Today is the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

A single battle which effectively ended threat of a French invasion of Britain and crushed the Spanish fleet making their South American empire impossible to control.

The Spanish/French fleet of 33 ships was utterly detroyed, with 20 ships being captured whilst the British Fleet of 27 ships lost not a single ship.

1,500 British seamen and Marines were killed as opposed to 17,000 French and Spanish, a testament to both the British gunnery and the courage of the French and Spanish gunners who stuck to their positions despite little training or experience.

Trafalgar celebrations
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/trafalgar_waterloo/index.shtml


The History of the battle.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4081944.stm

Lord Nelson was an amazing personality! Trafalager was the decisive battle which determined who would dominate the world's oceans for the next 150 years. France was not a strong sea power though. Napoleon was a believer in a strong army but neglected his Navy.

Lord Nelson was an amazing personality! Trafalager was the decisive battle which determined who would dominate the world's oceans for the next 150 years. France was not a strong sea power though. Napoleon was a believer in a strong army but neglected his Navy.

Nelson was a superb self publiciist as well as a superb Admiral. He was loved by his men rather than merely respected (Like Wellington).

The victory at trafalgar was always overshadowed by his death. Ultimately though it has served his memory well, for unlike Boney, who was also a loved and charismatic leader, Nelson died at the time of his greatest triumph, whilst Boney lived long enough to fall out of favour.

*waves her Union Jack with pride*

Nelson also understood that this battle wasn't just about preventing an invasion of Britian, it was about maintaining the huge lines of commerce that Britian had all over the world, and that where the foundation of her power. By completely destroying the combined french and spanish fleets, he ensured that no one could challange britian on the high seas, and therefore challange Britians power.

He also put a firm limit on the French empire (Solely Europe, as to have colonies outside would have meant needing controll of the seas to them), and spelt the death knell of the Spanish empire (by destroying their fleet he removed their ability to control their south american colonies fully)

EDIT: Just a little point Dogberry, I am pretty sure only 19 enemy ships where captured, 20 is the Number Nelson wanted to capture, but I don't think they quite made it.

Hugs

lilnymph

EDIT: Just a little point Dogberry, I am pretty sure only 19 enemy ships where captured, 20 is the Number Nelson wanted to capture, but I don't think they quite made it.

Hugs

lilnymph

I think it was 20 eventually. The Guardian agree with me (not that that is proof!)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/trafalgar_battle.swf

Quite a good presentation from them.

Some Nelson Quotes:

I am a Norfolk man and glory in being so.

Before this time to-morrow I shall have gained a peerage, or Westminister Abbey.
Horatio Nelson

Buonaparte has often made his boast that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea and that his was kept in order and increasing by staying in port; but know he finds, I fancy, if Emperors hear the truth, that his fleet suffers more in a night than ours in one year.
Horatio Nelson

Desperate affairs require desperate measures.
Horatio Nelson

Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it, however painful it may be.
Horatio Nelson

England expects that every man will do his duty.
Horatio Nelson

First gain the victory and then make the best use of it you can.
Horatio Nelson

Firstly you must always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own regarding their propriety. Secondly, you must consider every man your enemy who speaks ill of your king; and thirdly you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil.
Horatio Nelson

Gentlemen, when the enemy is committed to a mistake we must not interrupt him too soon.
Horatio Nelson

I cannot command winds and weather.
Horatio Nelson

I cannot, if I am in the field of glory, be kept out of sight: wherever there is anything to be done, there Providence is sure to direct my steps.
Horatio Nelson

I could not tread these perilous paths in safety, if I did not keep a saving sense of humor.
Horatio Nelson

I have always been a quarter of an hour before my time and it has made a man of me.
Horatio Nelson

I have only one eye, I have a right to be blind sometimes... I really do not see the signal!
Horatio Nelson

If a man consults whether he is to fight, when he has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion is against fighting.
Horatio Nelson

If I had been censured every time I have run my ship, or fleets under my command, into great danger, I should have long ago been out of the Service and never in the House of Peers.
Horatio Nelson

In honour I gained them, and in honour I will die with them.
Horatio Nelson

It is warm work; and this day may be the last to any of us at a moment. But mark you! I would not be elsewhere for thousands. - at the Battle of Copenhagen.
Horatio Nelson

Let me alone: I have yet my legs and one arm. Tell the surgeon to make haste and his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it's off the better.
Horatio Nelson

My character and good name are in my own keeping. Life with disgrace is dreadful. A glorious death is to be envied.
Horatio Nelson

My greatest happiness is to serve my gracious King and Country and I am envious only of glory; for if it be a sin to covet glory I am the most offending soul alive.
Horatio Nelson

Never break the neutrality of a port or place, but never consider as neutral any place from whence an attack is allowed to be made.
Horatio Nelson

No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy.
Horatio Nelson

Now I can do no more. We must trust to the Great Disposer of all events and the justice of our cause. I thank God for this opportunity of doing my duty.
Horatio Nelson

Our country will, I believe, sooner forgive an officer for attacking an enemy than for letting it alone.
Horatio Nelson

Recollect that you must be a seaman to be an officer and also that you cannot be a good officer without being a gentleman.
Horatio Nelson

The bravest man feels an anxiety 'circa praecordia' as he enters the battle, but he dreads disgrace more.
Horatio Nelson

The business of the English commander-in-chief being first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
Horatio Nelson

The Neapolitan officers did not lose much honour, for God knows they had not much to lose - but they lost all they had.
Horatio Nelson

Time is everything; five minutes make the difference between victory and defeat.
Horatio Nelson

Victory or Westminister Abbey.
Horatio Nelson

The victory at trafalgar was always overshadowed by his death. .

Eh!
That will teach officers not to wear fancy flashy clothes when within range of enemy snipers...

I think Napoleon told one of his advisors something along the line of "I we could be the masters of the Channel straights for about 6 hours, we would be the masters of all Europe..."
Bah...

neat flash, btw.

Eh!
That will teach officers not to wear fancy flashy clothes when within range of enemy snipers...

Hehe since he spent the entire battle walking the quarter deck, and his ship was the front of the line, he definatly didn't seem to have learned that lession. Inspired alot of loyality and love in the men under his command though.

Hugs

lilnymph

"treat every frenchman as if he was the devil himself"

-Nelson