THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND HIS BOOTS.
[To THE EDITOR OF TEE " SPECTATOR,"1 SIR,—The following extract from the late Lord Broughton's diary may have authority enough to settle the discussion as to what the Duke of Wellington said and did when his frigate was in danger of shipwreck :- " 1828, March 10.—He [General ar Cohn Campbell—' He is a great friend of the Duke of Wellington'] told us at dinner that when the Duke was in Sir G. Collier's frigate going to Portugal they were nearly lost. Sir C. Campbell was desired by Collier to tell the Duke that all was over. Collier was going to run the frigate on shore, and then to try to save as many as possible, but probably none would escape. He seemed totally lost. Campbell waked the Duke and told him to got out of his cot and come on deck, and put on his boots. Wellington very coolly put his legs out of his cot and sat upright, but said he had better not come on deck, the confusion being so great. He also remarked that he could swim better without his boots, and ho very coolly waited for the striking of the ship. The wind came round a point or two and saved them. Londonderry was with them."—From Recollections of a Long Life, by Lord Broughton, Vol. III., p. 264.
Previous page
