Tenacious by Julian Stockwin

Author:Julian Stockwin [Stockwin, Julian]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
ISBN: 9781590131428
Publisher: McBooks Press
Published: 2005-01-01T13:30:00+00:00

Tenacious

175

Hamilton affected not to hear. “I’d give half my fortune to be in England when they receive news of your famous victory.”

Renzi chuckled. “There’ll be a scramble on ’Change, I’d wager,” he said. “Pitt will see his chance to turn the credit to hard coin—it will quite put the opposition to the blush.”

“No doubt,” said Hamilton, regarding Renzi curiously. “But you must appreciate that the greater effect will be here. Conceive of it—not just a victory over the French but their annihilation! They now have no means to support their claim to the Mediterranean. In short, the careful building of colonies and garrisons since you were driven from the Mediterranean is as nothing now. All are isolated and ripe for our seizing, one by one and at our convenience.

“You will be aware that Turkey has declared against France and is opening the Dardanelles to our ships. Austria is much heartened—as you will know the Queen of Naples is the daugh-ter of an Austrian emperor and is now in raptures. Dare we hope that a Second Coalition is possible?”

Renzi nodded quietly.

A crooked smile appeared on Hamilton’s face. “But what I relish most is the sure knowledge that at this very moment the first general of France, Napoleon Buonaparte, is stranded helplessly in the deserts of Egypt with above thirty thousand of his best troops—and no hope of rescue.”

Kydd swelled with pride. Their hard chase and heroic battle had brought about an abrupt change in the balance of power of far more significance than any of the endless land battles he had heard about. And all this could rightly be ascribed to the achievement of one man: Horatio Nelson.

“We’re masters of the Mediterranean for now, sir,” Renzi said respectfully. “What do you see as our probable future course?”

Hamilton’s low chuckle was almost inaudible. “We have won 176

Julian Stockwin

a great victory, Mr Renzi, but we have by no means won a war.

We are sadly beset on all sides, with precious few friends and no recognisable strategy for turning defence to aggression.”

A fragment of low cloud enveloped them in a cool embrace, its sombre light depressing. Then it dissipated and the warm sun returned. Stopping suddenly, Hamilton turned and pointed to the Bay of Naples below, a breathtaking sweep of scores of miles.

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