THE 2ND DUKE OF WELLINGTON TALKS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF WAR WELLINGTON (Arthur Richard Charles Wellesley, 1807-1884, ADC to his father as C-in-C, 1842-1852, 2nd Duke)

Autograph Letter Signed with initial ‘W’ to Thomas Barton sending him “a signature of Lord Hartington. I must keep the letter. We are jogging on through politics, reform, the Prince’s tobacco smoke.... while you are practising away at home, winter in the country, with no excitement except such as you divine from cases of porcine concubinage for which the eastern counties are renowned. Now that there is such anxiety regarding corruption at elections I wonder they don’t consult Mercury, bacon or Wyld, our side is innocent ignorant and immaculate...” with a long postscript that “there will, I think, be no war - The Prussian people are not hearty for it, the Austrians are afraid of their outlying states and want money. The Italians are quite beggars and Napoleon does not like asking a successful general near the end of his reign. It might make the succession of the Prince doubtful. On the other hand Italy wants to rule, and Napoleon to redistribute seats in Europe, but both would rather make peaceable arrangements...”, 4 sides 8vo., Stratfield Saye, 30th May

The Austro-Prussian War was fought in 1866 between the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, with each also being aided by various allies within the German Confederation. Prussia had also allied with the Kingdom of Italy, linking this conflict to the Third Independence War of Italian unification. The Austro-Prussian War was part of the wider rivalry between Austria and Prussia, and resulted in Prussian dominance over the German states.

Item Date:  1866

Stock No:  43010      £125

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