Maritime Monument: Nelson's Column - Montréal, PQ, Canada

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Nelson's Column

Montréal, PQ, Canada

Topic: Maritime Monuments

GPS: N45° 30.491; W073° 33.237

Quick Description: 

Nelson's Column is located in Place Jacques-Cartier in Old Montréal.

Long Description:

A monument to Admiral Horatio Nelson has a statue of the British Naval hero on the top of the column. The front of the base of the column has a relief of a wreath and nautical items such as: a pair of anchors, a pair of cannon, a sextant, and a crocodile. Within the wreath is the inscription:

IN MEMORY
OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE VICE-
ADMIRAL LORD VISCOUNT NELSON
DUKE OF BRONTE
WHO TERMINATED HIS CAREER
OF NAVAL GLORY
IN THE IN THE MEMORABLE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR
ON THE 21 OF OCT. 1805
AFTER INCULCATING BY SIGNAL
A MAXIM THAT CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
BY HIS COUNTRY
ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY.
THIS MONUMENT PILLAR
WAS ERECTED BY SUBSCRIPTION
OF THE INHABITANTS OF
MONTREAL
IN THE YEAR 1808.

Front

The other three sided contain bas relief vignettes and inscriptions about great naval battles that Admiral Nelson fought against Napoleon's navy.
Battle of the Nile features the image of two ships firing their cannons at each other at very close range. Below is the inscription:

Battle of the Nile - 1798

ON THE 1 AND 2 OF AUGUST 1798

REAR ADMIRAL SIR HORATIO NELSON K.B.
WITH A BRITISH FLEET OF 12 SAIL OF THE LINE
AND A SHIP OF 26 GUNS
DEFEATED IN ABOUKIR BAY A FRENCH FLEET OF 13 SAIL OF THE LINE
AND 4 FRIGATES UNDER ADMIRAL BRUEYS TAKING AND DESTROYING THE WHOLE
EXCEPT 2 SAIL OF THE LINE AND 2 FRIGATES WITHOUT THE LOSS
OF A BRITISH SHIP
The Battle of Copenhagen features an image of Admiral Nelson meeting with a group of naval officers who have arrived by boat and the inscription:

Battle of Copenhagen - 1801

ON THE 2 OF APRIL 1801 A BRITISH FLEET OF 10 SAIL OF THE LINE AND 2 SHIPS OF 50 GUNS UNDER THE

IMMEDIATE COMMAND OF THE RIGHT HONORABLE VICE ADMIRAL LORD VISCOUNT NELSON
DUKE OF BRONTE ATTACKED THE DANISH LINE MOORED FOR THE
DEFENCE OF COPENHAGEN CONSISTING OF 6 SAIL OF THE LINE AND 11 LARGE
SHIP BATTERIES BESIDES BOMB AND GUN VESSELS SUPPORTED BY THE GROUND
AND LAND BATTERIES WHEN AFTER A SEVERE CONTEST OF 4 HOURS THE
WHOLE LINE OF DEFENCE WAS SUNK TAKEN OR DESTROYED WITHOUT
THE LOSS OF A BRITISH SHIP.
The Battle of Trafalgar features the image of a line of sailing ships and the inscription:

Battle of Trafalgar - 1805 

ON THE 21 OCT. 1805 THE BRITISH FLEET OF 27 SAIL OF THE LINE COMMANDED BY 

THE RIGHT HONORABLE ADMIRAL LORD VISCOUNT NELSON DUKE OF BRONTE
ATTACKED OFF TRAFALGAR THE COMBINED FLEET OF FRANCE AND SPAIN
OF 33 SAIL OF THE LINE COMMANDED BY THE ADMIRALS VILLENEUVE AND CRAVINA
WHEN THE LATTER WERE DEFEATED WITH THE LOSS OF 19 SAIL OF THE LINE CAPTURED AND DESTROYED
IN THIS MEMORABLE ACTION HIS COUNTRY HAS TO LAMENT THE LOSS OF HER GREATEST NAVAL HERO
BUT NOT A SINGLE SHIP.