Nelson's Last Campaign. By Rear-Admiral S. Eardley-Wilmot. (E. Stanford. 2s.
6c1. net.)—This is a very clear and readable account of the operations from the Declaration of War in 1803 down to the great battle. (It is interesting to note that orders for reprisals were given two days before the Declaration.) The one criticism that Admiral Eardley-Wilmot passes on the great naval leader concerns the method of blockading Toulon. He wanted the enemy to come out and fight. What they did was to come out and lead him on that fruitless search which might have ended so ill for us. This is a very opportune book. We must not omit a word of appreciation of the Chevalier E. de Martino's fine drawing of the 'Victory' and the Bucentaine.' It may be noticed that of the twenty-seven ships of the line which formed our two squadrons five bore French names. Of the thirty-three in the hostile fleet (eighteen French and fifteen Spanish) there was not one with a British name.—With this may be mentioned The Life of Nelson, by C. Reid Andrew (C. Arthur Pearson, 6d. and is. net), which begins, with a subject appropriate to the time, "The Rapid Review Library." This is a sufficiently readable account of the great sailor, with now and then a touch of originality in its comments and suggestions, but not written in a very felicitous style. Mr. Andrew does not give us, or, indeed, claim to give us, the professional appreciation of Nelson's tactics which we have from Admiral Eardley-Wilmot, but he is well acquainted with his subject. Plans of Nelson's ,great victories are given.
SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
Previous page
