An Account of the Dispute between Russia, Sweden & Denmark, and Great Britain/Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Conſequences of the Victory.
IT is just to review the generoſity, humanity and goodneſs, of Lord Nelſon, before we leave the conſideration of this achievement, which, with ail its circumſtances, has contributed more to the advancement of our intereſts, to the glory of our efforts, and towards ſuſtaining the conteſt in which we are engaged, than any of our former ſplendid victories.
After having deſtroyed the whole line of battery, and obtained an entire triumph; anxious to prevent the effusion of human blood, ſtill recurring to, and retaining what he knew to be the principle on which he was inſtructed to act, and which was indeed moſt ſincerely the wiſh of the Britiſh Government, Lord Nelſon renewed by a meſsage to the Crown Prince, thoſe pacific offers which had been repeatedly made, and to the failure of which alone, he ſaid, muſt be attributed the diſaſters, which might befal Copenhagen. After having deſtroyed the line of defence, under ⟨one⟩ of the heavieſt fires which, an experienced ⟨Officer⟩ declared, he ever felt, Lord Nelſon retired to his cabin, and wrote a letter to the Prince Royal of Denmark, expreſsing his deſire that a flag of truce ⟨might⟩ be ſent on ſhore; ſtating, that if ſuch permiſſion ⟨was⟩ denied, he would deſtroy the veſſels and the floating batteries; and if ſo, he could not be anſwerable ⟨for⟩ the lives of the brave Danes, by whom they were defended. Theſe were his words.—In reply, ⟨the⟩ Prince Royal deſired to know, why a propoſition for ⟨a⟩ truce came from him who had been so ſucceſſful.—Lord Nelſon replied, that the object of his miſſion ⟨was⟩ not the deſtruction of a brave people, but to ⟨maintain⟩ the rights of his King and Country. His ⟨motives⟩ were humanity; he wiſhed to spare the effuſion ⟨of⟩ human blood; and that no victory would be so gratifying to him, as that which united the diſpositions ⟨of⟩ his gracious Sovereign and thoſe of a Prince with whom he was deſirous to continue in that harmony which had ſo long ſubſiſted between them. Struck with the magnanimity and ſingular generoſity of ſuch a meſſage from a Conqueror, the Prince inſtantly acceded to the propoſal. In conſequence of this, Lord Nelſon went on ſhore. He was received on ſhore by a brave and generous people, (for ſuch they proved themſelves to be, who had loſt ſight of their ⟨recent⟩ diſsaſter) with the loudeſt acclamations of admiration. He was received by the Prince of Denmark alſo in a manner which does honour to that Prince, and there he diſplayed the politics of an able ſtateſman, as eminently as he had formerly the conduct of a gallant and victorious naval officer, and, in conjunction with the death of Paul, who died a few days before the action terminated a war as ſoon as it was begun.
Whether Paul died a natural death or by aſſaſſins is not yet poſitively known: Whether this victory had he lived to hear of it, which proved that his arſenals and fleets, as well as thoſe of Sweden, were within the reach of our arms, whether it would have changed his timid mind, is not worth inquiring into. It is more pleaſing to know, that before it was fought, his eldeſt son, Alexander, the preſent emperor, had liberated the Britiſh ſeamen who had been impriſoned by his father, bad tranſmitted to our King poſitive aſſurances of his deſire to have the ancient friendly intercourſe between the two countries eſtabliſhed; and as we now ſee the embargoes taken off, and the commercial intercourſe with all the three countries reſumed, we may juſtly conclude peace to be finally ſettled.