The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1890-01-17 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

DEATH OF LORD NAPIER OF MAGDALA. After three days' illness from influenza, Field Marshal Lord Napier, of Magdala, Constable of the Tower, died on Tuesday afternoon at twenty , minutes past four, at his town residence, 63, Eaton r Square, London. The noble Lord, was quite well on Saturday; but, late in the day, caught a slight chill, which proved to be an attack of influenza. Robert Cornelis Napier was born on December 6th, 1810, at Ceylon, and bad, therefore, just entered upon his 80th year. His father, a Major in the Royal Artillery, died before the future Field Marshal was two years old. His mother was a Mies Carrington, of Barbadoes, whose family springs from Caryngton, in Cheshire. Young Napier was educated at the Military. College, Addisuombe, and received hie first commission in the Bengal Engineers in the reign of George IV. in 1826. He served with distinction through the Sutlej campaign, by which he gained his majority, and what was more important, the appointment, at the hands of Sir Henry Lawrence, as Director of Engineering in Lahore. When he became colonel he was placed at the head of the Engineering Department in the Punjab. He took advantage of this position to execute many public works of the greatest usefulness, constructed military roads, highways for commerce, and magnificent canals. From these enterprises he was summoned to the control of the corresponding department in the Bengal Presidency. When the mutiny broke out he attached himself to the Army of Sir Colin Campbell, and greatly enhanced his reputation by his skill in thiecting the operations during the siege of Lucknow. For these services he was created a Knight Commander of the Bath, and received the thanks of Parliament. In 1860 Sir Rebut commanded a Division under Sir Hope Grant in the Chinese War, and was present at the taking of Pekin. For the next four years he occupied a seat at the India Commit in succession to Sir James Outram, a post which he vacated on being named Commander in Chief in the Bombay Presitieucy in 1865. His services in China procured him for the second time the honour of tho thanks of Parliament. In October, 1867, Sir Robert Napier was selected to command the Expedition despatched to Abyssinia to procure the release of th e English missionaries and others held in confinement by King Theodore. Leaving India upon Dec. 21st, he shoitly occupied Goom Gooma, and marched upon Autalo, one of the principal towns in the province of Tigre. Difficulties now began to reduce the speed of the advance. Sir Robert triumphed over every obstacle. The Viceroy recalled his soldiers: and the construction of a railway expedition the communications between the Red Sea and the English oommirsariat in the,field. The natives showed themselves not nufrieedly to the invaders, and. aided them iu their march upon the mountain fortress of Magdala to which Theodore had retired. The British soldiers came in sight of their destination early in Aptil, and on the 10th of that month encountered and defeated King Theodore's army, which numbered 20,000 men with 26 guns. Magdala was entered. on April 13th, 1863. The Negus, abanduned ly his soldiers and attendants, commitlied suicide by blowing out his bruins. The British General released the prisoners, who but:eloquently returned to Europe' destroyed the oily and fortifications of Magdala, and received the submission of the children and widow of the Negus. The widow died shortly afterwards. Theodore's crown and Royal mantle were found and. brought home as a present to Queen Victoria. The Expedition commenced its return journey on April 18th, and re-embarked in the Red Sea in the following month. Upon July 2nd, 1868, the gallant General made a triumphal entry into London. For a third time he received the thanks of Parliament, was created a Peer with the title of Lord Napier of Magdala, was granted a pension of £2,000 for two lives, and received the Freedom of the City of London, with a sword of honour. To Lord Napier the Command in Chief of the Army in India was intrusted in 1870. Six years later he was made Governor of Gibraltar, and on his retirement from that position in 1882 he was created a Field Marshal. In 1878, before the Berlin Congress, when fears were entertained of a war with Russia, Lord Napier was selected as the Commander in Chief of the British expeditionary force but happily the issue of the Congress obviated! the necessity of taking the field In 1879 Lord Napier represented this country as Envoy. 4 Extraordinary to the Court of Spain at the marriage of the late King to the present Queen-Regent. On that occasion he received the Grand Cordon of _Charles 111. In 1886 the noble aud gallaut Lord was appointed Constable of the Tower. Lord Napier married in 1810 the eldest daughter of Dr. Name, of the East India Company's service, by whom he had three sons and three daughters. She died in 1817. His second wife was a daughter of Major General E. Smyth Scott, R.A., whom he married in 1861, and who bore the deceased Peer six sons and three daughters. The successor to the title is his eldest son, Colonel Robert William Napier, formerly of the Bengal Staff, but now retired, who was born in 1845, and married in 1885 a daughter of Lord Macdonald, and widow of Captain 14311 g. ham, of the Grenadier Guards.