“Why, if he were a true Englishman, he would never fight against his own country.”
“Right, right! This was his reply to the duke. ‘My distresses, sir, it is true, have driven me from the bosom of my country, but no temptation whatever can estrange me from her service. Had this offer been a voluntary one of your own, I should have deemed it an insult, but I am glad that it proceeds from a source that can do no wrong.’ It is a common saying, ‘A king can do no wrong.’”
“Well done, Admiral Rodney! He was a true Englishman. No doubt the duke was in a fine passion.”
“Quite the contrary. There is that in an upright and noble action which commands respect. The brave respect the brave, and the faithful respect the faithful all the world over. The duke was so struck with admiration of the British tar’s patriotism that he instantly became his friend.”
“Then the duke had a noble mind too. Please to tell us a little of Admiral Rodney’s bravery.”
“When captain of the Eagle, he engaged two French vessels of equal force, but being disabled, he was obliged to drop astern. Undaunted by his ill success, he rove new braces, and repaired his wheel, which had been in part shot away, and then once more, crowding all the sail he could stretch on his shattered spars, returned to the attack.”
“Rodney was as courageous, then, as he was faithful?”
“Yes. His grand battle was with the French Admiral Comte de Grasse, off Dominica. I will tell you how he got the victory.”
“Oh, he fired away till he sank the Frenchmen, or perhaps he boarded them.”
“No, he went upon a very different plan; and it was the very first time that plan was adopted. He sailed boldly on, and broke the enemy’s line; thus exposing one wing of the fleet to a double attack. This enabled him to obtain the victory.”