NAPIER, SIR CHARLES (1786-186o), British admiral, second son of the Hon. Charles Napier, R.N., and grandson of the 5th Lord Napier, was born at Merchiston Hall, near Falkirk, on March 6, 1786. He became a midshipman in 1800 and lieutenant in 1805. He was appointed to the "Courageux" (74), serving with her in the West Indies, and later was appointed commander of the "Pultusk" brig (Nov. 3o, 1807). In August 1808 he was moved into the "Recruit," and in April 1809 took part in the capture of the "Hautpoult" and was promoted acting post captain. Coming home with a convoy, he was put on half pay and spent some time at the university of Edinburgh, and later visited Portugal. He served in 1811 in the Mediterranean and in 1813 on the coast of America. He spent his leisure in Italy and Paris, but was ruined by speculation in a steamboat company. In 1827 he was appointed to the "Galatea," was at the Azores when they were held by the count de Villa Flor for the queen of Portugal, and accepted the offer of the constitutional leaders to take command of the fleet (February 1833). With it he destroyed the Miguelite fleet on July 5, and was struck off the English navy list. He commanded the Portuguese land forces in the defence of Lisbon (1834) and was made Count Cape St. Vincent in the
peerage of Portugal.
Napier then returned to England, was restored to his former rank in 1836, and received the command of the "Powerful" in 1838. In 1840 he was made K.C.B. for his services as second in command in Syria. He was M.P. for Marylebone from 1842-46. He was promoted rear-admiral in 1846 and commanded the Channel fleet from 1846-48. In the Russian War he received the command of the Baltic fleet, and hoisted his flag in February 1854. He refused to attack Cronstadt, and a great outcry was raised against him for not obeying the orders of the Admiralty. He was not again offered a command. He was M.P. for South wark from February 1855 until his death on Nov. 6, 1860.
See Major-General E. Napier's Life and Correspondence of Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.C.B. (2 vols., 1862) ; Napier's own War in Syria (2 vols., 1842) ; The Navy: its past and present state, in a series of letters, edited by Sir W. F. P. Napier (1851) ; and The History of the Baltic Campaign of 1854, from documents and other materials fur nished by Vice-Admiral Sir C. Napier, K.C.B. (1857). See also The Life and Exploits of Commodore Napier (1841) ; and Life of Vice Admiral Sir C. Napier (1854).