Unthinkable? Napoleon in Britain | Editorial
When Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo, whose anniversary falls 199 years ago this week, the threat of invasion with which Britain had lived for more than a decade seemed over. But even in defeat, the fallen emperor was reluctant to abandon these "intriguing and enterprising islanders" whom he had spent so much energy trying to annihilate. In a much forgotten episode, he drafted a letter to the Prince Regent suggesting he be granted "a small estate" not far from London where he and his retinue could quietly retire. The request, made in the mistaken hope that the monarchical trade union would stand by a member in trouble, was never actually delivered to the future George IV. Parliament was so alarmed by Napoleon's popularity among ordinary people they refused even to let him disembark from the Royal Naval frigate to whose captain he had surrendered a month after his defeat. The Bellerophon lay at anchor in Plymouth Sound while crowds jostled for a glimpse of him promenading on deck. If lawyers, supported by the opposition peace party, had managed to serve a writ for habeas corpus, Napoleon might have been brought before an English court, and the case might have ended with the authorities desperate to deport him for fear of his radical impact, but unable to do so because of popular protest. Instead, the government came up with what has been described as a kind of rendition, and dispatched Boney to St Helena. With him sailed some of the wilder dreams of a generation of radicals.