to disembark on the Pembroke coast, but when Tate's 'Black Legion'
surrendered after three days, Hoche's reputation took another knock;
there were those who claimed that these two fiascos precipitated him into
terminal depression.
On 21 December 1797 Napoleon got down to serious planning at the
Ministry of Marine. In close conference with him was the head of the
United Irishmen, Wolfe Tone, who had had such a close call in the great
storm at Bantry Bay twelve months earlier. Tone was not impressed by
Bonaparte's grasp of the politics and geography of the British Isles and
reported with derision that the Corsican seemed to imagine that the
population of Ireland was less than two million. Two days later Tone
continued uncertain whether the appointment of this new invasion
commander boded ill or well for the United Irishmen. He reported that
Napoleon was cold and distant, said little, seemed bored and appeared to
mask his indifference to Irish affairs under a mask of courteousness and
hyper-affability.
Yet on paper Napoleon's invasion plans were elaborate and spectacular.
Sixty specially designed gunboats, with capacity to carry 1o,ooo men,
were ordered constructed and another 14,750 troops were to be conveyed
across the Channel in 2 so fishing boats. Both gunboats and fishing vessels
were deployed over a very wide range: Honfleur, Dieppe, Caen, Fecamp,
St-Valery, Rouen, Le Havre, Calais, Boulogne, Ambleteuse, Etaples and
Dunkirk were all to be embarkation points. And because the French now
had the Dutch as allies, Antwerp and Ostend were to be used as well.
Particularly high hopes were pinned on the gunboats designed by the
Swedish engineer Muskeyn, who had long argued that the flank of the
Royal Navy could be turned by the use of such vessels. Armed with a 24-
pounder in the bows and a field-piece in the stern, these boats were the
cynosure of Napoleon's invasion project. In January 1798 the Minister of
Marine wrote to him: 'I remark with pleasure that by means of large and
small gunboats, Muskeyn's craft, the new constructions, and the fishing
boats of the district, the Havre flotilla can carry 25,8oo troops for
landing.'
While his military preparations proceeded satisfactorily, Napoleon
continued to cultivate his image as saviour. He knew he could seize power
in a moment, especially as he had incriminating evidence from
d' Antraigues intercepted correspondence to blacken and discredit most of
the leaders of the Directory but, using that genius for timing that was
such a feature of his battles, he judged that the fruit was not yet ripe.
Meanwhile his immense popularity played into his ha nds. Songs, poems,
even paintings reinforced the propaganda message he had initiated in
marcin
(Marcin)
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