government, and afterwards compelled him to stop the trade of the port,
he was equally respected by the doge and by the people; for, while
he maintained the rights and interests of Great Britain with becoming
firmness, he tempered the exercise of power with courtesy and humanity
wherever duty would permit. "Had all my actions," said he, writing at
this time to his wife, "been gazetted, not one fortnight would have
passed, during the whole war, without a letter from me. One day or other
I will have a long GAZETTE to myself. I feel that such an opportunity
will be given me. I cannot, if I am in the field of glory, be kept out
of sight; wherever there is anything to be done, there Providence is
sure to direct my steps."

These hopes and anticipations were soon to be fulfilled. Nelson's mind
had long been irritated and depressed by the fear that a general action
would take place before he could join the fleet. At length he sailed
from Porto Ferrajo with a convoy for Gibraltar; and having reached that
place, proceeded to the westward in search of the admiral. Off the mouth
of the Straits he fell in with the Spanish fleet; and on the 13th of
February reaching the station off Cape St. Vincent, communicated this
intelligence to Sir John Jervis. He was now directed to shift his broad
pendant on board the CAPTAIN, seventy-four, Captain R.W. Miller; and
before sunset the signal was made to prepare for action, and to keep,
during the night, in close order. At daybreak the enemy were in sight.
The British force consisted of two ships of one hundred guns, two
of ninety-eight, two of ninety, eight of seventy-four, and one
sixty-four;-fifteen of the line in all; with four frigates, a sloop,
and a cutter. The Spaniards had one four-decker, of one hundred and
thirty-six guns; six three-deckers, of one hundred and twelve; two
eighty-four, eighteen seventy-four--in all, twenty-seven ships of the
line, with ten frigates and a brig. Their admiral, D. Joseph de Cordova,