dreading
the consequences of a court-martial; but there is every reason to
believe that the tyrant, who never acknowledged the loss of the battle
of Trafalgar, added Villeneuve to the numerous victims of his murderous
policy.

It is almost superfluous to add, that all the honours which a grateful
country could bestow were heaped upon the memory of Nelson. His brother
was made an earl, with a grant of L6000 a year. L10,000 were voted
to each of his sisters; and L100,000 for the purchase of an estate. A
public funeral was decreed, and a public monument. Statues and monuments
also were voted by most of our principal cities. The leaden coffin in
which he was brought home was cut in pieces, which were distributed as
relics of Sain