The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-04-22
Sir Charles Napier, Commander OF the
british Squadron i'm the BaItic.

British fleet, from England for the Baltic,
under the command of vice Admiral Napier.
This distinguished officer is sixty-eght years
old, his constitution is strong, his health
sound, his habits temperate, and in appear
ance he is younger than his age would lead
one to suppose. He is the grand son of Lord
Napier, of Sterling county, and is Scot by
birth He entered the navy at the age OF
fourteen, as u volunteer, and has been fifty
four years in the service was made mid
shipman in March, 1902; in November,
1905, he became lieutenant; in March, lSO7,
he was made acting commander of the brig
Pultusk. and was placed, in August, 1903,
in command of the Recruit brig, OF IL guns,
in which hefought and put to flight French
corvette with more metal and men. His
own maiumast 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 loO9, and
assisted in the reduction OF the 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 " fororn hope" of five men,
with whom he landed, scaled the walls and
planted the union flag on the ramparts. He
French seventy -four, and was placed in COM
mand 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 influence or political inter
est
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 com
mand the frgae Gaatea. He resigned
his appointment in order, with permission
from the British government, to succeed
Admiral Sartorius as commander OF Don
Pedros Portuguese fleet. He defeated the
more numerous feet of Don Miguel of Cape
st. Vincent, whereby the crown OF Portu-
gal was secured for the lately deceased
Queen. Donna Maria. For this victory he
was created noble of the kingdom of Por
tugal, by the title of Count Cape st. Vim
cent, and obtained the Grand Cross of the
Order Of the Tower and Sword.
In 1889 Napier took command of the
Powerful, an 81 gun man-of.war, intended
for the Mediterranean. In 1910 he was made
Commodore. and second in command, under
Admiral Sir Robert Stepford, of the fleet en-
gagged on the coast of Syria, IN the proceed
ings against Mehemet Ali and lbrahim
Pacha. &" Here he landed with the marines,
and having received fresh detachments, gain
ed very important 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 filed with equal success, for he
went in command of part of the fleet to
Alexandria, and persuaded Mehemet Ali TO
sign convention which led TO the peace
ful evacuation OF Syria by the remnant Of
the Egyptian forces which survived. By
that means vast amount Of human life
was saved, and Syria was relieved from the
danger by which she had been menaced.'
In l84l, he was elected member of Par
lament from Maryleboue. He was liberal
in politics and independent OF party, and
was chiefly rated for his strong sense and
matter of fact style of speaking. In the
language of the Tribune:
"Napier has been truly described as
rough and ready sailor--a man OF action and
not of words; without pretence--of simple