SIR,—TO those who read the review in the Spectator of
December 24th, 1904, of Dr. Rose's "Napoleonic Studies," the following extract from "Old Days in Diplomacy," bearing on the subject of the famous incident of the inter- view on the raft on the Niemen, may be of interest. The extract is taken from the Memorandum kept by Sir Edward Disbrowe, at that time (1825) British Minister at St. Peters-
burg, and was written on the occasion of the death of Alexander I. It is as follows :—
" Tilsit's secret treaties, how they were betrayed; who contrived to witness the tate-h-tete, have been the subject of endless sur- mises. Though subsequent events have proved to me that the identity is sufficiently established, I omit the name of the English knight, who, being on board the raft disguised as a Russian peasant, saw both Emperors sign and seal the treaty. The witness escaped to Portsmouth, and gave notice of what he had seen and heard. One of the articles of the treaty was that the Danish fleet was to be given up to Napoleon. An expedition was therefore sent at once to take possession of the fleet in question, and Copenhagen was bombarded."
Is it possible that the "English knight" referred to was Dr.
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