The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-16 00:00:00

I) IA: A. T H

OF THE

DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

THE DUKE'S LAST MOMENTS.
WALMEE, WEDNESDAY EVENING. —As the
slightest incident in connexion with the last moments
of this great man cannot fail to be received with deep
interest, we supply the following details, the authen-
ticity of which may be fully relied upon :
It was on Monday morning that the Noble Duke
last took open-air exercise by walking out in the
environs of the Castle, and not yesterday morning, as
was erroneously reported, before the facts connected
with the melancholy event were fully known. It is,
however. quite correct that, up to the morning of the
day of his death, his Grace's health continued to all
appearance in its usually satisfactory state, consider-
ing his advanced ago. The Duke retired to rest on
Monday night quite well, and in his customary good
spirits. It is believed that he passed a comfortable
night, and, at all events, he did not summon his at-
tendant to wait upon him. On Tuesday morning
his valet called him, as usual, between six and seven
o'clock; but his Grace did not rise to dress, and,
after the lapse of about an hour, the valet's at-
tention was aroused by a sound resembling faint
moanings issuing from his master's chamber. He
thereupon went into his Grace's room, when the
Duke, who had not left his bed, inquired if his apo-
thecary, Mr. Hulke, of Deal, lived near, and directed
that that gentleman should be sent for, as he (the
Duke) wished to see him. This was the first intima-
tion received by any member of the household that
his Grace felt indisposed. The intelligence was im-
mediately communicated to Lord and Lady Charles
Wellesley, who occupied adjacent apartments in the
Castle, and they at once proceeded to his Grace's
chamber, where they remained with him constantly
until he breathed his last. In the meantime a groom
had been dispatched for Mr. Hulke, who hurried to
the Castle without delay, and arrived at about half-
past eight or a quarter to nine. Mr. Hulke found
his Grace suffering from an epileptic fit of a
rather violent character, somewhat similar to the
attack which the Duke experienced several years
ago; and no serious apprehensions were at that
moment entertained as to his safety. Mr. Hulks,
therefore, left the Castle for the purpose of preparing
some medicines to administer to his Grace, in the hope
that they would afford him effectual relief; but,
during his absence, the Noble Duke grew worse, and
it was necessary to send for Dr. Macarthur, of
Walmer, his regular medical attendant. Mr. Hulke
and his son (who also belongs to the medical profes-
sion) speedily returned, when an emetic was admi-
nistered to the noble patient, but unfortunately with-
out any good effect. The Duke's condition gradually
became more dangerous—he was seized by a second
convulsive fit of greater violence than the first, and
the alarm of his son and daughter-in-law, Lord and
Lady Charles Wellesley, painfully increased. At
this critical emergency, a messenger was dispatched
to the telegraph office at the Deal railway station
for the purpose of immediately summoning Dr.
Hume from London to his Grace's assistance. In
csse Dr. Hume should be absent from town, the
message specified that Dr. Ferguson should be next
applied to • but, unfortunately, it so happened that
both of these eminent physicians were in Scotland
at the time when the message reached their residences.
This failure having been reported to the noble inmates
of the Castle, Lord Clanwilliam (captain of Deal
Castle), who had hastened thither on hearing of the
Duke's illness, recommended that Dr. Williams, of
London, should be summoned to Walmer. Dr.
Williams was accordingly telegraphed for from Deal ;
and being at home when his presence was demanded,
he immediately set off to the South-Eastern Railway
station at London-bridge to take the train. He did
not reach Deal, however, in time for his services to
be of any avail. The Noble Duke's state gradually
became more perilous ; and he suffered a third attack,
still more severe than the preceding ones. When the
members of his family and his medical attendants
spoke to him, he appeared to be conscious that they
were addressing him, and attempted to articulate a
reply. His answers, however, were not distinct
enough to be intelligible ; and, indeed, not a syllable
that he uttered from the moment when he ordered his

apothecary to be sent for could be understood. About
three o'clock he had a fourth and final attack, of re-
doubled intensity, which rendered him perfectly in-
sensible, and ultimately carried him off at the hour
above stated.

The painful intelligence was immediately trans-
mitted by sub-marine telegraph to his Grace's eldest
son, the Marquis of Douro, who is now staying with
his family in Germany. tis believed that the Noble
Marquis is at Frankfort, since the last communication

received from him was dated from that place; but
whether he is still in that capital, or in any other

part of the German States, it cannot be long ere the
afflicting tidings reach him. Up to six o'clock this
evening, however, no return message had been re-
ceived from him to say- when he may be expected in
England. His presence is, it his needless to add,
anxiously looked for at the castle. Until his arrival,
nothing will be decided respecting the interment of
the remains of his illustrious and lamented father,
but there can be little doubt that they will, in the
first instance, be removed to Apsley House.
The Noble Duke had, on the day of his death, an
appointment to meet the Countess of Westmoreland
at Dover, on her return to Vienna, for the purpose of
seeing her on board the packet which was to take
her across the Straits to the Continent; but infor-
mation was conveyed to the Countess at an
early hour that illness would prevent his Grace from
fulfilling bis enaagement. The Countess received
the intelligence with great concern, and drove over
last evening from Dover to Weimer, to ascertain
the nature of the Noble Duke's ailment, when she
learned the sad intelligence that his Grace was no
more.

The quiet village of Weimer, and also the adjacent
town of Deal, have experienced a most painful a
tion at the melancholy event. Yesterday all the shops
in both places were partially closed ; and the flags at
every public building, at Deal Castle, and at various
other elevated points, were lowered half-mast high in
token of reverence for the memory of the departed. At
Dover, likewise, the mournful tidings excited similar
manifestations ; and from the Castle Keep, from the
Admiralty station, the Harbour- house, the Pilot-
house, &c., the union jack drooped, half-struck, as a
symbol of public woe.
Lord Fitzroy Somerset paid a visit of condolence to
the inmates of the Castle yesterday, and numerous
equipages of the resident gentry of the surrounding
districts, are constantly seen moving to and fro on the
same sad errand.
Amongst the latest letters penned by his Grace
were two documents addressed to Lord Fitzroy So-
merset.
Mr. Greville, the Noble Duke's private secretary,
arrived at the Castle yesterday, and Lord Fitzroy
Somerset also visited the Castle during the day.
An express has been forwarded to Mr. Parkinson, of
Lincoln's Inn-fields, the private solicitor of the Noble
Duke. That gentleman has possession of his Grace's
will and private papers.
Whatever course of proceeding the country may
adopt, we believe that it has always been the wish of
his Grace that he should be interred privately at
Strathfieldsaye, in the same vault with his Duchess,
who died in 1831.
All his Grace's public documents and State
correspondence will be handed over to Viscount
Mahon, who will thus become the literary executor
of the Duke of Wellington, as well as of Sir Robert
Peel.

His Grace became Governor of Walmer Castle on
the death of the Earl of Liverpool in 1828. The
Lord Wardenship of the Cinque Ports has heretofore
been considered one of the Premier's perquisites. Its
emoluments consist of the Castle, grounds, fisheries,
&c., but of no salary. _ _

William Pitt, amongst others, has been Lord
Warden.

THE RlVER.—Seldom was witnessed such a feeling
of regret, save on the death of a Sovereign, as was
evinced yesterday morning on the news being circu-
lated that the illustrious man was no more. Ships
and vessels of all nations, from the large Indiaman
or trader to the small coaster or collier, all dropped
their colours halfmast high. From the pier heads of
St. Katharine's, London, East and West India Docks,
the flags were also dropped, while the numerous large
factories and other establishments on the banks of
the Thames evinced a similar feeling of respect. The
large fleet of steamers belonging to the General Steam
Navigation Company were among the first to drop
their colours from the fore, main, and mizen; and
ere the morning had far advanced, scarcely a craft
was seen going up or down without displaying the
emblem of mourning. Lower dowa the river the
same feeling was exhibited, and as soon as the home-
ward bounders learned the sad tidings their flags
were at once lowered.
THE TRINITY HOUSE.—On the death of the Master
of this Honourable Corporation being communicated
to the Elder Brethren they at once directed the usual
partial closing of the establishments on Tower-bill and
Deptford, and the hoisting of the colours half-mast
high at the Trinity stores at Blackwall, and other
parts of the coast. A similar mark of respect will
be exhibited at the different lighthouses and ships as
soon as the intelligence can reach them. The late
Duke was elected one of the elder brethren in 1829,
andt,,.as
aopnp
ot
ihe death
nt
ed othe
Masterf
of
the
eacroqrupis Camden,oration. in 1837,
THE TOWER.—The different offices of the garrison
and depot were partially
being received of the death of
on the intelligence
hisG
some years had held the important office
of the Tower of London. The ball of
Grace, who for
St.
Cro
entsetra Constable