Chapter XV

THE TRAFALGAR CAMPAIGN TO THE SPANISH DECLARATION OF WAR.
MAY, 1803—DECEMBER, 1804.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE INVASION OF ENGLAND.—THE GREAT
FLOTILLA.—NAPOLEON'S MILITARY AND NAVAL COMBINATIONS,
AND BRITISH NAVAL STRATEGY.—ESSENTIAL UNITY OF NAPOLEON'S
PURPOSE.—CAUSES OF SPANISH WAR.

Preparations of the two States 101

Cession of Louisiana to the United States 104

Effect of the British Sea Power upon this measure 105

Resources of Great Britain and France as affected by their social
systems 105

Offensive and defensive gain to Great Britain by forcing the war 106

Inconvenience to Bonaparte from the premature outbreak 107

Exhaustion of France under the pressure of Sea Power 108

Bonaparte's resolution to invade Great Britain 109

Seizure by him of Hanover and of the Heel of Italy 109

Object of these measures 110

Offence and injury to Prussia by occupation of Hanover 110

French troops quartered on Holland, Hanover, and Naples 111

Bonaparte's plans for the invasion of England 111

His naval combinations to that end 112

Building of the great flotilla 113

Its points of concentration described 114

Difficulties of the undertaking 115

Certainty of Napoleon's purpose 116

Interesting character of this historical crisis 117

Strategic effect of the British blockading squadrons 118

Strategic dispositions in the British Channel 119

Security felt by British naval officers 120

St. Vincent's opposition to small gun-vessels 121

The Sea Fencibles 121

Deterioration of naval material under St. Vincent's
administration 122

Effects upon the Channel and Mediterranean ships 123

Embarrassment caused to Nelson 124

Bonaparte's naval combination hinges upon Nelson's perplexities 124

Details of his first plan 125

Merits of St. Vincent's general strategic dispositions 126

Nelson's uncertainties as to the French purposes 127

His certainty as to his own course 127

Embarrassment caused by the condition of his ships 128

Delays encountered by Napoleon 129

Death of the commander of the Toulon fleet 130

Villeneuve appointed to succeed him 130

Change of detail in Napoleon's naval combination 131

Significance of this new combination 132

War begins between Great Britain and Spain 133

Train of causes which led to this outbreak 133

Detention of the Spanish treasure-ships 137