Peel appeal
Sir: I was interested to read re- cently the correspondence about marmalade, and also the story that Harold Wilson took a iar of it with him to Moscow. I wonder if your readers know of the story concern- ing Thomas Masterman Hardy and his craving for marmalade? He even used to smuggle a crate of it aboard his ship each time he left England.
In 1805. Hardy left Portsmouth in the 'Victory' under Nelson, in.- the fleet which was to fight at Tra- falgar some weeks later. While they were lying off Gibraltar in late September, Hardy found the time to open one of the pots of marmalade (which in those days was made from quinces rather than from oranges or lemons). He was shocked however when Nelson arrived at his cabin, and caught him unawares. It appears that Nelson was totally unacquainted with marmalade, for he asked what the pots contained. Hardy was anxious not to strain relations with Nelson. so he lied that he had con- fiscated this 'evil-smelling potion' from one of the crew, and was in- tending to dispose of it. Nelson took him at his word, agreeing that the stuff looked 'fit only for the fish', and to Hardy's horror. threw the crate overboard there and then.
Unfortunately, no record re- mains of whether Hardy continued his smuggling habits after Nelson's death.
Matthew Pickell Court House, Lambs Green, Fay- gate. Sussex Sir : Recently ill-health caused me to visit my doctor and while wait- ing to see him I read Mr John Pat- terson's letter in a recent SPEC- TATOR.
I was very greatly surprised when I realised that he supposed the conserve he had been given to be turtle marmalade, because this well-known—in the Orient at least —delicacy is of course more akin to a pâté than a breakfast luxury. May I therefore suggest that Mr Patterson delays his reappraisal of the food until luncheon-time, when he will find that the 'particles of turtle shell' are in fact chopped walnuts.
I hope this information will be of interest and value to all SPECTA- ToR readers who have a crock of turtle-pate in their larders. If they have any fears as to the source of my information, perhaps I can re- assure them when I say that I first tasted the delicacy after a turtle- hunt in the southern provinces of India, while we were feasting in traditional style.
George Robertson-French Turnpike Lodge, Hale Lane, South- wold, Suffolk
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