viii The Chairman’s Dispatch ‘What would Nelson give to be here!’relished Collingwood as the Royal Sovereign cut the line of the Combined Fleet at the start of the Battle of Trafalgar. Two hundred years later, Nelson, Britain’s greatest hero, is enjoying an outstanding and remarkable tribute from people all over the country. How he would have loved to be here! The celebration of Nelson is a remarkable phenomenon. It is hard to think of any other historical figure in our long and wonderful history who has secured such a proud and un-revised position in the pantheon of British heroes. Almost without exception those who knew him agreed that there was something special about this ‘affectionate, fascinating little fellow’, as Alexander Scott, Chaplain of Victory described him. Nelson’s extraordinary importance to the nation was evident from the instant the bittersweet news of his death and victory at Trafalgar reached England. As Clemence Dane wrote of Nelson one hundred years later, ‘He feels for, he fingers your heart’. He continues to do so and all the events arranged in his honour this year corroborate it. This dead sailor has attained the status of a Greek hero and an ageless military champion, but his significance in 2005 reaches far beyond the martial. Nelson and his achievements are the hook for matters and concerns that not only commemorate his victory and celebrate his life, but also pay homage to the 50,000 people on both sides who took part in Trafalgar - a battle fought on a square mile of ocean that influenced the course of global history – and highlight Britain’s enduring relationship with the sea. Unlike any other battlefield, the sea carries no scars. The waves off Cape Trafalgar are today as they were in Nelson’s time. The sea appears maybe a constant, but this year has raised its profile and helped people to understand how vital it is to our existence. The sea is absolutely crucial from an environmental perspective. The sea is important because ninety-five per cent of this country’s trade is transported across the oceans of the world, protected by the Royal Navy. The sea gives millions of people pleasure and entertainment: whether they sail, motor or row, view the horizon from a cliff or listen to the breaking of the waves on a beach.
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