WELLINGTON AND BLUCHER.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2644, 28 January 1908, Page 7

WELLINGTON AND BLUCHER.

j The pleasant story, just brought to I light, of Humboldt's successful intervention to save the Jardin des Plantes from the wrath of Blucher serves as a reminder (says the London "Evening Standard") that the tough old soldier needed many humane advisers to keep him from destroying objects dear and important to the French. .Wellington had often to intercede with him, and that not invariably with immediate success. He resolved to blow up the bridge of Jena. Wellington protested. "But the French destroyed the pillar at Rosebach and so on." grumbled Blucher, "and the English burned Washington." Wellington, seeing that words were ineffective, placed English sentries on the bridge, believing that the Prussians would not make any attempt on the structure while these men were in position. But they did. They mined ouc of the pillars and put in a charge of gunpowder and fired it. The charge exploded in the wrong way, and damaged the Prussians. leaving the bridge and the Englishmen on the top in safety. This having failed, Blucher sought permission to demolish the column in the Place Vendome. The King of Prussia arrived only just iri time to j prevent it. ! Wellington managed better when dealing direct with the French. An almost unexampled instance of his chivalry was forthcoming in the movements preceding the battle of Orthez—the only battle in which he ' received an injury. The French had retreated over the bridge of the Gave du Pau, and were preparing to blowit sky high. The Duke realised if ' this were done it would cause great | injury to the people of Orthez, so he ! sent an officer to Soult with a message. j A battle would doubtless take place on the following day, he said, and he promised that if Soult would spare the bridge the British army would not cross by it. Soult had felt' reluctant to consent to the destruction, for the bridge was on French territory, and he willingly took his rival's word and left it intact. Wellington kept his promiseHe led his men, under a heavy fire, across the river by way of the fords, and the bridge stands to this day.