the east india company handed him a 10,000 bonus for keeping the trade routes open and his pr people fixed up a publicity stunt in the city of london when the newly minted lord nelson presented the sword of the vanquished french admiral blanquet to the city fathers in a packed council chamber with a well crafted headline grabber : as a freeman of the city of london i take the liberty of handing your lordships the sword of the french admiral and request that the city honour me with the acceptance of it as remembrance that britannia still rules the waves , which , that she may ever do , is the fervent wish of your lordship .