The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-11-16
FERDINAND ALPHoNsO HAMELIN,
Commander-in-Chief of the French Fleet

The public attention not being now directed
mcn, it might perhaps afford your readers some
pleasure to receive n few details of the antec,-
dent life of Ferdinand AlphOnso Hamelin
French Nice-Admirnl, and COMMANDMENT Chief
of the Frech feet III the winters of the EuNinr
This distinguished officer was born on the
ID Of September, 1896, at Pont L'Eyeque. in
tho Department of Calyados. aud is nephew of
the famous Contre- Admiral Hamelin. The boy,
when not yet quite ten years of age, was allowed
to accompany his uncle to the Indies, in 1903,
and remained with his gallant relative during
the whole of his perilous and honorable cruise
i'll those waters, returning with him To France
in lS0S. The young HamcIin could never have
had better opportunity of inuring himself 10
the life and duties Of a sea officer. The strata
gems and skill employed for escaping from the
danger of being overtaken by hostile squad
rons Of superior number or strength. the
courage with which those of equal force were
conquered, or at least beaten oil, the many
traps laid for injurng the English trade ami
capturing English merchant vessels, enriched
the boy with experience, steeed his Young
heart against tho feeling of fear, and showed
him the surest way Of injuriug the enemy with
out exposing oneself to unnecessary dangers.
No school could have been better for preparing
him for his future career On his return home.
he was appointed midshipman, aud Transferred
to the squadron stationed at Antwerp. AZ tn.
few expeditions which, in face Of the incom-
parable numerical superiority of the English
squadron which cruised outside of the mouth
of the Scheldc were now and then undertaken
in the Northern Sea, for the purpose of cap
turing vessels belonging to the enemy. tho
young Hamclin acquired the reputation Of pos
sesSing far more experience and skill than what
might reasonably be expected of one of his
youthful age After the restoration OF the
Bourbons, he was, as lieutenant, transferred To
ship of the line commanded by his uncle, who
appointed him his adjutant.
During the deplorabc invasion Of Spain by
the French forces, under the command Of The
Duke of Angoulemo, in 1923, a French squad
ron was dispatched to Cadiz in order to block
ado that city. There ensued between the
French and the Spanish forces defending Cadi1
battle, in which Lieutenant Hamelin diStin-
guished himself very much, and was consc-
qucntly selected one of the French officers
whom the King appointed knights Of the order
of Fcrdinand--n sorry distinction, ndeed--bc-
cause being the reward of dcspot, for aiding
him in crushing the champions of the ConSti-
tuition to which lie had himself taken the oath
g i I,,t oh 10, IL
succeeded in trampling under foot While we
cannot blame Hamein and his fellow-soldiers
for acting in obedience TO the orders Of their
own lawful sovereign, the good-natured but i'm
beetle Louis XVIII, we feel however. free to
say, that it would have redounded more 10 their
honor, had they refused to accept any reward
of the periurcd King of Spain.
In 1927, NJ. Hamelin was appointed com.
mander of frigate destined to protect the
French merchant vessels against the Algerinc
pirates who then infested the Mediterranean
sea. He succeeded in capturing and destroy
ing several ships of these terrible corsars who
then constituted the dread of all Christian mer-
chantmen navigating those waters.
In 1923 he was as commander Of the frigate
La FacOrite, intrusted with diplomatic mis-.
sion to some of the Princes on the coast Of
Africa. Not long after his return to France,
he was ordered to participate in the expedition
which Charles Y sent against Aigiers. His
frigate headed several of the attacks directed
by Admiral Duperre, commanderinchiefo of the
French feet, against the forts and batteries of
the enemy. In 1886, he was appointed com
modore, and was transferred to the command
of ship of the line. lie was employed in
several cruises until 1912, when he was made a
contre-admiral and major general of the French
marine, at Toulon.
In ls44 he was sent, as commander Of a
squadron, to cruise in the Pacific Ocean, and
to advance the then plans of Louis Philippe rela.
tive TO the Sandwich and other islands in those
waters. He was, however, recalled before thu