Description:

THE SKULL OF THE BELLEROPHON SHIP'S GOAT WHICH SUPPLIED MILK FOR NAPOLEON AND HIS SUITE 28.5 cm wide across horns 18.5 cm long Preserved and passed through generations of the Maitland family as belonging to the goat that supplied Captain Maitland and the Emperor Napoleon with milk during their passage to England in 1815. The skull can be seen, balanced on a table incorporating a plank from the gangway on which Napoleon surrendered in a photograph, taken, “By special permission of Mr F Lewis-Maitland of Lindores, Fifeshire Photograph by W. Keay Latimer” 18cm x 20cm. William Keay Latimer (1878-1923) was operating in Kirkcaldy by 1908, close to the ancestral home of the Maitland family.  The photo from which this is made must have been taken in or before 1909 when it appeared in Edward Fraser’s book, “Bellerophon, the Bravest of the Brave”. Provenance: Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Lewis Maitland KCB (1777-1839) and thence by descent Dining With Napoleon The Emperor’s Meals feature in many of the accounts of his voyage on the Bellerophon.  He was in the habit of inviting two of the ship’s officers to dine with him each evening.  Sitting at table with the man who had dominated Europe must have been quite an experience for these, mostly young men. Lieutenant Bowerbank recalled a rather disappointing dinner on 18th July 1815: “At a quarter past six dinner was sent up, to which I was invited.  Napoleon took his seat in the middle of the table with Captain Maitland on his right hand.  The whole dinner was dressed in the French style and served upon silver.  Nothing was carved upon the table, the servants removed each dish for the purpose.  Napoleon was very melancholy.  He merely inquired (addressing himself to Captain Maitland and me) if the beef was good in England, and whether we had there plenty of vegetables?  He, however, made a very hearty dinner. On the removal of the dishes a cup of very strong coffee was served to each. It was poured out by a servant of Napoleon's. Whilst filling his master's cup the poor fellow's hand slipped, and part of the coffee was spilt upon Buonaparte. He said nothing, but gave such a look full in the man's face as not only conveyed the wish, but really seemed to annihilate him. For he immediately resigned his office and quitted the cabin.” The Emperor, especially in his first few days aboard Bellerophon went out of his way to make himself agreeable.  Just as Captain Maitland did all he could to make things as comfortable as they could be made for his guests.  Meals were the few causes of discord.   On his first morning aboard Napoleon and Maitland sat down at 9 for what the latter called an English-style breakfast of tea, coffee and cold meats.  Napoleon ate little and looked unhappy.  Asking why, Maitland found that a hot breakfast was the norm in France.   Thereafter they ate in the French manner. Goats at Sea At first glance a goat serving on one of His Majesty’s ships might look incongruous.  But Captain Maitland’s goat stood in a long naval tradition. There are two broad reasons why she was there: Endurance Unlike the steam-powered ships that replaced them, the sailing warships of Captain Maitland’s time had essentially unlimited endurance.  Steam ships needed to come in to port to coal. Sailing ships didn’t. Their time at sea was limited only by what their sailors could stand; and so by the quantity and quality of food and drinking water they could store. The long sea time of which these ships were capable facilitated a particular form of warfare, at which Britain’s Royal Navy excelled: blockade.  The safety of the British Isles and of British merchant ships at sea was secured not primarily by stationing warships off British ports or by escorting merchant vessels but by stationing fleets off enemy ports.   Enemy ships were penned in harbour or engaged once they put to sea.  His commerce could be stanched at source. This is the blockade that Captain Maitland and the Bellerophon were maintaining off Rochefort.  Blockade duty of this kind could involve months at sea.  Sailors were generally given a plentiful, but monotonous diet.  Food that wasn’t salted, pickled or dried would quickly perish. So anything fresh (goat’s milk in our case) was appreciated. Health Britain’s sailing navy conducted voyages of exploration, thousands of miles in duration.  Captains saw how these torein to their men’s health.  They linked this to the monotonous diet.  Though science was not ready to guide them, they instinctively knew that variety made for good health.  Here is the story (told by Samuel Johnson, no less) of a goat that circumnavigated the globe: The Well-Travelled Goat - Untold lives blog. Floating Farmyards In consequence, ships could resemble floating menageries.  Not just goats but sheep, cattle, pigs, hens and geese went to sea with the Royal Navy.  In October 1760 HMS Somerset, a ship smaller than the Bellerophon, left Messina with 60 oxen.  In January 1761 HMS Elizabeth sailed the Indian Ocean with 71 head of cattle aboard.  These herds would likely have been distributed amongst other ships of their squadron when they arrived on station.  But Admiral Hawke thought it reasonable that a ship of the line in winter should carry some 40 sheep and a dozen oxen for its own consumption.   Officers, Men & Goats It is commonly thought that while officers enjoyed fresh meat and milk their men subsisted on a narrow diet.  This wasn’t entirely the case.  Life at sea in the 1800s reflected the strong class divisions ashore.  But fresh beef (when available) formed part of the diet of all.  Ours was the captain’s goat, but most captains allowed sailors of all ranks to bring their own livestock aboard.  They made a mess and could be a nuisance at sea, but their health-giving benefits were widely understood.  Enlightened officers preferred their men spending their money this way than on the likely alternative – drink.  A Goat’s Position at Sea Most livestock spent their time at sea in a pen or coup.  Goats, by tradition, roamed free.  Steadiness of foot suited them to life on a rolling deck.  This did not altogether contribute to their popularity.  Their tendency to eat whatever they found being the cause of much complaint. Wider Service Goats have not limited their service to Britain’s Royal Navy.  The Prestigious US Naval Academy has one for its mascot: Why does the U.S. Naval Academy have a goat as its mascot? (navytimes.com)  .  Ashore, a goat (usually selected from a Royal herd) is the mascot of the Royal Welsh Regiment.  By tradition, a military goat leads the Welsh Rugby team onto the field in Cardiff

Realised Price: £5000

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