i see no ships

The phrase "I see no ships" is an idiom or expression meaning that someone is willfully ignoring or refusing to acknowledge an imminent or obvious event or situation. The phrase originates from an anecdote involving Admiral Horatio Nelson during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. Nelson, who was temporarily blind in one eye, was allegedly asked by his superior to stop his attack on the Danish fleet. Ignoring the order, Nelson held his telescope to his blind eye and claimed that he couldn't see any signal to withdraw. This phrase has since evolved into a figurative expression used to dismiss or feign ignorance about a situation.