A Short History of H.M.S. Victory Part 4

She went out almost immediately after the striking of Saumarez's flag in 1808, as a private s.h.i.+p in the squadron which was dispatched to Corunna to bring home the army of the unfortunate Sir John Moore, and returned to Portsmouth on January 23rd. During this cruise she was commanded by Captain Searle, but on her going round to Chatham for a refit, Captain Dumaresq again returned to her, and Sir James Saumarez re-hoisting his flag on April 8th, 1809, she once more sailed for the Baltic, on the navigation being reported open. The best part of this year was spent by the "VICTORY" and fleet of 10 sail, in blockading the Russian s.h.i.+ps in Cronstadt. One successful boat attack was made, when 8 of the enemy's gun-boats were destroyed, but otherwise there was no fighting. In the autumn, Sweden was forced to make peace with Russia, on terms dictated by the latter, that would have doubtless been harder, had not the presence of the British fleet prevented any active employment of the Russian s.h.i.+ps. The "VICTORY" returned to the Downs by Christmas, and the Admiral struck his flag.

On the 11th March, 1810, Saumarez resumed his command, and proceeded to Hawke Roads, in Sweden, and thence to Hano Bay, near Carlscrona, where he laid most of the year, having a s.h.i.+p or two watching the Russians; but as they never ventured out, nothing was done, and "VICTORY" sailed on 10th October, with 1000 sail of merchantmen under her convoy. These were seen safely through the Belt, and Sir James then remained with all his s.h.i.+ps at Hawke Bay, as late as the ice permitted him, to prevent the possibility of the Russian fleet from the White Sea entering the Baltic. The Swedes about this time were compelled by Napoleon to declare war with England, but the feelings between the two countries were privately as friendly as before. Hearing that the Archangel s.h.i.+ps were laid up, Saumarez sailed for England, and arriving on 3rd December, hauled down his flag.

The "VICTORY" then again made a trip to the coast of Portugal, this time with the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Joseph S. Yorke, who took a squadron of 7 line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps to Lisbon, with a reinforcement of 6500 men for Sir Arthur Wellesley, then blockaded in his intrenchments at Torres Vedras by Ma.s.sena; but she returned to the Nore in time to hoist Sir James Saumarez's flag for the fourth year, on the 2nd April, 1811.

He proceeded to Wingo Sound, and there remained nearly the whole year. The anomalous state of affairs between Sweden and ourselves continued, and as public enemies and private friends we remained until the end of the year, when Sweden concluded an alliance with England.

The "VICTORY'S" boats made various expeditions against the Danes, and captured several gun-boats.

On December 18th, the fleet left Wingo for England; and on the 23rd a gale arose, by which they were dispersed, and H.M.S. _St. George_ and _Defence_ were wrecked on the western coast of Jutland, and the _Hero_ off the Texel; but the "VICTORY" and other s.h.i.+ps weathered it in safety, and anch.o.r.ed at St. Helen's on Christmas Day, when Sir James struck his flag.

On April 14th, 1812, it was again hoisted, and on the 28th, "VICTORY" sailed with a squadron of 10 sail of the line, and took her station as usual at Wingo. The naval operations this year were more active than before; the Danes had equipped a good many frigates and small craft for attacks on the Swedish coast, and frequent engagements took place between them and our smaller vessels; but "VICTORY" was not herself in action. In October, orders were received from England to send his flags.h.i.+p home, and on the 15th of that month, Sir James s.h.i.+fted his flag to the _Pyramus_, and "VICTORY" sailed for England, and arriving at Portsmouth, was paid off in November.

This was the last active service of this glorious old s.h.i.+p, though she was on the point of being sent to sea again in 1815, when no less than six Admirals, on applying for commands, named the "VICTORY" as the s.h.i.+p they would wish to have, although there were many new s.h.i.+ps, larger, and carrying much heavier ordnance; but the prestige attached to the "VICTORY," besides her well known sailing qualities, outweighed every other consideration. Waterloo, however, soon put an end to that war, and the "VICTORY" was never re-commissioned.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE "VICTORY" AS SHE NOW LIES IN PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR.]

In 1825 she was made flags.h.i.+p in Portsmouth harbour, and ever since that date, with but few intervals, she has continued to bear the flags of Admirals, who, having like her, spent their lives in the service of their country, terminate their active careers by holding the highest post in the British Navy,--the command at Portsmouth. Every year, as the 21st October, the anniversary of Trafalgar, comes round, daylight discovers the "VICTORY" with a wreath of laurel at each mast-head, a continual memorial of the deeds of that ever-to-be-remembered day, when at one blow the naval power of two great nations was crippled, and the superiority of England established without dispute.

In 1844, Queen Victoria happened to be pa.s.sing through the harbour on this day, and learning the cause of the decoration of the "VICTORY,"

at once pulled on board, and went round the s.h.i.+p. Her Majesty evinced much emotion, when shown the almost sacred spots where the hero fell and died; and plucking some leaves from the wreath that enshrined the words on the p.o.o.p, "England expects that every man will do his duty,"

kept them as a memento.

The "VICTORY" now no longer bears the Admiral's flag; the increasing numbers of seamen in our depots, rendered in 1869 a larger s.h.i.+p more convenient, and she is retained in her position in the harbour solely as a reminiscence of the past; and it almost seems a pity that she cannot be now fitted up internally, as nearly as possible as she was at Trafalgar, that the thousands of annual visitors might form a better idea of the state of the decks of a man-of-war of the olden time when going into action; and that in these days of rapid and enormous changes in both s.h.i.+pbuilding and ordnance, a type of the man-of-war that won England her pre-eminence, might be preserved to all time.