The encroachments of Bonaparte in Germany and Italy, provoked a third coalition of the European powers against France in 1805. This event the French ruler had foreseen, and early in the same year had endeavour ed to avert its approach, by pacific offers to great Bri tain. These were rejected with a promptitude which the insincerity of the enemy seems to have justified. His Russian imperial majesty subscribed to the alliance of Britain in the spring. In the month of August, Aus tria joined the league. Prussia was understood to be favourable ; and Sweden joined in direct alliance. Bo naparte, who, with the vain threat of overrunning the British empire, had assembled the principal part of his forces opposite to the British coast, was perhaps relieved to find an opportunity of giving active employment to his troops, which had been stationary for two years. Having reinforced his army in Italy, he dismantled his flotilla at Boulogne ; and collecting his troops from Ha nover and Holland, reached the Danube with 200,000 men. His rapid annihilation of Mack's army, and his succeeding victory at Austerlitz, (which have been re corded under the article laid Austria pros trate at his feet, overawed Prussia, and enabled him, for a time, securely to set Russia at defiance. By the treaty with the Emperor of Germany, which was con cluded after the fatal field of Austerlitz, the Emperor of France became actually 1110.SLCE of all Italy, except the Neapolitan dominions ; for the sovereignty of the Pope might now be considered as merely nominal. Naples, Venice, and all its dependencies, were ceded by Aus tria; and he annexed Genoa to the French territory. He possessed the means of crushing the King of Naples as soon as his hands were disengaged; and that unfor tunate power, by her precipitate devotion to the cause of the allies, had already furnished him with a pretext.
Amidst the victories of France, and even amidst her preparations which preceded them, the people of Britain watched with anxiety the motions of the enemy's fleet, one of which, composed of Spaniards and French, es caped to the West Indies, under the command of Ad miral Villeneuve. The depredations of that commander were evidently restrained in that quarter by the terror of meeting with Lord Nelson, who, with inferior force, pursued him twice across the Atlantic. Returning to Europe, Villeneuve was reinforced to the number of 20 ships of the line, and encountered the fleet under Sir Robert Calder, off Cape Finesterre. In the action which ensued, Sir Robert Calder, with only 15 ships of the line, kept at bay his superior enemy, and took two of their large ships. The action, however, was not deci sive, and the British admiral was prevented by the foggy weather and the state of his ships from renewing it next day—a disappointment to the sanguine hopes of his country--for which he dearly, and, perhaps, unjustly suffered, by receiving a reprimand from a court martial, for an error of judgment. This court took place on the 22d of July. On the 15th of September, Lord Nelson put to sea, and arriving off Cadiz, received the com mand of the fleet on that station from Admiral Coiling wood. About the middle of October, having received certain information that he would be joined in a day or two by a reinforcement of seven sail of the line from England, he boldly detached Admiral Louis with six ships of the line upon a particular service, in so open a manner as to be seen by the enemy. This manoeuvre
deceived Admiral Villeneuve, who, believing that the British fleet was reduced to 21 sail of the line, while_ the combined French and Spanish fleet counted 33, resolved to retrieve his fallen fame, by encountering Nelson him self. He accordingly ventured out from Cadiz with a light westerly wind. Lord Nelson having received his expected reinforcement, immediately sailed in pursuit of him ; and on the 21st of October, descried the com bined fleet about seven miles to the eastward of Cape Trafalgar. The commander in chief immediately gave the signal for the fleet to bear up in two columns, as they formed in the order of sailing. Lord Nelson in the Victory, led the weather column ; Admiral Coiling wood, in the Royal Sovereign, led that of the lee. Vil leneuve had formed his ships in one line ; but as the mode of attack was unusual, so the structure of his line was new, forming a crescent, convexing to leeward. Nelson's last signal was, " England expects every man to do his duty." It was received with a shout through out the flee.. About noon the dreadful contest began, by the leading ships of the British columns breaking through the enemy's line, which was first effected by Admiral Collingwood. The succeeding ships breaking through in all parts astern of their leaders, engaged the enemy at the muzzles of their guns. At twenty minutes past twelve, the action became general. Lord Nelson ordered his ship, the Victory, to be run on board the Redoubtable, while his second, the Temeraire, run on board the next adjacent ship, and in a short time, the four contending vessels were closed in one mass. After a general and furious engagement, continued for several hours ; about three P. M. Admiral Gravina, who carried the Spanish flag in the rear, bore away to Cadiz. Five more of the headmost of the enemy, under Admiral Dumanoir, tacked and stood to the southward. They were engaged, and the sternmost taken, and nineteen ships of the line remained in all to the British. Of these, two were first rates, and none were under 74 guns. At forty minutes past four, all firing ceased, and a com plete victory was announced to Lord Nelson, who, hav ing been wounded early in the action, survived just to hear the joyous tidings, and died, as he had lived, with heroic fortitude. It is fresh in every memory, how much the public mind required such a victory to console it, amidst the dismay and consternation produced by the misfortunes of Austria ; yet it was, perhaps with no great exaggeration of Nelson's merits, said of the battle of Trafalgar, that it did not recompense his country for his loss. Two days after the engagement, ten ships of the enemy, the remnant of their fleet which had suffer ed least in the action, ventured out from Cadiz, in the hopes of attacking some of the British ships which were damaged and scattered by the tremendous state of the weather. But they were repulsed by Collingwood, and one of their line was added to the captures. It was necessary, however, to destroy several of the prizes; nine were wrecked; four were brought to Gibraltar; Dumanoir, who had escaped with four ships, at the close of the action, fell in with Sir Richard Strachan off Ferrol, and struck, after a hard contest.