Past Activities Austen and the Admiral: September's Program The September meeting at the Evanston library commemorated the Bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar, October 21, 1805. GCR member Elsie G. Holzwarth discussed the battle and the role of Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, commander of the British fleet at the battle. Her presentation included maps of the battle and pictures of the life of Lord Nelson. She also showed clips from the 1941 movie That Hamilton Woman with Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh as the star-crossed lovers Nelson and Lady Hamilton. The film included the naval battle of the British ships of the line against the combined French and Spanish fleets and the death of Nelson. GCR member William Phillips read Sir Walter Elliot's views of the navy from Persuasion and a letter Austen's brother Francis wrote about the battle and his view of Nelson. "I never heard of his equal, nor do I expect again to see such a man." Francis Austen was a captain under Nelson and participated in Nelson's cross-Atlantic chase of the French and Spanish. But he was on a mission to procure provisions when the battle took place. Nelson's navy defeated Napoleon at sea thwarting any attempts at an invasion of England. In her October 12, 1813 letter Austen wrote to sister Cassandra about a new biography, Robert Southey's Life of Nelson, "I am tired of Lives of Nelson, being that I never read any. I will read this, however, if Frank is mentioned in it." He isn't. Nevertheless, it is probable that she did read, or at least skimmed, Southey's book and his view of Nelson. "So perfectly, indeed, had he performed his part that the maritime war, after the battle of Trafalgar, was considered at an end."
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