NELSON'S FUNERAL.

Colonist, Volume XLVII, Issue 11467, 21 October 1905, Page 1 (Supplement)

NELSON'S FUNERAL.

(KELSON'S FUNERAL CAR.)

The burial of the illustrious warrior took place in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, on Thursday, January 9fch, 1808. Troops lined the streets in two ranks from St, Paul's Churchyard to the Admiralty!. All the regiments of cavalry and infantry quartered within one hundred miles of London, who had served in the campaigns in Egypt, were in attendance. There were one hundred and six carriages, many of them belonging to the nobility. Sixty mourning coaches were principally filled with Naval officers. The procession started at 10.30 a.m. from the Admiralty, led by his Royal Highness the Duke of York. The Band of the Old Buffs played "Rule Britannia," with muffled drums. The pipers of the 42nd Highlanders played "The Dead March in Saul. " The trumpeters of the 10th Light Dragoons sounded at intervals a solemn dirge. The 92nd Regiment, the 11th Dragoons, and the Scots Greys vn&& also in the procession. The trumpeters of thejatter regiment sounded "the Dead March." The 21at and 31st Regiments followed, their bands playing funeral marches. A grand funeral canopy of state was borne over the coffin by six Admi*^. The funeral was attended by the seven sons of the Sovereign, the chief nobility, gentry, merchants, tradesmen, and many thousands of British subjects.

A peculiarity of Nelson was to always write a new will before going into action, and calling his nearest officers to witness it. That he always wrote a prayer is nothing strange, and looked upon every cause hi 3 country took up as having the direct sanction of the Creator. Just before the battle of Trafalgar he took down his Bible and wrote a prayer to the God ot Battles to give victory to hi a arms, and renewed glory to his country ; and then he wrote a will, whicli he headed "October 21st, 1805. Then in sight of the combined fleets of France and Spain, distant about 10 miles.". The document is not lengthy; being chiefly a request to Parliament to provide for Lady Hamilton and his adpoted daughter, Horatio, concluding with these words:- — "These are the only favors I ask of my King and country at this moment when I am going to fight their battle. May God bless, my King and country, and all those I hold dear ! My relations it is needless to mention : they will of course, be amply provided for."