HISTORIC DOCUMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 18698, 29 July 1924, Page 5

HISTORIC DOCUMENTS

A NAPOLEON LETTER. : DTOTDONALD' S SECRET PLAN. The British ■•Museum has acquired ore of She three important letters of Napoleon I. which *w<sr6 sold &t Scthoby s on Juno 2, When Violet Lady Melville disposed of a rain able collection of autographed letters and historical documents. The letter which has coma into the possession of the British Museum is a Ifpage folio, written on board the BoHoropbon on August 4, ISIS, and is m a golendid state of preservation. It was written to Admiral Lord Keith. The letter was written in French hy Count Bertrand and signed hy Napoleon- In St the fallen Emperor protested against being sent to St. Helena.. The letter was sent by Lord Keith to Lord Melville, who was then First Lord of the Admiralty. The British Museum has also acquired the Earl of Dundonaid’s papers containing the famous secret plan for destroying an enemy’s fleet and coast defences, addressed to the Prince Regent in March, 1812. _ Lord Dundonold, in submitting his plan, suggested that at the first blush his propopHiona might he regarded- by some_os speculative, visionary, extravagant, and improbable. The scheme was intended for united naval and military operations, and consisted of fire ships and masses of sulphur and charcoal burning dote to the lines and driven by the wind into the interior of any place, and go “destroying every animal function.” Lord Dundonald claimed that if Lord Nelson had Understood the principle submitted he could have destroyed the Danish Fleet without the loss of a roan. He discusses very fully the gemaphorio telegraph along the French coast. Eivo explanatory sketches are included in the manuscript. Lord Keith, in a report on the plan, says La thinks if put into skilful management, tempered with prudence, it may be attended With good effect. Admiral Lord _ Gambler opposed the scheme, which he described as a horrible mode of warfare.