The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-05-11
Admiral Napier, Of the Baltic Squad.

ROM
The prominent part which this intrepid SAL
lor is to play in the great war drama, now on
the eve of representation in Eastern Europe,
has started the whole race of newspaper bio
graphists into ascertaining his history and an
tecedents. From variety of such accounts
we condense the following, which We believe
will be sufficiently minute to give our readers
a fair conception of the personal and military
qualities of the man who is placed in command
of the division of the British feet known as
the Baltic squadron.
Vice Admiral Napier is sixty-eight years
old, his constitution is strong, his health sound,
his habits temperate, and in appearance he is
younger than his age would lead one to sup
pose. He is the grandson of Lord Napier, of
Sterling county, and is Scot by birth. He
entered the navy at the age of fourteen, as
volunteer, and has been fi(ty-four years in the
service; was made a midshipman in March,
1902 in November, 1905, he became lieuten-
ant in March, 1907, he was made acting COM
mander of the brig Pultusk, and was placed,
brig, of ls guns, in which he fought and put
to fight French corvette with more metal
and men. His own mainmast was shot away,
and though he was severely wounded, Zone shot
breaking his thigh,) refused to leave the deck
until the enemy had sheered off, He had
reached the rank of captain of the fleet in 1909,
and assisted in the reduction of tie island of
Martinique. An important position, called
Fort Edward, had to be secured, and, in open
day, amid the fire of the enemy, he headed a
small ''forlorn hope of five men, with whom
he landed, scaled the walls and planted the
union flag on the ramparts. He assisted also
in the capture of the d'IIaupolt, a French sew
cnty-four, and was placed in command of his
prize, with the rank of post-captain This
was at the age of %, and he had fairly worked
himself up to this rank, without family infu-
ence or political interest.
After the destruction of the French fleet by
Nelson, Napier served as volunteer in the
land service, under Wellington. In 1915 he
was made Knight of the Bath.
Fourteen years of inactivity followed From
1929 to 1882 he was employed to command
the frigate Gaatca He resigned his appoint
ment in order, with permission from the Bri-
fish Government, to succeed Admiral SartOrius
as commander of Don Pclros Portuguese fleet
He defeated the more numerous feet of Don
Miguel off Cape ST. Vincent, whereby the
Crown of Portugal was secured for the lately
deceased Queen, Donna Maria. For this vic
tory he was created noble of the Kingdom of
Portugal, by the title of Count Cape St. Vim
cent, and obtained the Grand Cross of the Or
der of the Tower and Sword.
In 1889, Napier took command of the Pow
erful, an 81 gun man-of-war, intended for the
Mediterranean. Tn 1910 he was mutlc Com
mOdOre, and second in command, under Admi-
raj Sir Robert SteRford, of the feet engaged
on the coast of Syria, in the proceedings a
gainst Mehcmet Ali and Ibrahim Pacha.-
"Here he landed with the marines, and having
re ,cived fresh attachments, gained very impor-
tant Notwithstanding the town of Sidon
and taking 5000 or 1000 Egyptian prisoners.
After that he took an important part in the
attack and capture of Acre. But he was not
content with acting successfully the part of
Admiral and General, but he must also act the
part of Diplomatist, which he filled with equal
success, for he went in command of part of the
fleet to Alexandria, and persuaded Mehemct
Ali to sign convention which led to the
peaceful evacuation of Syria 10y the remnant OF
the Egyptian forces which survived. BY that
means a vast amount of human life was saved,
and Syria was relieved from the danger by
which she had been menanced.'
In 1871, he was elected member of Parlia-
ment from Marylcbone lie was liberal in
politics and independent of party, and was
chiefly rated for his strong sense and matter of
fact style ofspcaking. In person Sir Charles
Napier is somewhat under the middle stature,
stout or rather bury in figure with white hair,
full and healthy face, and frank air and adj
dress. His voice is sOnOrOus and his manner
hearty. He walks with halt, the effect of
one of the severe wounds which he received in
early life.
The Late Storm at Now Vcrh