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LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
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sail of the line, eleven floating batteries, and an enormous array of small craft, all chained to each other and to the ground, and protected by the Crown batteries, mounting eighty-eight guns, and the fortifications of the isle of Almack. The battle lasted for four hours, and ended in a signal victory. Some few schooners and bomb vessels fled early, and escaped: the whole Danish fleet, besides, were sunk, burnt, or taken. The Prince Regent, to save the capital from destruction, was compelled to enter into a negotiation, which ended in the abandonment of the French alliance by Denmark. Lord Nelson then reconnoitered Stockholm; but, being unwilling to inflict unnecessary suffering, did not injure the city, on discovering that the Swedish fleet had already put to sea.

During the same month the British arms triumphed in Egypt, upon learning which, Bonaparte is said to have exclaimed-"Well, there remains only the descent on Britain;" and an immense flotilla of flat-bottomed boats were prepared in the harbour of Boulogne, while an army of 100,000 troops were assembled on the coasts of France. The attack which Nelson made is no doubt already known to the reader, though that brave commander was unable to remove the flotilla, from the fact that the boats were chained to the shore, defended by long poles headed by spikes of iron projecting from their sides, and placed under land batteries, and protection of musketry from the shore.

The daring attempt, however, was sufficient to prove to the French that they could not leave their harbours with impunity. But Bonaparte was alarmed at the successes of the English, while everything concurred to render peace desirable. A pacific disposition was accordingly manifested, and flags of truce, and flags of defiance, were actually displayed at the same time, and in the same strait; so that