Early in 1798 General Napoleon had set his sights on Egypt as a stepping stone to India and some of Britain's other Dominions. Nelson was dispatched to seek out the French fleet and thereby establish Bonaparte's intentions.
In May 1798 Rear Admiral Nelson set sail from Gibraltar with three 74-gun ships, a frigate and a 20-gun ship in a search for the French fleet. En route to Egypt the French had taken Malta. Hearing this news Nelson sped there, arriving, ironically before the French. Fearing an invasion of Turkey, Nelson set sail for there, crossing paths with the French without either fleet seeing each other which in turn enabled the French to land at Alexandria, Egypt, unopposed.
Having positioned the fleet 15 miles off Aboukir bay, lined up in a seemingly impregnable position, Admiral Breuys, Commander of the French Navy, sent out two ships when Nelson arrived, to lure him in. Before nightfall though, two British ships had broken through the French line and left the French fleet open to attack from both sides. The sea battle which ensued was a momentous encounter. The French more powerful in some respects, but equal to the British in bravery, were out manoeuvred and out fought by skill and the sheer effort of the British seamen.
The Battle of the Nile which took place in August 1798 was to be a spectacular victory for Nelson, confirming the supremacy and moral ascendancy of the Royal British Navy over that of its most powerful and bitter rival, revolutionary France. Nelson's victory was one of the turning points in the battle for supremacy in the Mediterranean and Europe, cutting the French Navy off from Napoleon's army and forcing them to flee to France.
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Battle of Nile
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aukepalmhof
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Re: Battle of Nile
The Destruction of 'L'Orient' at the Battle of the Nile, 1 August 1798
On 19 May 1798, Napoleon sailed from Toulon on his hazardous adventure to Egypt, capturing Malta on the way. On 1 August, Nelson sighted Alexandria, with its harbour full of shipping and French flags, although none were ships of the line. When 'Zealous', 74 guns, sighted the French battle fleet anchored in Aboukir Bay, 15 miles east of Alexandria, Nelson, as the Rear-Admiral aboard 'Vanguard', 74 guns, headed there and prepared his ships for action.
This portrayal of the action is lit by the exploding French 'L'Orient', 120 guns, the French Vice Admiral Brueys's flagship, in starboard-quarter view, on the left of the picture, its vivid orange glow lighting up the night sky. The explosion happened at 10.00 pm and killed the Admiral and most of the ship's company. Both sides were so shocked by the disaster, that for some minutes, firing ceased. Indeed the painting shows that the sails and masts flying in the air after the explosion caused considerable danger to the surrounding ships.
Filling the centre of the picture is the 'Swiftsure', 74 guns, in port-bow view, her sails billowing out with the force of the explosion, and surging on the wave it caused. In the left foreground, under the stern of the 'L'Orient', is a boat with sailors rescuing others from the water. In the immediate left foreground, are spars with sailors clinging to them and in the centre foreground a boat with sailors being hauled aboard. In the extreme left background, astern of the 'Swiftsure' and mostly obscured by smoke, is the bow of the French 'Franklin', 80 guns, starboard-quarter view, still firing and being engaged in the extreme right background, port-quarter view, by the 'Swiftsure'. In the right foreground, is a mast and top with two sailors clinging to it. Beside, in the extreme foreground to the right, is the bow view, with figurehead, starboard side only, of a Frenchman, probably meant to be the 'Tonnant', 80 guns, although it has been suggested that she could be the dismasted British 'Bellerophon', 74 guns.
The painting was one of four modern historical subjects commissioned for the Naval Gallery of Greenwich Hospital, on a competitive basis and at a fee of £500 by the British Institution. It was exhibited at the British Institution and presented to the Gallery in 1827.
The Destruction of 'L'Orient' at the Battle of the Nile, 1 August 1798
1825 Was the painting made.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... C0509.tiff
Ras Al Khaima 15R sg?, scott?
On 19 May 1798, Napoleon sailed from Toulon on his hazardous adventure to Egypt, capturing Malta on the way. On 1 August, Nelson sighted Alexandria, with its harbour full of shipping and French flags, although none were ships of the line. When 'Zealous', 74 guns, sighted the French battle fleet anchored in Aboukir Bay, 15 miles east of Alexandria, Nelson, as the Rear-Admiral aboard 'Vanguard', 74 guns, headed there and prepared his ships for action.
This portrayal of the action is lit by the exploding French 'L'Orient', 120 guns, the French Vice Admiral Brueys's flagship, in starboard-quarter view, on the left of the picture, its vivid orange glow lighting up the night sky. The explosion happened at 10.00 pm and killed the Admiral and most of the ship's company. Both sides were so shocked by the disaster, that for some minutes, firing ceased. Indeed the painting shows that the sails and masts flying in the air after the explosion caused considerable danger to the surrounding ships.
Filling the centre of the picture is the 'Swiftsure', 74 guns, in port-bow view, her sails billowing out with the force of the explosion, and surging on the wave it caused. In the left foreground, under the stern of the 'L'Orient', is a boat with sailors rescuing others from the water. In the immediate left foreground, are spars with sailors clinging to them and in the centre foreground a boat with sailors being hauled aboard. In the extreme left background, astern of the 'Swiftsure' and mostly obscured by smoke, is the bow of the French 'Franklin', 80 guns, starboard-quarter view, still firing and being engaged in the extreme right background, port-quarter view, by the 'Swiftsure'. In the right foreground, is a mast and top with two sailors clinging to it. Beside, in the extreme foreground to the right, is the bow view, with figurehead, starboard side only, of a Frenchman, probably meant to be the 'Tonnant', 80 guns, although it has been suggested that she could be the dismasted British 'Bellerophon', 74 guns.
The painting was one of four modern historical subjects commissioned for the Naval Gallery of Greenwich Hospital, on a competitive basis and at a fee of £500 by the British Institution. It was exhibited at the British Institution and presented to the Gallery in 1827.
The Destruction of 'L'Orient' at the Battle of the Nile, 1 August 1798
1825 Was the painting made.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... C0509.tiff
Ras Al Khaima 15R sg?, scott?
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