The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-13 00:00:00

A telegraphic despatch on Friday announced the
death, at Coburg, in his 71th year, of Bnron
mar, the earliest and most devoted friend of her

Majesty,
Baron Stcckmar had been a faithful attendant
and companion of Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg,
even before the marriage of his Royal Highnesa
with the Princess Charlotte; and when his estab-
lishment was formed in England Barcn Stockrcar
was appointed Controller of the Household. He
continued the friend of Prince Leopold after ho
accepted the throne of Belgium, though he was no
longer in attendance on him, and at intervals he
passed much of his time in England, where ho en-

;eyed the confidence of the Duchess of Krtit to tin

unlimited extent. In these days of her early child-
hood the Queen's friendship for, and confieence in,
Baron Stockmar began, and continued withoutin-
terruption to the present moment. Before the mar-
riage of Prince Albert with the Queen his Royal
Highness employed the autumn of 183§-39 in a tour
in Italy, and Baron Stockmar was requested by the
King of the Belgians to accompany his Royal High-
ness upon this journey, and for no one did the
lamented Prince entertain greater regard and
esteem throughout his life.

Having thus lived upon intimate terms both with
the Queen and with the Prince, it was not extraor-
dinary that he was always received at the Palace as
the dearest and most devoted friend of the Royal
couple. Those who had the privilege of knowing
well this extraorrlieorr man could appreciate
s r.
the
charm of 1 Vith an intellect seldom su
passed, and a fund of general information rarely
equalled, Baron Stcckmar combined a ..)layfutheFs
and gentleness in conversation manner which
made him a companion such as is seldom mot with in
society, but it was in the chivalrous honour and in-
flexible justice with which be applied his mind to any
question submitted for his opinion and advice, end
in his kindness and goodness of hear!, that his chief
value was felt. No personal feeling, no advocacy of
particular principles, could divert his judgment from
the real substantial justice of the case before him,
and long experience taught those who knew him
well that the Baron's opinion was not only the re-
sult of most acute examination of the subject, but
was founded upon morality and truth. Well known
to most of the great men of all ranks in Europe, the
Baron was esteemed and consulted by most of those

whose good opinion was valuable.
Of naturally a weakly constitution, and fre-
quently an invalid, the energy of his mind had con-
stantly conquered the feebleness of his body, and
he had been able to serve with a labour of love ail
those to whose service he had devoted himself up
to a shoat time since, when his increasing infirmities
and failing health obliged him to confine himself to
his residence at Coburg. For many years be passed
a very large portion of his time in England, living
at the Palace, as the dearly valued friend of the
Queen and Prince, and even when last at Coburg
he paid daily visits to the Queen, and it may be
supposed her Majesty derived much consolation
from these conversations with one who had so
intimately known her beloved husband. An attack
of paralysis upon the 6th warned his friends that
the separation, for which his rapidly increasing
weakness had prepared them, was at hand, and at
3 o'clock in the morning of the 9th inst. he sank to
rest.

His loss will bo deeply mourned by the Queen,
and will, we fear, add to her sorrow and affliction.
Her Majesty had, doubtless, looked forward with
satisfaction to seeing him again on her approaching
visit to Coburg.

Death of General Sir Thomas Erskine
Napier, K.C.B.

The coloneley of the 71st (Highland Light In-
fantry) Regiment of Foot has become vacant by the
death, on the sth inst., at his seat in Scotland, of
General Sir Thomas Erskine Napier, K.C.B. He
was second and youngest son of the Hon. Charles
Napier, second son of the sixth Lord Napier of
Merchiston, and brother of the late Admiral Sir
Charles Napier, and was born May 10, 1790. The
late general entered upon his military career just
after he had attained his 15th year, in the 52d
Regiment, and served with that regiment at the
siege of Copenhagen and battle of Kicgo in
1807, and in the following year acted as aide•de-
camp to General Sir John Hope in the expedition
to Sweden. Sir Thomas served subsequently in
General Sir John Moore's campaign in Spain, in-
cluding the retreat to and battle of Coranna. He
served in Sicily with the 52d until the autumn of
1510, and afterwards served on the staff in the
Peninsula, including the defence of Cadiz, battle
of Fuentes d'Onor, second siege of Badajoz, battles
of Salamanca, Vittoria, Nivelle, and the Nivc, &c.,
slightly wounded on the 10th December and se-
verely on the 11th, when he lost his left arm.
In IS3S he was made a Companion of the Order
of the Bath, and in May, 1860, a knight Com-
mander of that " most honouraole Order" of
knighthood. In January, 1854, he Was ap-
pointed colonel of the 15th Regiment of
wasthe
Foot ;, and on the death, in the,summer of 1859, of
eral in
Gen. Sir James Macdoneli, Ci.C, :8., he
was trans-
ferredsli'liaratiJutiain7 2:tee General n
to tyheeairslsta
July 3, 1805 ; lieut., May 1
fnoorrtshoeluren district of Ireland,. and had held several
'27, 1808 ; brevet-major, Dec.'
other ataffappoint.ments. His commissions bore date
21a86s0,f6,118;110c371;sp:t..—a:,nosicg.tn.
-general Nov. 9, '1846;
brevet. lieut.-colonel, June 21 1817'.
t colo-
J..agne.n tri Bj3e7e;e major-general, r 854 ; a d
general, S
1861. For his distinguished Spainservicesin e t.
and2o,
portugal he received the silver war medal with 7
clasps.