Nelson's personal sense of responsibility exceeded Britain's actual strategic dependence on him. He behaved as though no other fleet could make good a failure, placing an extraordinary burden on his own judgement. In practice, the Channel Fleet and other British squadrons could still race to intercept a French and Spanish breakthrough. They lacked Nelson's leadership and may have lacked the experience of his ships, yet they remained formidable.
Notable Point · 13:21-14:14
Nelson's burden and Britain's remaining fleets
Nelson acted as though everything depended on his own interception, even though the Channel Fleet and other British squadrons remained available if the Franco-Spanish fleet escaped.