The whole affair looks very suspicious.  What defendant in a plain straightforward case would ever have thought of so far-fetched a device as that of getting the ex-Emperor to declare on oath that his warships in the West Indies had been unseaworthy?  The tempting thought that it was a trick of some enterprising journalist in search of “copy “must also be given up as a glaring anachronism.  On the other hand, it is certain that Napoleon’s well-wishers in London and Plymouth were moving heaven and earth to get him ashore, or delay his departure.[540] In common with Sieyes, Lavalette, and Las Cases, he had hoped much from the peculiarities of English law; and on July 28th he dictated to Las Cases a paper, “suited to serve as a basis to jurists,” which the latter says he managed to send ashore.[541] If this be true, Napoleon himself may have spurred on his friends to the effort just described.  Or else the plan may have occurred to some of his English admirers who wished to embarrass the Ministry.  If so, their attempt met with the fate that usually befalls the efforts of our anti-national cliques on behalf of their foreign heroes:  it did them harm:  the authorities acted more promptly than they would otherwise have done:  the “Bellerophon” put to sea a few days before the Frenchmen expected, with the result that they were exposed to a disagreeable cruise until the “Northumberland” (the ship destined for the voyage in place of the glorious old “Bellerophon”) was ready to receive them on board.[542]

Dropping down from Portsmouth, the newer ship met the “Bellerophon” and “Tonnant,” Lord Keith’s ship, off the Start.  The transhipment took place on the 7th, under the lee of Berry Head, Torbay.  After dictating a solemn protest against the compulsion put upon him, the ex-Emperor thanked Maitland for his honourable conduct, spoke of his having hoped to buy a small estate in England where he might end his days in peace, and declaimed bitterly against the Government.

Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, of the “Northumberland,” then came by official order to search his baggage and that of his suite, so as to withdraw any large sums of money that might be thereafter used for effecting an escape.  Savary and Marchand were present while this was done by Cockburn’s secretary with as much delicacy as possible:  4,000 gold Napoleons (80,000 francs) were detained to provide a fund for part maintenance of the illustrious exile.  The diamond necklace which Hortense had handed to him at Malmaison was at that time concealed on Las Cases, who continued to keep it as a sacred trust.  The ex-Emperor’s attendants were required to give up their swords during the voyage.  Montholon states that when the same request was made by Keith to Napoleon, the only reply was a flash of anger from his eyes, under which the Admiral’s tall figure shrank away, and his head, white with years, fell on his breast.  Alas, for the attempt at melodrama! Maitland was expressly told by Lord Keith not to proffer any such request to the fallen chief.