NAPIER OF MAGDALA, Robert Cornelis Napier, 1 Baron (son of Charles Frederick Napier, major R.A. d. 1812). b. Colombo, Ceylon 6 Dec. 1810; ed. at Addiscombe 1824–6; 2 lieut. Bengal engineers 15 Dec. 1826; laid out the new settlement of Dargiling 1838–42; served at battles of Ferozeshah 21 Dec. 1845, and Sobraon 10 Feb. 1846; served in the second Sikh war 1848–9; civil engineer to board of administration of the Punjab 1849–56 where he carried out important public works; officiating chief engineer of Bengal 1857; military secretary and chief of the adjutant general’s department in Oudh, and at relief of Lucknow 1857, severely wounded at second relief of Lucknow 17 Nov. 1857, commanded a brigade of engineers at siege of Lucknow 21 March 1858; commanded the Central India force May 1858, defeated Tantia Topee in June, commanded the Gwalior division 29 June, captured the rebel leaders Man Singh and Tantia Topee 7 April 1859; commanded the second division in the expedition to China Jany. 1860, took the Peiho forts 21 Aug. 1860; military member of council of governor general of India Jany. 1861 to Jany. 1865; commander-in-chief of the Bombay army Jany 1865; commanded the expedition to Abyssinia which landed at Zoulah 2 Jany. 1868, defeated the troops of King Theodore 10 April and stormed Magdala 13 April; C.B. 24 March 1858, K.C.B. 27 July 1858, G.C.B. 27 April 1868; G.C.S.I. 16 Sept. 1867; created baron Napier of Magdala in Abyssinia and of Caryngton in the county palatine of Cheshire 14 July 1868; received freedom of cities of London 21 July 1868 and of Edinburgh 15 Sept. 1868; hon. colonel of 3rd London rifle corps 22 July 1868 to death; F.R.S. 16 Dec. 1869; commander-in-chief in India Jany. 1870 to 10 April 1876; col. commandant of the R.E. 1 April 1874 to death; general 1 April 1874; governor of Gibraltar 30 June 1876 to 1 Jany. 1883; field marshal 1 Jany. 1883; constable of Tower of London 6 Jany. 1887 to death. d. 63 Eaton sq. London 14 Jany. 1890. bur. St. Paul’s cathedral 21 Jany. equestrian statue by Boehm erected in Calcutta 1876, a replica of which was unveiled in Waterloo place, London 8 July 1891. C. R. Low’s Soldiers of the Victorian age (1870) 308–71; T. H. S. Escott’s Pillars of the empire (1879) 228–35; C. R. Markham’s History of Abyssinian expedition (1869) 140 et seq.; E. H. Nolan’s Indian mutiny iii 71 portrait; I.L.N. li 349, 350 (1867) portrait, 18 July 1891 p. 67 view of statue; Graphic xvii 293 (1878) portrait.
Note.—He is depicted under the name of general Sutton in the novel called Chronicles of Dustypore, a tale of modern Anglo-Indian society. By the author of Wheat and Tares (H. S. Cunningham). 2 vols. 1875.
NAPIER, Alexander (6 son of Macvey Napier 1776–1847, editor of the Edinburgh Review 1829–47). b. Edinburgh 1814; ed. at Trin. coll. Camb., B.A. 1838, M.A. 1847; V. of Holkham, Norfolk 1847 to death; chaplain and librarian to earl of Leicester; R. of Egmere with Waterden 1847 to death; edited Isaac Barrow’s Theological Works, 9 vols. Camb. 1859; Life of Samuel Johnson, by J. Boswell, 5 vols. 1884, 2 ed. 6 vols. 1884; translated and edited J. A. W. Neander’s The epistle to the Philippians and the general epistle of James 1851; Karl Elze’s Lord Byron 1872; Julius Payer’s New lands within the Arctic circle, 2 vols. 1876; A. T. F. Michaelis’ The Holkham bust of Thucydides 1878; his wife Robina Napier translated Memoirs of prince Metternich 1773–1815, edited by prince Richard Metternich, 5 vols. 1880–4; he d. Holkham vicarage 24 Aug. 1887. Quarterly Review Oct. 1869 pp. 353–81.
NAPIER, Sir Charles (eld. son of Charles Napier of Merchiston hall, Stirlingshire, captain in the navy 1731–1807). b. Merchiston hall 6 March 1786; entered navy 1 Nov. 1799, captain 22 May 1809; lost his fortune in an attempt to promote iron steamers on the Seine 1819–27; vice-admiral, major general of the Portuguese navy and commander-in-chief of the fleet in the cause of Donna Maria and Dom Pedro 8 June to 15 Oct. 1833; defeated the squadron of Dom Miguel off Cape St. Vincent 3 July 1833; promoted to rank of admiral and created viscount Cape St. Vincent in peerage of Portugal July 1833; granted grand cross of order of the Tower and Sword and created count Cape St. Vincent by Dom Pedro; captain H.M.S. Powerful, 84 guns, 1 Jany. 1839; commanded a squadron off Syria June 1840, took Beyrout from the Egyptians 10 Oct. 1840, and Acre 3 Nov.; C.B. 4 June 1815, K.C.B. 2 Dec. 1840, received orders of Maria Theresa of Austria, of St. George of Russia, of the Red Eagle of Prussia, and the first class of the Medjidie; presented with freedom of city of London 23 Sept. 1841; captain on h.p. 1841; naval A.D.C. to the queen 30 Nov. 1841 to 9 Nov. 1846; R.A. 9 Nov. 1846; commanded the channel fleet May 1847 to April 1849; V.A. 28 May 1853; commanded the fleet in the Baltic sea 25 Feb. 1854 to 19 Feb. 1855, where he blockaded all the Russian ports; admiral 6 March 1858; contested Portsmouth 14 Dec. 1832 and Greenwich 1837; M.P. Marylebone 1841–7; M.P. Southwark 1855–60; author of An account of the war in Portugal between Don Pedro and Don Miguel, 2 vols. 1836; The life of sir C. Napier, chiefly by himself, 3 ed. 1841 portrait; The war in Syria, 2 vols, 1842; The history of the Baltic campaign 1857. d. Merchiston hall, Horndean, Hants. 6 Nov. 1860. bur. at Catherington; portrait by T. M. Joy in painted hall at Greenwich, and another portrait by John Simpson in National portrait gallery, Edinburgh. E. D. H. E. Napier’s Life of sir C. Napier, 2 vols. (1862) portrait; Men of the time (1857) 558–64; G.M. x 209–16 (1861); E. H. Nolan’s Russian war i 310 (1855) portrait; Sporting Review xxxii 205–7 (1854) portrait; Fagan’s Reform club (1887) 93–101, 121 portrait; I.L.N. ii 175 (1843) portrait, xxiv 207, 208 (1854) portrait.
NAPIER, Sir Charles James (eld. son of colonel the hon. George Napier 1751–1804). b. Whitehall, London 10 Aug. 1782; ensign 33 foot 31 Jany. 1794; lieut. 89 foot 8 May 1794; captain in the staff corps 22 Dec. 1803; major 50 foot 6 Nov. 1806 to 27 June 1811; served in Spain, was wounded five times at battle of Corunna 16 Jany. 1809, a prisoner at Corunna Jany. 1809 to Jany. 1810; lieut. col. 102 foot 27 June 1811 to 2 Sept. 1813; commanded a brigade against U.S. of America May 1813 for some months; lieut. col. 50 foot 2 Sept. 1813, placed on h.p. Dec. 1814; served as a volunteer against Napoleon 1815; inspecting field officer in the Ionian Islands 30 July 1818, placed on h.p. 1 March 1832; resident of Cephalonia March 1822 to 1830; commanded troops in northern district, India April 1839, and at Poona 12 Dec. 1841; commanded the Sinde and Beloochistan division 24 Aug. 1842 to 17 Dec. 1846; won the battle of Meanee with 2,700 men against more than 20,000 men 17 Feb. 1843; defeated Shir Muhammad, the Lion of Mirpur, at Haidarabad 24 March 1843; Sinde finally annexed 24 May 1844; col. of 22 foot 21 Nov. 1843 to death; captured Bega Khan Dumki, the leading hill chief 9 March 1845; L.G. 9 Nov. 1846; commander-in-chief in India 7 March 1849 to 6 Dec. 1850; C.B. 4 June 1815, K.C.B. 19 July 1838, G.C.B. 4 July 1843; author of Memoir on the roads of Cephalonia 1825; The colonies, treating of their value generally, of the Ionian islands in particular 1833; Remarks on military law and flogging 1837; A letter on the baggage of the Indian army 1849; A letter on the defence of England by volunteers and militia 1852. d. Oaklands, near Portsmouth 29 Aug. 1853. bur. in ground attached to garrison chapel at Landport; bronze statue by G. G. Adams in Trafalgar sq. London, unveiled 26 Nov. 1856. W. F. P. Napier’s Life of sir C. J. Napier, 4 vols. (1857) 4 portraits; W. N. Bruce’s Life of general sir C. Napier (1885) portrait; J. J. Higginbotham’s Men whom India has known (1874) 316–21; E. H. Nolan’s Illust. history of British empire in India ii 669 (1860) portrait; G.M. xl 410–6 (1853); Men of the time (1853) 330–3; I.L.N. ii 255 (1843) portrait, xiv 145, 146 (1849) 2 portraits, xxiii 191, 192, 229, 230, 431 (1853) portrait.
Note.—He was the first general who recorded in his despatches the names of private soldiers who had distinguished themselves side by side with officers. A portrait of him photographed by W. E. Kilburn on 24 March 1849, has been engraved in line by Joseph Skelton. He was called in the army “Old Fagin” from his strong likeness to the Jew in Oliver Twist.
NAPIER, David. b. 1790; founded with his cousin Robert Napier, the firm of Napier and Sons, shipbuilders and marine engineers, Govan, Glasgow; introduced coasting steamers for the post office service 1818; established regular steam communication between Greenock and Belfast, and in 1822 between Liverpool, Greenock, and Glasgow; constructed machinery for the United Kingdom 1826, the largest vessel then designed; invented the steeple engine; tried the application of the surface condenser in marine engines; proposed a plan for removal of the Glasgow sewage by means of barges. d. 8 Upper Phillimore gardens, Kensington, London 23 Nov. 1869. Glasgow daily herald 27 Nov. 1869 pp. 4, 5; Engineering 3 Dec. 1869 p. 365.
NAPIER, Edward Delaval Hungerford Elers (elder son of Edward Elers, lieutenant R.N., d. 1814). b. 1808; took additional name of Napier from his mother’s second husband, admiral sir Charles Napier; ensign 46 foot 11 Aug. 1825, major 11 Oct. 1839, retired on h.p. 14 Oct. 1842; served in India 1830–3; obtained release of Syrian troops detained by Mahomet Ali, and conducted them to Beyrout, May to Sept. 1841; commanded bodies of irregulars during the Kaffir war 1846–7; colonel of 61 foot 3 Oct. 1864, and of 46 foot 22 Feb. 1870 to death; L.G. 3 Oct. 1864; author of Scenes and sports in foreign lands, 2 vols. 1840; Excursions along the shores of the Mediterranean, 2 vols. 1842; Reminiscenses of Syria, 2 vols. 1843; Wild sports in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 2 vols. 1844; Excursions in Southern Africa, 2 vols. 1849; The life of admiral sir Charles Napier, 2 vols. 1862. d. Westhill, Shanklin, Isle of Wight 19 June 1870. Colburn’s United service mag. Aug. 1870 pp. 484–92.
NAPIER, George (son of George Napier, solicitor). b. 1802; ed. at high sch. and univ. of Edinb.; advocate 1823; advocate depute 1830–4 and 1835–40; sheriff of Peebleshire 1840 to death. d. Coates hall, Haymarket terrace, Edinburgh 29 Aug. 1883.
NAPIER, Sir George Thomas (brother of sir Charles James Napier 1782–1853). b. Whitehall, London 30 June 1784; cornet 24 light dragoons 25 Jany. 1800; lieut. 52 foot 25 Dec. 1802, major 27 June 1811; served in Sicily, Sweden, and Portugal, and in the Peninsular campaigns 1809–11; lost his right arm at assault on Ciudad Rodrigo 19 Jany. 1812; deputy adjutant general of the York district 1812; lieut. col. 71 foot 24 March 1814; captain 3 foot guards 25 July 1814; lieut. col. 44 foot 22 Feb. 1821, placed on h.p. 19 April 1821; governor and commander-in-chief at Cape of Good Hope 4 Oct. 1837 to 12 Dec. 1843, where he enforced the abolition of slavery, and abolished inland taxation; declined command of Sardinian army 1849; col. of 1 West India regiment 29 Feb. 1844 to death; general 20 June 1854; C.B. 4 June 1815, K.C.B. 19 July 1838; author of Passages in the early military life of general sir G. T. Napier, edited by W. C. E. Napier 1884, 2 ed. 1886. d. Geneva 8 Sept. 1855, his body was brought to England July 1881 and bur. in family vault at Cosham near Portsmouth. Passages in the early military life of Sir G. T. Napier (1886) portrait.