The year 1797 was eventful for Britain. It witnessed two of the Navy's greatest victories, St Vincent in February and Camperdown in October. Yet between these battles the navy passed through a serious crisis of fleet mutinies at Spithead and the Nore. The year also marked the rise to fame of Horatio Nelson whose dramatic actions at the Battle of Cape St Vincent secured victory.

At the battle Admiral Sir John Jervis (later created Earl St Vincent) led a squadron of 15 sail against a Spanish fleet of 27. He fell on them off the south-western coast of Portugal as they were running for Cadiz and divided their line in to two parts. From his flagship Victory he ordered his ships to tack one by one after the leader and prevent the gap from being closed.

Nelson, last but two in the line, saw that this manoeuvre would not be completed in time and made an on the-spot decision to sail his ship, the Captain, into the gap. He took on seven Spanish ships, including the Santissima Trinidad, the largest ship in the world, and two other three Decker's, the San NicoIas and the San Josef. Through a fire of pistols and muskets he led boarding parties onto both and captured both - such was "Nelson's Patent Bridge for Boarding First Rates".

By nightfall four ships had been taken and ten others crippled. Jervis was generous in his praise of Nelson who was knighted and promoted to Rear Admiral of the Blue.