policy could be said to be ‘made’ in London, it was made collectively by the Ministry acting in the King’s name, and with King George III exercising some influence. Throughout Europe were stationed British envoys who were the agents of the Secretary of State. For practical reasons, however, naval commanders often had to take great responsibility for developing and supporting British policy. Communications were so poor that in peacetime it would take up to a month for letters to pass between London and the Mediterranean, and in wartime when the French mail service could not be used and letters had to be diverted over the Alps and through Germany, or take their chances of a fair wind for a passage by sea around Spain, they could take much longer. A detached naval commander at a foreign court, such as was Nelson at the Court of Naples after the battle of the Nile, had to undertake the task of coordinating naval and diplomatic action, and work to develop the policies of Britain’s allies along safe and useful lines. After the battle of Copenhagen Nelson played a vital role in putting an end to the hostile policies of Russia, Sweden, and Denmark. It was his victories at the Nile and Copenhagen that made his diplomacy influencial.
Nelson died of his wounds during the battle of Trafalgar. It was others who profited from that victory, and had to exploit it. Nelson’s last great battle reduced the naval forces available to Napoleon to such an extent that he was unable to dictate the course of European history by continuing to threaten invasion of Britain. Neither could he extend his control of the Mediterranean although he was able to overrun Naples from the land. Operationally, it freed the Royal Navy for other tasks, the most fundamental of which was the defence of trade. Strategically, this operational freedom at sea ensured that British trade would be able to pay for the subsidised armies that ultimately defeated Napoleon.
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