The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-13 00:00:00

THE REINFORCEMENTS.

The Termayasst, 24, screw-frigate, at Portsmouth, is
ordered to be prepared for commission with all despatch.

SATURDAY,

Captain the Hon. Keith Stewart, a first cousin of the Fiat
Lord of the Admiralty, will command her.
The Harpy, 4, iron steam-vessel, nes been commissioned
for the flag of Rear-Admiral Boxer, Superintendent of the
Transport Service in the Bosphorus.
The Otter, one of the flotilla of steam 4-gun vessels
appointed to active service in the Baltic, has been com-
missioned by Lieut. Hunt, late of H.M.S. 81. George.
Lieutenant J. R. Black, R.A. 1814 ), has been appointed
as agent of transports.
The screw-steamer Himalaya will shortly proceed to Cork
to convey the kit Regiment of Dragoons to the Mediter-
ranean. It is stated that the Government has purchased
the Himalaya. The Orinoco steamer is engaged fur a
second voyage with troops to the East. The Hyaspes has
also been chartered for the conveyance of troupe.
The embarkation of the 1 lth Hussars commenced on
Monday from Kingstown harbour, when two divisions
were taken on board the transports. On Wednesday the
entire regiment vacated the barracks.

The lith Light Dragoons mailed in three transports from
Spithead ou 'Tuesday and Wednesday.
Orders were received on Monday at the Windsor Bar-
racks fur the 87th Regiment to march to Southampton on
Saturday (this day), where they will embark for the island
of Candle, and hold themselves in readiness to join the ex-
peditionary army in Turkey. The !dist Fusiliers is under
orders for the East.

A detachment of the Royal Horse Artillery, with their
guns, arrived at Southampton on Saturday, on their way to
Christcharch, in Hants. They are quartered near South-
amptom to be ready for embarkation.
Ou Wednesday last about three hundred pensioners
arrived iu the garrison at Woolwich, preparatory to em-
barking for hospital service in Turkey. They have been
formed into four companies.
One hundred and thirteen pieces of ordnance, each gun
weighing upwards of three tons, are forthwith to be trans•
mitted to Constantinople, and the Lords of the Admiralty
have taken up a transport for their conveyance, in addition
to forty-nine tons of heavy shot and sixty tons of ammuni-
tion and combustibles.
FRENCH ARMY OF OBSERVATION.
The Moniteur announces the immediate forma-
tion of two camps—one of 100,000 men near St.
Omer, the other of 50,000 men near Marseilles, with
a view to greater certainty and promptitude in sup-
plying the troops who may be required for the Black
Sea or the Baltic. The Pays, in noticing this an-
nouncement, says it is probable that, in addition to
operations by sea, troops will be landed from time to
time on different points of the Russian territory.
The army at St. Omer will be commanded by the
Emperor. The establishment of this camp has ex.
cited some alarm in Prussia. The Boulogne division
will, it is said, be under the command of General
Baraguay d'Hilliers, who has been recalled from
Constantinople, and is to be made a field-marshal.

THE WAR ON THE DANUBE.
There are few movements to chronicle among the
contending forces on the Turkish frontier. Both
sides appear resting on their arms, in anticipation of
the new belligerents who may be so speedily ex-
pected to enter upon the field.
A proclamation of the Russians announces that
Great Wallachia will not be evacuated, and that
Lesser Wallachia will be reoccupied later. The
Oest. Correspondent states that Marshal Paskiewitach
declares that Little Wallachia had been evacuated
solely for strategic reasons ; but that the Russians
will soon return to Krajova and subject to martial
law any persons who may have assisted the Turks.
Semi Pacha, however, now acts provisionally as
governor in Little Wallachia. All the Wallachitui
officials, who had been deposed by the Russians, are
reinstated. The inhabitants throughout the country
were voluntarily giving up all those Russian agents,
and other individuals who served them as spies and
scouts, and who had not decamped in time. The
Turks occupied Krajova on the 3rd inst. The Rus-
sians bad withth awn to the Aluta. At Bucharest it
is thought that Prince Paskiewitsch considers it in-
dispensable to defend that place at any cost. The
works on the fortifications are, nevertheless, sus-
pended for the present.
News from Vienna announces that the navigation
of the Danube has been resumed as far as Widdin
and Kalaf'at.
According to advices from St. Petersburg of the
3rd, a vast camp will be formed at Kaminietz, in
Podolia, near the Galician frontier, and a powerful
corps assembled on the left bank of the Dniester.
The Ocean of Brest states that the French arsenals
held in reserve twenty-seven ships of the line and
upwards of 400 inferior vessels, such as frigates,
corvettes, brigs, schooners, steamers, &c., mounting
together 3,500 guns.
TREATMENT OF PRISONERS.
One hundred and fifty prisoners, taken from a number of
prizes captured by British cruisers in the Baltic, were con-
veyed to Copenhagen and delivered over to the charge of
the Russian Minister, with all the clothes and effects they
had on board their own ships, even to the marlinspikes,
knives, forks, and spoons of the sailors, and the cabin fur-
niture, nautical instruments, charts, &c., of masters and
mates. In some cases the personal property of the officers
consisted of casks of wine, boxes of oranges and lemons,
and a great number of musical instruments, principally
guitars : many of the latter were purchased by the officers
and crew of the Tribune. The seamen, on being landed,

MAY 13, 1854.

were put on board a Russian ship by order of the Russian
Minister, to wait orders at Copenhagen. The prisoners
have been released under a guarantee they would not be
permitted to serve against the Western and united powers
during the present war. The Russian Minister expressed
his unfeigned astonishment at such extreme liberality
being displayed towards the prisoners, he having made all
necessary arraugemelits for beds, bedding, and all other
necessaries for their comfort, supposing they would have
been delivered over to him with what they stood clothed iu.
In proof of the honour of the captors there were instances
related where sums of money were found on the persons of
the seamen, which were immediately returned to the re-
spective owners, much apparently to their astonishment.
to all of whom it appeared a most agreeable surprise, and
they did not fail in the highest terms to express their gra-
titude. Several other instances occurred towards masters
and mates. In one instance the sum of 2001. sterling
was found on the person of one of the Russian masters,
which was returned to him on his declaration that it was
positively his personal property, over which the owners of
his ship had no control whatever. In many other in-
stances sums of greater or less value, with gold and silver
watches, chains, jewellery, &c., were taken away by their
respective owners without question on the part of the cap-
tors.

NOTES ABOUT THE NAVY.

No. V.—" OLD CHARLEY," AND HIS TIMES.

HIS TIGHT WITH THE DILIGENTE, NEAR MARTINIQUE.
HAVING last week taken a historical review of
the antecedents of the family of Napier, in the
present number of the PRESS, Pilot will com-
mence his account of the personal exploits of
" Old Charley " himself. He was born on the Bth of
March, 1786, being the eldest son of the Hon. Charles
Napier, of Merchistoun-hall, county of Stirling,
Captain R.N. Thus, as " Ohl Charley" counts a
Vice-Admiral of Scotland amongst his ancestors, his
own father was a captain in the profession to which
he has devoted his life. His mother was Chris-
tian, daughter of Gabriel Hamilton, Esq., of West.
burn, county of Lanark. The admiral is grandson
(by a first marriage) of Francis, fifth Lord Napier,
brother of Colonel Erskine Napier, and cousin of
the late Lord Napier, who died while discharging
the office of Chief Commissioner for regulating the
trade with China.
He entered the Navy on the Ist of November, 179 9,
being then thirteen years of age, so that he has been
afloat fifty-five years. He joined as a first class
volunteer, and the first King's ship in which he
served was the Martin sloop, commanded by the
Hon. Matthew St. Clair. It is probable that young
Charley (as he was then) was very happy in sailing
under a countryman of his own, who, like himself,
was sprung from a famous old Scottish family. The
Martin was employed in service in the North Sea,
but her captain was unfortunately lost off Yarmouth
in 1800, in the spring of which year young Napier
removed to the Renown, a 74-gun ship, carrying the
flag of Sir John Borlase Warren. That gallant
admiral, though not one of our first•class naval
celebrities, was a very distinguished officer. He
had joined the navy at a very early age, but after
making a voyage or two he entered himself at
Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he became
pupil to Martyn, the eminent botanist. On attain-
ing his majority, Warren purchased Lundy Island,
in the Bristol Channel, and amused himself for some
time yachting, and afterwards again joined the navy,
in which he rose to great eminence. Under that
admiral young Napier went on the expedition to
Ferrol, and proceeded to the Mediterranean, where,
in November, 1802, he became a midshipman, on
board the Greyhound, 32 guns, commanded by Cap-
tain W. Hoste. He afterwards shifted to the
Egyptienne, 40 guns, in which he made a visit to
St. Helena, and in 1804-5 he successively joined the
Mediator and Renommie frigates. He was made a
lieutenant ou the 30th of November, 1805, into the
Courageux, 74, Captain Richard Lee.
Those were stirring times when Napier was com-
mencing his career. The country looked to the
navy as its defence against foreign invasion, and as
its principal resource in asserting its rank amongst
nations. The prowess of our army had not as yet been
proved in the Peninsular campaigns, and it is not
too much to say that the blue jackets were far more
popular than the red coats. There are some still
living who remember with what enthusiasm the
most eminent of the naval heroes of that time were
bailed on their appearance on public occasions. The
highest place was accorded to them at the feast.,
and the most beautiful partners assigned to them in
the ballroom. They had dispelled the panic of
invasion, sustained our public credit, and given
additional glory to our historical annals ! The
musical piece of The Waterman enjoyed an amazing
run in those days, and Dibdin's words and Incledon's
tones were familiar to every tongue and ear.
One can easily imagine how, in such times, a bold
dashing spirit like that of Napier panted to have an

THE PRESS.

opportunity of performing some gallant exploit. Nor
was he long without an opportunity of proving of
what stuff he was composed. Though after Tra
falgar the enemy did not attempt to dispute the
command of the ocean, he endeavoured to annoy our
commerce and insult our colonies, by detaching his
ships-of-war in various directions. The Courageuz,
n which Napier was a lieutenant, was part of the
squadron commanded by Sir John Borlase Warren
when, on the 13th of March, 1800, the Marengo and
the Belle Futile were captured; and, having shown
his energy and zeal for the service in a variety of
ways, Napier, in 1807, was made acting commander
of the Pultusk brig, then serving in the West Indies,
and the Admiralty confirmed the appointment in the
same year, so that he was a commander at twenty•
one years of age.
In 1808 Napier was appointed to the Recruit, an
18-gun sloop, on the West Indian station, and in her
he fought his first action, on his own account, and
right gallantly he fought it. There was at that time
a noted French corvette called the Ditigente, carrying
24 gnus, and manned by 140 mon. She was com-
manded by a brave and vigilant officer, Captain Le
marcsquier, and she had baffled the efforts of our
best ships either to take or damage her. On the
oth of September, 1808, Napier was cruising in
lat. 17 deg. 50 min. north, and long., from Green-
wich, 58 deg. 20 min. west. The wind was east by
north, and a couple of hours alter dawn, while
Napier was standing closehauled on the starboard
tack, he discovered the Diligente, in the north-east,
going free on the larboard tack, in the direction of
Martinique. The Recruit immediately tacked, and
Napier hoisted every rag of canvas that he could
spread. At half-past seven iu the morning he fired
two shots at the Diligente, gad hoisted his colours.
A little after eight the Diligente also tacked, as her
skilful captain endeavoured to keep the weather-gage,
and shortly afterwards he hoisted a French ensign.
At half-past eight the two vessels passed each
other within pistol-shot, the Recruit on the larboard,
and the Diligente on the starboard, tack. They ex-
changed broadsides, and at the very first discharge
Napier received a severe wound, from which he still
suffers, as is seen in his limping gait. His thigh
was broken, and the officers in vain endeavoured to
persuade him to go below; but that would not meet
the disposition of one who was not only " ready " but
" aye ready." After delivering three broadsides the
two vessels then passed out of gunshot, but tacked,
and again exchanged broadsides. The Diligente
then wore, with the intention of raking the Recruit
astern. But Napier was the clever Frenchman's
match at everything, and he wore also, and brought
the French ship to close action with the larboard
guns. The two vessels then continued manoeuvring
and discharging at each other, and, though severely
cut up in rigging, the Recruit's crew did not suffer
very much from the enemy's fire ; but her second
lieutenant was seriously wounded. At half-past eleven
the superior weight in guns of the Frenchman told
upon the Recruit, whose mainmast fell overboard
and hung over the stern, trailing in the sea. Napier
then worked his bow guns as hard as he could, and,
recollecting Nelson's maxim, " Always board a
Frenchman, but outmantruvre a Russian," he made
several attempts to board the Diligente, hut the
latter adroitly sheered off and succeeded in raking
the Recruit ; and, in the disabled state of the smaller
English vessel, there wag every chance that the
Frenchman would be enabled again to rake her.
While making the attempt to do so a rattling fire was
kept up from the Recruit, which blew up a piece of
the Diligente's quarter and cut away her boat filled
with small-arm men. On this the Diligente put
her helm up and ran away before the wind.

The ships remained within sight of each other, out
of gunshot, till the afternoon. Napier and his second
lieutenant (as before stated), along with several of
his sailors, were wounded, but only one seaman was
killed. Every attempt was made by Napier to con-
tinue the action, but the Frenchman declined the
polite invitation. When Napier, after having re-
breeched and remounted his carronades, bore up to
close again, the Diligente set courses and topgal
lants, and bore away rapidly. Napier rigged a
jurymast; but the Recruit was a slow sailer, and
before evening fell the Frenchman was out of sight.

The loss of the Frenchman could never be clearly
ascertained; but, as the Diliyente fell into our hands
afterwards at the capture of Martinique, we know
that she was 370 tons; and the loss amongst her
crew must have been very considerable to justify her
captain in scudding away before an English vessel
greatly his inferior in guns and tonnage. In Cap-
tain Lemarcsquier's account of the action he says
that several English ships-of-war hove in sight, and
that it was from them that he ran away ; but his ex-
cuse was like an Old Bailey alibi—to be believed in
" with great scepticism." The Recruit wa., obliged
to make her way into the nearest port to get a new
mast ; and, for the present, Pilot will leave Napier
refitting in Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes.
PILOT.

[Tu be cuntinuedi

tout anb Intim,.

441

THE QuEEN gave a grand concert on Mo;iday night
at Buckingham Palace.
ON Thursday her Majesty held the third drawing-
room of the season. The following presentations to
the Queen took place in the diplomatic circle :

By the Countess of Claraudon.—Misr Harriet Lane, niece of
his Excellency the United States' Minister; Mrs. Lawrence, wife
of Colonel Lawrence, Attaché to the United States' I.e._ation,
By Madame Comyn.—Cointesse de Punier, wife of Biligadier-
General 1e Comte de l'etner, of the Spanish army.
By the French Ambassadur.-11. Arthur Hetryer, C,111111ili•
sionaire de Houvernement Imperil'le.
By the Austrian Minister.—M. Charles Perceval, Major au
service de S. M. 1. et B. A.

By the Danish Miniater.—La Colonel d'Ozholtu, Chombellan
de S. M. le Bad de Damning*.
By the Swedish and Norwegian Minister.—Le Comte Alubjoru
Spare; M. Lorentz Lorek, a Norwegian gentleman.
By the Spanish Charge d'ittraires.—Le Comte de Pouter, Bri-
gadier-General in her Must Catholic Majeaty'a sery ice.

LAST night the Queen honoured the French Am-
bassador and Countess Walewski with her presence
at a grand bat costume.
PRINCE ALBERT on Monday visited the Gallery of
the New Society of Painters in Water Colours. On
Wednesday his Royal Highness was present at the
festival of the Sons of the Clergy in St. Paul's Cathe-
dral, and at the anniversary banquet given in the
evening at Merchant Tailors' Hall.
A MARRIAGE is to be solemnised next month be-
tween the young Princess Agnes Borghese, the late
Lord Shrewsbury's granddaughter, and Prince Piom
bino's eldest son, the Duke of Sore. The bride is
eighteen and the bridegroom twenty-two years of
age.
THEIR HIGHNESSES PRINCE GHOI.AM MAHUMED
and his son, Prime Feroze Shah, attended Mrs.
Reay's soiree dansante on Tuesday in Gloucester
gardens, Hyde-park.
THE VENERABLE DUKE ore SOMERSET, who for some
time has been suffering from indifferent health, con-
sequent on advanced years and infirmities, is in
rather improved health.
'rue DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE has left Devonshire-
house for his marine villa at Kemp-town, where the
noble duke is expected to remain until the close of
the month.
THE EARL OF ROSSE, as president of the Royal
Society, gave his first soiree for the season on Satur-
day last. It was very numerously attended.
THE BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLS is still suffering
from severe illness at Brighton. Prayers for his
lordship's recovery were offered in the churches of
Wells on Sunday last.
THE MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY will succeed to the
Lord Lieutenancy of the county of Anglesey, ren-
dered vacant by the decease of his father. Lord Ha-
therton has been appointed Lord lieutenant of Star-
fordshire, also in the room of the late marquis.
Mn. Pulse LOVEDFM, M.P., will in all likelihood
be the new Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire, in
succession to the late Colonel W. E. Powell.
LORD COWLEY, the British Ambassador at Paris,
has arrived in London on a brief visit.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER and Mrs.
Gladstone received a distinguished circle at dinner
on Wednesday evening, at the official residence of
the right honourable gentleman in Downing-street.
THE LORD AND LADY MAYORESS on Thursday
entertained at dinner, in the Egyptian-hall of the
Mansion-house, the mayor, magistracy, and corpora-
tion of Leeds, together with a distinguished party,
consisting of members of the House of Peers, the
Church, and House of Commons.
THE CHEVALIER DE BUNSEN has been invited by
the King of Prussia to fix his residence at Berlin. M.
de Bunsen has proved that he had confined himself
within the limits of his instructions. _

HER MAJESTY has granted the rank and precedence
of the daughters of an earl to Miss Mary Annette
Talbot and Miss Owendaline Elizabeth Talbot, the
only sisters of the youthful Earl of Shrewsbury, as
if their father, the Hon. Colonel Charles Thomas
Talbot, had lived to succeed to the title.
THE MEMBERS OF THE STAR CLUB have resolved
to invite his Excellency Count Walewski, the French
Minister, to an entertainment in the month of June.
The meeting is to be made special to enable the
members to invite as large a number as possible of
the corps diplomatique, members of Parliament, and
gentlemen connected with the city of London and
large provincial towns, to give effect to an expression
of sympathy and satisfaction at the cordial union be..
tween France and England so worthily supported
and represented by his excellency.
LETTERS sox ST. PETERSBURG announce that,
albeit the Anne M'Aiister will not be allowed to quit
Cronstadt, the effects of Sir Hamilton Seymour are
at his disposal to be removed by land, and that every
facility will be accorded for such removal.
Mn. JAMES WILSON, M.P., has resumed his duties
at the Treasury, having recovered from his recent
indisposition.

A GRAND BAZAAR will be held in the last week of
Jane, under the immediate patronage of the Queen,

-11 P

~►