SPIRIT OF NELSON

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 22, 21 October 1937, Page 12

SPIRIT OF NELSON

Commemoration Of Battle Of Trafalgar NAVY LEAGUE LUNCHEON “The glorious and immortal memory of Nelson and his comrades” was the toast proposed by the Governor-Gen-eral, Lord Galway, at a luncheon held yesterday by the Wellington Navy League to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, the anniversary of which occurs to-day.

The president of the league, Sir James Grose, presided and proposed the loyal toast. His Excellency recalled the situation of 1805. when France, under the leadership of Napoleon, had overrun most of the countries of Europe. Napoleon’s aim was to conquer Britain, the only unshaken obstacle standing, between him and the goal of his ambition, world power. He set up a strong armed camp at Boulogne, almost within sight of the shores of England, which, it was feared, would be invaded. England’s fate depended on the navy, and the skill and courage of those who directed it; the impetus of the English fleet was provided by Nelson, who pursued the French fleet, giving it no respite till the decisive Battle of Trafalgar. After the battle, Napoleon .broke up his armed camp and abandoned any idea of invading Britain. That was the beginning of the end of Napoleon’s dream of world power. Britain’s debt to the fleet could only be repaid by keeping fresh the memory of Nelson, what he fought for and what he died for. His Excellency said that 300 years before Nelson, Cardinal Wolsey, who, some said, was England’s first great War Minister, decided that, when his time came, he would be buried at Windsor, in part of St. George’s Chapel. He had an elaborate tomb carved, but fell from power and when he died was not buried in the tomb, which remained empty till centuries later Nelson’s body was placed in it. That was why an elaborately carved tomb of the Tudor period marked Nelson’s resting-place in St. Paul’s Cathedral. ._ In conclusion his Excellency said that they should remember not only Nelson, but the spirit of Nelson —the spirit of dauntless courage which enabled him and his men to protect England against invasion, which still existed in the navy to-day and which was being transmitted to t>he young by the Navy League. Among the guests were:—Lady Galway, Lady Myers, Sir George and Lady Shirtcliffe, Sir James Elliott, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Major-General J. Group Captain the Hon. R. A. Cochrane, Wing Commander L. Isitt, Wing Commander T. M. Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes, Major Purvis and Mrs. Purvis, the Hon. W. Perty and Mrs. Perry, Captain D. Oliver and Mrs. Oliver, the Hon. F. Jones and Mrs. Jones, Captain Tottenham, Mrs. T. H. Sprott, Mrs. B. A. Moore, Mrs. James Payne, Mrs" H. M. Larnach, Mrs. P. Marshall, Mr. R. Boulter. Apologies for absence were received from: The Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, the Rt Hon. Sir Michael Myers, Rear-Ad-miral and Lady Drummond, the Hon. P Fraser and Mrs. Fraser, the Hon. W. Nash and Mrs. Nash, the Hon. W E. Parry, the Hon. R. Semple and Mrs. Semple, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, Mr. R. A. Wright.