The
Vanderbilt brings us intelligence of the death of
Sir Charles Napier, cousin of
Gen. Charles Irving Napier. Sir Charles was born at
Falkirk, March 6, 1786. He entered the navy at an early age, and served against the
French.
In 1809, he had risen to the rank of captain of the fleet, and succeeded in taking
Fort Edward, in
Martinique.
In the following year, he served as a volunteer in the peninsula, and distinguished himself in several battles.
In 1811, he was engaged in the expedition fitted out in
Sicily, and gained great credit by the capture of the island of Ponza.--For this achievement he was created
Cavallere de Ponza by the
King of the Two Sicilians.--Afterward, he commanded the frigate
Galates, and acquired considerable notoriety by the experiments he made in navigating the vessel by means of stern wheels; he was also among the first promoters of steam navigation.
In 1833, he resigned his command and entered the service of
Dom Pedro as admiral, and distinguished himself for his exertions to secure the accession of
Queen Donna Maria, particularly by his victory off
Cape St. Vincent, for which he was created by
Dom Pedro,
Visconde de Cabo de San Vincente.--After the expulsion of Dom Miguel from
Portugal,
Sir Charles Napier returned to
England, and, in 1840, resumed active service.
He bore a prominent part, as second in command under
Admiral Stopford, in the proceedings against Mohammed All and Ibrahim Pacha, upon the coast of
Syria, and in the treaty shortly after concluded with the former.
For these services he received the honor of knighthood, and was presented with the thanks of Parliament, together with orders from the sovereigns of
Russia,
Austria, and
Prussia.
In 1811, he was returned to Parliament, and showed him self a zealous Whig, and attracted considerable notice by his strenuous efforts to increase the efficiency of the navy.
Sir Charles was the author of "An Account of the
War between
Dom Pedro and Dom Miguel," (1840,) and of "The War in
Syria," (1842,) besides a number of pamphlets on naval architecture.
He had also, within the last few years, published a number of letters and pamphlets on the state of the
English navy, in which he sought to show that this department is woefully mismanaged, and that
England is liable at any moment to fall a prey to
French,
Russian, or American rapacity.
He was marked by great originality and force of character, but was one of the most crotchety and impracticable of men.
