the reply:  “What is the use of plate when you have nothing to eat off it?” Lowe quietly directed Balcombe to seal up the plate sent to him, and to advance money up to its value (L250); but other portions of the plate were broken and sold later on.  O’Meara reveals the reason for these proceedings in his letter of October 10th:  “In this he [Napoleon] has also a wish to excite odium against the Governor by saying that he has been obliged to sell his plate in order to provide against starvation, as he himself told me was his object."[572]

Another incident that embittered the relations between Napoleon and the Governor was the arrival from England of more stringent regulations for his custody.  The chief changes thus brought about (October 9th, 1816) were a restriction of the limits from a twelve-mile to an eight-mile circumference and the posting of a ring of sentries at a slight distance from Longwood at sunset instead of at 9 p.m.[573] The latter change is to be regretted; for it marred the pleasure of Napoleon’s evening strolls in his garden; but, as the Governor pointed out, the three hours after sunset had been the easiest time for escape.  The restriction of limits was needful, not only in order to save our troops the labour of watching a wide area that was scarcely ever used for exercise, but also to prevent underhand intercourse with slaves.

Was there really any need for these “nation-degrading” rules, as O’Meara called them?  Or were they imposed in order to insult the great man?  A reference to the British archives will show that there was some reason for them.  Schemes of rescue were afoot that called for the greatest vigilance.

As we have seen (page 527, note), a letter had on August 2nd, 1815, been directed to Mme. Bertrand (really for Napoleon) at Plymouth, stating that the writer had placed sums of money with well-known firms of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charlestown on his behalf, and that he (Napoleon) had only to make known his wishes “avec le the de la Chine ou les mousselines de l’Inde”:  for the rest, the writer hoped much from English merchantmen.  This letter, after wide wanderings, fell into our hands and caused our Government closely to inspect all letters and merchandise that passed into, or out of, St. Helena.  Its attention was directed specially to the United States.  There the Napoleonic cult had early taken root, thanks to his overthrow of the kings and his easy sale of Louisiana; the glorifying haze of distance fostered its growth; and now the martyrdom of St. Helena brought it to full maturity.  Enthusiasm and money alike favoured schemes of rescue.