NAPOLEON IN EXILE

St. Helena, composed by the candidate for the degree of doctor in medicine in Trinity College, Dublin. The essay in question was written by Dr. Leigh, formerly surgeon to the second battalion of the 66th regiment, stationed at St. Helena.

No. I.

Letter from the Author to Admiral Lord Keith.

His Majesty's ship Bellerophon,
Torbay, 7th August, 1815.

MY LORD,- Application having been made to me yesterday by Count Bertrand, to accompany General Napoleon Bonaparte to St. Helena, in quality of surgeon (as the surgeon, who embarked with him in France, is unwilling to proceed further;) I beg to inform your lordship, that I am willing to accept that situation (provided it meets with your lordships approbation,) and also on the following conditions, viz. that it should be permitted me to resign the above situation, should I find it not consonant to my wishes, on giving due notice of my intention thereof. That such time as I shall serve in that situation, shall be allowed to count as so much time served on full pay in his majesty's navy, or that I shall be indemnified in some way for such loss of time as surgeon on full pay, as it may occa sion to me. That I am not to be considered in any wise depending upon, or to be subservient to, or paid by the aforesaid Napoleon Bonaparte; but as a British

Both of those diseases Dr. Baildon attributes to the "excessive use of spirituous liquors." Now, as in 1810, the government of St. Helena adopted measures to prevent any spirits from being landed, which had completely the desired effect, and as all houses for retailing spirits were abolished on the 15th of May 1809, and wholesome beer substituted in lieu; it is clear, that the prevalence of liver complaints in St. Helena since that period, must be ascribed to other causes than to the excessive use of spiritu ous liquors.

officer employed by the British government; and lastly, that I may be informed, as soon as circumstances will admit, of what salary I am to have, and in what manner and from whom I am to receive it.

I have the honour to remain,

My Lord,

With the greatest respect,
Your Lordship's most

Obedient humble Servant,

BARRY E. O'MEARA,
Surgeon H. M. S. Bellerophon.

To the Right Honourable Viscount Keith,
Admiral of the Red, G. C. B.
Commander-in-Chief.

No. II.

Translation of the Communication made by Sir Hudson Lowe to the persons composing the suite of the Emperor Napoleon.

Downing Street, 10th January, 1816.

I HAVE at present to let you know, that it is the pleasure of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, that on your arrival at St. Helena, you should communicate to all the persons forming the suite of Napoleon Bonaparte, including the domestics, that they are at liberty to quit the island immediately to return to Europe; adding, that none will be permitted to remain at St. Helena, unless those who shall give a written declaration, which shall be deposited in your hands, that it is their desire to remain in the island, and to participate in the restrictions which it is necessary to impose upon Napoleon Bonaparte personally.

Those amongst them who shall determine to return to Europe, must be sent by the first favourable occasion

to the Cape of Good Hope; the governor of that colony will be charged to provide those persons with the means of passage to Europe.

(Signed)

BATHURST.

No. III.

Translation of the paper signed by the French in Napo

leon's suite.

WE the undersigned, desiring to remain in the service of the Emperor Napoleon, consent, however frightful the abode in St. Helena may be, to remain there, submitting ourselves to the restrictions, however unjust and arbitrary, which are imposed upon his majesty, and the persons in his service.

(Here followed the signatures.)

No. IV.

Letter from the Governor, Sir Hudson Lowe, to Count Montholon.

Plantation House, August 17th, 1816.

SIR,-In pursuance of the conversations I have already had with you on the subject of the expenses of the establishment at Longwood, I do myself the honour to acquaint you, that having used all efforts to effect a reduction in them without diminishing in any very sensible manner from the convenience or comforts of General Bonaparte, or any of the families or individuals that form his suite, (in which operation I am happy to acknowledge the spirit of concert with which you have assisted,) I am now enabled to transmit to you, for General Bonaparte's information, two statements, furnishing sufficiently precise data whereon to found a calcula

tion of the probable annual expense, should matters continue on the same footing as at present established.

The statement No. I. has been furnished me by Mr. Ibbetson, head of the commissariat department in this island; the latter has been framed by my military secretary.

The instructions I have received from the British government, direct me to limit the expenditure of General Bonaparte's establishment to 8,000l. per annum ; they give me liberty at the same time to admit of any further expense being incurred, which he may require as to table and so forth, beyond what this sum would cover, provided he furnishes the funds whereby the surplus charges may be defrayed.

I am now therefore under the necessity of requestingyou would make known to him the impossibility I am under of bringing the expenses of his household on its present establishment in point of numbers, within the limits prescribed, unless I make such a reduction under several heads as might naturally abridge from the conveniences which the persons around him now enjoy; and having been already very frankly informed by him as well as by yourself, that he has at his disposal in various parts of Europe, means whereby the extra or even the whole expense may be defrayed,* I beg leave to request being informed, previous to attempting any further considerable reduction, and which might prove inconvenient to him or the persons of his suite, if he is content such an attempt should be made, or if he is wilting to place at my command sufficient funds to meet the extra charges which must otherwise be unavoidably incurred.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, (Signed) H. Lowe, Lieut. General.

*Explanatory Note.-It was answered by the postscript of the let. ter of the 23rd August, to this part of Sir Hudson Lowe's letter; and he had been told, that if there were a free correspondence, and if the wants here experienced were known in Europe, there was no doubt that millions would be offered from the different countries of Europe.

STATEMENT,

SHOWING THE PROBABLE ANNUAL EXPENDITURE ON ACCOUNT OF GENERAL
BONAPARTE AND SUITE ON THE ISLAND OF ST. HELENA.