ix in 1947, ‘the auspices were propitious’. Certainly, on leaving Norfolk Horatio entered a vibrant, powerful and professional fraternity of the utmost importance to his country: the Royal Navy. It shielded the realm. In 1758, Britain was a relatively poor under-populated country of only eight million people. She was militarily weak, but with the sea for her borders and a powerful navy to protect her from invasion she could distance herself from the many continental wars that afflicted her neighbours; conflicts such as the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War. The latter finished when Nelson was only five years of age and from it Britain emerged as the most powerful of all the maritime and colonial powers with one hundred and thirty ships-of-the-line manned and supported by eighty thousand men. The Royal Navy was the protector of Britain’s burgeoning trade with its abundant overseas possessions, which were the source of demand for textiles and other manufactured goods that were driving the Industrial Revolution. Everyone in the country recognized that naval power was essential to this wealth creation and Britain willingly channelled substantial resources into her navy. By the time Nelson first achieved public fame it had become the largest industrial organization in the western world. The size and status of today’s Royal Navy is very different from Nelson’s day. Britain’s position in the world has changed dramatically and she no longer willingly channels resources into her armed services. No more does everyone recognise how the prosperity of the country depends on the sea – it accounts for nearly 90 per cent of our trade. Successive defence reviews have had such a major impact on the size of the Fleet to the point that there are now fears that, in spite of the way technology ‘fills the gap’, there will very soon be too few fully operational ships to meet future global requirements and on-going challenges. The latest equipment cuts include another two of the new, and splendid, Type 42 destroyers. By 2018, the Royal Navy will have, at best, 19 destroyers and frigates in service compared with 35 in 1998. It was twice this number in the 1970s. Realistically, the number available for global presence is even lower because of the refit programme and the need to allocate escorts to the new carriers and the amphibious task group. Yet, as ever, the United Kingdom relies on a global presence to protect its political, security and economic interests. The 1805 Club cannot (and should not) enter the political debate about the current situation and outlook. However, the Club can continue to promote the essence of Nelson’s leadership and the qualities he displayed – they still infuse the traditions of the Service. Moreover, the monuments and memorials of the Georgian sailing navy contribute to the wider naval heritage and play a significant part in defining the Royal Navy’s distinctive ethos, core values, reputation and image. The monuments are also widely accessible and can help to remind the public of the importance of the ‘maritime’ to the United Kingdom; reminders of what the Royal Navy and Royal
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