Diet of suet and raisins behind Lord Nelson 's Trafalgar win!

London, Nov 27 : The secret behind Lord Nelson's victory in the Battle of Trafalgar has been revealed - it's special diet full of raisins and suet.

A newly discovered letter, which has been donated to the Norfolk Nelson Museum in Great Yarmouth, revealed that Lord Nelson asked a supply vessel for more raisins and suet one week before the big win, in 1805.

The suet could have been used in a main meal, or the ingredients could have been combined to make a steamed suet and fruit pudding similar to Spotted Dick.

In the letter written from warship HMS Minotaur to the purser of the HMS Ajax, A Jackson, dated October 14, 1805, Lord Nelson wrote, "'Supply the Minotaur with one...suet and fruit."

"Nelson's letter would have referred to raisins, or possibly currants, as both could be stored for months at a time," the Telegraph quoted James Davey, of the Greenwich Maritime Institute as saying.

"It was standard practice to stock ships up with such dried fruit," he added.

The letter, stuck to a piece of card, will go on display at the Norfolk museum in January in an exhibition about the Vice-Admiral.

"I think this letter shows that Lord Nelson was a master of command and logistics," said Faith Carpenter, museum curator.

"Not only did he make tactical and strategic decisions of great importance, he cared about his men and made sure they were well provisioned," Carpenter added.

Most sailors' meals consisted of oatmeal and salt, biscuits and cheese or butter and large amounts of beer.

ANI