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SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY

.1 . ♦(.

"THE BAIRN THAT IS TORN ON TIIK SABBATH-DAY
IS WISE, AND UtVlNG, AND BONNY, AND (iAV."

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)

ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY

G. C. B.

^ i3iostapl|0

MRS FRED. EGERTON

WIL M BLACKWOOD AND SONS

EDINBURGH AND LONDON

MDCCCXCVI

All RigMa reserved

247415

'J.

115

MY FATHER'S OTJi SiriPMATES
AND COMRADES.

r OUT HA ITS.

AIJMIKAI. IIOKNBY WllhN a MIOsHlI'MAV .

Frmi, a miniatUTf p<iinM at X.iplen.

Ai>.VlIKAl. HOI^NHV WMKN CAITAIN OK M M S
NKI'Tl'AH

From a ph. 4- 'aken at Xap/e.<..

Ffiidiatpitre

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ADMIKAI HOkMiV

Frr.fl a photo ((Uiii ai lAinUnyton .

T<tjfu.e p. :id2

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

CHILDHOOD.

Parentage and birth— Early traits— School-days at Winwick
and Plymouth— Choice of a profesaiou

PAOIi

CHAPTEK 11.

n.M.S. PRINCESS CHARLOTTE, 1837-1840.

H.M.S. Pnncexs Charlotte— How ships were fitted out in 1837
—An adventure at Maltji — Recollections by Sir Arthur
Fan luhar— Defeat of Ibrahim Pasha and the bombardment
of Acre, 1839 .......

CHAPTEK III.

H.M.a. mNCHESTER, 1842-1844 — H.M.S. CLEOPATRA, 1844-1847.

H.M.S. Winchester, 1842— Letter to Admiral Sir Robert Stop-
ford — Voyage to the Cape — A Boer insurrection — Expedi-
tion to Natal— Reminiscences by Sir Anthony Hoskins —
H.M.S. Cleopatra, 1841— East African slavers— Return to
England, 1847 . . . .

Vlll

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV.

H.M.S. ASIA, 1847-1851.

Personal appearance anil character — Appointment as flag-lieu-
tenant to his father in the Pacitic Squadron — H.M.S. Aiin,
1848— Life at Vali)araiso — Death of his eldest brother —
Apjiointed commander of the flagship — Discovery of gold
in (.'alifornia — Ileturn to L?ttlegreen, 1851 ,

•25

CHAPTER V.

JOURNEY TO CEYLON, 1851 PORTSMOUTH, 1857.

Tour with Lord Stanley — Malta — Suez — Ceylon — Illness and
return to England — Promotion — Marriage, I8r)3 — Manage-
ment of his father's estate — Appointment to the Naval

College

CHAPTER YI.

H.M.S. TIUBUXE, 1858-1860.

The command of H.M.S. Tribune in China, 1858 — Descriptive
lettei-s from Whamjwa - Nangasaki — Esquimault — The
Frazer river — The San .Tuan difliculty — Naval oflicers elec-
tioneering — Eeturu to England — Death of Lady Hornby . 48

CHAPTER VII.

H.M.S. ^fEPTU^E, 1861-1862.

Ap))ointment to H.M.S. Neptune, 1861 — Sir William Martin-
The beginning of steam-tactics — Celebrations at Naples-
Life at Malta — King Victor Emmanuel visits the fleet-
llesidence at Naples — H.M.S. Black Prince

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VIII.

11. M.S. EDGAR, 1863-1865.

H.M.S. Ed(jar, 1863— A tour of the British Isles— Greenock-
Liverpool — Visit from (Jaribakli at Portland — (.'aptain
C'owper-C!oles on anuoured ships — Mission to Lisbon — In-
vestiture of the King of Portugal with the Garter — " Uncle
Geoff" — Compaiisons with the French fleet .

CHAPTER IX.

I1.M..S. BRISTOL, 1865-1868.

Appointed commodore of the West African station, ISf).*) —
H.M.S. Brhtol — Outbreak of fever at Sierra Leone — The
slave-trade — Missionary and tradiniif dithculties — Ascension
— St Helena — Death of Admiral Hornby, 1867 — Impaired
health — Home again ......

117

CHAPTER X.

THE FLYIXG SQUADRON, JUNE 186!) TO NOVEMBER 1870.

Promotion to flag-rank with command of the Flying Squadron —
Its composition — Notes for the use of ca])taius— liio — Cape
Town — Melbourne and Sydney — llobart Town — Notes on
New Zealand — Reception by the Mikado — End of the cruise

139

CHAPTER XL

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON, SEPT. 1871 TO SEPT. 1874.

The loss of H.M.S. Captain — The Committee on Naval Con-
struction — Command of Channel Fleet, 1871 — General Sher-
man — Kingston — Steam evolutions — Sailing races — Sport at
Vigo— Abdication of King of Spain— The Shah's visit —
Coronation festivities in Sweden — Trial of H.M.S. Devasta-
tion — Question of naval uniform ....

158

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIL

THE ADMIRALTY, 1875 AND 1876.

Holiday at Littlegreen — Second Sea-Lord — Work at the Ad-
miralty — Criticism of the Board . . . .186

CHAPTER XIII.

THE MEDITERRAXBAV, 1877-1880.

1 1

The IMediterranean command, 187G — The prospect in the East
— H.M.S. Alc.rcndra — Steam evolutions— Inau jordinution
— The Russian advance on Constantinople — Series of letters
describing the situation — Passage of the Dardanelles — Clauses
of the Eussian failure — Interview with the Sultan— Peace
with honour — Sir Geoffrey — Estimate of the value of ( .yprua
— Explosion on H.M.S. Thunderer — The Sultan's banquet —
Expiry of command ......

197

CHAP'.?ER XIV.

THE GREENWICH ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE, 1881 TO 1882.

Letter of approval from Admiralty — Appointed President of
the Eoyal Naval College — Work at Greenwich — The Egyp-
tian campaign ....... 329

.V- ■ ■

CHAPTER XV.

PORTSMOUTH, 1882-1885.

Commander-in-Cluef, 1882— Work at Portsmouth — C'ruise to
Channel Islands — Rumours of war — Mana'uvres — Farewell
dinner ........ 338

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XVI.

ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET.

Life at Lordington— G.C.B. aii'l A.D.C — The Queen's Jubilee

— Admiral of the Fleet — Illness — Gei'iuan mamcuvres . 362

iii

CHArTER XVII.

CONCLUSION.

A serious accident — Death of the Admiral's sister and wife —
Public duties — The last Drawing-room — Illness and death .

386

Index

. 401

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY, G.C.B.

CHAPTEr I.

CHILDHOOD.

rAKEXTAOE AND BIRTIf EAULY TP.AIT.S SCHOOL-DAVS AT WIN-

WRlv AND PLYMOUTH CHOICE OF A PROFESSION.

At the highest pouit of the low ridge which
divides Cheshh-e from Lancashire, Winwick Church
crowns the slope. It is a beautiful old thir-
teenth-century church, and used to l)oast ^ff a
unique east window, but this was restored away
some fifty years ago. Winwick was one of the
best livings in Lord Derby's gift, and from 1781
to 1855 was held by two Hornl.)ys in succession.
The elder of these two rectors was Geoftrey,
only son of Edmund Hornby, Esq. of Poulton and
Scale Hall, and Margaret, his wife, daughter of
John Winckley, Esq., of Preston. The Rev.
Geoifrey Hornby married, April 27, 1772, Lucy
Stanley, sister of Edward, twelfth Earl of Derby.

SIR (JEOFITKY PTIIPPS HORNBY,

The Rev. GeotfVey uiul his wife wep' parents
of thirteen chilch-nn, of whom the second son,
Janu's J(»iiii, succeeded his flxther In the li\ing,
1812; and tlif^ fiftli son, Phipps, so called after
his godfather, Mr Thomas Peckham Pliipps of
LittleLH'een, Sussex, entered the navy.

Captain (afterwards Sir Phipps) Hornby, who
had wServed as a mate on board th*^ Victory under
Nelson, CitiDinanded the w2-jL:jun shij) \ ohujc at Sir
William lloste s action off Lissa, March 13. 1811,
for which he w'as awarded the rare distinction
of a gold medal. A flag, behniging to a French
frigate captured in the action, still hangs in Win-
wick Church as a ti'(»phy of the victory.

Captain irornby married, December 22, 1814,
Maria Sophia, daughter of the Right Hon. General
John Buigoyne. The bride, after her f;ither's
death, lived with Lord and Lady Derby, and
was married from her old home, " The (Jaks,'
in Surrey, a })laee which Lord Derby had bought
from General Burgoyne, and where he usually
spent the early part of the winter. Of Mrs
Hornby there seems to have been but one opinion,
" the wisest woman that ever lived." Her re-
lation with her children was most l)eautiful, and
many who were not he'.' children, but wdio were
lonely and in trouble, were taken to her heart
and " mothered."

After the war, when Captain Hornby was put
on half- pay, the attraction of old associations and

CHILDHOOD.

the neii,'lil)o\uho(»d of his brother drew him to
Winwick, wh'n-e the young couple settled down
in a little cott;^'-t,» near th*- church. It was here
that oji Sundiiv raornintr, PVbraarv -0, 1825, was
horn theii' second son and sixth child, (^eoti'rey
Thomas Phij){),s, iis he was christenad in Winwick
Church, March 22, of the Rame year.

The earliest nursery tradition of tiie little (Jeof-
frey is of a sturdy, red-headed little hoy, very
angry because he had been contradicted by his
nurse, and vociferating as loudly as he could, "I
nuist ! 1 will ! I shall ! "

Mrs Hornby kejjt a little memorandum-book
in whicli she noted down all the (juaint sayings
and doings of her children. In most of tlie anec-
dotes which concern her son Geoff signs may be
traced of fjualities which distinguished him in
after-life. The strong will, which helped him to
overcome a naturally impetuous temper, and made
him such a leader and ruler of men, because he had
learnt to control himself; a touch of dandyism ;
an innate sense of chivalry and ])oliteness ; a
scru})ulous honesty and dislike of any half-truths,
and a simple faith and strong religious feeling,
which made him always give duty and upright-
ness the foremost place, and would never allow
him to truckle to expediency.

The first seven years of his life were spent at
Winwick, with only an annual break of a few
months' visit to Knowsley. Lord Derby's great

SIR (JI'OFKREY I'UIPT'S riORNBY.

I !

|>U'asme was to gather a lar;,a^ family l»aity to-
g»'tlit'i' ill tilt' siimnn'v montlis, and th«* visit to
KiiowsUn' was lookfd i'orwaril to l»y all th^* chil-
drt'ii as tlie holiday -tiui'' of the year. Kvcry
room ill the house, evjny sj)ot in tht- j)ark, secMus
to havf its own le»^'end, its own particular " Do
yon renieniher ? "

ill 18:52 Cajttain iloijilty was a|)|)ointed Cup-
tain Su[)eiintend<'nt of the Naval Ifos[)ital an<l.
Victnalliiii;-Yai'd at I>evo!i}iort. The whole party
went round to IMyinouth l>y sea — father aiid
mother, seven children (the ♦•Mest son was then at
itu^^lty), i^'overness, and servants; and owin^;- to
storniv we-ather, the passa^ti from Liverpool to
Plymouth took eleven davs.

Little GeoHT had alreatly heen to scho<»l i'v '\
year, as n, dav-bov, — 1<» the Grammai-Sehool
Win wick, which just theji had risen to great pros-
jx'iity as a jnvparatory school unch-r the master-
sliip of the TIev. T. Hinde. At Plymouth the
school chosen lor liini was Mr S(.>uthwood's, because
the mathematical teachin<^ was said to be t.'ood.
flis ability showed itself not so much in any j)re-
cociotis (juickness, as in thou^-htfulness, ])ersever-
ance, and a keen desire for knowledge.

Ono who knew Geotf at this time describes him
as a ([uick, active boy, neither j)articularly good-
lookiiiLT nor the reverse, with a very red head, which
his mother calh'd "'auburn," and a great passion
for animals, especially horses. His only other

CHILDHOOD.

jKiKsioii was tlie nuvy : ewry eveniiijjf his occupa-
tion was to carve little l)oats out of small j)iece8
of wood, sprejid'iig his handkerchief very tidily on
the tahle to catch tlie chips, and then, liaving ^a)t
his sisters to hem the sails, he proceeded to rig
his small Hotilhi. Some of liis uncles amused
themselves hy trying to persua<U' him to try for
the appointment of page to William IV. Among
many of the glories of the j)osition, Avhicli they
invented for his henefit, they told him that he
would have a horse kept for him. For a while
this rather attracted him ; hut when they told him
truthfully that the end of a page's career was a
conunission in the Guards, he utterly declined to
countenance tiie idea, I'enouncing even the hope
of having a horse, hecause he would he a sailor.

CllAPTEIl II.

H.M.S. rjtINCESS VIIARLOTTE, 1837-1840.

U.M.S. rniNCESS cnAIiLOTTK now SHIPS WKUL" rriTED OUT IN

1837 AX ADVENTURE AT MALTA UEOOfXECTIONS BY SIH

AHTHUH FAltQUHAR DEFEAT Of UilUIinr PASHA AND THE

130MUAKDMENT (;F ACHE, 1839.

1 1

Geoffrey Thomas Piiipi's FroRNHv was entered
on lioaid H.M.S. Princess Charlotte as a first-class
volunteer on March 8, 1837. She was then fittint^'
out as the Meditermnean flao-ship, carryinp;* the
flag of Admiral Sir Kobei't Stopt'ord, K.(1B. One
of the advantages of being in a tlagsiiip was that
she carried a sclioohnaster, a privilege seldom
granted to any other class of ships in those days.
Captain Phipps Hornljy took his little son down
to Portsmouth to enter him ; hut as the flag-
captain, afterwards Sir Arthur Fanshawe, did not
want the hoys or\ board when lie was fitting out,
the 1: d was given leave to return to Plymouth
till IViay 20, when he left home to join his shi})
by a steamer which plied between Plymouth and
Portsmouth every Monday morning.

The Pnnccss Charlotte was still at Portsmouth

II. M.S. PR/XCESS CHARLOTTE.

at tlie time of the Queen's Accession, Junt^ 20, and
tlie first royal salute which Geotl' liornhy ever
heard fired was in honour oftliat event. In after-
life he was wont to say that lie and her Majesty
entered the [)uhlic service in the same year. In
those days, fitting out a ship was a much longer
lousiness than it is now. Instead of receiving her
quite ready from the hands of the dockyard, the
captain had usually to hoist in her masts and to
see to her riuLdnij:: and how she was found de-
pended very nuich on what means he had at his
dis})osal. He had, more<>ver, to enter his own
men. Placards would l)e posted up all over the
town where the ship was connuissioning, "Wanted,
so many hundred men of the right sort," &c., &c.
If few shii)s had been commissioned latelv, and if
the captain or the station was popular, a ship's
company was very quickly got togethei. The day
l)efore she sailed the men were given a little pay
in advance, and there was a I'egular orgy on board.
All the men's friends, male and female, came to
take leave, and a great many who were not friends
brought liquor on board. There was a great deal
of drmikenness, and some mothers, who were ill-
advised enough to go that day to take leave of their
little midshipmen sons, went away with a horrible
impression of life on board ship. A day or two at
sea, hoM-ever, usually sufficed for things to settle
down in their usual routine till the end of the
commission.

\ '

SIR GEOFFREY FHirPS HORNBY.

'; I

The Princess Charlotte, with Admiral Sir Ivobert,
Lady Stopford, and her daughters on lioard, sailed
for the Mediterranean from Portsmouth on July
3, 1837.

During- tlie winter 1837-1838 tlif fleet wintered
as usual at Malta, and in those davs the feelintj
between the English and Maltese ran very high.
There was one e\hil)ition of this during the
winter, which Geoff Hornby used always to de-
Kcribe witli great gusto. (.)ne night at tlie opera,
in consequence of a large party which was going
on elsewhere, there were very few English in the
house. A prima-donna, wlio was vei-y jjopular
with the English, was singing, {ind for this reason
the Maltese decided to hiss her. Directly she had
finished her aria, and the English Ijegan to applaud,
the Maltese began to hiss. A big Englishman who
was sitting next to a Maltese said, " If you do that
again I shall turn you out." The Maltese' turned
round, and saw that his countrymen very nuich
outnumbered the English, so he hissed again.
Immediately he was taken by the c(>llar and forced
towards the door ; the Maltese tried to rescue him,
the English backed up their man, and the fight
became ireneral. 'i'he Enijlish were in such a irreat
minority that the flag-captain, anxious for their
safety, broke the legs off the chairs in the Com-
mander-in-Chief's box, and handed them down to
his officers as weapons of defence and ofl'ence.

Somehow word had been passed up to the main-

^i i I

H.M.S. PRINCESS CHARLOTTE.

guard that some ofticers were getting the worst
of It in the opera-house. Of course the guard
turned out, and took the Maltese in the rear,
just as the English inside the house were be-
ginning to force them into the street, with the
result that the Maltese had a very bad time of
it, Next day there was an in(|uiry; but as the
Hag-captain, who had been present, said that hif.
officers had only been acting for the maintenance
of order and in self-defence, no further notice was
taken of the Incident.

Much less leave was given then than now, and
the commander of the Princess Charlotte was not
fond of giving the youngsters a run on shore.
He had a way of replying to the question, '■ Please,
sir, may 1 go on shore ? " " Oh yes, certainly,
certainly ; " and when the boy had almost finished
saying, "Thank you, sir," he would add, "but
not to-day, no, not to-day." Occasionally, how-
ever, the commander's heart softened, and the
midshipmen did get on shore ; for during the
summer of 1838 an uncle of Geoff Hornby's (the
llev, George Hornby), who lived at Naples, of-
fered him £10 if he would sit for a miniature
to be Sfut home to his mother. Tiie boy very
much grudged the time he had to sit cooped
\ip in the studio, when he might have been
careering all over the country round Naples on
horseback ; but it was finished, and despatched
at last, and the XIO procured him a great deal

SIR GEOFFREY PHIFPS HORNBY,

I I

« i

of enjoyment, to say nothing of a certain amount
of smartening up of the cutter, of which he was
given charge. This hoat was an endless source
of delight and pride to him, all his spare cash
was spent in beautifying her, and he even got
his sisters to work little mats for the men to
sit on. Her great achievement, during the com-
mission, was winning a race at a regatta when
it was blowing very fresh. The little lad was
never a very good sailor, and this day he was
very sea-sick indeed ; Ijut he carried on, and
brought his boat in a wiinier, in spite of all
the pangs of sea-sickness.

Probably on account of the smartness of the
above-mentioned cutter, and also because Geoff
Hornby spoke French better than any other mid-
shipman on board the Princess Charlotte, he was
frequently employed in carrying messages to and
from the French ships when the British squadron
was at Toulon at the time of the Queen's Corona-
tion, June 1838. On the Coronation day the
French Admiral and suite dined with Sir Ro])ert
on board the Princess Charlotte, and for several
days after they were royally entertained by the
French.

Even then young Hornby, or, as his messmates
called him, " Rufus," had made himself a reputa-
tion for " smartness." Sir Arthur Farquhar
writes : —

" Hornby was my messmate in the Princess

H.M.S. PRINCESS CHARLOTTE.

Charlotte from autumn 1838 to autumn 1840,
he Ix'ini^^ a midshipman and I being a mate at
that time. Afterwards I was lieutenant of the
Princess Charlotte from November 1840 to August
1841, whilst he was still a midshipman. Young
Hornl)y was a very bright, clever boy, with a
ruddy complexion and reddish hair ; he ^^■as a
great favourite with both his messmates and
superior officers, and even then gave promise of
high qualities as an officer. He, young Peel
(afterwards Sir William Peel), and Egerton (the
late Admiral the Hon. Francis Egerton) were, I
think, the finest specimens of youngsters I ever
saw."

The summer of 1839, after visiting a portion
of the coast of Sicily and the Greek Archijielago,
was spent at Besika Bay, and at Vourla in the
Gulf of Smyrna.

On July 14, 1830, the Turkish fleet of thirty-
two sail was delivered over to Mehemet Ali by
a traitorous Turkish admiral, thus leaving the
Sultan virtually at the mercy of Ibrahim Pasha
(a stepson of Mehemet Ali and generalissimo of
the Egyptian forces), who was ruling in Syria.
The European Powers (except France) agreed to
interfere to help the Sultan ; but as tliere was
no really secure anchorage for ships during the
winter on the coast of Syria, operations did not
begin till the spring. In March 1840 two ships
were sent to reinforce Sir Charles Napier on the

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNL

! 'J

coast of Syria, and orders were given to Lieut. -
Colonel Hodges, Consul - General at Alexandria,
to give immediate notice of the sailing of the
Turco-Egyptian fleet. Sir Kobert Stopford did
not go to Syria till Septeml)er, but remained
most of the summer at Mitylene, so as to be
out of tlie wav of collision with a French fleet
of eight sail which was anchored at Besika. He
(Sir Robert) was waiting, 1st, for some Turkish
ships and transports, under tlie nominal if not
real command of Sir Baldwin Wake Walker,
which were to be conveyed to Syria ; 2d, for
the Benhoiv, M'hich was bringing some sappers
and miners from Gibraltar, and 10,000 stands of
arms to be distributed among the Syrian mouii-
taineers ; 3d, for Mehemet Ali's answer to the
Sultan's ultimatum.

Mehemet Ali declined to accept the Sultan's
conditions, and the English Admiral proceeded
to the coast of Syria, where all the marines of
the fleet were landed, so as to make a demonstra-
tion imposing enougli to induce the people from
the mountains to come down to receive their arms.

The combined English (under Sir Charles
Napier), Austrian, and Turkish forces defeated
Ibrahim near Beyrout on October 10, and the
Egyptian army I'etreated soutli to St Jean
d'Acre, which on November 3d was taken, after
a three hours' bombardment. The capture of
Acre led to the expulsion of the Egyptians from

«*

H.M.S. PJilXOESS CHARLOTTE.

-Li

Syria, and to a peace by wliicli the viceroyalty of
Egy[)t was made hereditary.

This, then, was the only time In liis life that
(reoffrey Hornby saw a siiot tired in anger; and
it seems a curious coincidence that his first and
last service afloat should have been in a fleet which
\vas acting as the ally of the Sultan.

/ '

\VM2

I ■

h !

' )

CHAPTEII III.

H.M.S. W/yCHESTE/i, 1842-1844 — H.M.S. CLEOPATRA,

1844 1847.

H.M.S. WISCHE^TEli, 1842 LETTEH TO ADMIRAL SIR ROBEUT ST(.)P-

FORD VOYAGE TO THE CAi'E A B(tER JNSURRECJ'loN

EXPEDITION TO ^ATAI. REMINISCGXCES IJY SIR ASTIfo.VY

HOSKINS II.M.IS. 'LEorATJiA, 1844 EAST AFRICAN SLAVERY

RETURN' TO ENGLAND, J 847.

From the tinie the Princess Cliarlotfe was paid
off, August 1841, till the spring of 1842, Geoffrey
Hornby was at Woolwich Dockyard, to which liis
father had been appointed as Captain Superinten-
dent after leaving Plymouth. Admiral the Hon.
Joscelyn Percy, C.B., was then commissioning the
WiiieJiaster as his flagship for the Cape of Good
Hope, and it wjis thougiit well to send the boy
in another flagship. 8lie sailed from Spithefid on
Thursday, June T, and the earliest letter extant
in Geoffrey Hornby's handwriting describes the
voyage to the C-ape : —

,/i

" Admiral the Hon.
Sir lioHKRT Stopford, G.C.B.

''H.M.S. Winchest".r,
Simon's Bay, Sept. 4, 18 42.

"My dear Sir, — As you were so kind as to

J • I

H. M.S. Wiy CHESTER.

express a wish to hear from me \>y any oppor-
tunity, I will, now that I have a little time to
myself, give you an account of our proceedings.
We arrived at Madeii-a after a fortnight's pas-
sage from England, and as we were to lay there
two days, a large part}'' of us started to see the
lions, and M-e made the most of our time, for we
went to the Nunnery, the Church on the Hill,
and afterwards to the Grand CJorral, whicli is a
large ravine between two of the largest hills, and
compi'ises in itself, and in the road to It, (juite the
most l)eautiful scenery 1 ever saw. And, more-
over, on our way home we nearly made a vacancy
for a lieutenant — one of our party who was rash
enough to race witli two of us mids. He was of
course beaten, and as he was going astern was
saluted by lour horse-shoes whistling by his head,
Avhich had been discharged with considerable force
from our horses' heels. Our next exploit was re-
ceiving Neptune, and the christening of us his
new children. We were fortunate in having a
very fine day, and the Miss Percys, who were
on the poop, seemed to take as much interest
as we who were concerned. We reached Rio
after rather a long, but a very fine, passage of
five weeks from Madeii-a. We lay there a week,
and, 1 think, 1 never enjoyed a week more. We
had several parties to the most beautiful parts
of the environs, and we were also invited to two
balls. The first was a native one, and rather re-

! il

SIR GEOFFREY I'H1I'F« HORNBY.

iniiided lis of Peter Simple's '(lli;"iiity ')a]l,' and
\ve lant,died not a little at many of the figui'es.
Foi'tunjitely, everybody who noticed us was, or
seemed to he, pleased at Ijeino; noticed, and
thoui,dit we were admiriiiii' them. The other hall
was at the British Mhiister's house, and this we
enjoyed, if i)ossible, more, as we met either Eng-
lish people or those who spoke Frencli or English.
We very foolishly sailed on a Friday, and we ^vere
of course ke|)t under double- or treble-reefed top-
sails the wliole way, fell in with the usual gale off
the Ca])e, and lay-to four days, as the captain and
master did not like going into a place where they
had neither- of them been for some years. We an-
chored here on Thursday last, and were rather as-
tounded at the apparent barrenness of the place,
though (»n landing we were equally surprised at
the beauty of the wild Howers, which proves that
the land must be g(.)od as well as the climate. We
have lying here the Southampton and Iris, whicli
have lately returned from Port Natal, Avhere they
were obliged to go witli a detachment of troops,
200 men, to quell an insurrection that has broken
out among the Dutch Boers, who wish to declare
their independence. They had some smartish work
for their first brusii, which took place very shortly
after thei^" landing ; they lost 45 men killed and
wounded out of 200. They say that these fellows
a'et behind some shelter to fierht, and beincj" excel-
lent marksmen, they picked off our men before they

•- \

H.M.S. WINCHESTER.

could find out wliere theii' enemies lay. However,
they \Nere subdued fuj' the time ; l)ut we liear <i
report that they have risen again, and killed the
officer cvunmanding the troops and several of his
men. If this is true, it is su[>i)osed that we
should liavo to go down there again with more
tro(»})s. We have fortunately seemed the K.-iHirs
to our side, and they are of more use in such
irreo'ular war th.an even our own soldiers — that
is, when tliey are pro])erl}' sup[)orted. T tind
the .shl[) very comfortal)le, as much so as the
Princess Charlotfc, except fr(jm the superior ad-
vantages of a gunrooni t(» a berth, liut T do not
tiiink we shall be in such good order. The ship
sails remarkaldy well, and is exceedingly easy in
her motion, although she rolls very deej), and is
wet wlien under a press of sail. T am sorry to
say thei-e have been two very bad shipwrecks
in T;d)le Bay, — one, the Ahereromhie Robinson,
a troop -shij) that we overtook on our jiassage
out with troops foi- the Cape. Tlie agent was
persuaded to go in to Table Bay, and she went
on shore in a north-westerly gale that Ave fell
into, Sunday, 28th. Every one was savt^d from
her ; but the other, the WaterJoo, a convict-ship,
was totally wrecked at the same time, and lost
about 180 men.

"Sept. 11.

'•The Hyacinth, which we expected would sail
last Monday, has been delayed a week, J believe,

SIR OEOFFnEY PniPF'S flORNHY.

' 1

1
1 ; ' I

1
1
1

Oil account of Admiral Kind's illness. Every one
who h;iH been at Oipe Town is (lelii;lited with
it. I am thinkint^^ of goini;^ up for a day at
the end of the week to make ac(|uaintance with
the Govrrnor, who has sent me n most kind in-
vitation ; and I should like to go again on tlie
24th for the races, which are exj)ected to he
very good tliis year, antl a race hall is to be
given on the 28th, to which everybody is go-
ing. We hear of more losses in Table Bay
almost every day ; I think there are now about
eight vessels on shore. We are anxiously look-
ing out for a packet I'rom England, as we have
heard nothing since Wf were at Madeira. We
there heard the news of the^ Tariff having passed,
though whether the news was true we cannot tell.
The Jlnaeinth Ijrought no news from ('hina; she
had been engaged in t» few skirn.ishes just before
she left, and she left all the fleet looking forward
anxiously for the commencement of this year's
cam])aign. I must now close my letter, which is
shorter than I could have wished. Pray remem-
ber me to all your family, and believe me ever,
sir, your sincere and grateful young friend,

" Geoffhey Horn by."

The Winchasfer \\?i^ a good deal at Simon's Bay,
and consequently the midshi|)men were often on
shore. As is proverbial with " Jack on shore,"
they were a great deal on horseback. It is re-

ri.M.S. n'lXC// ESTER.

cor(](M.l that GeotV llmiiUy once rode seventy-five
miles to a ball, lie had ridden fi-(»m Simon's Hay
to Cape Town, a distance of twenty-five miles,
when he discovercil that part of his evening uni-
form was missini!^. There was nothing for it, as he
was determined to go to the ball, but to ride the
extra fifty miles to Simon's Town find back, to
fetch what lie retpiired. Another time, when
riding neai- Cape Town, he had a bad accident.
Having been thrown from his horse, he was })icked
up insensible, and carried i»ito the house of a
Dutcli lady, Mrs Van der Byl. Here lie was
nuised with the greatest kindness and attention,
so that after he recovered he used always to allude
to Mrs Van der Byl as "my old Dutch mother."

During the iirst winter at the Cape the Win-
chester weut up to Natal with provisions for the
town, an expedition which lasted only three weeks,
January 15 to Feljruary 3.

Sir Anthony Hoskins, who was a messmate of
Geofirey Hornby's in this commission, furnishes
the following recollections of this time : —

" I have a vivid recollection of the fittinir out of
the Winchester, 50, in April 1842 (Hornby's second
and my first ship), and of the lead he at once
took among us youngsters. His bright, debonair
appearance and high-toned look and loearing are as
fresh in my mind's eye as if it were yesterday that
we were thrown together in that shij). After we
put to sea he was stationed as mid of the main-top,

SIR (JKOFFREY rHirP.S TEOUNMY.

J 1

ii .

i' 1 .

and of the aclnilr.iVs bargt', the latter a not unenvi-
able position, with snch i\ c\vav\u\\\^j; fjunily iis that
of ArhiiiiJil IV-rcy. His [)assion foi' ri<lin^, cricket,
and all manly sports and amusements was intense;
find I iier<l hardly say that he excelled in all, and
was considered the cham[>ioii oi' the midsiiipmrn's
berth, if not of the ship. Many a cricket-match
on Miller's Point and at \Vynl)er<^ attested his
prowess at that i^ame, and he was, thouc^di so
comj)aratively junior in rank, generally voted the
captain of our team, as the wardi'oom officers were
not very proficient at it. Those who were in the
shij) can well rememl»e»' his neat, active figure as
wicket-keeper, and the i;'eiiiality with which he
chaffed us into good humour, and kept us
to<.^ether.

" Soon aftei we arrived at the Cape, we wei-e
sent to Natal with })rovisions and stores for the
troops, who Avere in a state of siege, or rather
blockade, by the Boers. The bar of the Natal
river, which our heavily laden boats had to cross,
was little known in those days, and consideraV)le
risk attended the service. The jolly-boat, in charge
of Hyde Parker (who was the first officer killrMl in
the Russian war), was swamptKl, and all the stores
lost, but the crew fortunatelv were saved. ])rinci-
pally by the shallowness of the water where the
accident occurred. All the boats returne-d to tlie
ship as soon as discharged, except the second cutter
in charge of Hornby, which Captain Eden had

U.M.S. CLEOPATRA.

8f'lt'ct<'(l to taku liiin in. This boat \\',m detained
li\ him until liite in the afttn-noon, Imt in t\w n»«'an-
tinu* a i^ale of wind had come on, nccessItatinjL;- thts
slii[» licln^ iijot undci' weigh, and it was l)y the ex-
hil)iti(M of nmdi skill and .seanianshi]), both in the
ship and the boat, that the latter was at last got
on board and a course «ha]»ed for Simon's TJay. It
was a very narrow escape. I renieniber Hornby
(lesci'il)ing how he was fully (jcoupied in baling out
the boat, no other hand being available, and how
more than once, owing to the knocking about of
the boat, he could not help discharging the con-
tents of the bidei' light in the captain's face.

" Afttu- two years in the Winchester I went with
the commander (Kelly) into the Conivay, and
Hornby shortly afterwards obtained a death-
vacancy in the Cleopatra, and we did not meet till
1846 (I think December), when the Conway being
at the Capo for refit, he was borne on her books,
while waiting passage home after the ti-ial of a
slaver which he had broufdit down from the
Mozambiquo. He was not doing duty, but I le-
member his once walking a forenoon watch with
me, and unfolding his views of the service. How
necessary it was to preserve the highest tone and
(hscljjline, and how detei'mined he was that in
his hands nothinuf should ever be allowed to de-
tract from it. It was an insjjiring conlidence, and
has remained with me through life."

Adraiial Percy had intended to give the death-

■m

>^iPWii-ffii-fmfnws^n^*nMHii»t^

SIR GEOFFREY PlllPrS HORNBY.

I,'

(

Mi!

s :

vacancy alluded to above to hU son ; but as
Percy was not old eiiou;L;'li to pass for mate,
and the Adniii-alty rt^fused to keep the vacancy
open, it was given to young Hornl)y instead.
Ho did not join tlie Cleopatra till the autumn
of 1844. She was a 8yraondite 2r)-gun frigate,
and a very pretty little ship indeed, com-
manded by a very smart officer, Captain Wyvill,
and foi- tht; next two years was employed ex-
clusively in suppresshig the slave-trade on the
East Coast. Here the experience in boat-sailing
which Horn})y had accpiired in the Mediterranean
came in very usefully, as the ships were often
obliged to lie out a long way from the shore, and
the l)oats would be sent in for information, fresh
provisions, or water. Often the distances were too
oreat or the reefs too dano-erous to allow a return
to the ships in the dark, and the boats hnd to
remain in sonie creek or other for the night. As
the malaria was very dangei'ous, awnings had l)een
made for the boats, with curtnins all round, which
at night were laced down to the side of the boat.
There were generally fourteen men in the boat,
very ofteji poultry and goats as well ; and yet no
one o'ot suffocattnl — nay, more, thev did not ijet
fever as much as when tliese precautions were not
observed, so tliat it does not seem as if ventilation
were such a necessity as we are taught to believe.
There were one or two very exciting chases, and
also one or two captures. One slaver in trying to

H.M.S. CLEOPATRA.

escape struck on a reef. The Cleopatras were able
to get otF the women and children, and they gave
the men leave to swim on shore, taking anything
they liked with them. One black fellow went over-
board with a Dutch cheese under each arm, and
another wrapped a large piece of diachylon plaster
round and roand his body, though what ultimate use
it could be to him no one could discover. The crew
of five men either could not swim or else were afraid
to face the surf, and as Captain Wyvill would not
let his men's lives be risked in saving such black-
guards, they wore left for* the night ; and though
it was momentarily expected that the ship would
go to pieces, no one felt very much compunction at
their punishment for those who had seen what
cruelties were practised on the slaves grew very
hard-hearted towards their capturers.

After two years of this work, Geoff Hornby
was, as Sii' Anthony Hoskins says, sent down
to the Cape in charge of a captured slaver.
Here he remained for some months on board
the Conivay awaiting a passage, as Captain Hornby
thought his son had been long enough — four and
a half years — on the same station, and was anxi-
ous to get him home ; but though he was daily
expecting him to arrive in February 1847, the
opportiuilty did not occur till March, when he
got a passage in the Wolverene.

She was a smaller ship than any Geoft' Hornby
had been in before, and for the first few days

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

he was very sea-sick. The voyage home took
little more than a month, March 28 to April 29,
and the next day he joined his flimily at Shooter's
Hill, when we find the following entry in his
father's diary : —

''Saturday, May 1. — Left London at 8 A.M. to
get home to breakfast. Found my dear Geoff,
whom I had not seen for five years, grown into
a fine young man. James arrived from Oxford
in order to see his In-other, so we were a larire
and grateful family part v."

,11 ,

CHAPTER IV.

H.M.S. ASIA, 1847-1851.

PERSOXAL APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER APPOINTMENT AS FLAO-

LIEUTENANT TO HIS FATHER IN THE PACIFIC SQUADRON

H.M.S. ASIA, 1848 LIFE AT VALPARAISO DEATH OF HIS

ELDEST BROTHER APPOINTED COMMANDER OF THE FLAGSHIP

DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA RETURN TO LITTLE-
GREEN, 1851.

As his father had waid, the promlsin*^ boy had
developed into a fiu^ young man, not very tall,
about 5 feet 10 inches in height, but slight,
well proportioned, giving rather an impression of
activity and energy than of physical strength,
spruce and dapper in his appearance, scrupulously
clean and particular, more from self-respect than
from vanity, though he had quite the average
share of good looks. Either time or the tropical
sun had burnt his ruddy hair into a warm chest-
nut ; but, after all, no description of curly hair,
or hazel eyes, or firm-cut mouth or chin, would
give any idea of the charm of the man, of
his light-hearted bonhomie, and the irresistible
twinkle with which his eyes lighted up if any-

fti

SIR GEOFFREY THirPS HORNBY.

)'i

1 1

thing amused him, so that you were constrained
to laugh whether you understood the joke or no.
Then another of his great attractions was the
keen interest he took in everything that came
in his way, whether dancing or cricket, sport or
science, pohtics or service matters, so that those
about him were stirred to enthusiasm by his
keenness. Below all this there was a very warm,
tender heart, and a wonderful gentleness to any-
thing weak and suftering ; hence probably his
great love for and sympathy with animals. If
ever he was disposed to be hard or intolerant, it
was towards those whom he would have called
"fools" — those who either did not make the best
of the abilities with which they had been en-
dowed, or were not conscious of their own short-
comings. If such a one were caught tripping, he
was certainly not let down easily.

When Geoffrey Hornby returned from the Cape,
his father, who had lately been promoted, was just
giving up his house at Shooter's Hill ; and very
soon after the young man had passed his lieuten-
ant's examination — a matter which took him to
Portsmouth for the inside of a w^eek — the whole
party started off to spend the summer among
their relations in Lancashire. While at Knowsley,
Admiral Hornby received in August the offer of
the Pacific command. It was not an appointment
which he coveted, for at his age, sixty-two years,
he very m^uch dreaded the prospect of starting off

ill!

H.M.S, ASIA.

to assume an active command on the other side
of the world. The prol)abihty, however, of being
able to give his hauling-down vacancy to his son
induced him to accept it, and to takt^ his l)oy
Geotf as his flag -lieutenant. (Captain Robert
Stopford accepted the position of flag-captain,
Mr Jones that of secretary ; and on September 6
the new commander-ifi-chief of the Pacific station
hoisted his flag on board H.M.S. Asia at Sheer-
Jiess, but left again the same day with his flag-
lieutenant fo]' Kn'ivvsley, to be present at the
festivities in honour of Lord Stanley's coming of
age. As things never seem to go quite right in
this world, just a few days after Admiral Hornby
had accepted the Pacilic command, Portsmouth
Dockyard, an appointment he mucii desired, was
given away to Admiral Sherrifle, A\ho had been
extremely anxious to go to the Pacitic.

The one month's leave extended to two befoi'e
tlie Asia was ready for sea, and it was not till the
beginning of November that tlie Admiral and his
son took leave of their dear friends at Knowsley,
WInwick, &c. After a ten days' stay in London,
to complete preparations and to receive flnal in-
structions from the Admiralty, they left for Ports-
m(uith, where they were to join the ship. Besides
his son, Admiral Hornby was taking out with him
his wife and three daughters, and Mrs Parker, a
widowed sister of Mrs Hornby's. The whole party
emljarked finally on November 26, and sailed next

HIR GEOFFREY riTlPPS HORXB\.

! I

■I I

<lay for Plymoutli, where they were to take In
some boats, &c. Tliey were detiiined hei-e for three
(liiys, and when not tar outside, got into a very
severe gale of wmd, wliich so (hiniaged the ship
that they were oliliged to put back to Plymouth
in have her caulked. Slie was not ready for sea
again till the 2'Jtti, wheji she was towed out Into
the Sound, where she was kept waiting for rlc-
spatclies till January 1, 1848, and till the Gth for
a wind. Thouiili liuht at the tune thev w^eiii'hed,
the wind freshened, witli evei'y appearance of bad
weather, and iK^xt day at G P.M. the main-yard
went in the slinas. Tlie vard-arms, which were
knocking about a g(»od deal, were, however, low-
ered without any further d;miage, though it took
most t^f the niglit to do this, and next day the
mizen-top-sail was set as a mainsail. Tluis they
proceeded t<» Lishon, where the Channel Fleet was
lying. Here the Cmtopus sent her main yard to
the Asia.

Five days' sail brought them to Madeira, where
they did not anchor, but merely waited to sen<l in
home letters for the Queen-Dowager, who was
winteiMiig there. A week later, January 25, they
passed the hist of the Caj)6 de Verde Islands, and
saw no land again till 6 A.M. on February 13,
when they sighted Cape Frio, and anchored the
sanie evening in the harbour at Rio de Janeiro.
The beauty of Kio harbour seems to have im-
pressed tlie younger Hornby much more than on

'M:

H.M.S. ASIA.

his former visit in the Winchfsfrr ; in fact, henc*'-
forward Tiio was always the stamlanl hy which
\w judged other, harhuiirs : " Ahiio^^t as heautiful
as Rio!" "Not a patch on Rio!" &c., &c.

After a week at liio they saih'd and roundt^d
Cape Horn on tl>e T4th March, reaching Val-
paraiso April 3. Adrnlrai lloniby agreorl to take
over the house and fvii'iiiture Ix^lonoini-' t(» Ins
predecessor, Sir George Seymovn-. This first house
was not a good one, some of the lioors were under-
mined by rats, and it was ti»o small for Admiial
Hoi-nhy's liiniily. He was therefore not sorry to
accept the offer made hy an English resident to
bnild a house for him. The new house was a
very comfortable one, Imilt round a courtyard
or patio, surrounded by a large field or garden
full of orange - trees and lucern - grass, and only
one storey high, because of the earthquakes, which
were very frequent, and occasionally very severe.
Sometim(^s on returning from a shooting expedi-
tion Geoff Hornby would find that fissures wide
enough to jump his horse over had appeared in
places where in the morning there had l)eeii no
sign of any disturbance ; but, as a rule, houses
founded on the rock did not receive any damage,
though the shaking of the floors and furniture
was enough to be very disagreeable, and often
very alarming.

When tlie Admiral was livinsT on shore at
Valparaiso, the duties <,f the flag-lieutenant were

SIR GEOFFREY THEPPS HORNBY.

> ,

'II-:

I) I

not very arduous. There was a certain amount of
sl(j;"nal]ing to the sl]i])s In harbour, Invitfition.s to
send out and to acce])t, and occasionally visits
to he paid. Valparaiso Avas a hospitable and sociable
yjlace, and the Hornbys did their share of en-
tertiiining with contiinial dirnn-r - pnrties, uhich
never exceeded the number of sixteen, and an
occasional reception or dance. Besides this, the
fashion of evening visits obtained in Chili, so an
evening rarely passed without some one coming
in, the French Admiral being among the most
frequent of these casual visitors.

In the daytime, for serious occupation, GeofFrey
Hornby and his sisters set themselves to learn
Spanish, as they found French not cpiite the uni-
versal language it pretends to be, and also to
acquire some knowledge of the natural history of
the country. For anuis(^ment they had chietly
riding oxpeditions, whether it were only to Playa-
ancha to see a cricket-match, or for a ridinir tour
of a few days' duration to various points of in-
terest.

Some curious old customs still prevailed in Chili ;
for instance, on Maundy Thursday all business
ceased, all vessels of Roman Catholic countries
struck their flags half-mast, the women left off
their usual bonnets, and walked about the streets
with black scarves or mantillas over their heads.
This continued till 8 A.M. on Easter Eve, when
the ships saluted and squared their yards, the

■r.-ja

■f-i
m

IT. M.S. ASIA.

fluid's were hoisted, hiicI the traffic hi the streets
recommenced. In the iiiitumii, ajj^aiii, there was
the rodeo, or annual collection of cattle. Admiral
Hornl)y describes it in his Diary, C)ctober 5, 1848,
Pitama : —

" Up at six, and the wliole party on horseback
started to see the driving of the cattle and horses
from all the surroinidint^ hills down to the en-
closure in the plain. The scene wild, beautiful,
and striking, the riding of the horsemen wonderful,
all the party highly amused. A picnic under the
trees at noon, consisting of a lamb roasted wholo
over the embers and a leg of veal. Dined at Mr
Macfarlane's raneho, and two or three of the
farmers' wives and daugliters to dance the national
dance in tlie evening.

*' Oct. G. — Still at Pitama, a mere raneho of the
country, alibrdmg a sample of rural life In ( /hili.
The girls on two truckU'-beds in a room floored
— a great luxury — but not ceiled, and bare walls.
The dining - room ditto, two of the gentlemen
sleeping there, ;ind the remaining four in anotlier
apartment of the same description. Food, a soup,
called casuela ; dish 1st, made of fowls chopped up
and stewed with potatoes ; 2d, ditto of mutton ;
and 3d, ditto of turkey. We saw also young
horses, unbroken, mounted at once and ridden ;
but they are small weak things, and soon beaten.
The lasso is first applied, and ponclio thrown over
the head, the saddle then put on, and a leathern

SIR (JEOFFIIKV PlirPPS HORNP.Y.

tliotii;' ill till! iiioulli For u hiidlc. Tlw luaii iiioniits,
])oitcl.o Mild liissc) ar»' iviiiovt'd. and off tliey go —
a few ]>lim<,''('S, a fall or two, and the hoisf Is made
Ori'tamly, as an t'xlill)iti(jii <»f liorstMriansliip and
skill, I never saw anvtliiny- like tlic facility witli
whicli the lieavifst l»iill was tlii'own and rendered
powerless by a man with a mere pony."

'I'hese mere ponies were, it can l)e understood,
not very easy to be i idden by peo])le accustomed to
Wf'll-broken JMii^lisli horses. The first horse Geot!'
Jlonib}'" had, broke away one day just as his master
had dismitunted, and galloped over a j)recipice. At
the tinie ho did not seem much hurt, but after a
few days died from his injuries. The next horse
was vei'v satisfactory, except that he had a ten-
dency to bvick, and to run away with any Jider
who ditl not understand the peculiai'ities of his
mouth. Once, when this horse was lame, the flag-
lieutenant hired one Avhich had recommended itself
to him by its good looks : it proved, however, to
buck furiously on being mounted, and before amic-
able relations could be established the girths broke,
and saddle and rider were ile])(»sited on the road,
luckily without any serious injin-y.

Only part of the year was sjient on shore ; at
other times the ilag-ship cruised about t(» various
parts of the station. The first cruise was to Callao,
Payta, and Guayaquil, May to August 1848. Tlie
Peruvian capital showed signs of having gone back
a good deal during the late revolutions, though a

13!

I ;

H.M.S. ASIA.

certain amount of trade seemed to be returi\in^ to
the place through the enterprise of foreigners.
While at Calhio. the Plover airived on her way
to Behriuii's Straits in searcli of tlie FrankHn ex-
pedition ; and more than a year later tlie (rorrpn
was sent to tow two other slii[)S through the
Straits of Magelliin on the same errand, as it was
not till the smnmer of 1850 that the news was
confirmed of the loss of Sir J. Franklin and all
with 4iim.

At Callao, 1848, Admiral Hornbv heard of the
death of his eldest son, a ca2)tain in the Tloyal
Engineers, which liad occurred at Mcmtreal the
preceding April. A heavy blow this to the old
Admiral ; but though clinging perhaps more than
ever to his second son, Geoffrey, he at once sent
liim off to break the news to his motlier, who, after
the long voyage out, had preferred remaining at
Val])araiso during the cool wt^nther.

The Admiral's family embarked with him for the
next cruise to Concepcion the following December ;
the French flagship also sailed the same day,
December 4, for tlie same destination. There had
been a discussion between the two Admirals as to
whether it was better to make an insliore voyage
or stretch right away, as was the practice with
English ships. To settle the question, the Asia
stood out close to Juan Fernandez ; the French
frigate, Poursuivante, took an inshore course.
The two ships met again in a thick fog close to

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPFS HORNBY.

the entrance of the bay at Conce})cion on the 9th,
wlien the Pimrsuu'ante appeared on the Asias
weuther-beani, and then began a trial of seaman-
ship in which the English sliip prov^etl successful,
as she just managed to get in a shc»rt time before
the Frenchman.

The longest expedition was planned for the
early part of 1850, but the Asia had only got as
far as Panama, on her way to some of the Pacific
islands, when tho news arrived that Captain
Paynter of the Goryon had come into collision
Avith the Americans in the Gulf of Fonseca, and had
landed and taken possession of Tiger Island there.
Of course the Admiral h-.i to go off at once to
inquire into and settle the affair, and the longer
voyage was abandoned. It was during the cruise
to Central America that the younger Hornby was
promoted to commander. Captain M.'Dougall,
connnander of the Asia, having been given the
vacancy caused by the death of Captain Ilodney
Ednn, tlie Admiral made his son commander of the
flagshij), thus giving him his step a day before his
twenty-fifth birthday, February 19, 1850. Mean-
while Captain M'Dougall had gone off to join the
Amijhitrite, and bring down a freight from the
coast of Mexico. Just then the discovery of gold
in California was making the freights very heavy,
some of the ships carrying as much as 400,000
dollars. In Valparaiso merchants were throwing
up their businesses to go oft* to the gold-fields, and

1 !|

IT. M.S. ASIA.

'IK

even the peons U'ft th(?a' masters and hegged, Ijor-
rowed, or stole sufficient for a passage. As in all
these epidemics of gold-fever, it was only the few
who siicceed(Ml ; the others, after endming miheard-
of privations, returned poorer than they went.
Still, the accounts which came were sutlicient to
excite the most j)lilegmati(;. Achniral Hornby in
his occasional memorari'la sjiys : —

"Wonderful are the accounts that have for some
time reached us of the riches of California, and all
are more than conhrmed by Ciptaiu (Jourtenay of
the Co/'Stance, Asho left that country Septen\ber
17, 1848. Pieces of solid pure gold have been
picked up of thirteen pounds, and one of sixtet^i.
The gold is found in all the ravines over an t?xtent
of country ninety miles by thirty on the banks of
the Sacramento river. The average value of a
cart-load of eartli is 400 «lollars, but in one instance
five cart-loads produced 1 C,000 dollars of gold-dust.
New diggings are being daily discovered. The
Rocky Mountahis ai'e said to be full of gold, and
the streams and. rivers to the east also."

No wonder that some of the men from the Asia
tried to desert, and though some were brought
back, two marines succeeded in getting away.

This last year of Admiral Hornby's command in
the Pacitic was the only experience which his
son had as commander. His jnidshipman logs
are lost, but he ke])t a log of all his suljsequent
voyages, including the one home in the Wol-

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

i I

i . .'

if :

rerene. Wlieii he became a coininander he added
notes as to the advanta<,^es and disadvi outages of
the various ports, the faciUties for watering' the
prices of provisions, and sometimes also of water.
During the earher commissions, he mentioned some-
times where baulks of timber were to be bought,
and the different varieties of wood ])roduct'd, but
later he usually noted only the qualit}- and price
of coal, and what ligliters, &c., were to be had.

In Fel)raary 1851 Admiral Hornl^y's successor
arrived at the station, and on the 13th the
Admiral embarked with his ftimily for the return
voyage. Four months later the Asia arrived at
Splthead, and almost immediately Admiral Hornby
settled at Littlegreen, a place which he had in-
herited from his godfjitlier, Mr Thomas Peckham
Phipps, In 1837. At that time tliere were so
many charges on tlie property, and so many
annuities to be paid, that Admiral Hornby could
not afford to live there ; but now, as many of the
annuitants had died off, and he had made a certain
amount by freight during his counnand in the
Pacific, he \\'as enabled to estal)lisli himself there.
Luckily, Littlegreen was only sixteen miles from
Portsmouth, for besides the usual impedimenta of
a family move, each member of the family had
brought collections of animate and inanimate ob-
jects from the other side of the Avorld. Tliere
was a white mule, who htid been bought from
a priest to draw Mrs Hornby's chair, because he

H.M.S. ASIA.

had the reputation of Ijeing very okl and very
steady, who nevertlieless hved for more than thirty
years after his removal to I^n^d.md. There were
some black - headed swans, the first ever intro-
duced into En£,dand ; a stuffed alh'nator, and other
trophies of the chase ; a colh^ction of butterilies
and insects ; some ponchos and otiier articles of
national costume, inchiding the fnll dress of a Fiji
chief (which is not bulky), and a variety of other
things impossible to i-emember or to catalogue.

-»!«

"l i

CHAPTER V.

JOURNEY TO CEYr,OX, 1851 — PORTSMOUTH, 1857.

TOUE WITH LORD STANLEY MALTA SUEZ CEYLON ILLNESS

AND RETURN TO ENGLAND PROMOTION MARRIAGE, 1853

MANAGEMENT OF HIS FATIIEr's ESTATE APPOINTMENT TO

THE NAVAL COLLEGE.

After his one year as commander in the Asia,
Captain Hornby never served again in that rank.
He was not, however, very long at home, as he
was asked to go with Lord Stanley for a tour in
India. The two young men started from London
July 22. From Paris to Marseilles was a fifty-one
hours' journey, part of it by rail. At Chalons-sur-
Saone their diligeJice, which had accompanied
them on a truck, was taken off, and they drove
the rest of the way.

Journal. ^'■July 185L — The want of gentle-
men's country houses and dilapidated state of
most of the country buildings deprive it of a home-
look ; but Its richness is surpassing, and the ex-
treme appropriateiu^ss of the terms ' La Belle
France ' and * Merrie England ' has been recurring

JOURNEY TO CEYLON.

to ray mind perpetually, as so expressive of the
peculiar features of the two countries."

A three days' voyage brought them to Malta,
where things remained pretty much as In 1840,
excfpt that "the roads have been a good deal
improved since T was here, and the horses also.
There are also dressed police at the corners of the
streets, anned with batons, who must be a great
temptation to tht^ naval officers."

Two days later, August 1 , the steamer from
Southampton arrived, and they went on to Alex-
andria, thence, August 5, by Nile boat to Cairo,
arriving tliero the next day. The same evening
they start for Suez : —

Journal. ''Aug. 6. — Bathe and dine, pay an
exorbitant bill, and get ijito a yellow box on two
whe<4s, drawn by four horses, which is called a
' van.* I must say it is admirably suited to its
work. Preceded l)y two men, one cracking a whip,
the other carrying a cresset full of lighted pine,
we drive at a hand -gallop through the streets,
and halt about half a mile outside the walls to
allow the other vans to join us. The horses are
changed every five miles, and at every twenty
miles there is a very good house, where tea, coffee,
bread, meat, &c., is ])r<ivided by the P. & 0.
Company. At the first and third three-quarters
of an hour Is allowed, at the second one and a half
hours. The night, - travelling is very cool and
pleasant. Indeed I found my greatcoat very com-

t 1

nn!nnnf«i*!vnmr««wi

■1

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

fortable. Diiriiio- the day on the Nile the ther-
mometer had been 04°."

Tlu-y readied Suez at noon on the 7th, and
embarked on l)oavd the ILuJdinfjton next, day,
but were detained twenty - tour hours for the
mail. Six days took them to Aden, ten more
to Point de Galle. From Point de Galle tlicy
visited Colombo and Kandy. At thc^ former
place they came to the conclusion thnt the
cinnamon -trees did not scent tlie breezes. In
the neighbourhood of the latter, F^uropeans were
scarce, and at a village they went out to see
they were received by a grand j)rocession : —

"There were six elephants, veiy well capari-
soned with covers of red and wliite, sometimes
plain, sometimes embroidered. Eacli elepliant
was followed by a chief of the temple to whom
he belonged, all of whom were more finely dressed
than any we had previously seen, — embroidered
iackets, caps, and belts, — and each chief attended
by three or four well-dressed followers. All the
people had good clothes, and many of the hand-
kerchiefs that they wore on tlieir head? , or round
their waists, were either red, white, or pai'ti-
coloured, and always of a, ilifFerent colour from
the 'to-petty,' which when white was always very
clean. They thus presented a most gorgeous
show, fully equal to any dnnving or description
of P^astern splendour, and the odd thing was to
think that these, after all, were their common

(ii

JOURNEY TO CEYLON.

dresses, and that this pretty show ct)St nothing,
and })leased tlieni as well as vis.'

From Kandy they -went up to Ne^ara Elha
by must (hthcidt roads, which they thought most
appropriately described by Knox, "The King of
Kandy loveth t(^ have his comitry intricate and
difficult <jf access." Here they heard reports of
elephants l)eino- in the neigh b<Jui'iiood. but were
unsuccessful in getting anywhere near them, or
even in findlnir a sort of sambur deer, which
tiny call elk in that country.

Their' original idea liad been to go from Ceylon
to Calicut, thence through the Neilgherry Hills
and Mysore country to Seringapatam. and so ou
to Madras, getting some elephant - shooting by
the way. This, however, was frustrated, as far
as Captain IJornby was concerned, by an attack
of illness, which developed into aliscess on the
liver. The climate had never agreed with him
from the tirst, and in the early days of his stay
in (Jeylon he writes several times, "Not well
enough to go with Stanley;" "Not well enough
to dine with So-and-.so"; but the collapse did
not liappen till they were on their way down
to Coloml)0 again. September 17 he writes : —

" We had a ride of about eighteen miles to the
hut of one of the road officers, w^here we were to
})ass the night. The ride was most tedious, rain
falling heavily. Just before sunset we caught a
glim])se of Adam's Peak. We did not get in till

I i

1 yi

ti U?"i

mmrmt

MMMP

mmm

I '

SIR GEOFFREY nilPPS HORNBY.

lii !

8 A.M. J. C(:nnp]aiiied to our host of the dlai-rho^a,
and he gave me a mixture that was issued tor his
men in such cases, which i^aive some relief."

" Srpt. 18. — Started at dayhght, after a copious
drauglit <;)f the mixture, and rode about sev(niteen
miles to YatiantolH. By the time 1 arrived there
1 was dead aslee}) from the effect of tlie hiudanum
in the drauoht. I lay down and slept till 4 P.M.,
when the boat was reported ready. We emliarked
in tremendous rain, which I beHeve continued all
night. We arrived at the bridge of boats at
3 A.M., knocked up one or two fellows, who, we
were certain, knew the road to the house; but
they were so lazy that, though we offered any
reAvard, they would not turn out. S<.) we set
oft* alone, and at last found a guide by chance.
The walk seemed interminable, for 1 was in
great pain. At hist we arrived, and I was
CfirefuUy put to bed and attended to."

There is no fur-ther entry till October 21 : —

"Stanley left this morning for Galle, and 1
am sorry I could not accompany him, but I
su])pose it is all for the best. Employed my-
self writing up his [Stanley's] joui-iuil and read-
ing die 'Calcutta Keview.'"

During this time the Bishop of Colombo and
Mis Chapman were doing everything imaginable
for him in the way of kindness and hospitality,
but it seemed impossible for him to recover in
that climate. It was therefore decided, after

JOURNEY TO CEYLON.

seveial n'lapses, that he must l)e sent home,
and aceorrlingly, as he writes m his journal,
November 15 —

" 1 left Elie House in company with the doctor
at 4.30 A.M. At 5 A..M. we took to the coach,
and the rain commenced, whicli lasted until 10
A.M., of course doing me no good. To add to
my pain (which was very great) the carriage was
ovei'loaded with luggage, and so came down on
the bed of the springs, giving us tremendous Jolts.

" Xov. 17. — We went oft' to the steamer at
3 F.M., and I found a very good cabin ready
for me on the main-deck. The old doctor seemed
quite sorry to part fi-om us, and though I cannot
say that 1 was anything but hapjiy at being
again homeward bound, I felt fully aware of what
kindness I itad received at his hands. 1 am put
on bread-and-milk diet, which, as they have four
cows on board, they can aftbrd to give me."

Thougii he had been ])ut on board the steamer
as the only chance for his life, his n^covery bt^gan
from that time. In Cairo, after the journey from
Suez, he had another bad turn ; and though for
a year afterwards he was subject to attacks of
fever and ague, which left him very weak, he
was to all intents and })urposes well by the time
he arrived in England towards the end of the
year.

The following February, Admiral Hornby ac-
cepted a seat on the Board of Admiralty under

I ;l

STR GEOFFREY FHirrS HORNEY.

' i

the Duke of Northumberland, chietly in tlni hope
of being able to lielj) his son, and in May was
made a K.C.B. Parliament dissolved in June,
and Sir Phipps at Lord Derby's request stO";)d
for Lyme, but was beaten by a majority of twenty.
Most of the sunnner was spent at Littleij^reen. tlie
family only returnin*,'- to town in November for
the Duke of Wellington's funeral, November 18.

Diary. " The funeral of Ejigland's greatest
man ! The day was fortunately fine, tlie arrange-
ments very ixood. the beliaviriur of the crowd admir-
able. Tlie show of the procession and the mournful
notes of the band were very impressive. As tlie
car passed every one rose and uncovt)red, and
the voices of the crowd were hushed to silence.
It was indeed painful to think that he in whom
we all trusted for our safety was gone, and that
Providence had not as yet designated the man
who was to stand in the gap in the coming hour
of danger."

The man Avho wrote these words was at that
time a young commander, twenty-seven years of
age, studying at Woolwich. Twenty-tive years
later, 1877 to 1878, he was the one man who
virtually held in his hands the ([uestion of peace
or war.

In November 1852 Lord Derby's Government
was defeated on the Budget, and on resigning
office the Dnke of Northumberland ])romoted two
very young captains, the sons of Ills colleagues,

MARRIAGE.

H}'(le Parker and Hornby. Captain Parker was
aj)})ointe<l to the Fir<!}rraii(l, but as Sir Pliipps
Ilornl)y resigned oflice at the same time as his
chief, Captain llornby remained on half- pay during
the wliole of the (.^rimean war.

The disappointment of having to remain idly
on sliore while all his friends were actively em-
ployed in the Black Sea was, however, com-
pensated for by his marriage, in the following
year, to Emily Frances, daughter of the Rev.
J. J. Coles of Ditcham Park, Hants. The wed-
ding took place on April 27, 1853, the anniversary
of liis father's birthday and of his grandfather's
wedding. Speaking of his engagement, Captain
Hornby writes in his diary, January 27 : —

" I do believe firmly T was directed to it, as
I had prayed that I might be to the right thing.
Mi>y God bless her ! and make us a good and
useful pair, liclpmates for one another, and His
true servants."

After a thiee-months' honeymoon, spent partly
at Woodcote Manor, near Alresford, tliey settU^d
first at Huxholt, a tiny cottage about a. quarter
of a mile from Littlegreen, till Lordington should
be ready for them.

From 1853 to 1858 Captain Hornby remained
on half- pay, five years with nothing to mark
them exce]it small domestic events : the births
of four little children ; marriages of his sister
and his \A'ife's brother ; deaths of the uncle and

SIR tiEOFFnEY I'lTIPrs HORNBY.

consiii Jit Winwick, which hiourrht m lar^e acces-
sion of fortuut' to Sir lMii]>ps.

Though (|ni»'t, fhcy were not by any means
idle years. In tlif first j)laoe, he was nianaj^lng
the propeity for his father. The estate is of
abont 4000 acres, a good (l(^al of it down-lanrl,
so poor as ;iral)le land that even at tlie time
when corn was dear il luirdly paid for the ex-
pense of breaking up. At one end of tlio ])ro-
perty is Littlegieen, seven miles from Peteistield,
twelve from Chichester, which, tliongh not a
pretty ]iousi% has very pretty surronn<lings of
downs, ajid beautiful trees, chiefly beeches and
hollies, which latter here grow into forest trees.
Lordington, at the c»ther end of the property,
is a gabled cottage, ivy-covered to the eaves,
which has been added to three separate times,
till it has become a much larger house than it
looks. There are the remains of some avenues
of old elms which led to the old Manor House;
but all the other tret^s have beeji planted since
1854, and most are beautifully grown. Wood-
craft was always a favourite science with (.^aj)tain
Hornby, and in those days th(^ copses were the
most [>roti table part of the property ; but to-day,
tliough the woods ht^ planted a^id very much to the
beauty of tlie scenery, their value has considerably
decreased. Another thint*- in which he took much
interest was the improvement of the cottages and
farm- buildings, and of this there was a good deal

I'-i
IP

I) hs

NAVAL COLLEGE.

to ))e done, as there are six villages or hamlets
on the property — Conipton, one mile from Little-
gi'een ; Walderton, one mile from liovdington ;
four Hardens — East Harden, West Harden, North
Harden, and Up Harden.

For indoor occupation he had the study of
strategy (naval and military), mathematics, geo-
logy, and chemistry ; and for outdoor amusements
fishing, hunting, shooting, and in summer breaking
in setters, in which he took great pride, though
it not unfrequently happened that though the
dogs worked splendidly for him, they would not
do a stroke of work for any one else.

All through the Crimean war he look(,'d with
very envious eyes at his friends who were fitting
out ships at Portsmouth and elsewher-e for the
Black Sea, hut he had no connection with the
service till in August 1857 he was appointed to
the Naval College at Portsmouth. Plere he re-
mained till after the examination, an easy one,
which took place early in June 1858.

I >

; t

CHAPTER VI.

H.M.S. TRIBUNE, 1858-1800.

TUE COMMA VD oP II. M. 8. miBUXF. IN CHINA, 185S DESCUIPTIVE

LKTTEns FROM WIIAMPOA — NAXOAHAKT KSQUIMAULT THE

FIl.'XZEB lirVEK THE SAN JUAN DIFFICULTY NAVAJ- OFFICEHS

KI' ■ -roNEUlUNG KETUKN TO ENGLAND DEATH OF LADY

HORNBY.

HiTHEETf> Caj)tain Hornby had been content to
take lilc pic-tty much as it came. Wlien he first
joined tlie navy he was a, younger son, and as
one of a large family he had to work for his
living ; but by the death of his elder brother
in 184S he became heir to Littlegreen. His
father, who had lately had one eye operated on
for cataract, was growing an old man, and Avould
have been glad to have his son near him. The
latter had a wife and four little children, in fact
abundant excuses for giving up the service and
settling down into a country gentleman ; but he
had undertaken to serve his country, and he
wciuld not allow himself to be turned from his
purpose.

' i'

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

As soon as Lord Derby returned to office in
the spring of 1858, Captain Hornby began to
press for a ship. A. few days after he left the
College, June 10, he went up to see Sir John
Pakington, and afterwards wrote to Lord Stanley
to use his influence in getting him one of the
new corvettes, and so on througli the summer.
Yet when at length the api)ointment came to
command the Tnlnine in China, it camo as a
sliock. The ofler was made on August 16, his
appointment dated from the 19th, and he was
ordered a passage by P. and O. overland, but,
to give himself a few days longer in England,
he paid his own way as far as Malta.

On September 8 he started, having liad just
a little over a fortnight in which to make liis
preparations. Admiral Martin said tliat his trip
would only be a short one, but it takes time to
get round the world. The journey to Ce\don
was very much as in 1851, except that there
was noAV a railway all the way to Marseilles,
and from Cairo to Suez. After Point de Galle
they only touched at Penang and Singapore,
reaching Hong - Kong at midnight on October
24. The next morning he breakfasted with
Captain Edgell on board the Tribune, and was
much pleased with what he saw of her. On
Friday 29 he took command, and on the 31st
sailed for Wliampoa. From there he writes to
his wife : —

SIR GEOFFREY PHIFFS HORNBY.

" Octoher 31.

" It is true I have a vast of little inconveniences
connected witli my housekeeping. For instance,
I had the othei night to be indebted to the gunner
for a pillow. To-morrow I intend to give a dinner,
and 1 have no soup-ladle, cheese, or beer. I shall
call it a picnic.

" November 7.

" The furniture Captain E. has left me is faded
and worn, but it is comfortable enough, and I
hope as soon as I get to Hong-Kong to make
a few improvements in the cabin. T have bought
out of a ship here some hams, beer, bottled fruits,
and preserved haddock. Tea and sugar from the
shore. The officers had a chance of buying four-
teen sheep, c»f wliich they have offered me half.
My acting steward is a very worthy man, an
excellent siiip's corporal, but as much fit for a
steward as I am for a violin-player.

"As to strange sights, they are innumerable.
The rivei' population strike one as very extra-
ordinary. Every boat, instead of having a man
and a boy belonging to it, has a whole family.
The mother generally takes the heavy stern-oar,
with which she sculls away with immense vigour,
frequently with a little child, of two oy three years
old, tied at her back, and then it falls asleep, and
you see its little head, hands, and feet nodding
in time as she sways about with the oar. As

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

to Chinese ladies, I have not yet seen one ; but
the women here are ugly to a degree : the only
good part about them is their feet, which are
very small and well-shaped, and they keep them
very clean.

" November 13.

" T have had a most successful trip to Canton.
I started yesterday morning in my gig at five
o'clock. Of course the tide went down sooner
than usual, so I had a long pull up, and did
not reach till 7.30. I went on board a very
nice brig, the Camilla, had a capital breakfast,
and about half-past ten went on shore with the
commander. We walked tht^ whole dav. We
visit'^'i every part, and all the worst parts of
the town, and not a soul said a word or lifted
a finger against us. We went into a very large
temple ' of the 500 gods.' 1 believe it has only
once before been visited by a European. There
we delighted the old priests by making the two
dogs that were with us carry the umbrellas, and
go and fetch them when we had hid them among
the idols. The town was much cleaner than I
expected — indeed 1 should call it decidedly clean.
We went into no end of china, lacquer-ware, and
curiosity shops. I have bought you a fan, some
china, a curio, a table, &c. The only thing I
was disappointed about was in not getting any
toys for the chicks ; the toys don't seem to exist
nov/."

I i

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

" Sunday/, Novmiber 21.

" My dear Father, — I left Whampoa on Mon-
day 15th. I then began to pull the ship to pieces,
and found that the rigging wanted overhauling
very much. The ship has been lying at Whampoa
for the last nine months, during which the rigging
has had nothing else to do l)ut rot. The first
lieutenant in charge (who is very young) merely
thought of keeping the ship looking nice, so now
we require, and are having, a heavy refit. Our
mainmast is not to come out. They have cut the
decayed parts out, have filled in with new wood,
and have encased that part of the mast with iron
fishes, which are to be strongl}-- hooped together,
so that if it now decays right away we shall be
like a hollow iron mast ; they say the decay will
go no further. We shall be awfully lumbered up
with our 150 marines; I don't know where all the
room gets to. She is 1570 tons, lier complement
is only 330, and yet she only stows three months'
provisions for them below. No tiers, bad store-
room, sailroom, &c. I take three marine officers
to sleep in my forecabin. We shall liave three or
four casks between every gun on the main -deck,
and the Royal Marines stowed on top of them. ;
so — as they say she is very wet at sea — tliey will
have a jovial time of it. It seems to me that our
fellows here liave got to a gi'eat extent tarred
with the Chinaman's brush, and do things just
op2)osite to what they would elsewhere. In the

H.M..S. TRIBUNE.

first place, the flagship never exercises. All the
ships lie with top-gnllaiit-yards across, and the
sails bent, and do nothing. When T came down
the Admiral said he was anxious to get me away,
' when could I be ready ? ' I said it <lepended on
liis carpenters, as I could do little till tliey were
ready. When I found out they hoped to have
done by Tuesday, T went to him again, to ask
what day we were wanted to go. But lie said,
' Oh, you rruist settle that ; gf^t ready as con-
venient.' Tfiih is very civil and comfort; djle, but
sounds to me strange. 1 then said T tliought
if the fittings could be sent us for- th(3 troo})S, we
should be ready to go <>n Thursday. 'As 1
pleased.' So then i went and asked Hall (Hag-
captain) lor a lot of carpenters, wliich lie sent
us tlirectly, more than most flag-captains would
do ; and the first lieutenant went on board the
nearest ship and quietly asked her first lieutenant
to make us 150 pair of clews for the marines'
hammocks, which he immediately agreed to do.
Altogether I am dumfoundered at their civility.
Then the last time 1 dined with tiie Admiral he
said, ' If I were you, I should look in to Nanga-
saki as 1 passed. 1 can't order you there, but
I should run short of water or something, and
go in, for it is worth seeing.' I think, as I have a
good many sick on board, T shall, if p<»ssible, drop
ill. Lord Elgin is trying to do a grand thing
to the northward — viz., push up the Yang-tse-

SIR GEOFFREY rilTPPS HORNBY,

Kiang 500 or 600 miles. Most ])eo])le think he
will have no difliculty but the uiiknovvii iiavi-
gation, and tliat 1)y going uj) he will open up a
very large trade. I think the Aduiii-al does not
like his taking the shi})s about in this way without
consulting him, and still less liis being active,
while the Admiral is only doing the routine busi-
ness of I -e station do^n here. It is a great pity
that they do not hit it otF together, for 1 suspect
they are ))oth capital men in their way, but they
did not start well together.

" Thursday, Nov, 25.

" 1 have received orders to be readv for sea on
Saturday, and we embark our marines to-morrow.
1 am sorry to say 1 luive plenty of work before
me ; not that I am sorry to have work, Imt I. am
sorry to find that things have been allo\Aed to go
so far to the bad. The ftct is, 1 formed at fii'st
too favourable an opinion of the ship ; she looked
clean, and the Admiral said her gunnery ^^^as ex-
cellent. To-day after our refit, and plenty of
warning, v^'G l)ent sails. We took from 2.20 p.m.
to 6.10 P.M. to l)end and furl all sails! ! And the
sorts of mistakes I saw made, and the answers I
received from captains of the tops, astonisiied me,
for it showed they had for-o-otten their duties fis
seamen. 1 say ' forgotten,' because some of them
came out of good ships, and must have known
better there. The great difficulty I have is that
we shall l)e so oyercro\^(led with sujiernumeraries

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

on deck, and casks on the main-deck, that the
exercises aloft and at the g-uns will be much im-
peded. I shall expect to make a rare exhibition
before the Ganges, where w</ hear there is a good
deal of exercise. If Ave do, I shall of course get
the credit of having spoilt the ship ; if we improve,
and get on passably, we shall at least have no
credit. Again, 1 find all the midshipmen very
much in debt, and to-morrow I have the ])leasure
of going on shore to compromise a claim on their
mess of 100 dollars.

"The Admiral threatens me with a sixty days'
passage to Vancouver's Island, but I hope to do
it under fiftv, even if I call at Nangasaki. Of
course there is much luck in it, but I sliall think
it most perverse luck if I don't get a fair wind
someAvhere.

" We have as yet no news from LoitI Elgin.
The flagship's people are not much pleased at his
being made a G.C.B. and nothing done for the
Admiral, and it doeH seem to me a great slight."

■I

Diary. " Saturday, Nov. 27. — Got up steam
9.30 A.M. Got all on board, and weighed about
11 A.M. Squadron cheering. Kan out through
the Simoom passage. A heavy swell outside, but
light winds. Made sail to single-reefed top-sails
and royals. If it were not for the supernumerary
marines, I do not know how we sliould get on ;
our men are singularly adrift."

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

Letter to Wife.

" Nangasaki, Dec. 31.

" My notiilile Tr'dmne, witli wliose appearance I
was so much takcni, proves to l)e a very queer
craft. As lon<r as the screw is down, or she Is at
anchor, it is all very well, but get her outside, and
in a breeze of wind, and it is another pair of shoes.
After the first day that we were out, and T found
how lielpless the men were, I began, before doing
anything, to explain to them all the details of how
it was to be done, and so we are noiv beginning to
get a little straight. As to ever having things
done in a man-of-war fashion, that is a thing I
despair of; but still we now go on with compara-
tive safetv, thouo-h verv slowly. Of course mis-
fortunes never come singly, so, coming to sea
overloaded with provisions and marines, and with
a sickly crew, we of course fell into very heavy
weather. As I found the currents running against
us, I was obliged to carry a press of sail, and with
all that, I constantly found myself set back in one
day as much as 1 had gained in three, besides the
wear and tear of ropes, sails, and body in being up
at night constantly to shorten sail. At last, after
about twenty days' hard liattling, we passed a
certain chain of islands (called the Bashees) that
had been our bugbear, and after one final gale
outside of them, we discovered that the head of
the mainmast was seriously damaged. We found
that three of the four fishes were broken or sprung.

■Jt

' 1

H.M.S. TRIBUNE. Ol

From the pieces that caine out I sliould say tliey
were rotten, and have taken measures accordingly;
but as it occurred on the other side of the Loochoo
Islands, I determined to make for a Japanese port,
to secure the mast as much as possiljle before
stretchint,^ across ; and the direction of the wind
determined this to be the one. Here we anchored
yestenlay, having made a very long passage, and
the most unfortunate one I have evei* made. For
thirty-one days we were never able to steer our
course, and it was onlv durinof a few hours of the
last day that ^ve got a fair wind."

Diary. ''Due. 31. — Landed early, ^ith three
officers and two midshipmen, to call on the Gover-
nor. We were received In great state by a very
intelligent-looking man, and feasted in succession
on pipes, tea, sweetmeats, cold omelettes, and
something that looked like cheese, very good soup,
both meat and wild- fowl and turni|)S in it, most
excellent. More things were brought, but we had
had enough, so we let them pass. Everything was
handed on separate lacquered trays, black with
gold edge, anrl the soups were in lacquered cups.
We took our leave in about half an hour, after he
had asked us several questions about where Van-
couver's Island was, &c. The people were all very
civil as we passed through the streets, but some
laughed considerably at our cocked hats. All the
little children rush out of the shops, shouting after

(r-

mmm.

SIR GKOFFIlEY THIPPS HORNBY.

US 'Bout on cacliee/ a gilt button being apparently
the height of their ambition. I sliall go on shore
to-morrow well armed with them. -The town is
clean, with streets a fair width, generally [)aved in
the ceitre for about G feet, and the sides left of
plain earth. Tliey are a jolly-looking people, and
nmst be hardv, for the lower classes have no
trousers, and their loose dresses must be very airy.
Neither do they cover the head, and yet we find it
cold in our cloth, — the thermometer varying from
42° at night to 52° in the daytime."

Letter to Wife.

^^ JanvAtry 7, 1859.

" Whenever we see anything in tlie shape of
lacquer-ware or china that takes our fancy, we
walk in and pull it down, perliaps search the shop
for more. The people seem very much amused at
our proceedings, and crowd round us, feeling our
cloth and Ijuttons, always asking for some of the
latter. In one of these excursions I came across
some very fine lacquer-ware, and found that the
owner had a shop in the Dutch factory, in \Ahich
he had a few of the same sort ; but he seldom pro-
duced them, as the foreign taste seemed to lie in
the more gaudy spejcimens. Tlie officers and I
have nearly cleaned him out of good things. I
have not done mucli in china-ware. What we call
egg-shell china is very pretty and curious, and I
have got one or two specimens. The thick stone

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

cliiiia is doubtless very good, but they do not bring-
in good sijeciniena as regards desio-n. I liave seen
one large dish that was a present from tlie Gover-
nor of Nangasaki to the head of tlie Dutch factory,
which is admirably executed, but I can buy notliing
like it. My Dutch friend invited me yesterday to
go for a walk witli him to show me some bronzes.
I went accordinirlv, and was delii>-lited witli them.
They are of such a good design, and so well
executed, that you might put the vases on a
dinner-table as centre ornaments mixed with silver
things. If 1 can bu)' tlie dollars reasonably, 1
think I shall have a shy at them ; our sovereigns
go for nothing here, and dollars are scarce, and
therefore very dear."

To Admiml Sir Phipps Hornhy, K.C.B.

Lat. 150" north, long. 143° tnost,
Feb. 7, 1858.

"We left Nangasaki, January 15.

"We have made a very aood run hitherto, and
as we are now within three figures of our port, we
consider ourselves there. Our passage iias been a
very rough one — perpetual gales of wind, though
mostly fair, and latterly very cold. We have been
navigating with an amount of science that is per-
fectly appalling. First making a great circle
course, then we fell in with one of those circular
storms off the coast of Japan, round the outer edge
of which we ran, as Colonel Reid would have

SIR GEOFFJIKY riUPrS UORNKY.

directed us, and so kept cmt of liiinii's way and
nearly made a fair wind of il, but it did l)Iow above
a bit. At .•d)0iit the heiirJit of it a whirlwind passed
about a (|uarter of a mile of us, which was one of
the most fri;L,ditfnl things T ever saw. You may
liave seei' '»> windy weather the dust in a road
whirled an eddy. In this case the surface of

the sea for the space of aI)out half a mile in length
was whirled uj) in that manner, but with tremen-
dous violence, to the height of *20 feet, looking likr
a mass of steam of an orange-red colour, as if the
water were red-hot.

"Then I have been all the' time making and
shortening sail by the barometer, and it is surpris-
ing how correctly he has guided us. Once I nearly
came to i;rief, for he hatl been tellino- us for so
many houis that bad weather was coming that I
be^an to mistrust him, and T thou^dit T had done
enough at sunset in putting the ship under treble-
reefed top-sails, ami a reef in the mainsail, with
top'gallant-masts housed. But in the first watch
we got a rattler, only got the fore- and mizen-top-
sails in in time to save them, and I spent that and
the middle watch on deck trying to furl the main-
sail, which we did not succeed in doing. Since
then I have always reefed as it fell, and have only
been on deck once in the night-time since. The
men are getting more handy than they were at
reeling, and the officers are getting into my ways
about carrying sail — viz., to carry plenty, but not

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

to carry spurs away. [ luive fitted two splendid
outrio^^'ers of the fore- and main-top-gallant-masts,
and if I can get some new royals shall do well ; the
j)resent ones are like brown ])aper. Tlie advantage
of carrying sail is she n thus. We have made
good as follows: first week, 1337 miles; second
week, 1255 miles; third, 1190 miles, or, as it was
really a week of eight days from our crossing the
180th meridian, 13G9 miles.

" EsQUiMAULT, Fehrxiary 14.

" Fourth week, 1875, and beat the Pj/lades. Wh
anchored liere all safe on Sunday, and the next
day the Pylades had the satisfaction of finding we
had beaten her on the passage across, as on the
second day from leaving Japan we were aljreast of
her, and not many miles apart.

" February 18.

" I have been twice up to Victoi-ia, whicli Is
growing wonderfully. It is laid out in wide
streets, most of Avhich are at present nearly im-
passable for nuid, and contains nothing Imt wooden
houses. They are still finding gold in the Frazer
river, and expect to do so very largely next
month ; at present the weather is too severe to
admit of much washing."

A.11 the ships at Vancouver's Island had already
lost men, and the Trihune and Pylades were no
exceptions to the general rule ; indeed, considering

<■ 1

:- 1

SIR GKOFFREY THirrS IIOltNTY.

the inducernents which were offered to In'ibe the
men away, it i§ surprisin<^ that so few of thern
deseited. In June, Captain Hornby made an ex-
]^edition U}) the Frazer river, and was much struck
by the scenery.

Letter to Wifr.

"June 19, 1869.

"The mountains are mountains, not Drachenfels.
The river is a river and no mistake, about as wide
as the Thames at Gravesend for nearly 110 miles
up, and running six knots. The whole country is
a forest, and the woods come down into the river
with a foliage as luxuriant as if the country were
tro])ical. It is beautiful to look at, but, to colonise,
it would be better if it were more open and less
precipitous. I started Tuesday at 3.30 a.m., and
got back on Friday night. AVe lived all the time
in the boat, and were boarded, lodged, and carried
at the expense of the Company, so that the trip
did not cost me more than live dollars. We saw
all the new towns, but they are nothing but a
few huts with more or less cleared ground round
them. We never stopped more than tAvo hours
except at night, so we could see nothing but the
river, and tlid not see any miners at work. I was
very anxious to dig a little gold for myself, but the
river was so full of water that mining operations
are almost at a standstill. We brought down
several miners, and I was much pleased with them.

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

They are intelli«^'eiit «iiul energetic men, disap-
pointed with the country, und consider themselves
neglected by the authorities (I agree with them),
but perfectly civil, quiet, and sober, and not
blustering and fighting as I expected."

All these letters are signed '* Geoffrey Phipps
Hornby," unlike the earlier ones, '* Geoffrey
Hornby." It seems thjit after his brother's death
he used his name " Phipps" as an acknowledgment
of his connection with the Littlegreen property.
The letters took nearly two months from Van-
couver's Island to England and vice vcrsd, and
the })0stage was half a dollar, so that correspond-
ence was somewhat expensive in those days.

Except the trip up the Frazer river, and anotlier
in the Tribune to Nanaimo to get coals, and to
convoy back to the north part of the island some
Indians (who had so thoroughly acquired all
the European vices that their presence in the
neighbourhood of Victoria became a gi-eat scandal
to the place), the first months of his stay at
Esquimault were occupied in putting a new main-
mast into the Tribune. Thei-e were plenty of
single trees large enough, but it was difiicult to
find a suitable one close enough to the water.
Two were cut, and had to be rejected because they
had a dead knot or other defect, but a third per-
fect stick was found at last, and successfully
got in. " It is a great weight off my mind, and

1 \

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

* thouf^'h I says it as didn't ought to,' it was very
well done."

Part of tlie foremast also was discovered to be
rotten, but the bad parts were cut away and re-
])laced witli good, wood : altogether the repairs
were not completed till the beginning of July.
Just about this time, as it seemed tliat England
was likely to go to war to help Austria out of
her ti()ul)les, the Americans took the op})ortun-
ity of advancing their claim to the island of
San Juan.

Letter to Wife.

" San- Jua.v, Juh/ .31, 1851).

" Yt»u must know that there is a considerable
group of islands lying between Vancouver's Island
and the mainland, and the terms of the treaty do
not define clearly to whom they should belong.
This is the one that lies nearest Vancouver's, and
has always been held by the Hudson Bay Co. as
a sheep-farm, and the agent has until lately had a
commission as a magistrate. The Ame'ncans claim
the island, and as the iiegotiations do not seem to
advance rapidly, a hot-headed General Hearney
(who hopes to get his name up for a future Pre-
sident) has sent a small detachment of soldiers,
who have formed a camp on the island and ht)isted
their flag. Now, the Governoi-'s instructions ex-
pressly tell him we are to coinm't no act of war,
and we are not allowed to bundle these fello\\'S oft*

H.M.S. TRIBV^IE.

neck and crop, so he takes a medium course. He
sends over a magistrate, who is to take legal
steps to warn them off the land, and to issue a
summons (! !) against those that won i; go. 1 am
sent to prevent any more troops lamMng, and to
assist the civil power.

"8 P.M.

" Everything is changed since I began my letter
this morninof. I have received fresh orders to take
no steps against these men at present, or prevent
others landing. We have sent for a detaclunent
of mai'ines from Queeiiborough, with whom it is
proposed to occuj>y part of the island. Th<3 object
now seems to be to avoid a collision at all liazards
until we hear from the America,n autliorities, but
I foai' if the marines are landed, it will inevitably
produce one sooner or later. We liave liad one
most lucky escape. The Governor told me it
would be as Avell if I called on tlie conunandiuir
officer, and told bim what my orders were. When
I called he was away, and before he returned my
visit I had received my counter-orders, so I have
not the disgust of having blustered, and then be-
ing ol)liged to haul in my horns. He (a •. ,.j-tain
Pickett) s})eaks moi-e like a Devonshire man than
a Yankee. His manner is more ([uiet than that
of most of bis countrymen, but he seems to
have just the. notion they all have of get- " ig a
name by some audacious act. He dropped one
or two things whicii may be useful to us to know,

«-l

SIR GEOFFREY PHI EM'S HORNF'.V.

aiid, f hope, did not get much iiifonnatioii out
of me.

'" I)e ( Vjurcv lias ^o\m dowji to Saii Francisco to
take Colonel Hawkins, U.E., who goes home with
despatches on the subject. This leaves me senior
officer. 'V\n' (rovernor has sent me .a long de-
spatch, which seems to me to give me consider-
able latitude of actl(jn. He told me to ])ropose
certain arrangements to Captain F*ickett, wljich,
lie sa.ys, lie has not authoiity to accept, but has
forwarded them to his commanding officer. As
he has refused them, I have told him that he
and liis Government must be responsible for
whatever happens hereafter, and also that I
land directly 1 conceive that the honour oj- In-
terests of England re(j|uire it. As we are for-
tunately here in much superior force to him, we
can afford to be fbrbearini'' without dan<fer of
our motives being misunderstood, wliile 1 hold
it would be impolitic to land except some of our
peo[)le were absolutely interfered with."

Extracts from letters from Colonel Moody, Van-
couver's Island, to Sir John Burgoyne :—

" A It (just 8,

"It is fortunate for Great Britain that Hornby
of the TriJmna is at San Juan. His .sound good
sense may avert evil. He will avert war to the

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

last moment without In tiny de^a-ee perlllin^^ tlie

proper dignity of England. The Governor wrote

him a very clever letter, indirectly ordering him to

land the troops, Ijut throwing the responsihihtv on

him. Hornby has far too nmch * mother wit ' to be

caught that way, — of course he did not land them.

Wa is a fine fellow ; 1 cannot tell you how charmed

I am with him."

"Ah(jhsI 12.

" r am rejoiced at Hornby's prudence. The
Governor's letter involved an impi-acticability, —
to land, but not on any account to come into col-
lision, and that he confided in his judgment and
disci'etion as to how to act. There can Ix^ no
<loubt from H(^arney's instructions, and his present
letter, that a collision was desired. The imbroglio
would then have been inextricable."

Captain Hurnhifn Letter to Wife,

"lYovemherG, 1859.

" 1 hear from the Admiral, but in confidence,
that General Scott [relieved General Hearney] has
asked us to occupy San Juan jointly with 100 men
each ; that he and the Governor have suggested
instead a civil occupation, which does not meet
General Scott's views ; that General Scott is very
anxious to make some definite arrantrement befoi'e
the mail goes, so that he may send it to Washing-
ton in time for publication in the President's mes-
sage to Congress, while our authorities wish to

■ \i

■HMi

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPrS HORNBY.

hold off to see what uistructlons the mail may
bring from home, and further, because they think
that General Scott ou'dit at once to begin to
remove his troops and guns from the island. The
Admiral then went on to say that he considered
we were indebted ' to my good judgment in not
foUowincr the Governor's instructions ' for not iDeino-
involved in a war, and that he had written to that
effect to the Admiralty.

" December 4.

" I hear that the Governor has got much praise
in England for keeping the peace with the Yankees.
That is rather good, when one knows that he would
hear of nothing but shooting tliem all at first, and
that, after all, peace was ordy preserved by my not
complying with his wishes, as I felt he was all in
the wrong from the first. I got the al^use for
saying that San Juan was not more our island than
the Americans', and that we should be equally
wrong in landing troops ohere, and now they find
that I was right."

The joint occupation took place some little time
later, but the (question of the ownership of San
Juan remained an open question till the island was
finally given up to tlie United States as a so])
to get them to agree to the Alabama Arbitration,
1872.

It had been arrano-ed tha<" after the tern-
porary settlement of the San Juan difHculty the

H.M.S. TRIBUNE.

Tribune was only to remain at Vancouver's Island
long enough for the Admiral to transfer his flag
into her from the Ganges. However, the day
before leaving San Juan, symptoms of dry-rot were
discovered in the stern of the Tribune. A survey
was ordered, with tlie result that it was decided
that the ship was too rotten to remain out longer.
Still, what with waiting for instructions from home,
and one thing and another, most of the winter
passed hwrj without any very great excitement
except the elections, which took place about the
middle of January.

"Januarys, imO.

"Yesterday, to my great delight, the two most
respectal^le members were returned for Victoria, a
miserable, Radical newspaper editor being rejected.
Our own candidate here for Esquimault is to be
polled for to-morrow. The Opposition papers are
very irate at the Navy helping him, and began to
try to write us down. First they began by saying
generally that they should report us to the Ad-
miral, who would soon set us to rights. Of course
I read him the , paragraph at once, to hiis great
amusement. Then they had a shot at me specially.
I didn't iniderstand it at first ; but as I am assured
on the best authority that^ it was meant for me, of
course I go at the election with redoubled ardour,
and by help of Peele of the Satellite we are going
to have a great demonstration if we are successful,
as I think we shall be."

^,'l»

SIR GEOFFREY THIPPS HORNBY.

1^1

" Jmmary 13.

" We carried the election triumphantly, but the
demonstration y,ve had intended failed. It was
proposed to have a waggon and four liorses in
which to take back our candidate (if successful) to
Victoria, and having covered it and the horses with
motto-flags, ribl^ons, &c., to draw up abreast of the
newspaper office and give three cheers. However,
though we started it from here in great style,
a wheel broke just before they reached Victoria,
and shot the inside passengers into the nmd. Still
our friend the editor was very angry at the result
of the electi(jn, and gave us an angry shot in his
paper next day, at which we laughed."

A year or two later it was reported that the
candidate so triumphantly brought in by the Navy
had been convicted of embezzling public funds,
after which Captain Hornby said that he would
not again interfere in colonial politics.

The Tribune sailed from Esquimault on January
31, and made a long but uneventful passage to
Valparaiso, as the ship was for two or three weeks
more or less becalmed in the doldrums.

Chili struck them all as specially charming and
civilised, after their long stay at Vancouver's
Island, and the fruit and fresh provisions as
specially delicious after the long voyage. They
were delayed at Valparaiso nearly three weeks,
as there liad been a great run on the stores lately,

n.M.S. TRIBUNE.

ami it took time to collect all that was required.
On April 24 they left Valpai-aiso, and got on very-
well till thev were near the Straits of Maovllan,
wlience Captain Hornby writes to liis wife : —

" Plaza Parda, Straits of Magellan,
Sunday, Mai/ 13, 1860.

" It seems to me that we are bound (as Jack
says) to have ' man-of-war Sundays ' this cruise.
It being supposed that in the Navy the fourth
commamhnent runs, ' Six days shalt thou labour,
&e., &c., and the seventh day strike lower yards
and topmasts, exercise all guns and small-arms,
&c., &c.' — in fact, work like seventeen slaves.
Last Sunday 1 would not forego service, and we
got washed out of church by a sea. The l^reeze
freshened, which caused us to perform various
nautical evolutions f'ntailini>: consideral)le trouble.
The next day, as I sat down to dinner, I was
enlivened by tlie sudden appearance of the first
lieutenant to say that a Imd leak had Ijroken out
in our rotten old stern, and that they couldn't stop
it. At last we did stop it, ]3ut I saw enough
rotten wood in those parts to make me feel very
anxious. Yesterday 1 was told that the leak had
broknu out au^ain worse than evei". (.)f course
having to look for an anchorage, it came on very
thick, and we had some ditliculty in finding a
certain Port A^alentyn, where we lay last night.
As it was called a bad harbour in the ' Directory,'

^^:

■M

I i

SIR GEOFFREY rillPrS HORXBY.

1 weiijlied this uiorninfr to come on here. It blew
Bo hard to-day that in coming in here, not 400
yards from a high hiJl to windward of us, and in
jDerfectly smooth water, all the steam would not
force her ahead. To a,void a shonl-point 1 had to
anchor pt'O tern., and then to weigh again to get
a safe berth for the night ; so our whoh' Sunday
has been spent weigliing, loosing, reefing, and
furling sails, anchoring, weighing again, &c., and all
to the accompaniment of a heavy gale of wind.

" On Tuesday w^e fell in witli a merchant-ship In
distress, and took the crew out of her. She was
leaking greatly, and the sea washing clean over
her; the crew had ])een sixty hours at the pumps
and were exhausted. The captain lias now been
taken otf sinking ships tiu'ee times. One of the
men, when he came on board and asked the ship's
name, said, ' AVliy, 1 was saved from the wreck of
the Europa by this shij) foui* years ago.' And
another man proved tt) be the brother of one of
our marines, and they had not met for fourteen
3'ears."

" Sunday, May 20.

" We lightened the ship abaft, and found the
leak proceeded fi-om all the oakum having worn
out of the seams in those parts from age. For-
tunately she is more soimd than we liad expected.
In fact, outside she is quite sound, so that we were
able to caulk lier and make her tight again, but
inside she is dreadfully rotten."

■

H.M.S. TRIBUNE,

"Rio de Jaxeiho, t/i/?ie ti.

" After infinite bother from fo<( and rain, nearly
^'etting on shore and being obliged to resort to
steam, which always goes against the grain with
me, we got in here, Monday afternoon, June 4."

The necessary repairs at Rio occupied till June
the 10th, and though Captain IIornl)y had intended
making a forty-five days' passage, it extended to
forty-eight, as they did not anchor at Spithead till
the morning of the 29th.

It was proliabl)' the happiest home-coming he
ever had, as his old father had just been restored
to sii!:ht. At one time durinir his absence in the
Trihu7ie, Captain Hornby had almost decided to
give up his command and come home, as, though
the first operation had seemed successful. Sir Phipps
either caught cold in his eye or used it too soon,
and completely lost the sight of it. It was feared
that the poor old man would become totally blind,
but the operation on the other eye proved quite
successful, and there was never again any serious
thought of C^aptain Hornby's leaving the service.
The happy fomily circle only remained complete
for a very few months longer, and then the first
break came in the death of Lady Hornby. Captain
Hornby was away at the time on a visit to a
married sister in Lancashire, and though he and
his sister started immediatelv the news of their
mother's dangerous illness arrived, they were met

SIR GEOFFREY l'FIll'1'.S HORXHV

at Petersfield witli the sad tidinos that they wei-e
<•><> hitr to s»M. her ii, hfe. It was the iiDrnin^-
of Christmas Day, and the death ou tliat day of a
niothpi'so much l)eloved cast a ^loom over 'many
suhsequeut Chrlstmastides.

CHAPTER VII.

H.M.S. NEPTUNE, 18G1-1862.

APPOINTMENT TO II.M.8. KEPrVNE, 1861 Sin WILLIAM MARTIN

THE BEGINNING OF STEAM-TACTICS — CELEUHATK^NS aT NAPLES
— LIFE AT MALTA — KING VICTOU EMMANUEL VISITS THE FLEET
— IlESIDENCE AT NAPLES — H.M.S. liUACK I'ltlSCE.

After his first appointment Captain Hornby was
not obliged to wait for another siii]) until his own
party was ag'ain in power. The March following"
his return in the Tribune he was appointed to the
Neptyne in the Mediterranean. The Ncptuihe was
an old three-decker converted into a screw two-
decker, and she was manned by what Captain
Hornl)y describes as " the last and worst of the
bounty crews." The bounty-men had been in-
duced to enter when there was a war scare in
1859 by a bounty of £10. This of course at-
tracted some of the worst cliaracters, and also
made them desert and re-enter as often as was
possible without detection. To make mattei-s
worse, the Neptune had twice changed her cai)tain
during the commission, and when Captain Hornby

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I i

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPP!^ HORNBY.

went on board at Malta, March 13, 18Gi., his
diary of that date gives a gloomy view of the
state of affairs : —

" Crew a very rough-looking lot, but the officers
have evidently done well with them. Ship looking
well below, but wanting polishing up aloft and
on the gun-deck. Tlie Admiral acknowledges the
wretchedness of the crews we have to deal with,
but says we must v/ork at the young ones, as it is
our last chance."

On March 21 he writes to his wife : —

" I am beginning to settle down a little, but
1 am ajrhast at the load of work there is to do.
What has been done on this shiji is wonderful,
seeing the shameful riffraff they have in the shape
of a crew ; but still there remains more to be done
than in any newly commissioned ship I ever saw.
Now, when one hears Lord Clarence Paget saying
so barefacedly to the House of Commons that
everything is vouleur de rose, and having been
deprived of the greatest part of our authority
by a new system of punishments, which are to
come into vogue on tlie 1st of April, I must
say I feel very much disgusted and appalled.

" I cannot sufficiently admire wliat I see of
the officers in this fleet, but the Admiralty are
treating them cruelly, and I really don't know
how it will end."

7'here were a few minor cases of want of dis-
cipline, &c., which occurred during April, but

'^.■Treit'''y> MiMMi^fm nB »!i*Tm w^^v^ifr-^ytv^^^ nnma^'-^'--'^r r'':

H.M.S. NEPTUNE.

nothing of any im})ortance went wrong till May
8, when [Diary) " I came into collision with a
watch (starboard) who would not hoist the main-
top-sail, lor which they got a benefit." Again,
May 20 {Diary) : " Found a lot of ropes cut this
morning — sail-tackles, tacks, bunt-lines, &c. Had
the ship's company aft, and told them what fools
they were. Asked if there were any grievances,
was told that they were aggrieved at having to
scrub hannnocks every week instead of every fort-
night, and at being exercised in their dog-watches
— i.e., after quarters. Pretty well for the present
state of tilings ! Told them they were not likely
to get much redress except in the way of ham-
mocks, which would be less frequently scrubljed if
they kept them clean. Put sentrit^s from among
the ordinaries on the ropes at night."

The culprits were never discovered, although
" the Admiral was very savage at our not being
able to identify them."

The Admiral then commanding in the Mediter-
ranean was Sir William Martin,^ and he was of
the school which considered that in service matters
business and pleasure ought not to be combined.
For instance, to take an exti'act from Captain
Hornby's Diary : —

^^ April 26, 1861. — I went to the office, and

1 Admiral Martin w.is not made K.C.B. till July 31 ; but he is
better known as Sir William Martin, therefore it is simpler to de-
scribe him thus.

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

Martin (secretary) told ine that tliere being a
good many supernnnieraries to go to Naples and
Palermo, and for other reasons the presence of
another shij) being desirable, he had suggested to
the Admiral that we should combine pleasure with
profit, and go to Syracuse, Messina, Naples, and
Palermo. This had been agreed to, and it was
ordered with the proviso that we were not to stay
more than twenty-four hours at each place. It
then occurred to the Admiral's secretary that it
would be more desirable to trive all the officers a
chance of landing at Naples, and he suggested
that we should be allowed to stop there forty-
eiijfht hours. The Admiral was off directlv. No
amusement on any account. He would send off a
despatch -boat with t[ie supernumeraries, and we
are to go only to Syracuse and Messina, and cruise,
and the orders are peremptory not to stay more
than one night in port."

Therefore they were kept cruising about for
nearly three weeks, sometimes in sight of Malta,
seeing the mails going in and out, and not allowed
even to fetch their letters. At last, May 16, they
were called in by signal to take in provisions for
Corfu, and sailed next day for a very pleasant
cruise. They joined Admiral Dacres, then captain
of the fleet, between whom and Captain Hornby
a very warm friendship was established. After
his return to Malta, Captain Hornby watched his

H.M.S. XEPTr'NE. 79

opportunity to represent to the A<lminil Viow much
inconvenience was caused t«> ofHcers by their heing
kept in i'ji'norance of tlieir future movements. The
Admiral's Ha<;sliip Marlhorouyh had Q^one liome for
rt'pairs, the Neptnne for a time carrying the Hog,
and In .Inly Sir William an<l all his family to(»k a
passa^a' in the latter to Naples to get further ad-
vice ahout one of the Admiral's daughters who was
ill with fever. Captain Hornhv thoujjfht his heart
might be softened, and that it was a good moment
to ap])eal to his feelings.

Letter to Wife.

''Juhf 17.

" I spoke «)Ut my mind pretty plainly. I said,
' The authorities might in a gi'eat many cases tell
us what their intentions are as to our future move-
ments : they of course should say that they were
not bound t«» these arrangements ; Init officers
might avail themselves of the information in many
instances, and at all events they would be satis-
fied that everything possil)le was done to meet
their comforts.'

" He evidentl} profited by my hint ; for the
next morning when I went to call on him he said,
* I ho])e to get a S(jUadron together, and away from
Malta early in August, to cruise for six or seven
weeks, anchoring here or at Cagliari, &c., every
week or ten days, then to go into harbour' (mean-

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

ing Malta) * for three weeks to avoid the equinoc-
tial gales, and then take another tln-ee weeks'
cruise before laying up for tlie winter.' Then he
added, ' This is what T hope to do, if the Secretary
of State does not interfere with me.'

" A nod is as good as a wink to a blind hor.se,
and as he came on board specially to wisli us good-
bye, and thanked us very heartily for having made
him and his so comfortal)le, 1 feel sure he means
to do us a good turn."

It was during the summer of 1860 that what may
be called the embryo of steam-tactics appeared.^
June 20, Captain Hornby writes in his Diary : —

" Looked through the Admiral's steam-tactics,
which do not seem to me to be very brilliant, and
looked at the boats performing them in the even-
ing. It seems to me, if he tries them »>n with
ships, that there will be a deal of fouling, and I
cannot see the advantage to be gained by most of
them."

" Sejyt. 26.— The Admiral had the boats out to
manceuvre, and I was not nmch edified. Too many
boats ; and it hardly seems to me that tiie boats
are any test of what ships will do. Tliis occupied
all the forenoon, then on board Mavlhoroufjh to
discu.ss these thino-s till 2 p.m."

1 In after-life Aflmiral Hornby alw.ays gave Sir William Martin
great credit for having originated the present system of steam-
tactics.

H.M.S. SFPTUSE.

Monday, ( k'toher 7, tin* ('xpoiinif^nt was iiifd
witli tin? sliij)!s : —

'■ VVeii^hwl at 10 a.m., and ^'ot tlir<»iiL,''li a fVw
siiii[)le ••v()luli<»iis iii(lIH«Meiitly, — u<> one knowing'
lii.< own Kpred, <»r tlir relative spet-d of otla-r ships,
(Jreul tun at tlie inHetiiio- on Itoard ilai^sliij) wlien
we came in, iui- fvery une was pitcliin;^ into his
la'ij^dihour. />o/7.s [Ca])lain M'('hiit(K'k ) and oin--
selvt\s were romplinicntt'd on the st;dion we
ke])t."

" Oct. 8. — Mano-'uvring as yesterday, ami tiot so
much ahuse."

"Oct. [i. — Manieuvrini;' ahout the hay again all
the morninii; at i(eneral (jii.irters, ;ind jtassing so as
to <i'et shots on opposite tacks, &c."

So it went on till the middle of the month, when
Ca])tain Honihy writes to his father: — -

•' October 20.

"T hear we are all tn he called on inv our re])f)rts
on thest' maiKeu\'i'eH that we have heen trying. 1
lioj)e we shall all tell the truth. 1 fear the service
is likely to he saddled with a very second-rate
system, h»'cause there is a dislike to condemn what
the Admiral has Iveen takini,^ so much pains to
perfect, and what he is so well satisfi^'d with. My
own o])inion is that they are (piite wronir in every
principle, and J. sliall say so. It is no u.se fancying
that steam-siiips can only form as sailing-ships
used to do ; and by adhering to those ideas, instead

SIR GEOFFllEY rilllTS IIOHN'BY.

of f(»ll<)wini»" the iH^w systems, Avbicli have been
shown to 1h^ possible uikIci' most circumstuuces,
we are throwin*,^ away the advanlat^^es that steam

has given us."

In the hjtervals betwet^i manteuvring, tlie ships
went into .Na])Ies tor a few days at a time, and in
September Caj)tain Hoi-nl^y was present at some of
the festivities in hon(»ur of the anniversary of the
entrance of Cmribaidi into tlie town tlie vear
before. The account of the thi'ee days' festivities
is uiven from his Diaiy : —

'Saturday. S'pf. 7. — fjanded at 11 a.m. Met
Uncle Geortjfe [liev. George Hornlj)'j, walked witli
Iiim np the Toledo, and tln-ougb the streets, where
the principal ilhnninations would be.

" The jjrocessions were very late, and T did not
stay to see nnich of them, but walktnl out to look
at the ilhnninations. Except the large church in
the Palace Square there was notliing very fine, but
I ne\er had an idea of such a tiiorouuh demon-
stration ; every littk street was liglited. They
had some second-rate fireNvorks, and I then went
across to tlie (Jhiaia gardens, which were ])rettily
lit. Giaribaldi s hymn was always received with
the greatest enthusiasjn, and indeed when any
little grumbling a}>peared, the bands by striking
up that tune could instantly stop it, and change it
into cheers.

" Cialdini [the Piedmontese general who com-

II. -M.S. XEPTrXE.

y. »

maiided ;\t CiistelHilurdo, iuifl who liad l)»vn
chai'i,''e(l with the j)acitic}itiou of the Nt-ajxilitaii
kingdom] was well rec«'lvcd.

'"Sept. 8. — Heard that an Invitation iiad lieen
sent to [(^i})tainj Glasse tor all of ns to accompany
Admiral Torvesano to the frfc this e'Vt'nin'r. Old
Glasso made all incjuiries, and tohl ns we were to
go in I'rock-coats, and, much to oui disgust, we
found every one else in full dress. However, they
were very civil to us. ;ind we had a very good look
at (Jialdini, who is a very good-looking— thnt is,
workiniT-lookinif — fellow, with a remarkaldv hriuht
determined eve. A isn^at m.inv soldim'S and
National (lUards were turned uul, and evervtliini'-
went oW well.

''S<j>f. 0.- — An order to meet Admiral Dacres to
arrange for dining with Claldini at 7 P.M. The
dinner went oW very well, though it was a thousand
pities the A(hniral (Sir W. Martin) did not come.
I sat hetween the chief of the stall* ;ind a very
nice youn<>' fellow, an A. DM u ho had been in the
Crimea, and we got on vi-ry \vell together. The
dinner very fair, but nothing extraordinary. No
one tliere Init ourselves, the Italian admirals, our
consul, and Italian otiicers."

Some one repre.mMited to Sir William Mai'tln
that he had conn ■ 'd a breach of eticpiette by not
accepting General CiaUlini's invitatltm. The Ad-
miral therefore did his best to make amends when
the Piedmontese general dined on board the Marl-

SIR (JEOFFnEY I'lflPPS TIORM'.Y.

ht>rou<j/i, l)c,t<»l)('i' f). Ciiptniii }loriii)y's Di.'iiv thus
dpsoril)(\s th»' i«*cej)ti')n ^^ixcd to the (JfiK nil ; —

■'1 liarl to )«' I»i\«'k l)y •> I'.M, so ms t<Mln;s.s for
dinner witli tlic Admiral to meet (^ialdini. Tiny
t<»ok (Naldiiii loiwai'd to look at the larjjc Arm-
stroiio- ^nni, whiiili sriTncd to interest liim, an<l
ronntl tlir decks, wliicli was a pvat mistake, as lie
suH'ers from sc-a-siokness, and ihorf was a close
smell am(»ni^ so many Imndred men.

" Jle was reee'ived with manned yards on board
all the ships, and a salute, and when he went away
the Mat'fl>oinii;/h maimed yards witli hhit'-lii;-hts
at th»' yard-arms, folourcd lights— red white, and
pven — at tlio side to represent the Italian eoloin-s,
and .1 doiihlr line of hoats from the ship to tin-
sliore,all hurnni<r hlue-li<dits to liirht him. L think
it must ha\'e had a vei'y pretty, and I ho[je a good,
effect on shore."

Towards the middle of ( )cioher Oa[)tain Stewart
(Sir William .Martin's flag - ea[)tain) had serious
thoughts of ui\ ing up his ap]i'»intment on account
of the critical state of Mrs Stewart's health, and
the Admiials secretary was sent to consvdt (>aj)-
tain llornhy as to whether he would like to suc-
ceed him. Somewhat to the Admiral's smprise.
he demurred, for the reasons he gives in a letter
written the same day ; —

To Sir Phipps Hmnihy.

''October 15, 1861.

" T told him [the secretary] I could not receive

U.M.S. NEPTVNE.

such Jill otier without f('t*hn<! tiutteierl hv it, and
that in the main, as regards the service, 1 sliould
feel inchned to accej)! it, hecause it was looked on
as a hard and unj^leasant place, and one, tlierel'ore,
which one would not like to siiirk ; l>ut I said tliat
I thought in some of our service notions the Ad-
miral and I did not agree, tiiat a worse objection
was a private one — viz., that when I left home, you
had understood that I should probably get back
about this time of year, and that it would be a
disap])ointment to you if I was delayed — besides
that, for other leasons connected witl) the pj'o-
perty, it was not desirable that I sh(»uld be very
lonir out of Enijfland."

Partly because lie found some dIHiculty in
finding a substitute, and }>artly because every
one he consulte<l on the subject advised him to
do so, Sir William Martin decided to give Cap-
tain Stewart two months' leave to remain with
his wife, and to leave Captain Hornby in the
Neptu7ie. Shortly afterwards tlie scjuadron dis-
persed for the winter, the Marlborough and
Neptnnc going to Malta, where Captain Hornl)y
found that Mrs Hornby and " iny bonny chicks,"'
as he generally called them, had just arrived.

Except that there is now a railway from
Valetta to Citta Vecchia, six miles, a new opera-
house, and that the head of the Grand Harbtmr
has been drained for a race-course, Malta is very

■I

SIR fiEoFFUEY Piriris noiixm'.

little changed since those days. There may be
a few more wint(>r visitors, l)ut otherwise society
is exactly the same. In tlic first i)lace, there, is
the uo\ernor; and almosi every ifovernor may
he described ms ( a|)t;iin Hornl)y (hd 'his Kxoel-
lency'' in 1801 : "He Is so great a man tiiat it
is said lie seldom con«les' -nds to notice any one;
and when lie does hav^. you to dinner, he is
liive Oeoigc IV., he sits ii|) and does king and
queen. L do like to see these httk; (hgnitaries
make tools of theniselves." Then tliere is the
Ntival C'onunander-in-Chief, who has a house in
IStrada Mezzodi out of sight of the harljour, and
lives on sliore in the winter ; the Dockyard Ad-
uiiial; and the oHicers of the shi[)s, witii a cer-
tain rmmher of wives and fannlies. The military
also, a general commanding the troops, engineers,
artillery, and two oi* three line regiments, with
a great many wives and families. Besides these,
there is the Colonial Secretary; tlie Maltese
nobility, who, l)y the way, are generally not
Maltese at all, btit old Spanisli, Italian, aiid
Sicilian families which have settled in Malta.
Lastly, there are the minor officials, elected mem-
bers of Council, kc, kc. A few [)eoj)le who have
merely official ])ositions aie only invited to official
parties, but, as a rule, everybody goes everywhere ;
and as when the ships are in dock the sailors liave
very little to do, and except an occasional review
or march-out the soldiers comparatively nothing,

* :»J

H.M.S. NEPTUNE.

tliere are a great many entertainments, and every-
body meets everybody else at least twice a-day.
The houses are large, the Governor's palace being
the old Grand-Master's palace, and the club, most
of the official residences, and some of the barracks
being the okl auberges of the Knights. Living
is cheap, luxuries— such as game, fiiiit, and flowers
— very cheap, thus entertaining is very easy ; and
to people of a sociable disposition a few winter
months pass very pleasantly. Captain and Mrs
Hornby established themselves in a. roomy house
in Strada Forni ; but Sir William Martin did not
allow his captains to be too comfortable. Early
in December the Neptune was sent out for a
three weeks' cruise, returning only just two days
before Christmas Day. Some of the authorities
thought so badly of the crew of the Neptune
that they wished to prevent any of the usual
indulgences, but (.^aptain Hornby did not think
discipline was likely to be improved by denyijig
the men their legitimate enjoyment. He dined
on Christmas Day in the wardroom, and slept on
board that night ; but otherwise everything went
on as usual, except that having so lately come
into harbour it was not possible to decorate the
lower deck. The men's dinner was, however, ex-
cellent, and no one was any the worse except the
captain's two little sons, w^ho tried to eat all the
plum-pudding which was given to them when they
went round the dinners with their father. In

•j

SIR GEOFFREY PHirrS HORNBY.

I' i

February again the ship was sent otf for a
six weeks' cruise to Corfu, nmX while there the
Oshorac arrived with the Prince of Wales on
honrd. It was the first time that Captain Hornby
had seen his Royal Highness.

13y the time the Ncphmc returned to Malta
the Carnival was over, and the only excitement
during Lent was the arrival of the hrst Japanese
ambassadors on theii" way to England.

Diary. " March 28. — Himalaya arrived un-
expectedly at 10 A.M. We were all summoned
to the palace to receive the Japanese ambassadors
at 2 P.M. The vounirer of the two is a verv in-
telligent man. Called on them with the Adniiral
at 4 I'.M., found tlie French consul there tiying
to persuade them not to go through France. The
Japanese are not well pleased.

""March 29. — A review at Florian in the morn-
ing. In the afternoon the Japanese came on board
us, and we went to quarters, with which they were
much pleased, and seemed astonished at the facility
with which the guns could be moved. Ship looked
very clean, l>ut the men foi'waid talketl on the
yards, and we were not as quiet as we usually

are.

Letter to Sir Phipps Hornhy.

" March 30.

" As they went away they paid a visit to the
Marlhorovgh, which was cruising outside. They

H.M.S. NEPTTNE.

said they liked the ships tlie best of anything they
saw, and then the ladies."

At Easter, about the middle of April, the fleet
left Malta, Sir William Martin bein^,^ ofjliged to go
East because of the troubles in Greece ; but the
Neptmie was sent to Naples, where she arrived the
same day as King Victor Ennnanuel.

Diary. "April 28. — Very much hurried, as the
king had left Gaeta at 8 a.m. About 3 r.M. he
came in sight escorted by four French liners under
Vice-A(hnirnl Rigault de Genouiily. We manned
yards and cheered, &c. Tlie Erench seemtMl not to
manceuvre the!; ships very ^^'ell, to come in very
slow, and to have a dithculty in picking up their
bertlis. We landed to receive the kinij- at the
palace, and were pi'esented to him. Went out on
the balccmy (where he was well received) to see
the troops marcli past. In the evening four niore
French liners arrived, and took uj) their berths
well, seeing it was dark. Landed with the two
boys [his sons] and drove about to see the illumin-
ations, which were very fine. F^'eling very sore at
the French producing so strong a fleet here, we
having oidy three ships, one of which is under
« )rders.

" April 29. — I went off to call on the French
admirals with Godd and Price. Paid long visits,
and then Price and T went to call on the ca])tains.
All the ships were painting, and in that, and in

SIR GEOFFREY PIIIFPS HORNBY.

I;
(\

I ■

the rapidity with >vhich they ;>'et their crews to-
gether and make their ships look decent, they are
a good deal ahead of ns ; ])ut there is no ship
among them to compare with the James Watt,
and they do not look so neat aloft. We all had to
dine at the palace. Dinner hand.sf»me, but cold ;
wines indifferent. Then to the theatre for a Ijallet,
at which there was some very good djincing.

" May 3. — Got an intimation late last night that
the king was coming on board us to-day. He went
first to the Bret a (pic, and then came here. We
manned yai'ds and saluted when he eml»arked,
cheered as he passed. Manned and saluted when
he left the Bretogne, dressing ship at the same
time. I think our manoeuvre must have looked
very pretty, and better than that of tl^*^ Trench.

" Maij 4. — Torresano came on boaid to ask if
I would accept a decoration, which of course I
declined. Got an invitation to the palace to
witness a French engagement which is to take
place at 8.30 p.m. this evening. Got a little
feverish attack, which prevented my going to the
palace, but they said the Frenchman's sj)ectacle
was pretty."

While the king was feting and being feted
by one part of Naples, there were other sides to
the j)icture. On one hand there were some who,
like the Rev. George Hornby, liad strong Bourbon
sympathies, which he expresses very forcibly, vide
Jiis letter to Sir Phipps Hornby : —

H.M.S. NEPTUNE.

"Nai'LKs, Aprils.

" My DEAR Admiral, — Well, lie -e we are, Geoff,
wife, and the most chariniii^ children. Geoff is
stifled in thr midst of eitjht great French shi}).s.
There never was such folly; but the whole plan of
hacking u]) a. new Italy against Austria is Insanity,
as far as Kiudish interests aiH' concerned. I sav
nothing of tlie state of thi,', place, oi' you won't get
my letter, the post being, according to the con-
stitution, ' inviohite." N.B.-X wrote two letters
to N. F. while she was at Home, and she three to
me, none of which reached their destination! and
whereas under the tyrant Bourbons there were
11,000 persons in j)rison, tliere are now (on sus-
picion) i 8,000, and ])eople arrested every day.
The number taken and shot then and there in-
numerable. I rejoice to think you have so many
you love ar.iund you, and with every good wish
to all, am ever yours, G. FI."

On the other side were those who thought that
tile unification of Italy did not advance quickly
enough, and there were risings and rumours of

risings.

(Japtain Hoi-nby's Diary :—

"■May 18. — Called <»n Sir James Hudson [the
English Minister] when IlatazzI came to consult
him about Garibaldi's movements, which are caus-
ing him some anxiety.

''May JO. — Heard of an outbreak of Gari-

SIR (;eoffrey phtpps iioknry.

I* I

baldians near Brescia. They ai'e al)(>ut to make
ail incursion on Austrian terr't(.ry. The Govern-
ment set'ms to have Jieled very well, and tlie
agents concerneil Aveje arrested at once, and it
is Siud that Ihitazzi lele<,n;> plied to say that
Garibaldi himself nnist be arrested W he vvt*r'^
c<napromised.

'' J\I((ij L'O, I nearly was late for the Palac<^
dinner, to which we liad been invited in plain
clothes. Found every one there similarly ch'essed,
a huge party, and we dined in the ballroom, whieh
was beautiful. T had to g() oif directly it was
over; but it secMus the [>arty broke uj), and the
king hurried otl, in consequence of a demonstra-
tion in favour of Garibaldi, which took ])hice in
the Toledo."

O bella Napoli ! With your blue sky and still
bluei- hay, and the beautiful hills all roun<l ! All
so In'ight, and rich, an-' luxuriant, the vines
festooned among the fruit - tiees, and the corn
growing below, — three crops riptming at the same
time. And there, central point in the landscape,
Vesuvius, with one dark hnrnt-out crater, and the
other with a tiny cloud of smoke resting on its
summit, as a warning that angiy tires are still
smouldering below. The people also, seemingly,
so simply light-hearted and friendly. Shouting,
yelling, one moment for Garibaldi, and wdieii an
hour or two later the king (^amt^ along the Toledo,
equally ready to shout and yell for him. ISow

I i:

II.M.S. NEPTVSK.

and then you heard a story of brigands, of some
one (])erha]»s from the centre of the towii) h«'ino-
cairied otf, where and hy whom no on<* exactly
knew ; and Il'tlie ransom woi"e not promptly paid,
a hit of ail ear, or a finger, sent tc^ the relatives
as :i hint to nse despatch. In the same villa
where Captain Hornby and liis wife were living, a
German l)ankt'r and his w ifo wcro almost always
guardi'd by Hers.iglieri. because tl ey bad been
threatened ; but the Englisli captain, who lived <»n
the othoi' side of tlie courtyanl, who sometimes
had tlio band up lioiii his shi]) to play in the
gardens of an evening, who iiad the terrace
illuminated, and who, as hen the party was over,
would with some of his ouests march down thiouah
tlif town witii the band playing befoi'e tliem,
bringing all the i)eople to the doors and wimlows
to see w'hat was happening — lu^ was perfectly
safe ! He was free to come and 'X<) throuQfh
the woods, and vineyards, and narrow streets at
any hour of the day or niglit, witli no companion
liut his black-and-white setter 'STerry," and no
weapon but his walking-stick.

At Malta Captain Hornl)y iiad lived on shore,
but at Naples he was senioi' officer, and he there-
fore made it a rule never to sleej) away from iiis
ship, so as to be ready at any moment for any
emergency. Notliing, however, was required of
him till, at the time of the rising near Bi'escia, Sir
James Hudson asked for a ship to take him to

.SIR (iEOFFREY PII JIM'S lloRXBY.

Le^h')i'n ; and as the Xcptnnc coiilrl steam more
economically than any other shij) then at N.ipU'S,
Captain Hornhy embarked the Minister and his
suite and took them to Leghorn, After a threes
days' v^isit, as Sii James Hudson's guest, (o
Florence and Pisa, he rejoined liis ship, and
returned to Naph-s under sail. Wliat was his
surprise to find, three days after his n^lurn,
that he was superseded by (^^aptain Chads in the
London, and was ordered to go ofi' at once for a
cruise to Sicily, " because I had gone to Leghorn
instead of the Algiers, the Admiral having written
to the Admiralty to say that Algiers would take
Sir J. H. I wrote tw^o \'ery angry letters to my
father and Martin [secretary]."

Tlie letter to Mr Martin was, however, modiHi'd,
and rewritten on the following day as a semi-
otticial exj)lanation, as officially (,'a])tain FhnTiby
could only write acknowledging the receipt of the
or< lers : —

To G. P. Martin, B.'^'j.

" II.M S. Neptune, June 6, 18G2.

" You may ct^nceive, if I cannot describe, the
surprise with which, on my return from gun -exercise
off Capri yesterday, I received the; Admiral's letter,
and orders of the 27th and liSth inst. 1 look at
the telegram, 'Yes, send Algiers, if necessary ' It
seems now, as it did at first, more permissive than

k\.

H.M.y. NlU'Tr-E.

im])orative. What necospity was there to senrl the
Aliju'/iriif Neptune would go cis fast as Sir .J. lliul-
soii required, had as good accommodiilidii for him,
and, what was the real induceinent, she has always
gone her eight knots for from 30 to 40 tons a-day,
wliile C^iptain llice tells nie Al(pi'rs consumel from
40 to 45 at the same speed. I think these reasons
over, and still helieve 1 did wliat was right under
the circumstances, and economically for the Crown.
1 of course I'ejjret that the Admiral should dis-
a|)[)i'ove — still more, that in a cjtse wliich at most
amounts to an error in judgment, he should inflict
on me so puhlic a i-eprimand ns is conveyed in n\y
supersession, as senior othcer here, one month after
my arrival. Betweei\ you jiik.I me, I confess to a
small private influence. J think I told you of a
conversation T had witli the Conmiander-in-Chief
on l)oard the A[arIbo)'ovgh, in which he said he
nnist always set his face ngainst otHcers making
themselves too comfortable with their families. It
did, thei'efore, occur to me, that in going away
from them, and encumberlno- mvself with a lot of
passengfcirs, I was at least taking the most disagree-
able course, and, if there had been a doubt, tins
would })rol)ably have decided me that it was the
right one. Yon must not tell Sir J, Hudson that
I talked of ' encumbrances.' As the event proved,
he and his suite were most agreeable, and 1 cannot
but tiiink, after his kind expressions to me, that he

siu (;r:oFFi{KY I'liirr's iiorm'.v.

will li»' very sorry if Im hears tlmt, indirectlv, lie

liiis }ir«jUi:l)t ine to orief.

'* J'.S. — If you have jim opportunity, you will do
mt' ;i kinchiess, perliaps, hy hrin;^iiiLC th(« mutter
Ijefoic tlic Aihiiiral."

Captain Iloriiliy's oi-ders were to go for ten days
to IVderuio, thtMi on to Messina to await instructions.
Two (lays aftei- his arrival fit the latter place, lie
was suiprlsed hy rt -reiving a telegram from Admiral
Codrihgton (Malta. Dockyard) ordei'ing him at
once to Malta, pre|)aratory to relieving AhjuTs ni
Naples. Part of the X('pf>'n('\s engines were on
shore being ie]):iired, hul lyy gr(\Mt exerticins she
was got imder weigh that (»vening, and a forty
hours' ])assage took her to Malta, iiei'e, howe^el^
she had to wait for a week till the answei" arrived
to what (Captain Hornby c;,ll.^ his " letlej' of
apology." Sir William Martin acknowledged that
the telegram nn'ght have been read in the sense in
which C^iptain Hornl)y had taken it, and gave him
leave to i-eturn to Na[)les. The same evening he
sailed, but the winds were so light that it was
eleven days before they got Ijack into Naples Bay,
and when t\iv ship had been eight days out, she
Avas boarded by a felucca, asking for bread and
water, as she had l)een eiidit'3eii davs from
Messina.

All the rest of the sununer Captain Hornby re-

H.M.S. NEPTUNE.

maiiied at Naples, us tlio Admiral was t)ccu])ied in
■watch'm<jj atVaiis in Groecu. There were, therefore,
lU) more steam mameuvres this summer.

King Yieior Enmianuel did not return to Na})los,
but part of tlie summer his tinee sons were there,
wlien I'rince Humbert seems to have impressed
Ca])tain Hornby by his simple unaffected manners
and general air of intelligence. Just afte'r the
departure of the Princes the Garibaldian rising
bloke out in Sicily, and it was rumoured tiiat the
king hiuiself mtMlitiited a march on llonje, so that
tile English shi})S at Naples received orders to l)e
ready at any moment to embark the Pope, and take
him to Castiglione. The time for making Home
tho capital of Italy had, however, not arrived, and
whatever designs may have been afloat, (Jialdini
was sent against Garibaldi, who was taken
(woundetl), with all his men ; and except that the
people grumbled sorely at the weight of taxes and
the severity of the Bersaglieri police, the rest of
the summer passed without any [jolitical incident.
In October the Neptune received orders to return
to Malta ajid England, and at the same time
Captain Hornby was granted permission to give
his family a ])assage home. They accordingly
embarked at Naples, and reaclu.'id Gibraltar on
November 14, v\here they found pait of the
Channel Fleet, and where Captain Hornby for
the first time saw an ironclad in counnission.

Diary. ''Nov. 14. — Went to Black Prince ; had

i I

H U

8IH (;p:oFKiiKv niiri's hohxby.

lint time to sen Iier tlK>r(iiii,'hly, l>ut wliat I did
see was very fine. The vulnei-ul)le ends, however,
are a ^^re-at mistake, also the tln-o* masts instead
nf four. The men in the ironclads are so dismist-
'\n^\y [))oiu\ of their sliips that tin y will allow
them )to faults."

CIJArTKlt VIII.

II.M.S. EDGAR, 1803-1865.

H.M.8. EPil.in, 1863 — A mUIl OF TIU) lUUTlSU 18I.E8 — OHEEXOCK

UVKHI'cKi] VTHIT IKOM CMiniAUiI AT POUTr^ANH — CA'^TAIN

COWri:U-COLKS t)N AIIMOLUED .smPH--MllSrtI()N' TO LISJUON

INVESTITUUK OK TIIK KIMJ of POUTUGAL WITH THE aAIlTEK
" UNCI.E OEOFF ' COMPAUISONH WITH THE FllBNCH "'LEBT.

Captain Hornby luul beeji oji shore for harelv
three moiitlis Avhen he was asked })y A(hiih"al
l)fK'res (who succeeded A(hnii-;d Smart in coni-
nuiiid of tlie (Channel Fleet) to oo ;is his llag-
captain. The offer was accepted withciit liesita-
tion.

To Rear- Admiral Dae res, CB.

'' LoRDiNOTON, A^yrU I, 1863.

" 1 feel extremely gratilied at your letter of the
26th March, and so far fiom refusino-, I shall be
most happy to acce[)t youi kind offtM-, if you don't
object to what follows. With my present stand-
ing, I think 1 may naturally look forw^ard in a
year or eighteen months to one of the better
appointments of th( ervice, such as a steam-

100

SIR GEOFFREY PTIIPrS HORXBY.

reserve or dockyard, especially if tliere was a
clumge of Ministry ; indeed in the latter case, if
I heard of a good thing gf'ing a-begging, T might
feel inclined to ask for it. Now, tliough 1 know
yon would not like to stand in my way, it very
prohably may not suit you to tak(^ a ca])iain who
may wish to leave you l.iefore your flag ciMues
down. T therefcm?' leave the matter thus : if it
suits you to take me. with the chnnce «^f my
getting a steam-reserve or dockyard, T shall be
very glad to serve under you again. The appoint-
ment having been made public, T have so far
taken advantage of the permission giveji in the
end of your letter as to tell my father of yovu'
offer, thougli it will go no farther than his ears.
I write hurriedly to save the post."

Admiral IJacres hoisted his tla*j' at PIvmouth on
May 17 in the Edfjfnr. and the ship remained in
the liands of the dockyard for another three weeks,
while the cabins M^ere being ])ut in order, and leave
given to some of tlie men. It was a very busy
three weeks, — n cheeri'ul time also, as Captain
Hornby had many fiit-nds in Devonport nnd the
neighbourhood, and hardly ever dincnl on board.
Tlie only unusual incident which occurred was
that the flag-captain got one of his wrists badly
burnt while helping to extinguish a very bad
fire, which destroyed several houses in Plymouth.
Early in June the flagship sailed to join the rest
of the squadron at Portland.

H.M.S. EDQAR.

101

Letter to Wife,

" June 9, 1863.

" We left Plymouth at noon yesterday, and
went right out into the open sea between France
and England ; hut we navigated with much skill
until we at last saw certain lights, wliich proved
to be those of Portland, and entering the anchor-
age there, we cast out aii anchor at midnight, and
made the ship fast until the daylight appeared.
We had a splendid breeze, and it is a pleasure to
have a ship that can sail again, and not sucli an
old dummy as the Neptune. However, I find I
have plenty to do ; for though the mariner's here
are by no means such villains as those were at
first, they don't knock the yards and sails about
as our fellows did latterly. Thougli Foley has
begun this ship remarkably Avell, still she is but
a new ship, I fancy it will be with the squadi'on
that I shall have most bother. So you doubtless
will hear me plentifully abused Ibr my own sins,
and those of the Admiral, in calling them to
order."

The transition from sails to steam for battle-
ships was gradually being accomplished. In the
Tribune it had simply been a fjuestion of steam-
ing in and out of hai'bour ; in the Neptune there
had been passages under steam, steam tactics,
and orders by telegram ; and now in the Channel
Fleet came a mixture of wooden ships and iron-

102

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

clads : most of the tbinner could not steam, none
of the latter could sail. Nevertheless the Ad-
miralty, who always have an eye to economy,
decreed that, as the ships had masts and yards,
they must sail.

June 17, Captain Hornhy writes to his wife
from Yarmouth : —

"We sail for Sunderland to-morrow, w^eather
permitting-. I have no idea how long we may be
getting theiv. It is 190 miles — one day's sail for
this ship ; hut if Sir F. Grey's dummies are to go
under sail, I sludl think it lucky if we get there
in ten."

As a matter of fjict it only took five days, as the
squadion had to get up steani to avoid some
dangerous shoals on the Norfolk coast. The
dummies alluded to above were the five ironclads,
the Resistance, the Defence, the Black Pmice, the
Royal Oak, and the Warrior. The otlier sliips of
the squadron were the Edgar, flagship, a two-
decker ; the Emerald and Liverpool, frigates ; and
the des})atch vessel, Trinculo. Their summer
cruise was to be a tour of the British Isles, and
to stay two or three days at each of the principal
ports. As Captain Hoi'nby sjiys : —

" We are doing popularity to a great extent.
Ostensibly we are to show the shi2)s, and what
happy fellows the British mariners ar(=( in a man-
of-war — nothing but porter and skittles ! Really
I suspect we are doing a little electioneering."

H.M.S. EDOAR.

103

After Sunderland, they were to visit Leith, In-
vergordon, Kirkwall, Loug-h Foyle, Lough Swilly,
the Clyde, and Liverpool. At every place crowds
of people visited the ships, and the townspeople
got up balls, dinners, and every sort of festivity in
their honoui-. The officers on their part were also
anxious to make some acknowledsfment for the
civility shown them. For this purpose Captain
Hornby tried to arrange " a plan for enabling the
officers of the squadron tt) show some special civil-
ity to people whose acquaintance they may make.
It is, to set apart one ship every day, where only
people will be received who are brought by officers
of the squadion ; and that there, tliere shall be a
band playing for dancing, and a little tea, and so
on. Most of the fellows seem to like the idea, and
I think it will work by-and-by."

As far as he })ersonally was concerned, the flag-
captain was not able to do much entertaining, or to
accept much hospitality, from tlie time he left Sun-
derland till they reached Lough Foyle. The fatigue
and anxiety of being up constantly at night (to see
that the ships kept station, and that the sailing-
ships shortened sail, so as to prevent their over-
taxing the powers of the boilers of the ironclads —
" tin pots," as he called them) brought on a severe
liver attack, accompanied by a great deal of fever
and ague, which left him so weak that it was not
till they reached the Orkneys that the cooler air
enabled him to begin to regain his strength. By

104

SIR GEOFFREY THTPPS HORNBY

the time the fleet reached Greei ack he had quite
recovered, and was immensely interested in the
gi'eat shipbuilding- yards.

To Sir FMpps Hornby, G.C.B.

"ILM.S. Ed,jar,
Greenock, Sept. 6, 1863.

" I was up in Glasgow on Friday with the
Admiral inspecting some of the building-yards,
and notably an iron-cased frigate building for the
Confederates, and three more for the Turks. I
am delighted with the energy and skill of these
Glasgow men, and the more I see of them the
more Iladical I grow with regard to our dockyard
system and Somerset House. When these men
sit down to plan a warship proj)elled by steam,
they make a steamship of her, and don't go pud-
dling on drawing large sailing-shij)fi to put engines
into. The Cunard people took us a grand trip on
Thursday round Bute and up Loch Ranza. The
steamer was beautifully fitted, and we went at the
rate of fourteen knots all the way. Her sister-ship
the Giraffe was sold for £30,000 to run the block-
ade, putting a profit of £8000 into the hands of
the company, I wonder what the new Admiralty
yacht the Enchantress has cost ; and if she ever
goes fourteen knots for six hours together, I'll eat
her ! "

From thence the squadron crossed to Belfast,
and after four days there, to Liverpool. Here

n.M.S. EDGAR.

105

Lord Derby had ottered Captain Hornby a week's
shooting for himself and his friends, but he was
only able to manag»3 two days' shootiug, as the
other days were taken up with visits to the hnild-
ino-yards and docks, and various entertainments
on board the ships and on shore — the week's fes-
tivities ending by a banquet given by the Mersey
Yacht Club to the Admiral, ca])rains, and officers
of the fleet, on Monday, September 21. At this
banquet it fell to Captain nornl)y to pro[)ose " The
Ladies." An anonymous bard (not a sailor) who
wrote a rhvmed account of the " Fleet in the
Mersey ' seems to think tliat it was very well
done : — -

" Ailmiral Dacros gots up, and makos pvcry urn\ la,ugh
hi a spucol) that's a niixturt' of cake^ and of chafl".
Lord Stanley Is I'-njiftJiy; the Arcluloai'on is dull;
Admiral Evans is heavy — in fact niaki-s a nadl.
The toast of 'The Ladies,' the hist of the nii^ht,
The gallant Flag-Ca])tain was told Avas his right ;
Ho rose, and in a few well-chosen phrases,
!More expressive than ail the most llattering praises,
Gavo the toast, which was drunk — as it always will be
By soldiers and sailors — with twice three times three."

The summer cruise ended with visits to Dublin
and Plymouth, and then the Eihjar was for two
months at Portsmouth giving leave and making
good defects.

The winter of 1863-G4 was spent between

1 An allusion to the Knowsley ale and cakes with which they had
been regaled the previous Saturday.

106

SIR (lEOFFREY PFTTPPS liORXBY.

Madeira, Teiieritff, (Jlbialtar, and Lislntii, though
there were many rumours of the possibility of the
Enghsh interfering to helj) the Danes in their
resistance to Germany.

The beginning of March saw the ships again In
England, and on their arrival at Poi'tland, Captnin
Hornby, who had again been knocked over with
one of 1 lis fever attacks, was sent home for a week
to recruit, and took with him a poor little midship-
man who iiad been very mucli pulled down by
sea-sickness. There was a gi'eat deal of sniall-pox
at Portsmouth, so the ships had to <lo as mnch ns
possible of their caulking, &c., at Portland, instead
of j^oiiiii' there to be docked.

Towards the end of /Vpril Garibaldi came down
to visit the ships.

Letter to Wife.

" H.M.S Edgar, Portland, April 20, 1864

" Yesterday about live p.m. he turned up and
came on board with a large party, who ate raven-
ously of the lunch which the Admiral had pre-
pared. It seems the Great Western directors had
ari'an^ed to maku a private show of him by taking
him to Taunton, where they hat! prepared a lunch,
and invited their friends to meet him ; but he in-
sisted on coming to see the ships, so they turned
of[*at Durston, just short of Taunton, and sold the
directors. With liim came the Duke of Suther-
land, Lord Sefton, Mr Ashley (Lord Palmerston's

n.M.S. EDGAR.

private secretaiy), Colonel Peard and his (Clari-
baldi's) younger .s<ni. After lunch (G J'.M.) the
Athniral went with GariVtaldi to the Warrior. 1
was ^dad of tlie opportunity ol' seeintj^ Garibaldi,
and must say that his fact' is benevolent, and not
cunnint;', like Uncle George said. J-fe is much
shorter than his pictures make him apj)ear, ami
very lame. His intimate friends say he has been
turned out of P^ngiand by the Ministry, and I
tliink we shall se(^ a row about him yet. It is
evident that the extreme Radical party, who are
close'ly identified with tlie Italian Liberals, are
very much disuusted witli their Whin- allies about
it, and that tliis visit of his must be another
source of weakness t" Ministers."

The next move was, in the lieginning of May, to
tlie Downs, to make a demonstration against tli»^
Austrian s(|uadron, whicli was going round to
support their German allies in the Scbleswig-
Holstein war. As the Heet were only to bluster,
and not to obstruct the passage of the Austrian
ships, it was perhaps just as well that they did
not arrive in the Downs till too late. In the
Downs they werr^ kept all the time that the
Austrian ships were in the Elbe, and they then
moved down to Plymouth to be docked.

During the sunnner there was no regular cruise ;
the squadron was moved backwards and forwards
between Plymouth and Portsmouth, (^ueenstown

108

SIR GEOFFREY PHIITS HORNBY.

and Baiitry Bay. Captain Hornby duos not se-cm
to have l)een very much impressed by the Irish
people.

This summer there had also been much talk of
steam manceuvres, <;)f trying a steam sig-rial-book
lately issued, — " an abortion of a signal - book,"
('M[)tain Hornby calls it ; but as ships were
constantly detached ft>r ]);irticular duties, it was
not possible to do mucli in tliat line. Never-
theless, the Hag-captain advocated ''keeping the
s(^a as much as })ossil)le ; for the whole art of
sailoring seems to me to be nearly extinct in
tlie [British Navy, and the only way I know
of putting connnon- sense into officers and men
is to keep thein at sea."

Though steam tactics were not nearly so perfect
as Captain Hornby w(nild have liked, the general
smartness of the squadron was ^'t■ry much in-
creased, and the state of the Edgar was good
enough to satisfy even so severe a critic as
Admind clones, who came on board at Queens-
town in August.

Ldtrr to Wife.

" He [Admiral Jones] was our commander in the
old Charlotte, and a pretty tight hand, when tight
hands were the fashion. When he got below he
said, 'Well, it is a pleasure to see thijigs like this
again. You don't see it nowadays.' The last part
of his remark is melancholy to think of, but it is

^'1

H.M.S. EDOAR.

100

something to hear that we keep up the traditions
of cleanUncss and order somewhere."

]. ;

From the middle of Auofiist to the end i>\' Octo-
ber the heacLpiarters of the fleet was at Pori-
Lmd, the ships g<^>ing out for a few days at a time
for exercise. Nothincj much was doinu' on shore,
except an occnsional cricket -match, S(, Ca plain
H(3rnby was able to devote most of his leisure
time to assisthig his brother-in-law, Captam
Cowper-Coles, in a great paper wai-fare with the
Achnirahy on the subject of fighting-ships. Cap-
tain (Jo\vper-Col(\s l)t3ld that armoured ships should
be mastless floating batteries, with low freje-boards
and revolving turrets ; but the Admiralty would
hear of no innovaiions, except a certain thickness
of ii'on plates on the outside of fully rigged sliips.
Yet witliin a very few years, masts for fighting-
ships have entirely disappeared, and Captain
Cowper-Coles's theories form the basis of all naval
construction. In spite of opposition, Captain
Cov.'per- Coles continued to press his views all
through the winter, and when Parliament met,
C;.ptain Hornby primed L<.»rd Stanley and Sir
John Pakington with awkward ([uestions to ask
the Government, until in the followinof June the
Committee which had lieen sitting on the ques-
tion agreed to advise the Government to try a
two-turret ship.

The fleet had wintered in England — the Edgar

SIR UEOFFHKV I'llIPPS HORNMV.

and some of tlu' ships at Portsmouth, the rest of
the s([ua(h'oii at Plymouth. They remained in
their winter (juarters till March 27, when the
Kilt/itr came out of harhour uiulor sail — thr. laM
iiiic-of-hatth> shl/> fliiU crer saihd out of Ports-
movth Jmrhour. At Spithead sh» remained till,
in the middle of April, the Channel fleet was sent
to [asbon with Lord Sefton, who was to invest the
Kiiii;- of Portugal with the Garter. On April 22
they arrived at Lisb«»n, and Captain Ilornhy's
account of their proceedings begins : —

''April 22, 18G5. — My Lord and his two
Guardsmen attaches made themselves extremely
agreeable, and indeed everything on the voyag-e
went as well as possible. Loj'd S. seems to
think we shall be here about eight days,

" April 25. — -Nothing^ can exceed the civility of
th(^ Mission since tlit-y landed. On Sunday Loi'd
fS. took a lot of us to see M hidl-iight, a poor affair
enough, kee[)ing u;^ to dine afterwards. To night
he dines nil the captains of the scjuadron, to-
morrow the officers of the Edgar. We went
yesterday to l)e presented to the king. There
is notln'ng- to be said about that — it was a dull
affair. On Tliursday we go to present him with
the Garter. The Admind and 1 take part in
tlie }»lay, having to carry the cloak, or the spurs,
or somethiniT.

''April '17. — Oui- departure is delayed for four
days on account of the death of the Cesarewitch.

Ill

H.M.S. EDOAR.

Ill

The Court did not lik»', to have the u)stallation
so soon after hearing of his death, and accord-
ingly postponed it until next Thursday. The
dinners still go on greedily. To-night the Ad-
miral has a heavy feed on hoard, and to-morrow
we honour the Minister with our company,

" April 28. — Just returned from our heavy
dhnier. Four-and-tweiity peo})le at the feast,
\\'hich was very elaboi-ate as regards cooking,
but wanted arrangement in the guests. Cham-
berlains, naval captains, ex-prince, ministers, &c.,
all jumbled together at table without introduc-
tions. I was fortunate in getting near the Rus-
sian Minister, who is a decent fellow. Everything
was dressed with truffles, so I am like a stuffed
turkey. If 1 get a good innings to-morrow, I shall
attribute it to them.

''May 5. — Yesterday was our great day. We
landed about 10 a.m,, started in very gorgeous
old carriages, all gold, glass, and landscapes, drawn
by six horses each (Sefton having eiglit), and
proceeded at foot's pace to the palace. Colonel
Carleton and 1 went in the first carriage, carry-
ing the ' hat ' and ' cloak,' each upon brilliant
velvet and gold cushions ; then followerl the
Admiral and Lord H, Percy with the ' collar '
and 'sword'; then the heralds with the 'Stat-
utes of the Order,' &c. ; and last, Sefton and
the Garter King-at-Arms. It took us nearly
two hours to get to the palace. Arrived there,

112

SIR GEOFFREY PIirTPS IIORXnY.

we formed a procession in wliicli Carleton and [
led, accompanied by six little pages. Wo passed
through a very handsome Ijanrjneting-room, in
which all the officers who had been invited to
see the ceremony were drawn np, and then into
the throne- room. On the dais stood the kin;--
and queen, with the kintj;-'s father and In'otlier.
The queen is (|uite a good-looking woman, very
well dressed, and wearing some very beautiful
emeralds and diamonds. The king's fatlu'r is a
very handsome man. As for the king, he is
not good looking, and when he came to be
covered up in the cloak that I had so care-
fully carried for hiu), he looked very miserable.
We (the procession) advanced from the door to-
wards the throne in a series of three steps and
a bow, opening out as we came, and halting
about six feet from the king. Lord Sefton and
' Garter ' then came through the middle, the
former presented the Queen's letter ' To our dear
brother,' and made him a speech in English.
The king then read a reply in Portuguese.
Lord S. then proceeded to invest him with the dif-
ferent articles, a small herald taking each article
in succession from us, giving them to ' Garter,'
and he to Lord S. 'Garter' then read the kintr
a couple of long Latin seritences, and we all bowed
out backwards in the same order as we had come
in. Lord S. was then recalled, and given the
highest order of * ""ower and Sword ' in diamonds..

■■m

I [.M.S. EDGAR.

113

"Wo all went l>iif'k aa we cimn', iii our ma*,'-
nificerit jL^lass co.icht*H, uiid at tin- h1(»\v j)acc, so \vh
flid not •'•ft to the hotel till 4 I'.M. \\v tln-ii had a
iiioutlitnl oflaiicli, and went to bo j»liotoniaj>lir(l.

"Al seven wo \voiv again at tlio jialaco I'oi'
dinn«u, ,sittini:'d<»^» n, about fortv-tive, to n handsome
table, with eveiy thing very well don«'. and all
the pe(i[)le retnarkahly civil. After the kin<j[ had
taken his leave, he retuined to ask it' wo would
like to soe the (|Uo«'ii's private a.|)artnients, which
ai'o coi'tainly voiv piotty and the Admiral, who
was specially favoured, saw the queen and the
baby.

''On Wednesday the king visited this ship,
Achilhs, and Prinrc Consort. The A«bniral gave
him u lunch, and we manned yards, and fired
vai'ious salutes in a way that was most gratifying
to liim.

"On Tuesday the Achillfs and t»m-8olvos gave
the Lisljon CO. a tremendous thrasliino;. 1 believe
1 saved the first innings, for we were unlucky at
first, and our fellows got nervous; but in the
secorul we made about 220 runs, and sliowed that
we were better at every point of the game."

Oaptain Hornby also received an order, which he
was allowed to acce])t, but not to wear.

The ticket haviuij: returned to Enjjland, and
landed the Miss'on at Portsmouth, loft again
towards the end of the month for I^a'tland. Here
they remained the greater part of tlie smnmer,

114

SIR GEOFFREY I'HirVS HORNBY.

goin^' out occasionally, as in the previous year, for
a few ilays at a time, and sonietiuies getting into
such confusion, in Ijad or thick weather, that the
flag-captain feared that "' liis chickens would run
into each other and crack their shells." No ctd-
lision occurred, but it was probably the sohcitude
about the said '^'chickens" which earned for Cap-
tain Hornby his service nickname of "Uncle
Geoff," .1 nickname which seems first to have come
into use about this time.

In August the fleet sailed for Cherbourg, where
they were to meet the Lords of the Admiralty.

I \.

Letter to Wife.

" 11. M.S. Edgar, Cherbourg, Aug. 15.

" We ditl not get securely moored here until
6.30 P.M. yesterday, and have since been living in
a state of turmoil, disgust, and envy. ' My Lords '
did not leave Portsmouth yesterday morning
when they ought, ' because the weather looked
thi'eatening.' Consecjuently all the peoph- liere,
who were expecting them at 2 p.m., were ke]>t
waiting nearly four hours. We were very late
in getting tlie ships m()ored. This morning I
have hGQn calling on all our half- pay and other
admirals here, and have been to tlie Mar/cuta,
whence I have come back full of envy at their
cleanliness. I always thought this was a clean
shi]), Ijut they beat us into tits. Their steam-
launches are a deal better ; but that I always

H.M.S. EDGAR.

115

knew, and said, for wliicli 1 was called a i'reiich-
maii, &c. Now they nia\ see for themselves.

^'■Augmt 17.

" ( )ri Tnesd.'iy we dined at the Hotel de Yille.
A vei'v handsome service of plate, good attendance,
dimier, &c., and I liad a fine opportunity of im-
proving my French between two French, officers.
The next morning dejeilner on board La FUiiulre
at 11, lasting till 1.30; truHles, Dinner on board
the Magenta, very prettily arranged, but more
truffies. This morning dejeihier on board Heroism ;
truffles and oil. Ins])ect Heroism and Ma<jeii(a
with Stewai't, tlien our own tlevtor. Stewart and
J in disii'ust. The Frenchmen's decks are a deal
cleaner than ours, and many of tiieir fittings much
neater, besides l)eing better ventilated below.
Never mind I Thank G<jd, we are young and
strong, i.nd we must grind till we l)eat them. But
we shall have pL'ntv to do to beat them, for i\\vy
are acti^'e intelligent men, and liave got a start
wliich tliey mean to keep. Admiral Dacres tells
me tlie Minister of Marine is immensely struck
with the Roi/al Sorereif/ii [altered according to
C^a])tain CoAA'per-Coles's plans]. The Frenchmen
fidly appreciate Cow|)er, though wt^ do not.

"Brest, August 21.

" Here we are, safe in one of the most mag-
nificent harbours I ever saw. I wish we had It in

SIR GEOFFREY PTIirPS HORNBY

.' ,

Eiiijflaiul. T tliijik we made rather a prettY sig-ht

of it: coinin*^' in, steam and sail ; but I must ask

Stewart, who Avas a spectator, and see if he was

satisfied.

*' August 22.

"I am jn-lad to tell you that the French Medi-
terranean Squadron, now here, are nothin<4' like so
clean as we are, so ])ossibly tiit^ Frenchmen may
have told us the truth at C/herbourg — viz., that it
was only from their being so nmch in harbour that
they looked better than we did. Almost every one
complimented us very much on the way we came
in yesterday. Stewart said we sh»)rtened sail
well, and that the njanoeuvre was a A'ery pretty
one; but Sir F. Grey, Hall, and Fanshawe won't
say a word of commendation. Tliis rather annoys
the Ailmiral, who was |)leased, and said to me as
we picked up our buoy, ' If they all come in as well
as we have dv)ue, it will be a very pretty sight.' "

[■■'i

■ i«iiii m i in i > -1 -r--''-T -" '■■'

117

CHAPTEE IX.

H.M.S. BRISTOL, 1865-18G8.

APPOINTED COMMODOUE OF THE WEST AFRICAN STATION, 1865

H.M.S. BliltiTOI. 0UTI3liEAK OF FEVER AT SIERRA LEONE

THE SLAVE-TRADE MISSIONARY AND TRADING DIFFICULTIES

ASOKNSUiN -ST HELENA — DEATH OF ADMIRAL HORNUY, 1867
IMPAIRED HEALTH HOilB AGAIN.

The " year or eighteen months," <^f which Captain
Hornliy had s])oken as liis probable term as flag-
ca})tain, had leiigthened out into nearly two and a
half years,''dm"ing which time dockyard and other
appointments had been given away to men junior
to him, before an offer of an a}>j)ointment came,
that of commodore on the West Coast of Africa,
— an offer very flattering in itself, but witli so
many j)i'os and cons that the decision to accept
it wfis a diitlcult one to make.

letter to Wife.

" H.if.S. Edgnr, Portland, July 26, I860.

" 1 have been surprised and perplexed by a great
offer that has just come to me from the Duke of
Somerset — viz., tt) send me out to the coast of

118

8rK OEOFFREY PHI ITS HOUNBV.

I '

Africa MS a C()inni(jd<ire of the first class and Com-
inander-in-Cniief In otlier words, lie makes me for
the next tliree years a Itear-Admiral. iiiid uives me
the command of a station. 1 know tlieiT is much
to he said au;<inst it, and es|)eeially that dieadfnl
separation. (Mi tlie othei- hand, it hrin^-s me so
iimcli to the front tliat it cannot but eventually ])e
a help to those dear hovs. 1 ])ray to God to guide
us iji makino; the proper decision."

" ^ruf>/ 30, ISO').

"Your letter has carried the <lecision. My
father "was aj:,^ainst it, and T was sorely divided. I
have taken Admir.-d Dacres' opinion and Willes',
and they both agree most strongly thjit J have the
hall at my foot, and shall for ever retrret it if I
don't kick it. I hjise decided to take the most
disagreeable course and go."

To Ciqnam Rohrt Ifall, A'.iV.

"My dear Hall, — As tliere is no postal
delivery to-dav In London, I have taken till the
last moment to C(jnsider the very handsome offer
that the Duke of Somerset has had the goodness
to make to me throiigli you. My only ground for
hesitation was, whetlier my health "w^onld stand in
the tro[)ics so as to enal)le me to work. I have
con)e to the conclusion that 1 ought to try, and it
will be my endeavour to justify the selection the

H.M.S. BRISTOL.

119

Duke lias been pleased to make. I feel tht^re are
circumstances in my case which make the Duke's
offei' ])eeuliarlv com])limentary, and I trust that
you \\'\\{ convey my warmest sense of his kindness
to his Grace. You speak of the Bristol not being-
comnjissioned before next week. I am most un-
willing to leave my good Admiral just as he is
going into French ports, to say nothing of losing
all the wrinkles that I expect to pick up there.
Could the comnnssioning be deferred till the end
of August or beginning <if September? It would
suit me much better, as 1 suppose we shall not be
back till the third week in August ; and really to
get officers, and still more cooks and stewards, is
a thing that cannot be done in a minute. Pray
believe that 1 am much obliged foi' your kind
letter, &c., &c."

(/aptain Hornby not only remained in the Edgar
till after the visit to the French ports, but until
the return visit of the Fr(?nch squadron had been
paid. 'J'lu^n on September 5 he took leave of the
Channel Fleet, and was rowed on shore by the
midshijimen, a comphment which he very much
ap])reciatetl. The next day he proceeded to Sheer-
ness, but the Bristol (liis flag-ship) was not yet
ready for commission, and he was therefore
appointed for one month to tlie Formidable. It
was not till the middle of November that the
Bristol was ready for sea, and that Captain

120

SJR (JEOFFKEY I'TIIPI'S HORXBY.

Hornhv took leave of liis old father, now eighty
years <>f aye, whom he was never to see n. life
again. On November 19 the ship sailed, biit was
detained ;tt I'ortland f(»r a week by some of the
most severe weatliei experienced for yeai'S. Tbey
arrived at Sierra Leone on Christmas day, and
their greeting on the station was the appearance
of " yellow-jack " on boanb

Letter to Wife.

" n.M.S. Bristol, Sierra Leone,
Dec. 29, 1865.

"I shoi]l(] have sailed yesterday, but delayed
that I might shift to a more healthy ])osition — an
unfortnnate depot ship, the Iris, on which all the
people have been getting fever and dying.

"J«w. 4,1865.

" We have lieen obliged to alter our course in
consequence of fever having broken out on board,
and are now making our way to Ascension, calling
at Cape Palmas to leave these letters. Out of 104
men who were employed in shifting th^ Iris, 35
have been attacked by fever. Of these, three are
dead, and we are likely to lose three or f(^ur more.

" Ascension, Jan, 14.

" We arrived here lasl night, coming in under
sail, with a bit of sjilash that has pleased all on
board with themselves, and which they believe to
have been the admiration of all on shore. All I

H.M.S. BRfHTOL.

121

c.'\ii say is, ' More's the pity that it should lie so
rare a tiling- to see a ship come into harliour
under sail.' 1 am sorry to say we have in all
lost 21 men. But, thank God, all the tii-st and
worst cases that have survived ai'e mendinir, and
we have only had one more case of lever this
week, and that a slight one, so I hope we have
got t»ver it."

To Sir Phipps Hornby, G.C.B.

" Bristol, Jan. 2.3, 1^66.

"The fever laid on us very hard. We had
thirty-nine cases, and lost 22 men, all dying of
yellow fever. Fortunately it did not sjvread, no
man taking it who was not on board the Iris.
^^)r the sake of this island I k(^ep in ipia ran tine
until the 26th — i.e., foui'teen days from the last
case. This has been an unhealthy season on. the
coast, so I hope I may have seen the worst of it.

" Still, it is not a place that any one Mould stay
at if he could get away, I hear on all sides that
the slave-trade is done, that the demand from
Cuba has ceased, and that no vessels come to
this coast. If this is so (and the Foreign Office
seems to believe it), this squadron should be re-
duced to one half at least, and there can be no
doubt that one commodore could work the whole
of S. Africa well. I can go even further, for if
the slave - trade does continue, I feel sure that
it would be better to combine the East and West

122

sin (iEOFFREY PIIIPI'.S HORNBY

I i

5 '.:

8(|ua(lr(ms, so as to (/we tlie ships an oppoi'timity
of jn'otitiiit;- l»y th" cliaiip' of climate fi'oiii one
coast to tlu' other, and still (n<*re by the occa-
sional bracing of the Ca]ie. Three years for a
small ship on this coast is rcn/ hard, — moi'e tlian
oin' men should be called on for, merely to suit
the Avhims of so-called 'philanthropy,' and a nig-
gardly [)hilanthi'opy too.'

( )iilv tA\" officers on l)oard the ]iri><lol had been
attacktHl by the fe\^^r, both of whom I'ecovered ;
but the unhealthy climate had been doing its m ork
among the otHcers of otlier shi[}S, and l)efore the
new commodore had been a fortnight on the
station he had pronioted his liag-lientenant, II.
O'B. Fitzroy, into a death vacancy, caused by
the death of Commander Blakiston of the 6yx<>'ro2t',
and iriven Mr James Bruce tlu' HaiJ'-lieutenant's
vacancy. C/Ommander Fitzroy did Jiot. however,
leave the BrUfol, but exchanged with Captain
Cambier, her commander, who was an\i<»us to
return to England on account of private atl'airs.
Ke was therefore glad to get the Sparrow, which
had only a few months to remain on tlie coast.

This excliange having been effected, and the
men being sufHciently recovered from the fever,
the comni(»dore left in January 186(3 to visit the
principal })orts on his station. As Captain Hornby
said in his letter to his father, " the slave-trade
was done," maiidy because the demand hatl ceased.

4.
I

f !

- 'irm-rr' " "!"■ ' •

H.M.S. lUaSTOL.

123

Since the \Mir no slaves had he«^ri taken into the
United States, and the Governor of Cuba refused
to have any more. As for the blockade, Captain
Hoi'iiby writes : —

"It appears as if it would be very difficult to
keep up an effective blockade against slave-dealers,
if there was a sufficient demand to make it again
worth their while to run, and if they really organ-
ised their scheme. At Manque Grande more than
20 canoes are reported by Commander Nelson,
each of which can ship 30 slaves at a trip, so that
in half an hour a cargo of GOO might be sliipped.
At present (February 'IH(5G) the demand seems to
have totally ceased, but it is reported that a few
will be wanted ere long for Brazils."

What Captain Hornby advocated in this even-
tuality was, that the chiefs on the coast should be
made to see that it was in tlieir own interest to
encourage legitimate trade — i.e., palm-oil, india-
rubber, &c. — instead of the illegitimate — i.e., slaves
and rum.

Note,^ on the Bight of Benin, 1866, 18G7.

'* F'rom the Volta to Porto Novo, a distance of
onlv 220 miles, is the main seat of the slave-trade ;
in that short distance, backed by the King of
Dahomey, the slaves are shipped. The country
for 20 miles east of the Yolta belongs to England,
having with the now deserted fort of Quito been
purchased from the Danes, with all rights, in 1850.

124

sn{ GEOFFKEY F-IIIITV. FIOHNnY,

1 jM'ojHi'^t' tli!it. tlie fort l^«' lepaircd and ^TinisdjHMl,
wliicl) would rcdnnc tlu^ iM-acli for sliIpnuMit to 100
miles in lenijfth. Tlicst; KMJ nlil(^s of coiisL may ])»i
(lividt'd into two parts. The most westerly a1">ut
05 miles, w itli the small towns of Flowhow, Fish-
town. Govvalonto, Porto Se^iiro, Little Popo, A^^-
hevey, and ( Treat Popo ; tlie easterimiost, with tlie
large town ofWliydah and its dependencies. The
former six towns are independent, and governed by
their chiefs and headmen ; sometimes they fight
among themselves; they have little or no terri-
tory. These towns are purely trading connnuni-
ties ; tht^y carry European goods into tlu^ interio]-,
and sell them foi' produce, oil, &c. I am convinced,
from a toleral»ly intimate ac(iuaintance with tliem,
that any person of character, iirnmess, and, above
all, patience, could, partly by reasoning and partly
by a smtdl demonstration of force (merely the
presence of the two nearest gunboats), get them
to agree to a few simple conditions — viz., not to
allow slaves to be exported from their territories,
or to admit white dealers in slaves ; to give pro-
tectioji to black or white missionaries or merchants,
a fail' import duty, &c. If a reasonable, though
rather heavy, duty were ])laced on rum and spirits
from the Volta to Lagos, it would give reveraie to
the cliiefs, and make it worth their wliile to en-
courage legal trade to the utmost. T believe tliat
they would gladly acce])t such a treaty, and, what
is more, keep it. It must be borne in mind that

H.M.8. IIRIflTOL.

125

we CMii, l)y ineaiis «if a regular Itlockade of any par-
ticular port, easily stop its trade, wliicli is nearly
erpiivaleat to starving- tlie chiefs into subinissioii.
Tiiere now remains aliout 35 miles of coast, the sea-
front of Dahomey, for 150 years the heaflfpiarters
of the slave-trade. Tlic chief seaport, Whydah, is
situated a short two miles from the l)eaoh, from
which it is divided hy the lagoon, here generally
fordable. From its central position, and command
of water-carriage, Whydah will always he an im-
portant place. The King of Dahomey would make
no treaf.y promising to abstain from e.xpoiting
slaves, and he would not keep it if he did. An
ajjreement with the French, and if necessarv a few
police from Lagos (Hijussa men), would cause a
blo(jdless revolution or secession, and Whvdah
would tbrm another petty ti'ading conununity, like
the other towns in the 65 miles of sea-coast. The
smaller ports would speedily follow, and Dahomey
would be cut off from the sea. The consequence
would be, that the kingdom, with its Anjazons,
sacrifices, and hideous fanaticism, would cease to
exist in three years, and the present king be
begging for chop round the English factories."

Another burning question on the West Coast at
that time was the missionary and merchant ques-
tion. The reason of this difficulty was, that the
missionaries so often combined tradinyf with their
other avocations that it was not easy for the

.*
^

126

SIR GEOFFREY rillPr'S IJOKNBY.

native to flistin^nish between the Europonns Avho
came in the interests of connnerce and tliose who
came in the cause of reh^ion. Apart from cases
which were reported to tlie cornmoflore, of a negi'o
being tortured to death by a Portuguese, or shot
])y a drunken factory clerk for no reason excej)t
that the clerk was drunk, and hji])|)ened to. have a
revolver in his hand, there were (Hsturbances which
arose from a mere trifle. For instance —

" March 31, 1800. — Commander St Clair reports
that some time back a native's dog strayed into
the factory-yard at Chinaongo, and v i wantonly
shot by one of the clerks. The owner remon-
strated and claimed compensation, which was
refused, so he came the next day and shot a pig
belonging to the factory. They sent to his village,
and asked the chief to give him up, which was
refused, and they then sent a party of Kroomen
to take him by force. These got hold of the man,
but the natives rescued him, fired on the Kroomen,
an '^ 's believed killed one of them. After this
^ .des took to arms. The natives fired on the

.ory, the whites called in the assistance of the
Portuguese, and, from what Commander St Clair
could hear, attacked one of the native villages.
After going on in this way for some time, the
natives agreed to give the man up ; but he died,
or was killed, before he reached the factory.
Finally, there was a palaver, on which the whites
succeeded in getting a promise to pay them thirty

, ' I

H.M.S. BRISTOL.

127

barrels ol' palm-oil for the expenses to which they
had been put."

No wonder that luider these circumstances the
nei,n-()es were not disposed to receive missionaries
with open arms, especially as they were not easily
distiii<iuished from traders, and the majority of
the said missionaries were not men of very hi^h
calibre. Captain Hornby often speaks in very
strong terms of theii worthlessness, and warns
his relatives aj;ainst subscribing to missions to the
West Coast. " F'oi-, as a rule, they jthe mission-
aries] are a bad lot, and the worst enemy to the
black man. If he is dull and incapable of civilis-
ation, he is at least a good-tempered harmless
brute until they come amongst them. After that,
the negroes become untruthful, discontented, and
tricky." During all the time he was on the West
Coast, the conunodore notices only tw^o missionary
settlements with any approbation. One was at
Trading Towni on the Cameroons river.

"^ April 13. — When we got up, we found rather
an interesting missionary, a Baptist, looking, poor
fellow, as if he hadn't an ounce of life left in him ;
but he must be a mail of wonderful energy. He
has reducfjd the language of the natives to writing,
and has translated the Bil)le for them. He has
been miles up the pestilential rivers, and has been
stripped by the natives, and obliged to walk thirty
miles naked, through these mangrove swamps,
till he came to a friendly village, yet he will not

128

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

hear of our using force against the offenders. He
Hves uj) to his Christian principles, and has to a
great extent succeeded in Uving down their oppo-
sition. Ht^ told me he had taught several men
different trades, and trained many hoys in his
house a.. a schools, hut that they all fell hack
into their old savagedom. His hope now was in
educating girls, who as mothers might improve
their children. There cannot he much enjoyment
in this lift-, hut I have no doubt he Avill reap a
rich reward in the next world."

The other instance was an American settlement
at Cape Palmas.

''March 22, 1867. — ^hily one of the missionaries
present, tlie rest having gone to America for health.
He said honestly he was not satistied with the
pi'ogress of the place. The educated blacks did
not show sufficient energy either in opening the
country or in cultivating the soil : most of them
liked to keep a shop, or, as they called it, to trade.
At the same time, the climate was against in-
dustry. Four hours' work a-day was as nmch as
a man could well stand ; truly, thos^ four hours
would produce as nnich as twelve hours' work in
America, yet the balance of I'est engendered habits
of idleness. He had seen many energetic black
men who on their arrival had worked early and
late, as they were accustomed to do in the States,
but they never lasted more than four or five years.
In the county of ' Harper ' he says there are 1200

n.M.S. BRISTOL.

129

(.V 1300 American blacks and 100,000 natives.
The latter are now docile, and feel that the mis-
sionaries are their friends. In his own villat^^'e,
' Ptoektown,' he says he is siijn'eme, Init they are
liigoted to their old superstitions, 'as fond, of them
as Eno-lishmen are of their Church.' He sees little
progi^ess in Christianity, but he liopes his suc-
cessors may reap a larger harvest."

Everywhere on the coast it was the same story ;
men seemed either to wear themselves out by the
force of their own eneruv, or to sink under the
enervating eifect of the climate and the exceeding
monotony of the life. Captain Hornby in the early
days on the coast describes his own manner of
life :—

"I get up at 7 A.M., have a bath and a rpiarter
of an hour at the dumb-bells. Breakfast at 8.15 ;
then write, and see people all the forenoon.
Lunch at one; land at four; walk till six. Dine
at seven, with another turn at the dumb-l)ells
before dinner. A game of whist at nine, and to
bed about eleven."

So it went on, year in year out. with no
variety but working at mathematics, " so as to be
able to help my boys," when there was no writ-
ing to be done ; and that at sea tlie Avalk was
up and down the deck instead of up and down
hill. Even the reception at each new place,
though at first amusing, became, by frequent re-
petition, tedious.

, u

■'

130 SIR C4E0FFIIEY I'HIPrS HORNBY.

To Mm E. Fhipps JToruhy.

"Feb. 20, 186G.

" You have no idea what a ' Grand Panjandrum '
your father is nowadays. Wherever he lands, if
there are guns, oft' goes a sahite of eleven guns
when he lands, and again when he (unbarks. A
large guard of soldiers is turned out. ' Present
arms ! ' two officers in full fig saluting, ' Too-too-
ti-too,' &c., on an old cracked bugle. All the
nigger soldi. « dressed in dirty Zouave dress, with
huge shoes and gaiters, looking lik^ canoes wath
large sails, and legs like pipe-stems, or masts on
\A'hich the sails were set. Then all the niggers
of the place are collected on the beach to see tlie
sight, and the number of very ugly, skinny old
women is surpi-ising. A lively nigger iri the crowd
calls out, ' Yep, yep, yep, oily ! ' by which he
means ' Hip, hip, hi|), hurrah ! ' and they all call
' Yolly ! ' and break into shouts of laugliter."

Nothing occurred to break the monotony of
^■isiti ng one little trade settlement aftei* anothei',
except a run to St Helena and Ascension in June
and July, till in August an American man-of-war
brought news of war having broken out between
Italy, Austria, and Prussia, of a change of Min-
istry in England, and that war was imminent
between France and Prussia. In this state of
conflict on the (^ontinent. Captain Hornby could
only believe that England would shortly be drawn

■|

11!

H.M.S. BRISTOL.

131

into the fn.y. No coiifiniiatloii of the news could
be expected for a month, as it took two months
for the mails from England to reach the West
Coast. Just as the conunodore was coj^'itating at
what place he could most (luickly and surely hit
off the next nudl, Captain Somerset, flag-captain,
came to re])ort that tiie engines had com[)letely
broken down. There was no possibility of repair-
iiio" tliem on the station, so the only thino- to be
done was for the ship to make tlie best of \n'Y way
to Ascension, where tlie commo(k»i'e landed with
his secretaries, while the Bristol was sent home
to have the necessary re])airs executed. While
awaiting the arrival of the Orcyhound, to which
he intended to shift his flag. Captain Hornby
moved into a Httle cottage on the " Green
Moinitain." as it is called, wliere a few bushes
and tufts of grass make an agreeable refreshment
to the eye. The island of Ascension is of volcanic
origin, and the general efl'ect is that t)f a cinder-
heap. Tiiere are no wells on the island, nnd as it
practically never rains, all tlie water li;id to )je
conilensed. At that time the allowance for nil
pm'])oses was one gallon per diem for each person.
Fresl) })rovisions were also very scarce ; and as to
meat, except an occasionnl rabbit, it was impossible
to get any besides the Government allowance of
1 lb. per head three times a-week, and more than
once Captain Hoi-nby maile official complaint of
the quality of the meat thus served out.

132

SIR GEOFFllEY PHIPPS llOHNBY.

Some alterations lia<i to be made in the Grey-
hound to accommodate the commodore and his
staff, so it was not till the middle of October that
she was ready to sail for St Helena. At St Helena
Captain Hornby took a little cottage, and very
much enjoyed the cooler air and the luxury of
cold biitiis ; but either Ascension had disaoreed
with him, or the climate was beginning to tell on
his health, as during his residence at St Helena
he was never well. At first he thouii'ht the cooler
climate was doing him good, and at one time he
improved sufficiently to enjoy a game of cncket ;
but the mischief continued to increase, and when
at the end of the year he left again for the Bight
of Benin and Sierra Leone, he was attacked with
such a severe form of dysentery that he wrote
privately to Sir Sydney Dacres to say that it
might be necessary for him to " invalid." Before
resorting to this coia-se he determined to try
what a strictl)-" milk diet and a run to the
Ca})e de Verd Islands would do for him. Even
by the time he reached Sieri-a Leone he was so
nnich better that he was able to accept an in-
vitation to dine with the French Admiral. Ad-
miral de Laiigle recei\ed liim warmly, and in
proposing the commodore's health coujiled it
with that of Sir Phipps Hornby, alluding feel-
ingly to the time when they were serving to-
gether in the Pacific, so that Ca})tain Hornby felt
compelled tc» re})ly in Fi-ench, — the first time he

H.M.S. BRISTOL.

133

had made a speech in any language except his
own.

Within a few days of this dinner the old Ad-
miral, his father, passed avvay at Littlegreen, after
a very short illness. Almost the last service act
of his life had heen tc) ask the Admiralty to be-
stow a vacant G.S.P. 'ni liis son, who, tliough mnv
holfling the highest coi iraand possible as a captain,
was the o'.ilv one among the twenty-six senior
captains on the list who had never received any
otiicial recognition of his services. The old man's
request was refused, with the usual polite but
empty excuses, and his disapj)ointment was very
keen. He appeared, liowever, as well and cheerful
as ever when on the 13th of March he had a few
of his dearest friends to dine to celebrate the anni-
versary of Lissa. The next day he was taken ill,
and after a four days' illness died, March 18, 1867.
The news first readied his son by a newspaper re-
port on April 24, the home letters not reaching
him till a \^^eek later. April 25 he writes to his
wife : —

" Only yesterday I heard of my dear lather's
death. My last accounts of him were so good that
T was quite un})repared for it. I was completely
knocke<l down, and though I know, as long as you
and the deai- children are spared to me, it is Avrong
to complain, I feel constantly inclined to abuse
this ship and all the ill-luck she has brought us.
First, that heavy sickness and the loss of^s'o many

134

SIR GEOFFREY riTTPVS HORNBY.

men ; then tlu^ loss to poor Boyle of liis fiither,
and lo Caml)iei of his wile; next, llie in-iief that
must Iiav(^ fallen on the mother of the boy we
buried at Sierra Leone, just as slie liad started
him in life; tmd now ray loss, and the great dis-
ap[)ointment of feeling that I sliall not see his
kind face on my return, (j!od grant that wlien I
die I may have as good a n.nne and example for
the encouragement of my lx)ys as tht^ dear old man
who has now left us has mven to his children "

By the tluK^ that (/aptaiii Hornby had rec^'ived
this news the Ih-i.-^fo/ had returned from England,
and as the cruise to the Cape de Verd Islands luid
so far restored his health that h<^ felt bettei' than
lie had done for the last six months, lie was able
to start in her to visit and inspect the various
cruisers employed in the blockade of the West
Coast. Many of the crews were very sickly ; and,
as fir as w\ns possible, be took the invalids on
board the Bristol, and replaced them by liealthy
men from that shij). What he saw on this cruise
caused him to write most strongly to the Ad-
mii'alty on the suViject of relaxing the blockade,
and again joining the Ca}»' and West Coast
stations.

> f

■ .

To Sir Alexander Milne, K.C.B.

"Coxoo River, May 28, 1807,

" The fact is, Sir, tht? bow has been overstrained.
With very few vessels the officers have kept as

bHWTi iiinlH»if-

II.M.S. BRJf^TOL

135

strict a blockatle as fully oniployt^cl a largvr mim-
b«'r two yeai's since, A l)atl season has fallen on
tlnnii, and tliev are done. I must tell you openly,
that if it is not tlie intention of the Admiralty
to keep the Sf^uadron up to the lowest mark —
namely, fovu'teen effective cruisers — I think we
slionld have permission to relax the stringency
of the blockade. The work is very hard; there
is no excitement, not even hope, nothing but a
dogged pressing on to the <luty because it is
ordered. Very fine to contem])late, doubtless ;
but it is destroying promising young men, ofhcnrs
princi})jdly, l)ut also seamen Ini-gely. 1 do not
advocate an increase of S([uadron, rather a <le-
crease ; a stray cargo of slaves may g.> across,
but as the demand is slack we seem to waste
our powers for a worthless object."

To Sir Sydney Dacres, K.C.B.

" St Helena, Jnne 20, ISriT.

" We found no letters from the Admiralty on
our arrival here, but the papers and letters from
Plymouth affirm that the Rattlesnake is coming
out to relieve this ship. Far be it from me to
say that tliis is not a very wise change. At tlie
same time, knowing how hardly she can accom-
modate my stafi*, feeling that there is nothing
doing liej'e, as far as I can see, that re([uires
the country to be put to the expense of a first-
class commodore, and that two years is as nnich

-. {

136

Sm CiEOFFKEY PHTri'S irORNHY.

as most people can last on the coast, I am writlno-
to Sir A. Milnt' to request him to relieve me, if
he relieves this shij). 1 can say to you vvhat I
luinht not be justitied in intruding- on him, that
j]i my opinion, instead of semhng out a large
corvette with another commodoi'e, vou onixht to
send out a small one witli a yomig captain, and
put him and all the remains of this scpiadron
under a conunodor(:> at the (Jape. If Greyliound
and Racoon are kept cait y(^u would i\nn\ have
three captains, who could relieve one another as
senior oliicers in the Mozambique, the Bight, and
the South Cuast, su])posing you still keep uj) the
blockade aganist the Transatlantic slave - trade.
They could do their work far more easily, and
with less loss to the crews, than under the present
arrangement. The ci'uisers for some time ])rst
have not had more than fourteen days in a year
heie, and then seven days at Ascensi(^n. It would
lie a boon to them also if they could make an
annual trip to the Cape instead. It would })ro-
bably occupy but litth? moie time ; and the
greater coldness of the climate would have a
very invigorating effect on the crews. Indeed,
the sepnration of the station from the Cape, and
the removal of the Admiral thence, seem to have
been made after a superficial glance at a chart,
and without any consideration of the prevailing
winds and currents, which really govern the dif-
ferences of distance between places from a sea-

H.M.S. BRISTOL.

137

•

farinnr point of view. We have had an indifferent
season off the coast dui'injL,'' the last six months,
and several »)f the crews have felt it."

The report about the RattJcj^nake proved to be
true. Tliouo-h the entjines of the Bristol had l)een
patched up during,'- her visit to England the preced-
ing winter, they were liable, from their construc-
tion, to break down at an}' moment, and there
was no means of repairing tliein on the station.
It was therefore decided that the Rattlesnake
sliould relieve her, and as Captain Hornby liad
expressed a wish not to l)e left out after the
Bristol went home, a st^cond - class commodore
was appointed to succeed him. The Rattle-
snake, with the new commodore, Captain Dowell,
on board, reached Ascension at the end of No-
vember, and as soon as possible after its arrival
the Bristol sailed, reaching England early in
January. Though Captain Hornby had seemed
to stand the climate on the coast better than
most i^eople, it told on him a good deal after
his return. He suffered terribly from neuralgia,
and, what surprised and troubled him a good
deal more, from "nerves" as well. When he
first arrived in London, whenever he drove he
was convinced that every cab or omnibus he
saw coming must run into him, and if there
was no carriage approaching, he expected to
come into collision with every lamp - post he

' !

ir^8

SIR OKOFriiEY rilTI'I's Hn|{M!V.

drove pnst. After some months <<\' medical treat-
meiit, he recovered c'omjtlctely, ami wliatever else
may have ailed him, his nerves iit-vi'i- tntuMfd liim
a^alii.

As he liad hvcn relievt-d liefon*. lie expeeled,
l)otli (if his places \\(4v still Ifl. lie li\«(l for
the tiist few months after his return in I>i't'sdrn,
where Mrs floridly was spending tlie winter for
the sake of the education of \ivv children.
Lordiji(>-t(;n hecame vacant first, and he returned
tiiithei- with his family in May, when he found
that tlie succession duties, leo-acies, and charges
on tlie property woul<l prevent him tVnm i)ein*4-
able to atford to live at Litlleiireeii for five years
to come. This was the more ainiovinsj', as his
family, six children, h;i(l (iuti;-r<i\vn the smallei-
luiuse, and it was ni^cessar\- to add to Lordiuiiton.
The addiilons were planned, but Captain Mornby
^vas not able to remain to see them carried out,
as on January 1, 186'.>, he was [)rom<ned to tlag-
rank, and, almost immediately, was offered the
command of ;i squadron to sail round ilie w'orld.

139

CHAPTER X.

THE FLYING SQUADROX, JUXE 1809 TO NOV. 1870.

PROMOTION TO I'LAG - HANK WITH COMMAND OF THE FLYING
SQUADUON ITS COMl'OHITION NOTES FOll TIIK USE OF CAP-
TAINS — JUO CAPE TOWN MELUUUIiNE AND SYDNEY IIOBAUT

TOWN NOTES ON NEW ZEALAND HECEI'TION BY THE MIKADO

— END OF TUE CHUISE.

The Admii'al at the time of his appointment to
the Flying Stjuadroii was barely forty -four years
of age, and the junior Admiral on the list. The
S([uadroii was to consist of four frigates and two
c<)rvettes. Its primary object was to l)e the
instruction of officers and men in seamanship ;
the secondary one, that of showing to foreign
countries and our colonies that England could
afford to man and equip a number of ships for
training purposes only.

Before sfiiling, the Admiral compiled the follow-
ing notes for the use of his captains : —

1. Ohjccts of cruise. — To teach officers and men, to elicit
smartness, both in appearance and execution, by competition.

2. That the last frigate squadron did much for tlie service
in this way; that officers were largely successful. Draw

140

SIR CJEOFFKEV rHU'PS HORNBY.

attention to tlie subscfpient advjiucemcnt of Smart, Symonds,
Dacres, Elliott, Caldwell, S^c, &c.

;!. Afy orders are minute, but it is only by attention to
minutia' that we can teach the young (itlieers thoroughly.

4. That the first retjuisite for imjn'm'ement is to know
your own deficicnicie.s and wants; and these can be — as
regards ships — more easily seen by outsiders than by
ourselves.

0. I have ordered a signal to be filed by which we can
ask one another the appearance of our own ships.

G. Tliis may always be used by semaphore from ship to
ship, and the senior of two adjacent ships should call a
junior's attention to a yard not stpiared, a rope towing
overboard, &c.

7. in so doing, it is not to be considered that one man is
finding fault with another.

8. Captains to make otlicers of watches trim upper yards,
not to bo relieved till the relief has been rruind to see every-
thing right, and not to take charge witliout calling the
captain if the ship is not in station.

Ollicers of watch to make and reduce sail in minute
proportions, and to watch the compass narrowly. (Ben
"VVyvill's plan for keeping station.)

Officers of watch to keep ship in station and to carry on.
If any of them are bad their names will be shown.

9. To con^crse with them, to see if they understand
the principle of a station bill, the principle on which
manoeuvres are executed, and generally on the current
events of the cruise.

10. To call up the junior ofRcers to watch other ships
going in and out of hr:rbour, and to note defects, such as
upper yards not falling square, sails not trimmed, set, or
reduced, to aid helm,

11. Call attention of officers and midshipmen to running
down on a bearing. To the reason of tacking when object
is ou weather-beam, &c.

IWNMIiHHl ,.

THE FLYING SQUADRON.

141

12. To watch mids. wlieu boat-si\ilin,tf, and encourage
them.

Precision under sail will lead to jirecision luulcr steam,
which otherwise cannot be learnt without great expense.

I am myself anxious to learn, — always ready to discuss
all questions — my own orders as much as anything else —
wiih the captains, and wish to give every information, lint
my great wish, and I trust tlie hope of every captain, is
that we may be able to tlo the country good service l)y
training a largo body of young oMlcers in a good school.

Co((ls are to be economically used, not only when steam-
ing, but for condensing and cooking. To ensure tiie thorough
burning of ashes, it is advisable to make the stokers get up
their own ashes when steaming quietly.

jr<(fi'r is to be completed closely before leaving port, and
the ships are to be kept on a strict allowance at sea of 1^^
gall, per man out of t)ie tropics. This is to include the
washing-water.

Sails. — The most worn sails are to be used in summer,
and in the tropics. If it is necessary to shift any, they are
to be bent again directly they are rejiaired.

liojM is to be thorouglily worn out before being replaced
from the sea-store. Much of the running rigging should be
shifted end for end and cut in two, and the ends spliced
before being used. This does not apply to boat-falls, or the
more important ropes, such as lifts, lower and topsail
braces, bunt-lines, clew-lines, and clew-garnets, &c. Too
much care cannot be paid to the economising of sails and
stores.

When wearing in succession, the driver is never to be
set, or the after-yards braced up, until the last ship of the
column be abf ft the weather-beam.

Before tacking in succession, the mainsails are to be set,
and sufftcient sail added to ensure the ship staying without
making a large sternboard. The ships are to be kept under
thorough command in case of a leader missing stays.

■i\

i !

142

SIR GEOFFREY PHIFPS HORNBY.

Boats. — Boats are always to sail when it is possible.
When sailing, they should be steered by their midshipmen,
sitting as low and as far forward as possible, with the ciews
in the bottom of the boats. Boats going for ofticers will
generally be able to sail on sliore, even with a foul wind, if
they are sent away in due time. Boats for stewards are to
be sent away at or before daylight, to ensure their being on
board by 7.45 a.m.

Dress. — In harbour, black or white hats are to be worn,
according as the signal orders dark or white trousers. At
sea, or in working dress, blue or white caps are to be worn.
On Sundays, or other holidays, blue jackets are to be worn
over blue or white frocks, as may be convenient; but men
are not to be sent aloft, or away in \ oats, in white frocks
and blue trousers, unless the signal 61o shall have been
made. It follows that blue frocks muse be left out on
Sundays at sea when blue clothing is ordered. Stokers
and working idlers are not to ))e allowed to keep dirty
dresses, but their kit must be so ordered as to allow of
their wearing a clean working dress daily, and they need
not be obliged to keep so many frocks, &c., as other men.

The squadron sailed from Plymouth, June 19,
1869, consisting of the Liverpool, flagship, Flag-
Captain J. O. Hopkins, Flag-Lieutenant James
Bruce, Secretary George Love ; the Liffey, Captain
Johnson ; Bristol, Captain Wilson ; Eiidymion,
Captain Lacy ; and Scylla, corvette, Captain
Herbert. The other corvette, Barrosa, Captain
Gibson, had Jiot completed her repairs, and did
not join them till Madeira. The Liverpool, Liffey,
and Bristol sailed pretty evenly, the Scylla could
spare them courses, while the Endymimi was very
slow. They reached Madeira on July 1 ; three of

iiirrrrrrnn-""""'

, . .wt^.>W,jt»i*M/'*. ■

THE FLYING SQUADRON.

143

'«

the si lips got ill under sail, but the Bristol and
Emhiinivii. wfvre taken by an easterly current, and
had to get up httnani. The next day they weighed
under steam, jiicked up the Barrosa outside, and
sailed for Haliia, wliioli they reached on August
2, havinu' crossed the line July 25, long. 18° W.
Tliougli tlie allowance of water seemed so small,
it was nevpi' exceeded after tlie first week or two.
At l^ahiii they only remained forty-eight hours,
and here they jiarted company with the Bristol^
taking on with them tlit^ frigate PJuehc, Captain
Bythesea. Their |iassage to Ilio de Janeiro was a
very slow one, twelve instead of six days, and, as
ill luck N\ ould hiwf it, the Emperor, counting on the
(pucker time, h..d come dowai to Rio yn\ purpose to
sec the ships, an<l had given a ball in their honour,
wliich took place several days l)efore the squadron
arrived. When they did arrive, tlie Em])eror
paid them a long visit, asked to see the ships
at (piarters and tlie boats armed, and after lunch
on l)oard the fAverpool, he visited eacii ship in
turn. Everything possibh^ in the way of saluting
and man.iing yards, &c., was done to do him
honour, and his Majesty went away expressing
liimself much gratifi<^d, and the Minister assured
the Admiral that any feeling of soreness in the
Emperor's mind had been com})le'tely eifaced by
the rece])tion given to him by the KCjuadron.

During the nine days tlniy remained at Eio the
divers were set to work to scrape the Endyiidons

144

Sill GEOFFEEY PlllPrS IIORNR^^

bottom, and the result proved eminently satis-
factory, as for the rest of the cruise slie was quite
able to hold her own in sailinu: witli the other
ships. Another twelve days' passage, during
which they encountered tlieir fii'st really severe
gale, brought them to Monte Video, where their
five days' stay was marked by no particular
incident, except that they beat out on a very
dirty day, very much to the surprise of the
Frencli Admiral, who was quite convinced that
it Avas impossible to put to sea in such weather.

There was plenty of wind, and plenty of hard
work, on the three weeks' |)assage across to the
Cape. Only three calm days during the whole
})assage ; two of these were occupied in exclianging
naval instructors for tlie purpose of examining
midshipmen, and on the third the Admiral in-
spected tlie Pha'hii. A great concourse of peo])le
assembled to see the s([uadroii sail into Simon's
Bay, and the visit was hailed ^^■ith great satis-
faction, as thi-ee davs' leave was o-iv^en to each
watch, and it was calculated that during their
leave the men spent .£30,000 in Cape Town. The
dockyard, on the contrary, was pretty well cleared
out of stores, for from constant wear and tear
many of the ropes, i^c, were worn out, and had to
be replaced.

Clianges at the Cape had been many, and many
of the Admiral's old friends had left ; but his "old
Dutch mother,"' Mrs Van der Byl, was still alive,

mmmmmmv^i!fr$^^^^s:rm^^sL

THE FLYINCJ SQUADRON.

145

and was much delighted at seeing her old midshi])-
man friend developed into a full-blown Admiral.

From the Cape the squadron bore right away
to Melbourne, leaving Captain Johnson invalitled
))ehind ; Captain Gibson was put in as acting cap-
tain to the i/^^/c'y ; Conmiander Hand acting cap-
tain to the Bm'rosa, Lieutenant Bosanquet replac-
ing him as acting connnander in the Eiidyyn'iOti.
It was the Endymions turn to be inspected at sea,
not many days from the Cape, shortly yfter whicli
the squadron fell into the typical weather of the
Roaring Forties : gales from whicli hardly any of
the ships escaped without some damage to boats,
sails, or yards ; fog so dense that more than once
the ships were in imminent danger of collision ; and
snowstorms, which proved very trying to the men.

On November 10 the Sci/lla and Eiidym ion were
lost sight of in a gale, and it was not till the
25th that the Scylla rejoined, wln'le the Endymion
did not put in an appearance till the 28th, two days
after the squadron had anchored at Melbourne.

Botli at Melbourne and Sydney the Flying
Squadron was received with the greatest kindness
and hospitality. Not only the municipality but
private individuals did their very utmost in the
way of entertainments. Sailors of all ranks were
franked everywhere, they had free passes on all
the Government railways, and wherever they went,
and whatever they did, they were met by the same
assurance — "Nothing to pay." At Sydney, where

146

Sm GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

Christmas Day was spent, the town made the men
a present of their Christmas dinner, and in both
colonies there seemed a universal desire that tiie
men should fare as well as their officers.

The Admiral and officers, on the other hand, did
all in their power to show their appreciation of the
kindness shown to hem, by giving every possible
facility to the public for visiting the ships. At
Melbourne, partly for the /^ratification of the pub-
lic and partly to show the capabilities of Hobson's
Bay as a manoeuvring - place ibr ships, a naval
review was arranged. Tlie first idea had been
that it should take the form of a sham attack on
the town, but this was abandoned. As many
guests as possil)le were accommodated on board
each of the ships, and as soon as the Governor had
been received with all due honour on board the
flagship, the ships weighed mider sail, and sailed
in two lines for some miles down the bay, where
they executed a few simple mana3uvres, anything
elaborate being prevented by heavy rain. The naval
display at Sydney was on Sunday, December 13,
when nearly all Sydney was afloat to see the Ad-
miral bring the squadron in from their temporary
anchorage at the Heads to more convenient
quarters in Man-of-War Bay. At both places
the Admiral asked that a general holiday might
be given to the children for the purpose of visiting
the stpiadron. At Melbourne 6000 availed them-
selves of the invitation, very much to the per-

[ I

■MiMiiii imrr ^T-'

yz-7f?^*r?^ir!SK2?^-.

THE FLYING SQUADRON.

147

plexlty of the harbour authorities, who had only
made arrangements for the conveyance of about
1000 ; while at Sydney only about 1500 appeared
on board the Liverpool, one clergyman having pre-
vented a school of GOO children from going, because
not only had the Admiral come in on a Sunday, but
he had thrown the ships open to the public the
following Sunday also. This, however, seems to
have been the only ill - feeling shown ; otherwise
the visit of the squadron went off without a single
hitch.

Replying to a toast, " Admiral Hornby and the
officers of the Flying Squadron," the day before
they left Sydney, Admiral Hornby, who was
" received with great cheering," " thanked them
on behalf of the officers of the squadron, not
only for the kind way in which their health had
been proposed, but also for the cordial welcome
which they had received from tlie moment they
had set foot on shore. They felt not as strangers,
but as friends, and they should quit these shores
with a feeling that they had left true and hearty
friends behind them." The squadron left also 200
of their men, deserters, to whom the gold-fields
had pro\ ed too great an attraction ; and though
the Admiral represented to the Government how
much this probability of losing men would militate
against future squadrons visiting Australia, it was
fouiid to be either impossible or impolitic to take
any steps for their recovery.

148

am (JEOFFREY pniprs hornby.

At the next stopping' - place, Hobart Town,
thouirli the entertainments ijiven by tlie inhabi-
tants, were not on ({uite such a magniticent scale
as in Australia, the reception of the st[uadron was
not less cordial. The Admiral was the Governor's
(Sir Charles l)u Cane's) guest ; and it was while in
Yan Diemen's Land that Admiral Hornby played
his last cricket match. The match was betw^een
the South Tasmanian Cricket Association and the
Sipiadron eleven ; the Governor played for Tas-
mania and the Admiral for the squadron. For the
honour of the Navy be it recorded thnt the
Admiral made four runs, and the Governor only-
one.

The Admiral seems to have been nmch taken by
the Hobart Town anchorage. In his notes on the
various ports visited, he writes : —

" The s(juadron anchored near Government
House, in a \'ery good berth, well sheltered from
N.W. wind, out of tlie way of merchant - sliips,
in from 4^ to 8 fathoms of water. A very good
supply of water trom two pipes at tlie town,
about 8 t<ms per hour. Good beef and vegetables.
No stores are kept here, because there is no dock
or factory, which is much to be regretted, as from
the depth of water in the harbour, and its facili-
ties of access and egress, as well as from its cool
climate, it is tht best place naturally for head-
quarters."

From Hobart Town the squadron stood south-

)

' \

I ;
1

THE FLY I NO SQUADRON.

Ii9

ward for New Zedland, wheie they touched at three
ports — Lytth'toi], Wellington, and Auckland. New
Zeahtnd struck the Adniii'al as being a better imi-
tation of the niother country than ;iny colony he
had as yet visited; and what really a\ armed his
heaj't was to see the course at the VV^ellington
races ke[)t, as at (Joodwood, b^- hinit-servants.
The prosperity of the islands was then at ;i high
pitch.

Notes on New Zealand : —

" H, said the establislied custom here waS; that
when a man arrived with, or acquired, any capital,
he innnediittely bought a station, or other hmd, for
just three times the sum he possessed, leaving the
other two-thirds on mortiiaa'e. On this moi'tffao-e
he had to pay at least 10 per cent. Whiles prices
remained good, he could of course }iay his way, and
fancy himself pros})erous, but directly they went
down, the v.eight of this annual payment brought
him d(»\vn with it. The land returned to the mort-
gagee, usually the original owner. })lus all the im-
provements the buyei- liad made, and the said
buyer was simply ruined. Of cour.se this arises
from buvinsj' with boij'owed cai)ital, and should
be avoided ; for as the interest of money ranges
from 10 to lo per cent, the protits of industry
must necessarily l)e large, and the accunuilation of
capital by a careful man must be rapid, so long as
the increase is gathered by himself and not by a
mortgagee."

150

SIR (iF:OFFREY PHIPPS HORNKY,

Nortliwanls fioiii New Zeahiiid tlieir route took
them to Japan, their longest time at sea, tifty-six
(lays, and the ini])t'ovenient In sailinn-, which con-
stant |)ractice had driven, Itejjfan to make itself felt.
( )n th(^ \'ovai]^e out nearly every sailing vessel of
any size coukl beat them ; now, running across the
bay to Yokohama, the Admiral writes : —

^" April 0. — Had a most interesting race with a
very handsome clipj)er, and l.»y following the lead
of a junk, and kee})ing rather more to the E., we
rather did him. The immber of ships and junks
about was surprising. [Resides our friend, another
handsome clip[)er was coming up along the east
shore under Cape Nula, another was running u])
the Uraga Channel, a fourth beating out, and three
more barfjiies — two schooners and a brig — were
3"Lmning in with us from Vries. Fusiyama sliowed
occasionally above the clouds, very handsome. The
way the junks and tishing-boats sailed was surpris-
ing, and it was hard to say whether we stared
hardest at them or their crews at us."".

Sir II, Parkes begged i\w, Admiral to move the
fleet to Yedtlo for the inspection of the Japanese
Ministers, and to this tlu^ Admiral agreed, on con-
dition that he and his captains should be received
by the Mikado. T<> this the Japanese Ministers
consented, and the S(puidr<jn was moved up on thtj
9th, the audience being arranged for the 15th,
The command to attend the audience, and an
invitation to lunch with the Ministers after, were

THE FLYING SyUAURON.

151

sent in Japanese ; liere Is a translation of the

fo liner : —

".4;>n7 14, 1870.

"Sir. — We have the honour to iiiforni you that
his Majesty the Tenno la desirous of receiving; you
at (Jourt. and you are conseijuently invited to come
to the pidace at one o'clock on the Ijth inst., with
your stafl' and the captains of the ships under youi
command.— We have, 6zc., \'c.

"SAWA JU SAN I KlVOWAUA XOKIYOSIH, /.*V.,

Tekashima Ju ski I Fr.TiwAiiA Mlnenohi, L.S.,

Ministers oj Fori ign Affairs.

" Ills Excellency Roar-Admiral Hok^^by."

in du(3 course the Admiral, tlie ca])taii s, and his
staff attiMided at the palace, and were received ;
but in th(»se da\s the JVlikado was too sacred a
personage; to i^xpose his face to the common gaze.
He was seated on a raised platform or dais, in front
of whicli a screen or lattice descended low enough
to conceal his face. His sacred Majesty was l.)ut
human after all, and was just as curious to see
his guests as they to see him : several times the
Adnnral saw hlin trying to peep below his screen
witliout being seen. Sir H. Parkevs made the open-
ing speech : —

Translation.

'' I have the lionour to present to your Majesty
Ilear-Admiral Hornby, together with the captains
of the vessels composing the English Flying

152

SIR (iEOFFIlKY PHlPrS HORNT5V.

(Squiidroii, wliicli lias vcct'iitly Mii-ivcd in .lapaii oii
a v'oyaij^c nniiul tlu; world. Hear- Admiral Hornby
is lia|)pv to avail liiinself* of this opportunity to be
ivctMA't'd in andienci* by your M.tjfSty, and it will
attbrd liini in.i"li s? isfaotion to be of scrvict- to
your Majesty's ' iment, ly enabling yonr

Majesty's otUcers to nispect the vessels under liis
commarid."

T'l this the Mikado replied, through one of Itis
Ministers : —

Trnmlation.

" In obedience to the orders of your CTOvernnient,
you have safely cj'ossed \vidt» seas on a voyagt^
round tlie g]t>be. I take tlie op])ortujiity offered
me to-day of congratulating you on your good
health, and on the unexampled undertaking in
which you are eno'aoed. I have also to express mv
satisfaction that, owing t(» your good offices, two of
my naval students will b( placed on board your
fleet, and receive Instruction in navigation!"

If the Admiral spoke, no record of his speech has
been preserved.

One of the above-mentioned young naval officers
w^as taken in the ilagship, the other in the Pluchc.
The one in the Phoebe was remarkably quick and
sharp, and picked up not only English, but nautical
information, with astonishing rapidity. The other

THE FrA'IN<: SQUADRON.

153

on board the Liverpool hud niucli more diiticiilty
in ncqiiirui^ knowledge, and, wliat was worse, was
morbidly aware of his deficiencies. So low and
depressed did he become tha* the Admiral, to
cheer him, sent for his fellow-countryman to cttme
to see him. The experiment was not successful,
as a few days afterwards the poor yountr fellow
killed himself, and wh<'n his compatriot was told of
the fact, he did not seem sui'prised ; on the con-
trary, he seemed to think that his friend had
taken quite the best way out of his difficulties.

The voyage from Japan was in many res])ects
the same as that taken in the TribniLC in 1858-59,
except that the squadron got across to Vancouver's
Island under (our weeks. The colony was poor,
and not able to offer nnich in the way of enter-
tainment for the squadron, — only one ball, and a
regatta got up in Esquimault harbour for the
boats of the two S(|uadrons, of which the Flying
Sfpiadron carried off eight out of twelve events.
The squadron also took away from Vancouver's
Island a new main-yard for the Phceh'. As soon
as the regatta was over, the Boxer gunboat was
sent to a lumber camp, about 80 miles up the
coast, to choose a suitable stick. It was not till
about eleven o'c]ock the next day that the lieu-
tenant commanding the Boxer was able to see the
foreman. The tree which was chosen was then
stai ng in the forest; by 5.30 p.m. it was cut
down and the yard alongside the Boxer. In

154

SIR GEOFFllRV rillPI'S HORNBY.

thirtv-six hours from the time th« Boxer left
Esquimault, the yard was on hoard the Phcpbc !
Labour is dear in l-?ritish Columbia, and work is
cojiKe»|uently better and more ([uickly done.

By tlies time they left Vancouver's Island, the
Flyini,'' Squadron had exchanged both of her cor-
vettes ; the iVa/'/ joined the scjuadron in Japan,
and tlie Burrosa was left in her place, and at
Esquimault, as seemed only natural, the Chavyhditi
took the place of the Scylla as far as Valparaiso.
As a parting gift the Scylla gave the Liverpool
theii" tame sheep, Jack. He had endeared himself
to his shipmates by refusing to remain in his pen.
He would butt the other sheep into a corner till
he had a clear space, and then jump out. He was
washed and combed every Saturday, had his place
at divisions on Sunday, and acquired a decided
taste for tobacco and grog. When he was the
only sheep left, the ship's company came aft and
begged that his life might be spared, and on
arrival at Plymouth they presented him to the
Admiral, who relegated him to a paddock at Lord-
ington, where he lived many years in honourable
retirement.

On their way to Valparaiso the squadron put
in for six days to Honolulu, which seems to have
been purely a pleasure visit. At Val[)araiso they
went in for an extensive refit ; sails and rigging
were very much worn, and almost all the ships
required caulking. Here their departure was has-

THK FIA'IXO SQITADIION.

155

teried by a teleirraiu aiuiounciiig that ^^ar had
l)iokeii out ])etweeii France and Germany. Pro-
visions for a hnn(h'ed days, and coals, were coni-
plet(!d, and on August 28 they sailed, quite pre-
pared for any eniert^-ency, and ready to j)ick uj)
orders at the Falkland Islands, Bahia, and the
Azores, which were to be their only points of
communication. There was no signal made to
them at the Falkland Islands, so they did not go
in there after all, but kept on to Baliia, wliere they
arrived, Octol)er 6, and received the news of Sedan
and the fall of the Empire.

" I am sorry," writes the Admiral, " for the fall
of the Emperor. He has been a good friend to us,
and I have no faith in European republics."

Thouy-h after Sedan there seemed no chance of
England engaging in war, the Admiral left Bahia
again on the 9th, having only just remained in
harbour long enough to have the Satellite's rudder
repaired. She (the Satellite) had taken the
C/iarylxlis's place at Valparaiso, and had got her
rudder-hfc.id badly wrung off the Falkland Islands.
Some of the other ships also had their steering-
gear sliglitly damaged, and for this reason the
Admiral thought it wiser to avoid the Azores and
sail straight for Plymouth. From Bahia he wrote
to Sir Sydney Dacres that he hoped to arrive in
England about November 15, and at daylight on
the 15th the signalman at Mount Wise reported
that the Flying Squadron was in sight. During

156

SIR GEOFFREY FHIPPS HORNBY.

the forenoon the six ships anchored in the Sound,
and the cruise of the Flying Scjuadron was ended.

It remained, therefore, only for the Admiral to
write in tlie warmest terms to the captains who
had so ahly and loyally seconded his etibrts ; to
write to the Admiralty to heg that the men, who
during the last seventeen months had heen more
than 350 days at sea, should be granted extra
leave; and to urge th;it the services of at least
some of the commanders and first lieutenants
should receive the reward of promotion.

" The Flying S(|uadron was," he says, " 1 l)elieve,
the only one which has ever kept continuous com-
pany round the world. It sailed great distances
in very limited times, and reached the different
ports with a punctuality which I venture to say
was not only unexpected, but unprecedented. On
its return each of the large fi Igites inspected in
the home ports was re])orted on most favourably.
These results could not have been achieved, seeing
that the S(piadron was manned by a large propor-
tion of young and inexperienced officers and men,
if the senior officers had not done their duty witli
the utmost diligence and ability."

For two or three days the Admiral took up his
quarters with Admiral Stewart at the Keyham
Dockyard, and on the morning when he drove
thence to the station, the officers and me"i were
drawn up at the dockyard gates to take leave of
him. It was a parting much felt on all sides, this

THE FLYINli SQUADRON.

157

separation of old coinrades, who had ]:)eeii so inti-
iiuitely associated for sn many months, and wlio
\v(»vdd soon be scattered to the four (juarters of tlie
globe. A tare well it was also to wooden siiips, to
sails and yai'ds, to the old navy of Nelson's time.
Henceforward oamt.' tlie era of steam and iron, of
torpedoes and electricity ; (jf what Is called Science
rei'di^is the kee)i observation wliich gained every
advantage possible to Ije taken fr(Mn wind and
weather, and wliieli used to be called Sramanship.

I'aju.e i)F Dates.

I'liRTS.

Plymouth ....
jMinclial, Madeira .
Ealiia, Brazil ....
Ifio tlanciro, lliazil .
]\Ionte Yuieo, River Plato
Simon's Bay, Capo of (iood Hope
Hol.ison's Bay, Molbourno .
Sydiioy ....

llobart Town, Tas^niania .

Lyttleton, Xow /ealand .

AVolliiigtun, II

Auckland, n

Y'lkoluana, .Tapan ,

Es(]uimanlt, Vancouver's Island .

Honolulu ....

Valparai.so, Cltili

lialiia, Brazil ....

J'lymouth

Aniva'i.

Di'p.'irtiirt'.

1809

1S09

• luno 19

. July 1

duly 2

Aug. 2

Aug. 4

II 16

II 25

. Sept. 6

Sept. 11

. Oct. 3

Oct. 10

. Nov. 20

Doc. 7

. Doc. 12

., 20

1870

. dan. 2

Ian. 10

.1 19

,, 22

1. 21

,1 27

. Fob. 2

Fob. 9

. April

April 19

. May 15

May 28

. dune 10

Juno 23

. Any. U

Aug. 28

. Oct.

Oct. 9

. Nov. 1.^

...

158

CHAPTEil XI.

THE CHANNEL St^UADIlON, .SEPT. 1871 TO 8EPT. 1874.

THE LOSS tiF II. M.S. CAI'TAIS — TLTE COMMITTEE ON N.MAI COX-

!<TI!l.'CTION COMMAND OK CHAXNEl. TLEET, ]871 — C.BVEW.VI,

SUEUM AN Kl .VGSTON STEAM EVOfArXlONii SAILING 14ACES —

•SPOUT AT VIGO — ABDir-ATION OF K1N(} OF SPAIN THF SHAH's

VISIT — C0R(.»NATI0N FESTiVITlE!? IN SWEDEN TIUAI. OF II. .M.S.

I)EVA:>1.\T10S QUESTION OF NAVAL UNIFOUM.

While tlie Flviuo- Sniiadron wu.s oii its wav home
to Bcihiti, M ilisaster had occiiried hi the C'liaiinel
Fleet which wrought such desolation us has ])er-
haps only been equalled hy tlie loss of the Royal
George or the Victoria, On September 7, 1870,
the Captain ca[»sized in tin- Bay of Biscay, and
all hands were lost with the excejttion of sixteen
men. This o[)eiie(l up the (juestion as to whether
naval construction was beinjj;' conducted on satis-
factory principles, and led to the formation of a
Oonnnittee to inquire into the cause of the loss of
the Cajjtain, and to report on what w-^s the best
form of l)attleship. The ( lonnnittee w^as composed
partly of civilians, partly of naval men, under the
chairmanship of Loril Dutferin. The naval niem-

iiiintiffnri

^^^•'TM'TrgiSg-^ '^

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.

159

bers of the board were Admiral Elliot, Admiral
Ryder, Admiral Stewart, Admiral Hornby, and
Admiral Hood; tbe civilians, Sir William Arm-
strong, Mr B'roiide, &c.

Tbe Connnittee met for tbe first time on January
18, 1871, and the naval members being men of
strong and widely divergent opinions, ever}' point
was most tborougbly discussed at tl)e meetings
held at irregular intervals between that date and
July 26, when the report was gone through and
signed by all but two meml)ers — Admirals Hyder
and P]lliot decitling to issue a separate report.
The Committee agreed that tbe loss of the Captain
was not due to ajiy fault on the part of Captain
Burgoyne, but to lier liaving two feet more dis-
placement tlian wa.s intended. Masts were con-
denmed for first-class ironclads ; but so stroiicr was
the prejudice in favour of the old order of things,
that it was thought re(|uisite to have a few fully
rigg(3d ships, and some partially armoured fast
frigates, for foreign distant service and the pro-
tection of trade.

Within a motith of the time that the Committee
on Naval C^onstruction comjjleted its labours, Ad-
miral Hornby received a letter from Mr Goschen,
then First Lord of the Admiralty, saying that he
thought the service would be benefited Ijy his
being Admiral Wellesley's successor (in the Chan-
nel Fleet), and that he would submit his name to
the Queen.

160

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

' I

Accord'ntirlv, Anuu.st 24, 1871, lie received the
ap[>oiMtineiit, and on Septeini)ei' 2 he hoisted his
Hag oil l)oard the Minotaur. With the exception
of a new flag-captain, (obson, his staff was the
same as in the Flying ^(piadroii. The winter
cruise of \.\w (*hannel Fleet was to verv )nu(,'h
the same places as in 18G3 — viz., Lisb(m, Cadiz,
Teneriffe, Gibraltar, Vigo, &c. — bnt the composition
of the squadron was entirely different. Except
the Topaze, which oidy remained with them a few
months, the sliij)s were idl ironclads. Three of
them wei-e the givat five-masted shi])s, Minotaur,
Aghicourt, and Northnmherland ; tlie others, the
Ile^'cules, the AfoiMrch, tlie BcUcrophou, and the
Sultan, then rather a new thing in ii-onclads.
Tlie Admiral a \ ailed himself fully of the o])por-
tunity of exercising the Sf|uadr()n in team tac-
tics, and was much disappoivited that during a
two or tluve days' rendezvous he had with the
Mediterranean Squadron, under Sir Hastings Yel-
vertou, there was no opportimity of practising
manamvres on a large scale with the combined
squadrons.

Christmas was spent at Gihraltai, where the
Admiral met the Federal General Sherman.

Diari/. " Dec. 26. — General Sherman came on
board this ship and the Hercules. He seemed
very much struck with the latter. He dhied with
m<' in the evening, remarked, on my youthful ap-
pearance ; in some ex.[)ressions was very American,

■■MM— iiiir ' "•'!"••

THE CIIAXNEL SQUADRON.

161

but an intollig'ent man, — a man with a reiiiarkablt'-
looking head and good coiintenanco."

The cheerfulness of the season was also much
enhanced by the go.^d reports of the progress to-
wards recovery made l)y the Prince of Wales, and
at Vigo, on February '17, 1872, the s(piadron had
its own Thanksgiving festivities. The ships were
dressed, a special stM-vict^ was held, the ''main-
brace Mas spliced," leave was granted, and the
Admiral gave a large otticers' dinner-party on
board the Minofai'r.

About the middle of March tlie ships were
ordered home, and as tl)e Minotaur had to ijo
into dock for a couple of months to have her
engines patched, the Admiral took a house for
the time being at Southsea.

A good many changes were beintr made at the
Admiralty just then, and very soon after his
arrival A<lmiral Hornby was offered a vS(^at at
the Board as Second Sea-L(.»rd, lint li(i preferred
to remain in his pfesent command. All the same,
during bis stay at Portsmouth he was) sent for
ntuii'ly every week by the First Lord to discuss
nnval uiaLters. Sonn' of the (j|Uestions under dis-
cussion — namely, moving the Naval C«>llege to
Greenwich, increasing the age for entry in the
Navy, (fee. — vvei'e subsequently carried out.

The Minotaur came out for* her steam trial o\\
May w7, and the following Sunday, June t, on his
return from clnu'ch, the Admiral received an order

^y* V^ ' *

i ^ !

:'-i

162

SIR rEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

to proceed at once to King'ston (to receive the
Duke of Edii)burgii), whitlier the Ilercuh's iuul
Nortlnmihoimid had pi-eceded hiiu. AVith a good
deal of difficulty lie succeeded in getting away
that same evening ; but when lie reached Kings-
ton neither of the other shi])S had arrived, as,
through some delay in the telegrapli oflice, their
orders had not reached them till Monday morning.
The Achniral could hear nothinjjf at Kino'ston a])out
the programme for opening the Dublin Exhibition,
and on yoing up to Dublin to write his name at
the Lodo-e, he saw tlie Duke of Edinlmrtrh return-
ing, with a very small procession, from the opening
ceremony. The Duke was most cordi;d, and was
evidentlv exertino- himself '' not onlv to do the
Prince in Dublin, l)ut to make himself the head
of our profession." From Kingston the shi[)S
crossed to Milford Havoi to coal, ci' rvtc for
Liverpool, Greenock (where they found great im-
provement and extensiiui in the building-yards),
Louu'h Fovle, and Loujiii S willy. Thence round
the north of Ireland to Berehaven, and back to
Portland, where the steam - reserse shijvs were
lying, and where the Prince of Wales and the
Lords of the Admiralty were expected for the
opening of the Breakwater.

Letiir to Wife. "August 11, 1872.

"We had a strong gale from the N.W. yester-
day, which has n*)t yet blown itself c»ut. It veiy

THE CH.1NNEL SQUADRON.

163

much interfered with the success of the ceremonial,
which, if it had heen fine, would have been very
impressive. Fifteen lai-g-e ships and. hve brigs
manning yards and saluting together is a sight
not often seen ; and there were a heap of yachts
here which, if it had been fine, would have been
knocking about under sail and enlivening the
scene. As it was, the ships were a good deal hid
in the mist, and there was enough rain at times to
make it disagreeal)le to the spectators, and very
nnich so to those who had to jmll about in
boats."

On the ft>no\ving day, as soon as the Prince of
VVales had left, the Adnnral took the Avhole tieet
out for a ten days' cruise — a ten days' pretty
severe course of steam evolutions, on which, when
the shijjs anchored at Spithead, Captain M'Crea
of the Bellerophon connnented to Captain Van-
sittart of the Sultan by semaphore as follows ;
" Here eiideth the first lesson," vury much to the
Admiral's amusement.

For the next six weeks the headquarters of the
Channel Sf[uadron were at Portland, the ships
going in turn l^o Portsmouth and Plymouth to be
tlocked preparatory to their winter cruise. .Vt
Port'^^nd on September the 19th the first of the
annual sailing races for the Adnural's Cup took
place. This cup was given by the Admiral an-
nually to encourage a taste for boat-sailing among

164

8[R GEOFFT^EY PHIPPS HORNBY.

the youngei' officers, nnd was sailed for under
special conditions : —

1. In this race servi'^o boats with any rig and of all
classes may compote; no i-estriction as to rig, false keel,
iV-c., except that water ballast can only bi- admitted if
necessary. l>istance not, less than tea miles.

2, Time allowance to be as follows! — viz.: Launches,
barges, and cutters to allow

J'lnnaces (not steam)

Galleys ....

Dingies ....

Sub-lieutenants to allow midshipmen

Lieutenants

Conjma)iders and others

Minute.s.

•>

•J

Of tlie three cups oiven by the Admiral in the
years 1872, 1873, aod 1874, the two tirst were
won liy Lieutenants Fitzgerald and Britten re-
spectively, and the last by a niidsliipmati, Fred-
erick. On twt.) occasions the winning boat was a
cutter, on the third an adapted steam -phmace.
It was distinctly proved that, if there was any
breeze, the service rig was the best, Imt that, all
things considered, skill iu handling the boat had
more to do with success than build, rig, or any
other supj)Osed advantage.

Before leaving England, very much to the Ad-
miral's regret. Captain Gibson was obliged to
resign his appointment on the ])lea of ill-health,
and was succeeded by an old flag-lieutenant and
commander, R. O'B. Fitzroy, who had been pro-

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.

165

raoted a tew months previously. This winter a
much longer stay was made at Vi^-o than at
Lisbon. In the first place, there were not the
same temptations for the young officers to gaml,)le,
and there was more shooting to he had. In the
account of one of the Admiral's shooting expedi-
tions there is an interestino- notice of tlie rural
districts of Spain.

Diary. "Oct. 30, 1872.— Left the ship with
Hills [Staff commander], Manning [coxswain],
and Joan [a setter] at 5.45 a.m. Found Bar-
cena [the consul] and Don Xavier waiting, with
a very useful dog, near the diligence. Don
Xavier is by descent, and in reality, the great
sportsman of the place ; his father held an ap-
pointment under Government as sort of grand
chasseur. He (Don Xavier) always wears a red
handkerchief round his head, and thinks him-
self very cunning on game, but is in my opin-
ion an old poaclier. The diligence, drawn by
wretched cattle, started half an hour late, and
made its usual leisurely wav. On passinof tlie
first ridfife we found all the valleys towards the
Minho full of fon', so we saw nothinp- till
beyond Puente - Arias. Then it cleared, and
we saw some beautiful scenery — rugged hills
clothed with very varied foliage, the red colour
of the chestnuts and of a sort of wild cherry
being very striking, the vines, a sei'ies of
beautiful browns and dull yellows, and a quan-

IGG

SIR GEOFFRF.Y rHIPl\S HORNBY.

tity of dark - green fir. Half-way down the
hills were terraced almost as perfectly and
lal)oriously as in Ja})an, and water was led to
them all. The road, a very fine one, gradually
rose into a coimtry where trees ceased, 1 fancy,
by reason of thc^ soil, which looked like disin-
teuTated iiranite. We left the hio-liroad at
Fuente Fria, so called because there is no foun-
tain there, and walked about two miles over
some undulating ground coveivd with short furze,
heather, and fern. There we came in sight of a
very deep, wide, and rugged valley, on the far
side of which, and high up, lay La Graiia. We
had a very long and rough walk, at least seven
miles, to reach it, mostly on the remains of the
decayed roads, which had once been paved with
huge blocks of stone, but since used as water-
courses. On the way I killed a couple of part-
ridges with two very good shots, nmch to the
astonishment of Don Xavier, wi)o had no idea
a gun could reach so far : and on ariival we
found Fane and Brown, who had astonished a
keeper with a like exhibition of skill. I be-
lieve Don Xavier got frightened, and deter-
mined that we should not have a chance of
shooting much of his game.

*^ Oct. 31. — The house at which we put up,
though the priest's, and far the best in the
village, was rude and dirty to a degree, and
the owner much, the same — a very low - bred

i I

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.

167

man In ap})en ranee. I slept badly on an air
mattress, which had a tendejicy to slip from
under me, ami was very cctld,

"Don Xavier hurried us out at 8 a.m., took us
to the top of the mountains, showed us a lot of
very wild partrid-^-es on bare and steep hillsides,
and walked us through long valleys where birds
were not, till we were thoroughly tired. Luncheon
also, which we understood was to be sent out to
meet us, was not ordered, and we had to do our
best on a few biscuits which I had in my pocket.
At 5 P.M. we got home with only five brace of
birds and no temper, and found that Barcena,
who had left us tired, had killed three on his
way down close to the house.

"iVor. 1. — Left La Grana at 9 A.M., thinking
what a beautiful country it was, how low in the
scale of civilisation were the people, how dirty,
and what a pity for them that there were no
game laws to attract gentlemen to live in the
country ; for there is no possible amusement
for them, no roads, no shooting, and an en-
forced division of property at death, which pre-
vents any large houses being kept up. We took
mules to help us up the hills, and reached Fuente
Fria at noon. The other muleteers dawdled, and
did not arrive with the luggage until 2 p.m. Then
only did we allow the diligence, which we had de-
layed for two hours, to proceed (this is how they
do things in Spain), and it went at a most doleful

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168

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

pace, taking six and a half hours to do twenty-nine
miles doAvn-hill. I was truly glad to be again in
my clean cabin."

The year 1873 was, as far as the Channel Fleet
w^as concerned, marked by a good deal of atten-
dance on Iloyalty. First came the abdication of
Amadeo, King of Spain. Things had been very
much disturbed in Spain during the winter, but
towards tlie beginning of F^-bruary the country
seemed settling down a little, when, tlie Channel
Fleet being at Cfibraltar, the news came from the
Governor of Algesiras that King Amadeo was likely
to abdicate. Next day, Fel)ruary 12, the Admiral
writes in his Diary : —

" Heard in the evening that King Amadeo
had abdicated. Late received teletrram orderino-
Agincoivrt, Ilcrcuhs, and Livtly to Lisl^on to
embark him.

"'Lisbon, Fch. 10. — King Amadeo at Belem.
It seems that Forilla, after lettinof the kinof
down, was not sufficiently red for the Repub-
licans, wlio have kicked him out, and bn>ught
in an entirely new set of men — Figueras and
Castellar at the head. The Portuguese Govern-
ment is much frightened, as their Republicans
are nmch elated. King Victor Emmanuel said to
be much displeased at his son's abdication, but I
fancy he had no alternative. Nothing Is known
about his leaving, but Macdonald [Rear- Admiral J
and I are to see him on Tuesday at 1 P.M.

SS5

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON,

169

''Feb. 18. — To Belem at 1 p.m. to wait on
King Amatleo ; rooms in the palace larg'e and
airy, Ljoking on to a quaint g'arden, gravel paths
narrow, with high box edgings ; King Aniadeo
unshorn, and clad in a short black frock-coat «if
the ' Young Spanish ' cut ; did not come to the
point with reference to using our ships or not,
said that an Italian squadrc^n was coming, that
he could form no plans for moving till the (jueen
was better, and that he was much obliged to
the Government for offering ships.

" Feb. 24. — At 2 P.M. Amadeo came on board
particulieremenf, Avhich 1 undeistand means in
diplomatic phrase * privately ' ; but it is not easy
to know how to receive princes privately, unless
they say they wish to be incognito. So we
manned yards and saluted him on coming on
board, and on leaving the ships which he visited
— viz., Minotaur and Hercules. I wrote to
Oldoin and said T should salute him under the
Italian Hag unless otherwise desired, and he re-
plied that his Majesty since his glorious abdica-
tion had adopted the Italian Hag. Amadeo in
his manner reminds me much of his father —
short and abrupt in his phrases."

Two Italian ships, lioma and Conte Verde,
having arrived, the Admiral sailed for Vigo, leav-
ing Rear- Admiral Macdonald in the Northnniher'
land at Lisbon, and at these two places they
remained till nearly Easter, when they were

170

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

recalled to Spithead. Very soon afterwards
preparations began for receiving the Shah of
Persia. The Minotaur s engines were in such
a bad state that it was absolutely necessary to
replace them, so she was paid off, and the Ad-
miral transferred his flag to the Agincourt.
About the beijinninir of June the Channel and
Reserve Squadrons began to assemble at Spit-
head, and on the 11th they sailed for Dover,
and for the first time practised the manoeuvres
to be exec'ited off the Dover pier on the occasion
of the landing of the Shah. Agahi on the 1 7th
the Admiral had " the captains on board to explain
certain manoeuvres which are to be performed off
Dover. Vanguard, Avdacious, and Devastation
left for Ostend to embark and escort the Shah.
Orders to embark certain correspondents of news-
papers. Persian flag need not be hoisted. Though
the Admiralty will be present, I am to remain in
entire command.

" June 18. — Morning broke calm and rainy.
Weighed at 10.30 and ran out S.S.E. Yachts
appeared at 1.40 p.m., but slowed as we turned,
and we had to stop also. This put us rather near
in to form line off the pier, and the Shah was a
long time disembarking, so we were a long way
to the southward before we saluted. We then
stood off to do some manoeuvres, which were but
moderately executed, and we were just forming
line again to go off the pier when a fog came

■0-^-

THE CHANNEL SQUADllON.

171

suddenly down, and we were not very far from
the pier end. However, we stood on, and picked
up most of the ships when the fog lifted.

"June 19 — Off the Owens, slowed to let AcliUes
and Black Prince up. Took a turn through
Spithead, and anchored simultaneously and very
well.

''June 20. — Off early to trim the lines of the
ships, which, though fair, were not exact.

" June 22. — I landed al)out 3 p.m., and found Sir
A. Milne and Mr Goschen on board Enchantress.
Both were very com[)limentary about tlie liandling
of the ships at Dover, and what they had heard
of our anchoring here.

" June 23. — A very tine morning, witli light,
westerly wind. Bliips in harbour dressed at 9
A.M. ; at Spithead when the Sliah arrived in
dockyard with white ensign at main. Shifted
to Persian ensign, when we saluted the yacht
off Southsea pier. Laid out on yards when off
Spit Buoy. Shah, Princess of Wales, and Czar-
evna visited Aginconrt and Sultun. I received
them at the bottom of the ladder. Went to
quarters on board Agincoui^t ; a gun shown at
work in Sultan.

" Ju7ie 25. — Complimentary letter from Sir Alex-
ander Milne, also saying that we may probably
go to I)rontheim.

'* Jtine 30. — Saw the official letter of thanks for
the review at the Admiral's office, thought it

172

Sm GEOFFREY PHITTS HORNBY.

most cold and unsatisfactory. A gieat contrast to
that j^iven to tlu* army for the Windsor review.

**«/?//// 5. — A tliick morning with wind from
SS.K. Emharked at 9,'iO a.m. and waited for the
Shah. Sliah reached the dockyard at 12.40. We
weiglie<l. and lie ])ass«Ml thiough Spithea<l at 140
P.M. We steamed about 11'5 against the wind.
About 4.15 saw the French sijnadron coming to
receive him. Yacht slackened S])eed to give
them time. They seeme<l rather slow in their
movements. We cheered and saluted when the
scjuadrons were about two miles apart. They
received him with a treble salute, yards manned,
Persian ensign at main, English Hag at fore,
French at mizen. I saluted the French Vice-
Admiral's flag at main, then we altered course and
made sail. The barbette guns in the towers of
two ships were very miu-h exjiosed, and most of
their broadside guns very low in the watej*. I'bey
went on very slow with the yacht, and one vessel
kept very bad station. 1 fancy the liirondclhi
(French royal yacht) could not do better than
11'6, as she barely kept up with us."

The allusion above about m»inti: to Drontbelm
was for the jiui'jxtse of escorting Piince Arthur
(now the Duke of Connaught) to represent the
Queen at the conmaticm of King C)scar of Sweden.
Therefore having handed the Shah safely over to
the French s«[uadron, the Channel Fleet paid a
visit to Leith, and from thence crossed to Norway.

TUE rUANNEL SgLADRON.

173

llen^ ^^♦^y ^'»^fl tlie curious experience of tweiitv-
one hours of (1;iylii;lit, iind tlu> "ther tlut-e hours
t\vih<;ht, Ko that it was never t«") dark to read in
the cal)ii). Two days after reaching Drontheim
the A(hniral writes to Mrs Hoiiihy ; —

"Oreland Bay, Juhj 16, 1873.

"On Monday we anchored here early, and I
went on to Drontlieini in the Vidoro'tis, to look at
the anchorage. It is about twenty-six miles from
this, through some pretty fiords, and it stands on
a gentle slope facing the north, with a small islet
called Monksholm, on which is a fort (?) defending
the place. We found in there a German admiral
with four wooden ships, two Swedes, and two
Norwegians. Landed, and found a very clean-
lookiuij: town, built almost entirelv <.>f wood, houses
two-storeyed and comfortable. Streets very wide,
at least 40 feet of paving in the middle, then a
ride on each side, soft earth about 10 feet, and a
paved troltoir of another 10 feet. We had a
distant view of the cathedral, and I could see
a handsome end of a transept and a very q.iaint-
t(jpped apse ; but as 1 had to hunt for the harbour-
master for information, 1 had not time to go in.
Very little information did I get when I caught
that functionary, and I don't know in what sort
of a place we shall bring up. At 3 A.M. a
Swedish frigate, with the king's standard flying,
came suddenly round the point, and as a Nor-

174

SIR GEOFFREY nilPFS HORNBY.

wefnan corvette which was in the roads sahited
him at once, we had to do the same. At nine the
A(hniial, who is on hoard with him, called on me
and said tiiat the king would l)e glad to see me at
eleven. I found him a very tall good-looking man,
])leasnnt, and very cordial in manner, wonderfully
acquainted with many of oui' officers, ships, &c.
A Swedish councillor — a general ofiicer, T believe —
sat with us all the time to see we did not talk
treason ; and before I left the king desired that I
should pi'esent the officers of my Stalf to him.
Talked to Bruce about old Sir Henry, and to Love
about the Crimea. He (the king) has been touring in
the north, and came here to meet the queen. She
arrived late (ladies generally do) — half-})ast seven
instead of five in tlie afternoon. We all saluted
as she approached. The king went on board to
greet her. yards manned. She returned with him
to the frigate, yards manned again. About 9 P.M.
they left for Drontheim, yards manned and a
salute."

Diary. ""July 16, Drontheim. — The Enchant-
ress yacht, with Prince Arthur on board, came
m sight about 5 p.m. We weighed and stood
across to fall in with the Prince as he entered the
fiord. As we fired our salute, the charge in one
of the guns exploded in reloading. A poor fellow
who was loading was blown overboard, while the
man serving the vent had his thumb blown off.

!*lf

Till] CHANNEL SQUADRON.

175

We fonml notliln;^- of tlx* fbnrnT. Wi* ran up liore
as fjiHt as we could, iieurly 12 knots, and anchon'd
very well. We rather iistonisia'd tiie < Jeriuans
and iSwedes at the way we rattlfd in. Went to
yacht. H.ll. II. desired me to eonvwy liis n-pct
at the accident to the sliijVs company; said he
liad told the Cliamberlain 1 was to go with liim as
part of liis IStatt'.

"./"/// 17. — To }>ivakfa.st with l*rMie«' Arthur,
where I met Prince VValdemar of Penmark in a
sailor's dn-ss. He is serving? his first a])prentice8hip
on hoard the Ijavllauc/. Then to call on achiiirals
alone, and afterwards in comj)any with H.H.H.,
who finally came to Agincoart. Afternoon calle«l
on Ministers, Mr Krskinc, &c. At 5 p.m. t<i a
dinner at the Court. The IVijice was driven up in
a carriage and fvmr, very good horses, his staff and
myself in a tidy carriage and pair. Palace plain,
hut rooms sufficiently large. Table service very
phun, dinner fair. Khig [>ro])osed our Queen's
health, and Prince Arthur that of their Majesties,
both speaking very neatly in French. C^Jueen
agreeable, speaks very good English. No one
present but Swedes, Norwegians, and English.

*'Ji(ly 18. — Very fine morning. We all met the
Prince at the landing-place at 10.30 a.m., and
followed him on foo. ue in a carriage, to the
palace. There we found we. had to go to the
Cathedral, so went up through the lines of soldiers,
receiving much saluting. King and queen arrived

i ;

17G

SIK (^KoFFUEY PIUPPS TTORNBY.

about I l.^iO A.M. Service b('^^•ul witli ii liymn,
tluMi a senmm t>f' soiim twenty-tive inimitt'S, iIh-ii a
Kort of choral service, a iniiiistfr with a very i^oixl
voice chantnio;, and the choir respondiiij^. The kini,^
then caiue to an old chair j)lace(l hcf'ortj tho altar. A
}>ishoj) anointed him, touching; hiui witli oil on tlie
forehead, hotli temples, tlie Hesh of his lo'east, rii,^ht
tliumb, and both wrists. Then he was crowned,
and received sceptre, orl), and sword. After which
a herald In plain court dre.ss, with ;i red scai'f,
proclaimed him to be Kin*,*' of Norway aiid Sweden,
and no other person.' Then the (jueen was crowned.
As the crown was placed on the head of each, their
forts and ships saluted with 112 i;uns, for each, and
we chimed in with our modest 21. More sin<rin^^,
and the procession re-formed to leave the church
about 2.30 r.M. The kini"' and <|ueen M'ent oft'
with their crowns on th<'ir heads, and their red
and ermine cloaks on, looknig exactly like the
kiriij^s and (jueens in ihe children's pictiu'e-books.
A largo dinner at 4 I'.M. ; we sat down in the
ballroom 1(55, and neaily as many in an adjoining
room.

'' Jvhj 20. — Called oil board the Xorncii and
saw some very »j;ood charts of the coast as far
north as Aalsen. Telegrajilied by the Prince's
desire for leave to acconi})ajiy him to Bergen. To
a ball at 8 p.m. given by the town to the king and
<pieen. Very crowded, in a house built for the
purpose, and very prettily decorated. Beauties

THE CHA^•NF.L SQl'ADUOM.

177

n<>t miineroiis, and all l>eiii<^ (livssed in white did
not show well. King and <|nct'n markedly civil
t(» me, and doing a great deal tu notice j)eo|)le
generally. I never saw any persons try more
to make themselves popular, or do it in a tnore
gracious manner.

"./'</// lM. — A large party of JJeputies tVom both
houses came on lx»ard and saw us go to (piarters,
seemed much ]>leased. A telegram allowing of our
going to Bergen.

''July 22. — The Prince dii.ed with meat 8 A.M.,
German and N»>rwegian admirals and I>anish
commod(»re to meet him.

" Juiif 23. — A very fine and h(>t day. King and
queen paid a visit to the S(}ua(h'ons. Foreigners
hoisted jnast-head Hags : we did not, but crossed
royal • yards. Prince Ai-thiir came on hoai-d
Afjiiu'onrt to receive them. General salute. I)ane
saluted again when they left his ship. Afterwards
ejich squadron saluted the standard when hoisted
hy tlieir own ships. General salute on landing.
Yards manned, men cheering as he passed and
I'epassed. Went to ijuarters on board Afp'ncourt,
where they stayed some time, king wanting to see
the double side, &c. They each tired an electric
broadside of tuljes. Dined witii T^rince Arthur,
nrranged to meet yacht in fiord near Bergen not
eai-lier than G P.M. on Friday 2Gth. Ball in
palace, walked in polonaise with queen and danced
quadrille witii her, cis-d-vis to king with wife of

178

SIR OKOFFHKY Pllirrs HOllNIW.

Governr r of Drontheini. Hall very crowded und
hot. Pilnce asked to fon'i;<) salutes on j)artini,'.

^^ July 25. — Our pilots were waltliii; ibi- us ott'
HcIHso H^rJithouse. As they came on board, the
yacht raniH In siv;ht astern. We went slowly on,
and she overtook us aho t G..'{0 r.M. Found ti»e
peo])le, api)arently, very ignorant of the soundni^^^s
of their port. Where they ssiid it was det'p,
we found 20 to 25 fit horns, where they said it
'ras f^ood anchornge we found 40 fathoms. We
anchored in the l)i<dit S.S.W. of Beriren, the vacht
at the entrance to Bergen liaibour. The l'rinc«.i
com})lains of its being a stinking Ijerth and infested
by rats. The liord itself and the mountains sur-
rounding it are beautiful — one on the N.E. seems
quite to overhang the water. The Cathedral has
rather a quaint doorway, and its churchyard well
planted with flowers. The towt^rs of all the
clnu'ches look very large and massive, as if tliey
mitj^ht iiave been Imilt with an eve to defence.
Houses substafitial, some quaint, all showing a
good deal of window.

"' Juhf 2(1. — Prince Arthur came on board to
say 'Go(»d-bye,' and hinted that he should send
me a print of the Queen. The yacht left at
10 A.M. Called on the captain of the arsenal.
Everything seems to be in excellent order. Saw
some of his gunl)oats hauled up ; very formidable
ships before steam and iron plates were thought
of. Weighed at 3 p.m."

vv.

THE CUANNEL SQUADRON.

179

Tlu^ print of tin' (^)in'«'ii Jinive<l in «lue course,
uliicli, to tl»(^ A<lininil'.s i^reat giatilication. Imd
written below tlie onlinaiv litho^i 'jIkmI signature
" From Victoria." Hnicefoi tli in evciy slii|) he
commanded, i- every liouse lie inliab.icd, this
print always held tiie post oi' lionour.

After Norway the (Mianiiel Klert cruised west-
ward for the purpose of trying the behaviour of
the Dcrafitadoit, at sea. She was the lirst power-
fully armed and armoured mastless ironclad which
had been completed, and though she had taken
her part in the recej)tion of the Shah, she had not
yet attempted !>nv distant voyage or encovniteied
anything of a sea. The day on which they left
I'ortlaiid, August KV. 1873, there was wind eiiough
to begin the exjteriment, and the Admiral writes
in his Diary : —

*' Am/. 13. — I put Dcrastaflou on our starboard
beam to watch her. Sh«^ plungetl heavily into the
seas, taking a great deal of water on to her fore-
castle, along which it rollrd and broke heavily
against the forepart of her breast-work, and seemed
to run off slowly. She looked as if overweiLdited,
and as if all the gear on the forecastle was a gi*eat
impediment to the free delivery of the water. As
the day wore on the swell became longer, and she
rode over it easily. We never went more than
5 knots.

'' Amj. 21. — Found a certain amount of swell in
passing the Smalls, sufficient to give a perceptible

180

SIR GEOFFREY THIPPS HORNBY.

motion to the Afiincourt. Dcvastatioji rode over
easily aiul drily wlieii ^^olng G knots, and with a
very different motion from that exhil)ited on the
13th. She had then 1350 tons of coal on board,
now she has 1180, or 170 less.

"Aug. 31. — -As there was a single-reefed to])sail
breeze blowing from W.S. W., we increased speed to
30 revolutions, and at 10 a.m. to 40 revolutions.
Devastation took the seas in over her decks, and
at times seemed covered half her length ; and
measuring her by the horizon, the water on her
deck seemed to burden her, yet they signalled that
the instruments showed no change, and that she
felt very buoyant. At 1.30 p.m. we kept away,
increasing our speed to 9'5 and 9'8 ; she still went
well. The sea more on the beam, which I thought
would have co\ered her more, did not do so. The
result '* her trial seemed to be that her buoyancy
is tficiMnt, and that so long as nothing gives way,
the se covering over her does not hurt her.

" L t. 2, Berehaven. — Went to look at Devasta-
tion, which I found quite tight, hardly a weep
anywhere. Mr Froude to dinner. He is brother
to the histr^rian, and puts the rolling question in
(juite a different view from what 1 believed it to
be. Waves of a much longer period than that of
the ship will not make her roll over. The worst
are those of rather more than her period.

"Sept. 9. — Scud flying fast, and wind freshening,
ordered Devastation and Sultan to get up steam.

iMMaMMMMMIIIi

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.

181

We found a stront,'- double-reefed topsail breeze
outside, and had a good trial, which showed to
my mind that the ship could not be driven very
fast a^^alnst a heavy Atlantic sea, but that she
was likely to lay to well enough, and 1 tliink to
run well.

''Sept. 15. — Fresh breeze from N.W. and a
prospect of a sea outside. 1 embarked in Devas-
tation, and, with Agiiiconrt following, steamed out
of the bay. We there found the wind-force 8 and
a sea 23 high, but not angry, going 7 knots, with
it 2 points on the bow. She plunged into it very
heavily. The green seas were at times two-thirds
of the way up the jack-staff. It seemed incredible
that she could live with so nuich water on her, yet
she rose without effort. When eased from 50 to
40 revolutions, her speed fell to 4 knots, and she
ceased to dip deeply. With the sea 4 points on
her bow she behaved \\ell, so also In the trough of
the sea, and running, with the sea on the (piarter,
she shipped very little or no water. We anchored
in Berehaven at 6.30 p.m.

" Oct. 2, Portsmouth. — Drove to Eastney to meet
' my Lords ' ; met them returning. Had to fight
Mr Barnaby all the way out on my report on
Devastation, to discuss it with the Board in the
carriage, and again by paragraphs on board En-
chantress. They cannot make u}) their minds
whether to send her out for the winter, with
the chance of meeting a j?ale, or to take her in

182

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

hand at once, raise the forecastle, and take out
extra weights, &c., and complete her on what
we know of her at present. I think that they
wished me to say I thought her quite safe."

As the Admiral did not think her quite safe, he
would naturally not allow himself to make any
such admission, so it ended in the Devastation
being left behiml in the hands of tlie dockyard.

l)uring the w^inter 1873 to 1874 the record of

the Channel Squadron was that of a happy country

— viz., nothing. The training in steam evolutions

still went on at considerably increased speed, but

the Admiral was not yet abJe to attain his ideal —

viz., "absolute precision and safety at 11 or 12

knots." In harbour — Vigo, Lisbon, &c. — all the

old shooting-grounds and marshes were revisited ;

but as there was no visit to Gibraltar, there were

no exciting runs with the Calpe hounds. Towards

spring, what may be called " the great plain clothes

question," which had been smouldering during the

last two years, burst into flame. Undoubtedly the

orders as they then stood were exceedingly irksome

if enforced, as the Admiral writes privately to Sir

Alexander Milne : —

" Feb. 10, 1874.

" My difiiculty is this. There is a printed order
that oflicers shall wear uniform except on specified
occasions. Not only so, but it is the only order in
the book which admirals and captains are specially
charged to see obeyed. Nevertheless, it has be-

HMH

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON.

183

come the universal custom for officers to ask leave
to land in plain clothes, as though ' going to take
part in country sports ' ; and under cover of that
permission they parade the streets of the ports.
In the event of a senior officer in uniform comin<r
in sight, a rush is made to elude him. I have
caused several officers to be admonished on this
account, but I still see almost all landing daily in
plain clothes. Nor can 1 altogether condemn
them ; for I have proof that in two squadrons
the wearing of plain clothes habitually is per-
mitted by order, and where that permission has
been given in a printed order-book, it must neces-
sarily have been approved by the Admiralty. Be-
sides, the wearing of plain clothes is freely allowed
in the home ports. I am satisfied that the order
ought either to be enforced, modified, or repealed.
As things are now, its existence is contemptuously
ignored, which must be subversive of discipline."

The order was, however, neither then nor for
some years later modified or repealed, therefore
the Admiral felt he was obliged to enforce it.

On February 2G, an offer of a seat on the
Board was made to the Admiral ; he replied that
he would go as Second Sea - Lord, if allowed a
naval secretary and an incjuiry into the state of
the Navy. On the 28th came another cipher
telegram from Mr Ward Hunt : —

" Secretary must follow usual course. Second

184

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

seat at Board will give you groat weight respect-
ing naval matters. Positive answer requested."

As the Admiral writes in his Diary, February
28 :~

" Of course I did not take long to send it. In
about ten minutes the following was on its way :
' Naval secretar}'- not being allowed, must decline
ofier of seat with thanks.' So ends that negotia-
tion, and I trust I have acted for the good of the
service."

The negotiation was, however, not ended. "When
he arrived in England, not only Mr Ward Hunt
but many of his old friends urged him to alter his
decision ; and for once in his life he gave way, and
he not only agreed to go to the Admiralty in
Januarv, but to stand for Parliament if a seat
could be found for him, under the following con-
ditions :—

Diary. ''April 21, 1874.— 1. That I was to be
free to leave Parliament, as well as the Admiralty,
if I found I could not work at the latter.

"2. Not to be at the call of the Whip.

"3. To succeed Admiral Tarleton in any case
when he resigned at the end of the year.

"4. To have leave for the election, without
giving up the squadron until 1 was elected."

To the Admiral's great relief, however, no seat
was found for him, and he completed his three
years' command with a cruise round England,
almost a replica of that taken in 1863 as flag-

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON,

185

captain, except that the fleet went round the
reverse way. At Suiiderlaud on September 15,
Kear-Adniiral J-laTicock and all the captains dined
with him for the last time. On the 22d he dined
in the \vardro(jni of the Ayincourt, where, very
unexpectedly to the Admiral, Commander Bedford
proposed his health and that of his Staff in a very
nice little speech. On the '30th he hauled down
his flag at Portsmouth, not only the captains but
some of the other officers of the squadron corain;nr
on board to say " Good-bye " ; and. as the Admiral
says of it, " All seemed sorry at the parting."

186

CHAPTEU XIT.

THE ADMIRALTY, 1875 AND 1871).

HOLIDAY AI' LITTLEGUEEX SECOXU SEA-LORD WORK AT THE

ADAlIKAf.TY ClUTIOISM OF THE BOARD.

The time between giving up command of the
(Hiannel Fb^et and takins: his seat at the Board
of Admiralty was spent by Achniral Hornby at
Littlegreen. It was the only time that he had
any real enjoyment of the place, and he always
looked back to these three months as a true
holiday -time. He was busy in laying out and
improving the garden and grounds; and, as the
house had just been thoroughly repaired, in re-
arranging his household gods, especially his
beloved books. Till now he had hardly realised
the beauty and value of some of his inherited pos-
sessions, and among these he had to find room for
bric-a-brac collected from all parts of the world.

His time at Littlegreen ended on January 1,
1875, on which day Admiral Hornbv took his seat
as Second Sea-Lord, and began the most uncon-

V i

THE ADMIRALTY.

187

genial work in which he had ever been employed.
In the first place, a sedentary life was entirely
foreign to his habits and inoUnations. He had
taken a house in Onsl »w Gardens, partly with the
object of getting a t' ree miles' walk to his work
every day ; and if he were able to leave early, or
was not dining out, he frequently walked home.
Even this was not sufHcient, and his healtli l)egan
to suffer. There are frequent entries ii his Diary,
"Very seedy," "In bed all day." His doctor
ordered him riding exercise, and to go every day
to his club for lunch ; if he only had a triass of
sherrv and a biscuit, he was to walk to Pall Mall
to get it. In spite of these precautions the severe
headaches still continued, thougli at longer in-
tervals, and it was only during the annual tour of
inspection, and his three weeks' holiday, that he
could be said to feel really well.

The first question on which Mr Hunt asked
Admiral Hornby's opinion was, how the reliefs for
the different stations were to be supplied. The
Admiral replied that to keep the twenty -three
ironclads required continually in commission it
was necessary to have one in eveiy four either
building or in reserve ; of other types of ships
eighty -two were required, with a reserve of one
for every three in commission. As a matter of
fact, there were only twenty - two ironclads in
commission, and allowing for those then building
and under repair rapidly becomijig obsolete, by

188

HiR (;koffi{i:y pfur-ps uoumsy.

1H78 tli<Tf \v« uld Im' tuf'iit y-foiu irotioluds only in
exist«Mnt(' — viz., ( went y tliit-c in fdinrriissiDn, ;in(l
f)n(" sliiji in rcsorv*'. TIm^ oIIhm' sliips in ('oninii.s-
sion ninrihcn'd only seventy - I'oui-, with twenty
uniltir I'cpuir, und cjillin^ tlirsf! IjitLcr ii r(!S<ii'vo,
!iimI count Ini£ on fMijIit friLTi'leH IIk'H Imildiii';' to
rcjiliUM! Hcven iiHaHy worn out, hy IH7H tin; posi-
tion would 1)1' iin|)i-o\'('d hy only on*- ship. It.
would rorjuirc ;ui oiitluy oftutt ;ind ;i ludf niillions
to liiy down enough shij)S to hiin^- the Niivy up to
the r«!(piiit'd stren^^h in throe years. The ( uhiiu't
would not hciir of suf'h ;in (tutlay, yet soiric yejirs
later, in war -scares, L;'., 000, 000 mid i"(;,000,000
wen* ^niriU'd with the groatijst chcierfulness by
Parliament.

Another subject iindei- diseu.ssion in 187/3 was
tlie inodiHcation of Mr ('hilderss retiicnicnt
scheme, as it wns foimd to lu* n()t altogether
successful in its working, in so f'ai- jis it. ena])l(Ml
ofKcei'S who lijtd iM'vcr' ris^'ii .*il)o\'e mediocrity to
retii'e on better terms tlutn their hrother ofllcers
who had worked haid iind risen to higlior branches
of the Kervic«\ TIm^ fh\st suggesti(»n made l^y
Admii'al Hornby was, that as iri thf; junior

)ranches pi-oraotion went b

s«

ilect

ion, in

senior r(!tirein(Mit should jilso go l)y selection —
in fact, that they should copy the German system,
by wliich, when an ollicer has l)een passed ov«ir
two or three times, it is considered a hint to
him to retire. This proposal not meeting with

il OJ!"

nil. AUMiitAi/rv

189

a[)|Movul, tli<* Aflrnir;il prcjciifrl ni.oflicr spIicum*,
u'liicli, Mr iliiiit Ji^rct'd, met; l!i( i'«'(|uir(im«'nts of
tlir CJiK(! ; l)ul iis it, iin'.-iiil iiimNiKiiH' lK)tli llic

Arl

rniiMis ;iii(

I (

<*tiiinuii(i<-i's

lists,

M^ ♦•xi)rris(

vvrnild ;ils() li.ivc Ix'fii incrrjiscd i»v £h()<jO m I'liOOt)
ji-yejir, ;iii(l li:i(l t li«T«!foi"«' to Ix; iiiucli clipixMl iimI
iii(»(lifi«;<|. Siiiiiljii" (tusf.M, ill uliifli cHicifiinv '""^
to l»(' S!i,fiili('-ei(i t<t so-ciillcil ('Cdiiiiiny, fouM l>e
iiinlti]>li<'(l :iliiiost iiidi'tiiiiicly.

Amori'j llic duties «.!' ;i, S«"i-l/«it(I wu.s hIso tliiil
f>r sjX'idJii^ ooojisloiiidlv. on naval matters, at <'ity
and otlif-r puhlic dinners. Admiral lloi'nhy Kjiokf;
shortly and to tlif jtoint, somcliineH very Immor-
oiihly. lie Hj)oke HJowly, and liis voice, thou^^di not

loud, was clear and distinct, so tliat I

It' was o

rt(Mi

much l»etter heard than iiKiii wlm exerted them-
selves far more : his only peculiai'ity was that

while K))ea.kini^ he always riihhed his hands to-
'n'th(3i' as ii he weit; washiii*'' th(^m. ort(Mi in these
Spef^clies he had to s]»eak in diametric oj)[»osition
to the popular feeling of the day, y(;t ^eiiei'ally'
hy his very st raii^htforwardfu^ss he hrou^ht som«^,
at least, <tt' Ins heai(;rs round to his way of
thinkin;^^

October I!). I 87-^), he writes in liis Diaiy : —
"Sir Alexander V(!i'y low at continued attack
of |)i('ss on A<lmiralty.

" Oct. 20. Dined at the Saddlers' ilall. Sj)oke
about the (lishonrif-ty of the press and on the
aiWi^j of the Slav(! Circular. Au«lieiice, were sur-

f:-*

190

SIR tJEOFFllEV PllirrS IIOKNBY.

}iiise(l, atid did not like the conclusions, thoui^h
they could not ih'ny the reasoning. One or two
apj)roved entirely.

"0(7. 22. — 'Times' lias an article preparing to
look at Slave Circular in its true legal aspect."

In the winter of 1875- 187G the Admiralty
issued two minutes, whioli at the time were very
nnich criticised. One was with remird to the
yacht Mislrfnc, which was accidentally run into
hy the royal yacht Alberta m the Solent. The
other was on the collision hetween the Iron Duhe
and the Vanguard ni the Irish Channel, which
resulted in the loss of the latter. Of course the
subject is stale now; hut at the time feeling ran
very high, the discussion being even carried into
Parliament, thouj^h Mr Gosclien had said at first
that he would not attack Mr Ward limit on
the subject, because " a minute, for which Hornl)y
was partly responsible, must have something be-
hind it." That it had "something behind it" is
demonstrated by a coi-respondence between the
Admiral and Sir William Thomson (now Lord
Kelvin) with regard to some criticisms made by
the latter on the said " Vanguard Minute " in
an address which he delivered at Glasgow. In his
last letter Sir William admits that there remains
" little, if anything, more to be discussed when
we meet in London ; at all events very little un-
coUapsed of my case."

With the later spring came the return of the

THE ADMIRALTY.

191

Prince of Wales from India and his enthusiastic
reception, which the Achniral mentions in his
diary as beintr, if anythin^^ warmei* in the coim-
try places which the train passed througii than
it had been at Portsmoutli, where the Admiralty
received him. After this came the first nuit-
terings of the storm in the East, and a hard
push to get the necessary reinforcements for the
Mediterranean Squadron, Next a trip in the
Enchantress to VVilhelmsliaven, Cuxhaven, Ham-
burg, and by rail to Kiel, where the Admiral
was much interested by the meteorological offices
estal)lished by Neumayer and his system for
ascertaining the errors of sextants, for comparing
compasses, and for explaining the effects of local
attraction to which they are subject. On the
return home " my Lords " stopped for two hcnu's
at Heligoland, which Admiral Hornby describes
as " a small useless place, but clean ; no protection
for ships."

On account of this expedition in the spring
the dockyard inspections did not take place till
October. The other subjects which were receiv-
ing most attention at the Admiralty during the
last months of the year were, " the amalgamation
of the executive and navigating lieutenants,"
" whether the ships then building for the Turks
should be bought for the English Navy," " the
minute on the boiler explosion on board the
Tliunderer" " appointments to the Pacitic and

192

am GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

Ml'

Chinese commands," " t';e return of the Challenger
and of the Arctic Expedition," &c., &c.

Sir Alexander Milne retired in September, and
was succeeded at the Admiralty by Sir Hastings
Yelverton ; but Mr Ward Hunt had made a
stipulation that Admiral Hornby should remain
at the Admiralty till it was time for him to re-
lieve Sir James Drummond in the Mediteri'anean
command. Accordingly he was to hoist his Hag
on Jaimary 15, 1877, and not leave the Admiralty
till the 13th, on which day he commenced a
journal, which he kept during his whole Mediter-
ranean command, with this entry : —

"Jrm. 13, J 877.— I left the Admiralty with
less regret and more })leasure than any work
with which 1 have hitherto been so long (two
years) connected. The faults of it are —

" First, The want of professional assistance for
the naval men who are selected to be the Naval
Council of the First Lord. The Board was, in
fact, abolished by Mr Childers's Order in Council
of 1869 ; for by it the First Lord was made
wholly responsible to Parliament, and the Sea-
Lords only responsible for so much of the naval
work as might be deputed to them by the First
Lord. These naval men have no one to turn to
to examine or carry out any professional details
with which they may be engaged. The only
assistance they can get is from civilian clerks,
who know nothing of seafaring matters or of

THE AIJMIKALTY.

193

th«* nietliiMl on uliicli the servioH atl(»}it Is con-
ducted.

" Kacli Naval Lord Is sniotliej-ed witli tlie settle-
meJit ot'detjiil and nil Korts of petty inytters,

" If a signal has ti> be nlteu'd. a puuislnneiit-
tal)le to be i-eadjnsted, ?• ([Uestion as to the
nunil)(*r of men rtMjuii'ed for any work to be
raist'd, he Jiiust look the Avli()le (jiu'stioii up foi"
himself. He cannot receive any assistance from
his so-called assistants, f<»r they do not under-
stand the workliiiTf of these things.

"Again, as If for the purpose of preventing him
from turning his attention to any of the* Important
snbj»'(!ts of the day, he has to direct such minutl.'e
as \\het!i''r a man reconnnt-nded for a truss shall
be allowed one. When a retired oHicer visits the
Contin»*nt, and when he returns, the Sea-Lord
has to sign the letttM- in wliieh tht^ ollicer reports
hiuiself as having retin*ned. He has to initial
every report that arrives from aljioad of officers
who have been surveyed, whethei- they have been
Invalided or only sent to slck-([uarters for ten
days' change of air. With a hundred such ridicu-
lous occupations his time Is engrossed, and he has
to scramble through important papers Avithout
sufHcIent time to consider them, and to leave
most reports and experiments unread. He can-
not help feeling that his time is wasted and his
work ill done.

" The second gr at lault is want of unity of

' ¥■■ ggw

194

SIR GEOFFREY PinPPS HORNBY.

plan. This arises to a certain extent from tlie
chancres of Government and of Fli'st Lords ; Ijiit
as to discipline and internal organisation, which
are chieHy in the hands of the Naval Lords, they
would he carried out Avith more regularity, and
hetter effect, if the First Sea- Lord were appointed
for five yearf^, and if all the naval men had to
work imder him as they do afloat.

" At present, each Naval Lord has a depart-
ment of his ow^n to attend to, and in it can work
very independently of his colleagues, and of those
who have preceded him, though each person may
be administering a branch which runs parallel
with, and should be treated in the same way
as, that under a colleague. For instance, my
predecessor thought it was a good thing to move
officers and men from ships frequently, and never
to allow them to be together more than two
years, I thought quite the reverse, and that the
longer men could be kept together, the better
for them and for the service. Accordingly, when
I caiiie in, 1 left the men always three years
in ships, and whenever there was a good excuse,
even more ; but this sort of l)usuiess should be
ruled from above, and iiot be left to each Lord
to deal with as he pleases. There really nmst
be some principle at the bottom which should
guide it.

*' Of course there is no feeling of connection
between the permanent officials and the ser\ice,

.%v

THE ADMIRALTY.

195

and thereforf3 no pRprit de corj^s, or care liow the
work succeeds aHoat. The office is l<ioked on as
a department of the Civil Service, and care must
be taken that no other office obtains greater per-
sonal advantages to its members, in the ^^'ay of
more pay and less work.

" Tt is not to be wondered at that a naval
man win* comes there to work for the benefit
of that service in which he takes jn'ide shonld
be disappointed and disgusted to find himself in
company with those who have great powers of
obstruction, and no desire to advance the service."

A year or two later a moment arrived -when
there were only three men available for the
position of First Sea- Lord : these three were Sir
Beauchamp Seymour, Sir Coo})er Key, and Ad-
miral Hornby. The Admiral, therefore, wrote to
his ])rother officers to this eflect : " If we three
agree that certain reforms are necessary for the
efficiency of the service, and refuse to accept the
position of First Lord unless they are carried
out, we must carry our point." As has been
said above, Admiral Hornby was commanding the
Mediterranean Squadron, Sir B(\'iuchamp Seymour,
as the saying goes, " Played the game," but Sir
Cooper Key accepted unconditionally.

** I feel it a great drawback," he wrote to
Admiral Hornby, " to my power of being useful,
that I have not already served at the Board.
In the first place, it puts it out of my power

19G

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPFS HORNBY.

to make stipulations on the offer being made, as
I could do so only from personal experience. You
and Sir Alexander Milne both found the great
need of naval assistance in the. branches. I am
surci the want of an Intelligence Department is
much felt."

Thus an opportunity for administrative reform,
which may never occur again, was allowe'l to
slip by ; and it still happens that scarcely any
naval man of ability ever goes to the Achiiiralty
as First Sea-Lord without thereby losing some
of his professional popularity or reputation.

J)! i

MMM*:""""

197

CHAPTER XIII.

THE MEDITERRANEAN, 1877-1880.

THE MRDITKHRANEAN COMMAND, 1876 THE PROSPECT IN TUB

EAST n.M.S. ALEXANDRA STEAM EVOLUTIONS INSUIfORniNA-

TION THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE ON CONSTANTINOPLE SERIES

OF LETTERS DESCRlIiING THE SITUATION PASSAGE OP THE

DARDANELLES CAUSES OF THE RUSSIAN FAILURE — INTERVIEW

WITH THE SULTAN PEACE WITH HONOUR SIR GEOFFREY —

ESTLMATE OF THE VALUE OF CYPRUS EXPLOSION ON U.M.S.

THUNDERER — THE SULTAn's BANQUET EXPIRY OF COMMAND.

As early as July 187G the idea of the Admiral
being appointed Oommander-iii-Chief in the Medi-
terranean was mooted. In his l)iary of July 10
he writes : —

" Mr Hunt asked whether I should like best the
Mediterranean, or to be First Sea-Lord. He said
he was very anxious about the former command,
and yet should miss me very much ; in fact, * he
wanted two Hornbys.' I told him that as a matter
of pure choice 1 should infinitely prefer the Medi-
tei'ranean ; at the same time I had always made
it a jiractice to go where my superiors thought I
should be most useful, and wished to continue to

198

SIR GEOFFREY FHIPrS HORNBY.

do so. We then liad a long talk about the or-
ganisation of the Admiralty, which I told him I
thoiudit altdiretlier inefficient for \vf>rk, and he
to a great extent agreed. The real ditlicnlty,
he said, wns tlie detail with which every one
was overbm'dened, and that it was caused by
the House of Commons re(|uii"iiig to know of,
and hold Ministers res})onsible for, eveiy detail,
NothiiiiT Nvas settled, but he said Milne would
leave in November, and I fancy I have a good
chance of the command."

Later on, when the c[uestion came to l)e dis-
cussed, the Admiral found that the opinion of
his friends fell in with his own inclination!--, and
al)out the middle of August the (.^ueen assented
to his appointment. Even then things were look-
ing very threatening in the P^ast : the Sultan was
said to be mad; his Ministers were weak, and
afraid to attempt or promise any reforms. Russia
was stirring up trouble in Bulgaria, and Germany
se«'nied to encourage her. (.)n Se})tember 7 Mr
Gladstone's [lainphlet about the so-called Bul-
garian atrocities appeared, and tended very much
to influence pul»lic opinion. When these tilings
came to be inquired into later, it was found, not
only that the account liad been very much ex-
aggerated, but that in some instances the })laces
where the outrages were said t<j have occurred
existed only in the minds of the reporters. Vio-
lent meetings were lield at the Mansion House

•I

THE MEDITERRANEAN,

199

and at Exeter Hall against tlie Ministry, the
Iladicals hoping to upset the Government by
raising tlie cry of " Protection for the Chris-
tians ! " After about a fortnight's excitement,
pubHe opinion tired of Bulgaria, tliough Eastern
affairs still gave the Government much anxiety.
The Mediterranean Fleet was ke[)t at Besika Bay
during the autumn and early winter, and Admiral
Hornby submitted to the Admiralty a sketch of
orders for concentrating ships In case of war,
Avliich was approved, but not acted on.

Meantime the Alexandra was being pre])ared
as flagship. She had been built at Chatham,
and launched there by the Princess of Wales,
April 7, 1875, consequently H.B.Il. was recog-
nised, so to speak, as the patron saint of the
ship. Her birthday, December 1, became the
fete - day of tlie ship ; a Danish cross, with a
garland of oak -leaves betwc^en the arms of the
cross, was ado[)ted as a crest, and a photograph
of the Princess, presented by her to the officers,
received the place of honoui- in tlie wardroom.
The Alexandra was considered a fast, powerfully
armed ship, most of the guns being ])laced in
two batteries on the main and upper decks.
These batteries cut up the decks, making it im-
possible, except from the bridge, to see from one
end of the ship to the other ; and when she
was, as the expression goes, " cleared for action,"
launches hoisted in, &c., it was very difficult to

200

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

get about the ship. She was, as tlie Admiral
expressed it, " too coinphcated." The accom-
modation Avas very unequal : there was plenty
of room between decks (10 feet), but the men
were very much cramped up forward ; th(^ ward-
room excellent ; the gunroom small and stulfy.
The Admiral had a good forecabin and sleeping
accommodation, but his after-cabin was small and
dajk, and from it a winding staircase led up to
a little cal)in under the poop, large enough to
hold a writing-table, and with two doors open-
his on the stern-walk.

The Alexandra Avas conunissioned at Chatham
on January 2. 1877, Captahi 11. O'B. Fitzroy, Hag-
ca[)tain ; Alfi-ed Leigh Winsloe, liag-iieutenant ;
James Kirkness, secretary ; At well Lake, com-
mander ; and a picked crew of officers and men.
Wlien the Lords of the Admii'alty went down to
inspect her on February 12, they remarked that
they had never seen a ship which had shaken
together so quickly. The Adnural left tlie Ad-
miralty on Satui'day, January K?, with very mucli
the feelings of a boy let out of school, and on the
following Monday hoisted his flag on board the
Alexartdra. He did not join, however, for another
six weeks, as he was busy, not only in making
his own preparations, engaging servants, ordering
wine and jjrovisions, making liis will, &c., but in
seeing Ministers and receiving tinal instructions.
On the 19th January he called on Lord Derby at

-
a

THE MEDITKRRANEAN.

201

t
ft.

the Forei^ai Office, and had a long poh'tical talk
with him, the gist of which was that the Admiral's
eiideavonr ^^■as to be, if j)0ssible, to avoid war. A
few days later he asked to have Sir E<huuiid Com-
merell appoijited as his second in command, if the
Meditei-ranean Squadron were increased ; but Mr
Ward Hunt rej)lied that he must \\ ait for the next
Russian move before deciding to send out any
more ships.

Private Jouiiial. " Feb. 27. — To Osborne to see
the Queen by order. Lunched with tlie liousehold.
After lunch I was taken to see the (^ueen. Her
rooms appear to be in the north-west angle of tlie
building. She was in a l)ig drawing-room with
the Princess Beatrice and Prince Leopold. She
asked about the weather, kc."

The Alexandra left Chatham on the 14th, Ijut
was detained by weather at Sheerness till the
21st ; the following day she arrived at Spithead
for her steam trials, which were successfully com-
pleted by March 3. Monday, March 5, the Ad-
miral's Diaiy notes : —

"Embarked at 10 A.M. A fme N.N.W. breeze,
to which we made sail, after some difliculty with
the anchors in stowing. The ship very lively
under one's feet, but not rolling deeply."

The same northerly breeze followed them till
they had rounded Cape St Vincent at noon on tlie
9th, when it fell very light ; sails were furled, and
they proceeded to Gibr-altar under steam only,

202

SIR GEOFFREY PllfPrS IIORNIiY.

anchoring insidr the Mole ut 3 r.M. on the 10th.
During the night of tlie 1 Ith Sir Beauchamp Sey-
nKHir. then coniinanding tlie Channel Fleet, arrived
in the Sakanis from Cadiz. The following day the
two Admirals lunched too-etlier on hoard the Alex-
widra, and had a long talk after luncheon, donht-
less concerning plans tor the co-optnation of the
two squadi'ons in case of war. Monday morning,
the 13tli, Sir Beauchanij) left to return to his com-
mand, and in the afternoon the Admiral sailed for
Malta. On the second day out, true to his prin-
ciples of using sails and economising coal where
possible, the ship was tried under sail only; but in
one hour she dropped from 8 knots to 4, and ex-
cei)t for purposes of exercise this experiment was
never rejieated. After four and a half days' ])as-
sage the Alexandra anchored in Valetta harbour,
where the Hercules, Captain Bowden Smith ;
Sultan, Duke of Edinburgh ; Monarch, Captain
Culme Seymour ; Rupert, Captain Gordon ; Hot-
spur, Captain Jones, were awaiting his arrival, and
the Devastation, Captain Hunt Grubbe, arrived
the same day. Monday, 19th, the Admiral landed
in state, paid liis official call on the Governor, Sir
Charles Straubenzee, and lunched at St Antonio,
where the Duchess of Edinbui'gh was spending the
winter. Sir James Drummond, his predecessor,
left a week later in the Hercules, and Admiral
Hornby at once set to work to see to the furnish-
ing and redecoration of Achniralty House. For

THE MEDITEIIRANEAN.

203

five weeks longer the fleet remained at Malta, —
busy weeks from a naval point of view, as he had
to ins})ect the ships, make iiimself ac(juainted with
the capaliilities of the dockyard and victiialh'n^-
yard, w ith the ca})acity of the naval hospital, with
the g-eneral routine and organisation of the station,
and witli tlie defences of the island. Socially also
they were busy weeks, for tlioiiiifh durin*;' the first
ten <lays there was a lull of festivities on account
of Holy Week and Good Friday, Malta society
made the most of the few remainino- weeks of tlie
season. There were bio- dinners at the palace and
St Antonio, balls at the club, Auberge di Castille
(Artillery Mess), &c. ; afternoon dances and lun-
cheoi I -parties on board v^arious ships; races,
assaults-at-arms, private theatricals, and Christy
Minstrel entertainments.

Towards the end of April orders wei'e received
from the Admiralty to cruise east instead of west,
and on the 28th the fleet left Valetta for Corfu.
That same afternoon steam evolutions were com-
menced. There had been some trepidation on this
point among the captains, and some of them had
been hard at work reading up the subject, as
" Uncle Geoft'" was known not only to be a great
master in the art of fle^'t manoeuvring, but to
attach great Importance t ) the precision and m-
telligence re(|uired for executing complicated
evolutions. His [notes on the subject had been
sent out three weeks previously, and, as said

204

SIR OEOFFREY I'HIPPS HORNBY.

above, on tin* day they left Malta the first lesson
was jjfiveii. Here is the Admiral's own account of
the progress made : —

'vipnV 28. — Tried a few sim])le ev(»luti(»ns — very
wild.

""May 14. — Steam tactics, fairly executed.

" Juna 22. — Exercised in two squadrons passin<]^
on opposite courses.

''Jnlij L'-']. — Weighed for steam maiueuvres.
Forenoon good ; afternoon, with lieutenants, poor.

'' Aurf. 7. — Weighed at 7.30 a.m. for evolutions.
Very strong breeze. Perfoi-mance moderate.
Tried new plan of working grou})S. it wants per-
fecting.

" An<j. 27. — Captains on board to explain to
them principles of steam tactics.

" Awj. 28. — Weighed for evolutions. Blowing
very hard at times. Evolutions better, but not good.

" Aug. 29, — Another day's tactics, with very
strong wind. Arhillcs messed one manoeuvre,
which should have been pretty.

" Se})t. 3 and 5. — A lecture on tactics to lieu-
tenants.

"" Sejjt. 12. — Out for steam tactics. Very well
executed."

After that there seems very little complaint,
perfect confidence and sympathy were established
between most of the captains and their chief, and
It was no more a question of doing w^ell, but of
excelling.

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

205

The squadron had by this time been for nearly
two months at Besika Bay. When they left Malta
their first destination had been Corfu, then Suda
Bay in Crete. The Kusslan Embassy had been
Avithdrawn from Constantinople, Servia and Bosnia
bad begun the war, and Greece was like an active
volcano, a general eruption momentarily expected.
From Port Said, wliere he had been sent to arrange
al)out the neutrality of the Canal, the Admiral
thus describes the situation : —

To the Eight Hon. G. Ward Hunt, M.P.

''Mail 10, 1877.

"We ancliored here at 11 a.m. and fiiid a mail
on the point of leaving. I had no opportunity of
writing from Suda, I could l)adly spare Captain
Baird at present, as one must have a good man for
second in command. Seymour would do well, but
1 suppose we shall retain him but very few days.
I hope to complete coal without difficulty at
Athens, but if we are likely to be in Turkish
waters, it will probably be well to send us coal in
vessels of our own. Our monthly consumption may
be reckoned at 30 tons per ship for each day we
are cruising. I should like to be under weigh eight
to ten days in each month. I should have been
much surprised if Ilercvlcs boilers had proved fit
for further service ; but, in my opinion, the country
is stronger when such ships are shipping new
boilers than when they are at sea, ' making-

206

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

believe,' but really delaying eflentive ships. No
one looks at tlie real cost of bad boilers. The
Monarch, Captain Seymour, lias burnt since leav-
ing Midta 331 tons, while this ship has Innnt 100 ;
and, 1 believe, this very fairly re})resents tlie differ-
ence between steam at GO lb. to steam at 16 lb.

" I wish Lord Derby joy, if he shapes his course
by consular reports. So far as I can see, one man
generally contiadicts his neighb<jur. They only
agree in this, that if one ironclad is not left with
each, a frightful calamity will ensue. The consul
at Khaina thinks a rising will take place in Crete
shortly. Some leading Greeks in the Assembly
have asked him if England would accept the island,
as the people wished to be under English rather
than Greek rule. I am inclined to believe they
will rise as soon as they see an opportunity ; and,
after seeing Corfu, their wislies appear very
natural.

" We have been doing well with our exercises,
and I am very well satisfied with ^he condition of
the ships, except in the matter of boilers, in which
Monarch and Hotspur are weak, and Swiftsure not
very strong. I mean to detach Rcdeigh to Bhodes
to inquire about a piracy of six weeks' standing,
and her visit may cover the Salamis mission."

The Salamis, Commander Egerton, had been
sent from England on a secret mission to look
about among the Greek islands for a safe harbour

; !

THE MEDITEHPAXEAN.

207

and anchorage, to make a coaling-stntion for ships
of war. She joined the Admiral at Alliens (wjit're
the fleet had l>een ordered from Port Said, s<t as
to be at the end of th«' tele<rra})h wire) with the
report that Scar})aiito uas al)^'ol^lteiy useless, Init
that Stani])alia, an ishmd which only had com-
munication with lUiodes about once in three weeks,
had an excellent land-locked harbour, which only
required a few thousands spent on deepening the
entrance to make it })erfectly safe. Subsequently
the Government took (.*y})rus, where there is no
harbour that can be rendered tit for warshi])S
under an outlay of millions.

A few days after the arrival of the Alexandra
at Athens, one morning some of the gun-sights
were found to be missing — thrown overbijard as an
expression of dissatisfaction by some of the ciew.
This was exaggerated by the papers into a " mu-
tinous outbreak," and many imaginary details
added. Here is the Admiral's acccjunt of the
matter : —

To Admiral Sir Hastings Yclverton, K.C.B.

" Athens, June 23.

" The official letter, enclosing a ' Times ' tele-
gram of May 31, has but just reached me, and 1
am sorry to think I can add nothing to the par-
ticulars of the acts of insubordination reported in
my letter of the 23d ult. Strong suspicion rests
on an individual, but no proof of his criminality.

208

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

The telegram is flilse in every paragraph. No
' muf-.inous outbreak ' occurred, therefore no marines
or other men were summoned to repress it. No
mutineers were arrested, and no court-martial has
been assembled to try any man on any such charge.
Leave was not given to the men at Port Said
on account of there being so much smallpox the^e.
Elsewhere leave had been given regularly accord-
ing to the routine I found established on the
station ; and men have landed from this ship as
well as the others every day but one — a saint's
day, on which the consul begged they might be
kept on board — including the day we anchored.
The Alexandra guns have never been rendered
unserviceable, and T did not order her to cruise
uninterruptedly. She was ordered to call here
twice to receive mails, &c. I hope a question may
be caused to be asked in the House of Commons,
so that the amount of lies included in one telegram
may be exposed.

"As to the discontent, I think it is probably
due to the same cause which induced some of the
young seamen to kick when they were ordered to
sea in the brigs — they disliked work, and the
trouble of learning their duties. In saying this,
I do not mean to reflect on our training service,
which 1 believe to be good. Boys who are drafted
direct from the training-ships to sea-going ships
give very little trouble. The insubordination is
always shown by our young ordinary seamen who

III

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

209

have been in barracks or depot ships, unattached
to any older men, petty officers, or officers. How-
can they be (hsciphned without being taught ?
And who is there in those jilaces to interest himself
in teaching the floating units that are received one
day and discharged the next ?

" This is the w^eak part of our system, and I am
more than ever convinced that it should be met by
keeping officers and men always together, as if
they were in regiments."

Elsewhere he wavites with regard to similar

troubles on board the Achilles to Mr W. H.

Smith : —

"Besika Bay, AuffKHt 22.

" I much regi'et that the first letter I have to
write to you should be to mention another of those
gross scandals which throw so mucli discredit on
our service. I am sorry to say we are not unac-
customed to them; in 1859 and 1860 they were
very rife. The cause then was the entry by bounty
of the scum of our streets, and at the same time a
large reduction in the captain's power of control.
Moreover, captains and officers did not receive
proper support from the Admiralty. Now, the
cause is that we introduce each year into the sea-
men class one-sixth of their number who are voanjr
and undisciplined. At the same time, we remove
every year about one-eighth of the best of our
petty officers for coastguard service. In olden time

210

SIR GEOFFREY PHIFPS HORNBY.

these would have remained to form the backbone of
tlie petty-officer class. If you draw out the guides,
and pour in the undisciplined at such a rate, it
is not surprising that difficulty is experienced in
keeping order. But we increase the difficulty by
a system which separates officers from men, and
men from one another, just as they are getting
that acquaintance with and trust in one another
^^'hich is the root of all military discipline."

The insubordination in the Achilles had more
serious consequences than on board the Alexandra;
one man was sentenced to four years' penal servi-
tude for mutiny, but after that there was no more
trouble. " Discipline," according to the Admiral's
definition, had been established ; men and officers,
captains and admiral, trusted each other, and
worked together in a loyal and friendly spirit.

During the first few days at Athens, the Prin-
cess of Wales, with the King and Queen of Greece,
had been on board to see the ship, and had seemed
much pleased with what they saw. The Princess
left for England two days later, but the King and
Queen were on board again for the regatta, which
though supposed to be in honour of the Queen's
birthday, did not take place till June 28. The
Duke of Edinburgh had given a good many prizes
to be rowed for, and some of the contests were
very keen. The wind was too light to sail for
the Admiral's Cup the following day, so the race

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

21i

'SS

llltt
ich

for
face

came off a week later at Besikn — Captain Britten,
wlio as lieutenant had won the cup at the 1874
Channel Fleet Regatta, c(tmliig in winner, hitatf-
Comniander Sullivan sailed him verv close, but
passed unfortunately the wrong side of n buoy,
and so was disqualified.

News of the llussians crossing the Danube had
reached Athens, June 24, and ;i week later, as a
sort of counter-move on the pai-t of the English,
the fleet was ordered to Besika Bay, close to the
entrance of the Dardanelles. There are tlu'ee
detinitions of Besika —

1. The most delightful spot in the woi'ld.

2. A very uninteresting place.

3. An infernal hole.

The point of view from which you look nt it very
nmch de})ends on whether you are a sportsman,
tolei'ate sport, or dislike it.

As soon as the Helicon joined, Admn-al Hornby
embarked in her for Constantinople, as he says : —

" I kept my flag down, and as quiet as possible,
for in the position we have taken up — vis-a-vis
to the Turks — I did not like paying and receiving
visits which were sure to suggest false hopes."

He visited the Ambassador, Mr (afterwards Sir
Henry) Layard. and called on the Italian Minister,
Count Corti, and on the German Muiister, Prince
Ileuss.

" I called on Prince Pi,euss this morning to pay
my respects to him," he writes, July 10, " when

212

.SIR (lEOFFREY PHI PPM HORNBY.

to my surprise lie ])egaii to talk (»f current atlairs.
He hoped the war mio-ht not si)rea(l ; said that
Ave in Eiij^luMd were very 8US])ieioiis of the Iliis-
siaris, thoui^h they had no desire heyond that of
freeino- their co-reli^ionists ; that the Emperor
had heen forced into wnr hy tlie excitement of
his people, &c., &c. He then said that we de-
clared we should li«jjht only to protect our own
interests; would they he seriously injured hy the
freedom of the Straits ( I said that personally
I did nut think they would be s<.» much injured
directly, except that Ave should he oblit;ed to
increase our squadron largely in the Mediter-
ranean ; hut, imlirectly, we should be seriously
injured in India by the gi-eat loss of our prestige,
and the o-ain to tliat of Russia, He said, 'In
England you always think Russia wants to at-
tack you in Inditi ; she has no such wish. The
arrangemejit proposed by Lord Granvillt? for the
retention of a neutral zone between the two
nations was a natural one, and one they would
like to see estal>lished.' He then recurred to
the (juestion, why we were so suspicious, when
the Emperor had given his word that lie would
not injiu'e «.tur interests ? I said he had given
his word not to take Khiva, but he seemed to
have been unable to control his statesmen or his
generals, and that the result had been that he
had annexed almost the whole of the Khivan
territory, and that unless the statesmen of the

THE MEDlTERKAIsEAN.

213

two coiuiti'ies could come to some uiulorstundliig,
1 tlioii^^ht. our suspicious would contiuue, ibr ii.
seemed lit; was not absolutely autocratic. He
then said, ' Why should the statesmtm not jL^ive
one another guarantees which would be satisfac-
tory ? ' I asked, ' What "guarantee could thev
give that they would not ()Cciipy C(;tnstantin<:)ple ? '
He said, ' You have advanced ycMir squadron to
Besikii, why should you not bi-ing it to (.Con-
stantinople to protect the town ? ' I said, ' The
squadron alone could not prevent the advance of
a large army on to the town.* He answered,
' Then why not advance some other force, and
take such a guarantee as is satisfactory to you ?
T believe that if this were firmly but courteously
proposed, without saying you doubted the word
of the Emperor, no objection would be felt. But,'
he said, 'if it was done abruptly or with harsh
words, it might very likely lead t«> war. The
fact is,' he wound up, * the Russians have got
on their hands a much tougher affair than they
expected. It is true the Turkish army cannot
do much in the field, but it can defend positions
well, and after the Kussians have obtained one
decided success in Bulgaria, they will be very
glad to make peace.' "

Does this mean chat the Germans wished to
urge us into war to save themselves trouble later,
or, as subsequent events seem to show, that if
England had only taken vigorous action at first,

■n

SIR GEOFFREY PlllPr'S HORNBY.

much prestige w oiikl have been saved to herself, and
iniieh bloodshed and misery to the two belligerents ?

Tlie day after this interview Admiral Hornby
went over the arsenal at Constantinople, and was
much surprised by the capabilities of the work-
shops there, and the store of Martini-Henry ritles
in the armoury. He returned to Besika more than
ever convinced that the Turk only required to be
well led to make a tine soldier.

By this time the Russians had advanced to
Gabrova, and the English (jrovernment ordered out
the Agincourt — Sir E. Commerell as second in
command — and AcIiilU'S— Sir William Hewett —
to reinforce the fleet. The Achil/e.'^ reached Besika
on July 30. Oji August 2 the Admiral and Sir
W. Hewett went in the Salamis to meet Sir
Collingwood Dickson, R.E., at Tchernak, as the
Turkish Government had granted permission to
inspect the Bulair lines above Gallipoli. Like all
Turkish fortificati(ms, these lines had been allowed
to fall much out of repair ; but as it was a point of
the highest strategic importance, commanding as
it does botli the land and sea approaches to Con-
stantinople, e\ ery effort was being made to put the
lines into working order.

Letter to Wife.

^'AuguatS, 1877.

*' Our object was to inspect the old lines wiiich
were thrown up by the French and English in 1 854

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

215

for the defence of the peninsula of Galllpoh, and to
see liow far, and how fast, the Turks were restornig
them. We had a pleasant ride, chielly along high
ground, looking across the Sea of Marmora on one
side and the Gulf of Xeros on the other. The
Turks had swept in l)y a sort of corvee .5000
p»'asants, old and young, and it was surprising to
see how well and cheerfully they were working.
That work was to clear out and enlarge the old
ditches over a length of at least five miles,
strengthen the parapets, lay ])latforms for the
guns, and huild new magazines in the redoubts.

" Though they had only been at it five days,
they have nearly completed the earthworks of the
redoubts, and were going on so fast that (as the
Russians liave received two severe checks this
week), if they continue to work with the same
vigour, I have no fear of the Russians seizirig the
peninsula.

" Tlieir method of collectino- their labourers is
effective and simple, but somewhat onerous. They
have, for purposes of conscription, tlie number of
men in each village. They send an order to supply
one-fourth of the residents for four days' work, to
be replaced by others at the end of that time. If
the reliefs do not appear, they retain the men who
are at work. As we returned we met many parties
going to perform their share. Several of the older
men looked tired and worn, but there seemed to
be no complaint.

216

SIR (JEUFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

"At present thini^s setmi to be rather in favour
of the Tiu'ks Every day that they can delay the
[Russians north o£ the Balkans is a great gain, and
doubtless an unsuccessful, or even a partially
successful, campaign would be a great shock to
Russian prestige."

! ^

It was not till after 9 p.m. that the three offic^^rs
got back on board the Salamis, but the long ride
had not damped their spirits. During dinner. Sir
W. Hewett and Sir Collingwood Dickson began
discussing the old Crimean days, and one good
story led on to another, the Admiral sitting by and
laughinir till the tears ran down his cheeks, so that
the dinner-party dif^ not break up till midnight.

From this time forward Admiral Hornby con-
tinued to press earnestly for a small force of
British troops to hold these lines, and in almost
every letter home he urges the impoi-tance of
securing our communications and threatening
those of the Ilussians. His letter to Lord Derby,
August 10, describes very concisely his views on
the subject : —

" I assume that you think the batteries of the
Dardanelles Avould not prevent the squadron
passing into the Sea of Marmoi whenever it
pleased, and that in passing it might, with small
delay and damage, destroy them. In that opinion
I concur, but I doubt if you realise what might
follow.

^: I

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

217

"I Rupprisc tlie sfjiifulron would <3n]y be sent up
to play a part. If the northern shore of the
Dardanelles wer<* occupied by an enemy, I think
it very doubtful If \\^e could play any niatei'ial
part ; and if the Bospliorus also was under their
command, it would be almost impossible. In the
latter case, we could not i^^et even the Heraelea
coal. In the former, <»ur En^i'lish supply <>f coal,
our ammunition, and perhaps our food, would in
my opinion be stopped. This opinion depends on
the topography of the north shore. If you will
send for the chart of the Dardanelles, No. 2429,
you will see that from three and a half miles
below Kilid Bahar to Ak Bashi Imian, six and
a half miles above it, an almost continuous clitf
overhangs the shore-line, while the Stniits close to
half a mile in one part, and are never more than
two miles wide. An enemy in possession of the
peninsula would be sure to put guns on connnand-
ing points of those clitfs. All the more if the
present l)atteries, which are a ^ffcur (Veau, were
destroyed. Such guns could not fail to stop trans-
ports and colliers, and would be most difficult for
men-of-war to silence. We should have to fire at
them with considerable elevation. Shots which
were a trifle low would lodge harmlessly in the
sandstone cliffs ; those a trifle high would fly into
the country, without the slightest eflect on the
gunners except amusement.

" It is for these reasons that the possession of

218

am GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORXllV.

llio liulair linos by a stron^^ and triemlly force
seeiiis to every one here to be imperative, if now, or
hereafter, you should want to act at Constantinople.
The Turks are makintj^ pi'oi;rHSs with them ; hut
they are uiinrmed, not ijcarrisoned, and the garrison
that would be sent to them in case of reverse would
probably be part of a beaten and dis])irited force.
Is it wise to risk our vital interests in such hands?
The Russians take advantage of being at war to
destroy tho 8ulina navigation, ' for strategical pur-
poses.' Are we to have no 'strategical purposes'
because we are a neutral ? 1 think even Freeman,
Gladstone, & Co. would not hear unmoved that
the Dardanelles were closed ; but when thty are
closed, It will be too late to act. Now, 1 believe
there is time to prevent it, and for that reason
I write. I want to see 10,000 British troops
occupying Gallipoli in concert with the Turks ;
and Mr Layard misinforms me, if the Turks would
not ask for, and welcome, such an occupation."

While ])ressing earnestly for the occupation of
the Bulair lines, the Admiral was workitig hard to
make sure of the efficiency of the fleet and its
readiness to act in any emergency. Besides the
steam tactics already mentioned, there wej;e plenty
of the usual exercises aloft, manning and arming
boats, torpedo and gunnery practice. Colliers were
brought up to keep all the slnps fully supplied with
coal ; the ships were sent in turns to the Malta
dockyard to have their defects made good, and also

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

219

1^ m\

to Athens for a few days to give general leaver to
the men. At Besika there was not much amuse-
ment for the men on shore except crick^'t. Some
Greek publicans endeavoured to set up drinking-
])0()ths for the sale of spirits ; this having come to
Admiral Hornby's ears was sunnnarily stopped by
his sendinijf a bodv of men On shore to destro^' the
store of spirits, and by a requ(>st through the
consul at Tchernak to the Turkish autliorities to
stcjp the licences. The old consul was very much
alarmed at these high-handed measures, but was
finally obliged to support the Admiral in not allow-
ing his men to be drugged.

As to officers, the opportunities of amusement
depended on their taste ; society there was none,
but there were cricket and lawn-tennis grounds,
snipe in the marsh, quail and partridges on the
higher ground, and pheasants on some of the
adjacent islands. Hares also, but of them later ;
and rumours of wild boar, but no one ever succeeded
in getting a shot. Several shooting-parties went
away to the different islands, and great rivalry
existed as to which should bring home the largest
bag. On one occasion all the poultry on board
the Scdamis was killed, and each pheasant had
a chicken tied to it to make it look like a brace ;
the game w^as then hung up on the davits to be
conspicuous, and to excite the envy of the other
ships when she rejoined the squadron.

The most brilliant inspiration of the autumn

220

SIR GEOFFREY I'HTPrS HORNBY.

was the jdaii <>t'i;i'ttiii<^ out a pack of beagles from
EMt^laufl. Tliey arrived in the Wye on November
10, ami tlie first meet took place on Saturday the
17th. Captain Hunt Grubbe was master, the Rev.
H. Gilbert, cha()lain of the Rah'ixjh, huntsman, and
the whips de[)en(led very much on which of the
lieutenants could get on shore on the day of the
meet. The first run was very good and sharp for
about ten minutes, and then the ho inds ran into
a su; posed hare in a bush. She seemed to take
rather an unusual amc)unt of worrying, and when
the huntsman went in to see what had v .-"urred,
he brought out, not "puss" in the sporting sense
of the term, but a real cat. The brush had been
<lestroyed in the tussle, but a pad was duly pre-
sented to the Admiral, who had it mounted and
hung over his table as a pendant to a scut, the
trophy of the first hare killed, December 8. By
degrees a good many horses were brought down
to Besika : the Admiral bought four, but the
first 1 '^'P its heart as they were trying to swim
it '• .e; the second proved only fit for a

iiack, and was sent down to the Admiral's
«... ighters at Malta ; the other two, Plevna and
Osman, turned out completely successful. The
Admiral usually rode one horse with the hounds,
and mounted a midshipman on the other ; but he
was far keener than any midshipman himself, and
w^as more often called to order for ridinof over the
hounds than any one else in the field.

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

221

T)urin<j: the earlv uutiiiun tliiiiirs were lookiuo-
lit'tter for the Turks, who nvimv jiiiikiiiir a vijjfoi'ous
stand at l-'levna, and also i^iviiiij (xeiieral CfOurk<» a
*;<.o(l (leal of trouble in the Srhipka Pass. Aui;ust
22, the Adnnral writes to T. B. Sandwith, Esii. : —

" The way in Avhich the Turkish annv is irninini:'
giound is most surprising;'. Mr Layar«l tells nie
that on the Armenian frontier Mouktar Pasha
repulsed a very powerful aitack of Loris IVIelikotf,
inflicting on him a loss of 1800 men, and that the
Schii)ka Pass is a*j^ain in Tiu'kish occupation. He
adds a report, of whicli he does not know tiie
truth, that the Russians are sutferini,^ greatly from
fever, and have nmch difliculty in getting up theii-
supplies. Such difliculty nmst increase as time
goes on."

Whatever the Russian transpoi't difliculties were,
those of the Turks were far greater from the want
of organisation. It is quite true that the Turkish
soldier can march and flght on far less than any
other European soldier, but how were his pluck and
endurance to hold out in the face of such scarcity
as this ?

To Admiral Sir Hastings Yclvcrton, G.C.B.

" Jul;/ 4.

" Drummond from Kusteudje and Musgrave
from Sulina speak of nothing but incompetence
and sloth on the part of those in command, and
utter unpreparedness. Lieutenant Dougall reports

999

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

from Aimeriia that up to the end of May, ' Mouktar
Pasha allows that without artillery, cavalry, money,
munitions, or provision, he is powerless to relieve
Kars or to check tlie advance of an enemy in
force.' To show how great his deficiencies are, he
mentions th the Pasha had only three batteries
and eighteen mountain-guns, short of ammunition,
to defend the Soghadi Dagh, and only £400 in his
chest ; and his officers did not know one day where
the provisions for the next were to be found. How
can such an unprovided mob resist jjermanently an
organised and equipped army ? "

Letter to Wife.

" September 28.

" Some of our fellows have just returned from
Schipka, and they seem satisfied that the horrors
you read in the papers are, and have been, gross
exaggerations.

" At some of the towns on, and south of, the
Balkans, when the Ilussians were advancing, the
Christians came forward and told the Mussulmans
that if they would give up their arms tbey, the
Christians, would protect them. No sooner were
the arms given up than the Christians fell to and
massacred every one of them. After the Russian
retreat, some of these villages tried to resist the
Turkish advance. They were given up to sack,
and in some cases were simply wiped out. In
most the Turks protected both person and pro-

.'^

THE MEDITERIIANEAN.

ooo

«M ^ tj

perty, but arrested many of those who had been in
arms against them, and hanged them. I fear there
will be much suffering as the winter comes on, and
that peace will not be conchidtHl, 1 think the
Emperor cannot safely accept the only terms the
Turks are justified in asking."

Early in Octol)er the Admiral paid anf)ther visit
of aboiit a week to Constantinople, and as tilings
were looking so much bettei- for the Turks, called
on the Gr?.nd Vizier and Minister of Foreign
Affairs, and had an audience with the Sultan.

h\ November the tide of war turned. Erzeroum
and Kars fell, the Russian grip tiglitened on
Plevna, thougli it was tliought that the inclement
weather would ])revent much progress in military
operations till the spring. By November, however,
the anchorage at Besika had become very bad ;
southerly gales made land;ng and embarking very
difhcult ; one of the Agincourt's boats capsized,
and a midshipman was drowned in trying to save
his coxswain, both being lost in the fog. The Ad-
miral, who believed that the liussiiins could not
advance, was anxious to move his ships to winter
cpiarters at Vourla ; the Ambassador, who was ex-
pecting the Russians to pursue their advantages,
was anxious to keep the S(piadron on the spot at
Besika, if not nearer Constantinople ; " my Lords,"
thinking the Admiral wished to remain at Besika
for the sake of the shooting and hunting, were

224

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

I, '

very pert3mpt<jry in oveiTiiliiii:^ the Ainl)assadoi''s
objections. Accoi'(rnii,''ly on December 27 the fleet
weighed from Tiesika, leaving the Agincourt to
recover her steam pinnace, which had sunk at
the l)Oom the night before, and tliey anchored at
Vourla, a little after noon on the 'J8th.

Yourla F^ay is a large bay at the entrance of the
Smyrna gulf, dotted wnth small islands, the hills
and shore very fertile, and thickly planted with
fig-trees and <»liv<'s. In the distance the cypress-
trees of the town of Smyrna can be distinguished.
The anchorage is sheltered from the south, but
gets the full benefit of any wind coming down
from the north, and is not such good holding-
irround as Besika. The Adnui'al only remained
here long enough to m;i,ke arrangements about
teleginphic communication, and to arrange about
kennels and s! d)les for the hunt, aud reached
Malta on January 4. Mrs Hornl)y and his family
had been at Admiralty House since November, Imt
the Adnrral had barely time to estal^lish himself
on shore when he was again ordeied off. He was
just starting to dine with Adn\iral Rice at the
dockyard on the 11th, when a telegram arrived
ordering liim to return at once to tlie fleet, to get
all ships ready, t(» detain the Euphrates, which
had, however, sailed the day btjfore wMth troo|)s to
India. The dinner-party, and the dance after,
went on, everybody trying to ap])eai' cheerful, and
yet every one oj)pres8ed with a feeling of anxiety.

THE MEDITERRANEAN,

225

The Alexandra had been placed In the dockyard
hands, but the Sultan, which was I'eady to sail on
the 12th, was detained for a day, and the Admiral
took a passage in her. The Jumna, Indian troop-
ship, which arrived on the 12th, was detained at
Malta for a short time.

For the next few days the Admiral's letters,
and the telegrams sent and received by him, con-
tain the pith of the matter : —

To Mr W. 11. Smith.

" Malta, Jamo.ry 12, 1878.

"Consequent on your telegram of yesterday, I
have asked for instructions as to coaling the ships
at Vourla. Their condition is as follows : Tcme-
raire (Captain Culme Seymour), Siviftsure (Cap-
tain Salmon), Mesearrh (Captain Earle), Ilotspui'
(Captain D'Arcy Irvine), Rvhy (Captain Moly-
neux), short of coal lately consumed, say one-
fourth ; Agincourt (Captain R. Wells, Sir E. Com-
merell's flagship), Ru-pcrt (Captain Gordon), less
than half full. (I kept these low, so that they
might arrive here light for docking.) The coal,
which is o - its way from England to Vourla,
would about do the first five, but it will not be
there before the end of the month. If the squad-
ron is likely to move soon from Vouria, it would
be preferable to complete the ships at once. The
coals now en route would in that case be used by
Siiltan (Duke of Edinburgh, captain), Alexandra

'.-■.AiKVlM.-«t.M«»,«,U«V4M

226

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

i f

(flagship, C^aptuin Fitzroy), Arhil/cs (Captain Sir
W, Hewett), Raleigh (Captain Ja^^o), and Devas-
tation (Captain Hunt Grubbe),^ as they arrive.
Devastation will be ready for sea by the 24th.
Her boilers will then be retubed, but will not liave
the additional stays which are desirable ; they will
only be fit for 20lb, pressure. Raleiglis boilers
have had little done to them, and will recjuire a
good deal in four or five months. To complete
these ships, the repairs of the small vessels, llelieon,
Coquette, and Bittern, will be delayed ; their want
will be much felt if there is anything to do. I
ought to have warning to recall Rapid troni
Corfu and Condor from Syria. Alexandra will be
ready about 20th with a clean bottom, but other-
wise ill nnich the same condition as when she
arrived. Materials to repair two of her largest
defects will be sent after her.

" I have no means of judging what you intend
to do, but I know that if anything is to be done
in or above the Dardanelles, the passage should
be secured by occupying Gallipoli with a land
force.

" May 1 be permitted to add that the further I
can be informed of your views, consistently with
State secrets, the more 1 believe I should be able
to prepare to carry them out, as, for instance, in
two subjects mentioned herein — viz., the coaling,
and the moving of troops."

' These four last were iu the dockyard hands at Malta.

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

227

To Admiral Wellcslcy, C.B,

" VouRLA Bay, Jan. 17, 1878.

" Commerell has done a great deal here to im-
]3rove the condition of the men. He has n"<ade
friends with the Vali of Smyrna, and arranged for
some of the petty officers to go there on leave for
twenty-four to thirty hours. He has got the pro-
mise of a quarantine island and establishment,
where he hopes to open a canteen and land the
general leave-niH!!. Except at Athens, there is no
place in the East where they can land with safety.
He has seized a (quantity of bad liquor on shore,
and threatened to hang the Greek to whom it
belonged. As Commerell is the Vali's friend, it is
supposed the threat may be carried out — an idea
\Ahich is very advantageous to us. In fact, if we
could but hang all the Greeks, the Eastern ques-
tion might soon be happily settled.

" We had a good passage from Malta, and 1 was
glad to find the Sultan bore looking into as well at
sea as she did at an inspection."

Telegram fr 01)1 Ainhassador, Constantinople, to Admirnl.
" Confidential. ''Janmry 18, 1878.

" Russians advancing upon Adrianople, which
they will probably occupy immediately. Turkish
plenipotentiaries will not reach Russian head-
quarters before Saturday. Austria and England
have remonstrated at St Petersburg. Panic
amongst Ministers here."

228

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

] '

1 )

Telegram from Amhassador to Admiral.

''.Imuarij 20, 1878.

" Consul at Dardanelles reports that he thinks
a further series of torpedoes have been laid at
the entrance of the Straits between Castles Koum-
kali and Sedulbahar, and also at the northern
extremity of the narrows between Forts Nagara
and Bovali. The mid - channel at bottom of
the places not believed to be obstructed. Con-
necting wires to mines placed last summer on
Asiatic shore have been led probably into old
fortress, Sultanieh Calesi. First mines submerged
have recently been inspected. About sixty heavy
rifled guns are mounted now in the four principal
forts in the narrow^s — the 50- ton Krupp gun at
Sultanieh Fort may be called ready for service."

Telegram from Amhassador to Admiral.

''January 19, 1878.

" Russians expected to enter Adrianople to-day.
Porte urgently requested her Majesty's Govern-
ment to order fleet to Besika or Macri, to be
ready to enter Dardanelles at once should Russians
advance towards Gallipoli. (Could you anchor at
place this time of year I) "

Telegram, Admiral to Amhassador.

" VouRLA, January 20.

"Your telegram of yesterday unintelligible after
word Gallipoli. I am ready to proceed there
when ordered, but would deprecate going fai ther
until it is determined to secure Bulair lines."

THE MEDITERRA^EAN.

229

Amhfissador to Admiral.

"CoNSTANTiNopLK, Janudr)/ 20.

*' Your telegi-am rec(nved. I have not had any
warlike Instructions from her Majesty's Govern-
nieiit as to Heet. My telegram of yesterday,
which you covdd not deciplier, M'as to ask you
wliether you C(^uld anchor at Besika or Macri
at this time of the year."

Admiral to Ambassador.

" VucjRLA, Janwiry 21.

" Fleet can lie at Besika at this time of the
year, but might have to put to sea for a few
hours in bad weather. I know of no pkice called
Macri near Dardanelles. Could anchor otf Ma-
kri - Keui near Constantinople, weighing in bad
weather."

AdniiraUy , London, G.40 P.M., Jan. 23, to Admiral, Vourla,
11.55 A.M., Jan. 24.

" Secret.

" Sail immediately for Dardanelles and proceed
with the fleet now with you to Constantinople.
Abstain from taking any part in contest between
Russia and Turkey, but waterway of Straits is
to be kept open, and in the event of tumult at
Constantinople, protect life and property of British
subjects. Use your judgment in detaching such
vessels as may be necessary to preserve waterway
of Dardanelles, but do not go above Constan-
tinople. Ileport departure, and communicate with

230

8m GEOFFREY PHTPPS HORNBY.

!■(

4 I

Besika iov possible further orders, but do not
wait if none are there. Keep your destination
absohitely secret."

Admiral fo Aiubasnatlor.

" VouRLA, Januarii 24.

" Have received ordeis to proceed to Constan-
tinople with the He(4, and to kee]) Dardanelles
open. I sail at 5 P.M. to-day. liequest hrman
may be sent for the fleet to pass Tchernak, but
oi'ders do not permit nie to wait for firman."

Letici' to Wife.

'■'■Januani 24.

" We have received ni'ders to go immediately
to Constantinople, not to tak«- part in hostile
operations on either side, but to keep the Dar-
danelles open.

" N.B. — With a determined enemy in ])osses-
sion of the Gallipoli peninsula, this is not possible
for ships to guaiantee. I fear from the vacil-
lation oui' orders den<ite that we are not well
commanded, and I do not nnticipate much credit
will accrue to the coimtry. 1 pray that I and
those with me may be able to do our duty."

So they were off, the Admiral leading the star-
board line in the Sakimis, Captain Salmon, in the
Siviftsurc, leading the port division. They were
sailing under sealed orders, })ut no one had any
doubt of what their destination was. It was a

' , i

THE MEJ^ITERRANEAN.

231

nasty iii^bt, and Voui'la is n<»t a particularly
easy ])lace to get out of in tlie dai'k ; liowever,
no mishap occurred, and by 8 A.M. on the fol-
lowing day tliey were oW Besika. No orders
were awaiting them there, and they })assed o)i.
(vlose to the Dardanelles the jXdmiral transferred
his flag t(t the Sulfav, and began to make such
preparations as were possible without betraying
sus])icion, in case the Turks shcmlrl — as l)y treaty
they have a perfect right to do — refuse to let
them pass. The Salami'^ was sent on with a
letter to tlie commandant at Tciiernak, saying,
'" We came as friends, but 1 was bounrl to go
on. If you tired at me, 1 should be obliged to
tire at you, and then we should only be play-
ing the Tlussian game, which would be very dis-
agi'eea})le to me." Not long after the Sa/amis
had left, tlu consul of Tchtn-nak came out in
a tug to beg the Admiral to delay a little, as
there were torpedoes in the passage, and there
might be an accident. The Admiial replied that
his orders were definite, and that he must go
on whether the Turks liked it or n(»t. Mean-
while Commander Egerton had delivered the
Admiral's letter to tlie commandant. A Turkish
official of high rank never allo\\'S himself to ex-
hibit any show of perturbation, even under the
most exciting circumstances. He made quite a
proper show of reluctance in granting the per-
mission, though even his oriental calm could not

232

SIR GEOFFRKY PinPPS HORNBY.

(|ulte conceal his satisfaction. Comnuiiidt'i- E^er-
t(»ii had rectMvt'd the Hrnian, and was just shov-
injn of!' when a telet^raph clerk ran down to the
landing" with a message for the Admiral. They
put back lor it, and the firman and the telegram
Avere given to the Admiral togetiier. The tele-
gfam ran as follows : —

Admiralty, London, Jan. 24, 7.39 r.M., to Admiral, Tcher-
nuk, 3.30 r.M., Jan. 25.

"Annul former orders. Anclior at Besika Bay
and wait further orders. Report arrival there."

Tlje Admiral did not say much, hut, as one of
tho midshipmen irreverently expressed it, " The
corners of Uncle Geoff's mouth went down for
several days."

This is what he telegraphed to the Admiralty: —

"Received your telegraphic conununication to

anchoi- at Besika when abreast Dardanelles forts.

Firman received there for passage of Straits. I

return to Besika immediately as ordered."

This is what lie wrote privately, Jaimary 27 : —
"It was most annoying. My belief is, that on
Wednesday the Cabinet came to tlie conclusion
that the Russians were playing them false, and
must be checked ; subsequently, that the terms
of peace were comnmnicated to them, and that
they were admissible. Hence our sudden recall,
for fear our presence at Constantinople should

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

233

encourage the Turks to refuse them. Judging
from the speeches made at the opening of F^ir-
liament, It seems that the Ministers have made
up tlieir minds not to fight ; in fact, the people,
or the press, or anybody who knows nothing
whatever of the poHtlcal forces which are in
action, Is to be allowed to settle this Intricate
and difficult Eastern question. I am sick of It,
and only look forward to returning to Malta."

This first llussian proposal for peace was as
follows : —

" Larjre war indemnitv, for which Eastern
Armenia is to be given as a guarantee ; the
fortifications of Erzeroum to be destroyed ; In-
dependence of Roumania, with a part of the
Dobrudscha united to her; Servia and Monte-
negro erected into independent States, with ac-
cessions of territory ; Bulgaria to become a vassal
State, with a prince named by Ilussia ; all the
fortresses on the other side of the Balkans to
be destroyed, and never to be rebuilt ; the Sul-
tan and the Emperor to come to a private under-
standing as to the Dardanelles and Bosphoius."

What this private understanding was likely to be
may be gathered from the following telegram : —

Ambassador to Admiral.

"Constantinople, Jan. 30.

" Consul at Rodosto telegraphs Russian re-
connaissance, 3000 men marching from Ouzum

234

SIR (!Eoffiii!:y niirrs hounby.

Kiiipni on Kissaii Ijy Gallipoll road, and is tbiir
hours distant."

On February 2 came the news that the Rus-
sians said that their forces would not be sent
against GalHpoh and Constantinople, if the Turks
made no resistance to the occupation of these two
places. Five days later it was announced that,
by the terms of the armistice, the Tui-ks had l)eeii
obliged to hand over the lines of Buyuk Tcher-
medge, a suburb of Constantinople, to the Rus-
sians. By this time the Russian outposts were
within thirty miles of Gallipoli, but the Admiral
still hoped to be able tt^ save Bulair. But to
return to his letters.

T: !

To the liight Hon. W. 77". Smith, M.P.

"Bksika Bay, if'ei. 8, 1878.
"Mr Layard's private letter of the 6th, showing
that the lines of Buyak Tchermedge were to be
evacuated, and Constantinople therefore left at
the mercy of the Russians, was startling to me,
and as his telegrams of the 5tli were two days
in reaching me, I thought it best to telegraph
the news to you immediately. I added that
I still thought the Bulair Ihies jnight be saved.
In saying this I assumed — 1st, That these lines
were not included in the neutral zone, or at
least that the Turkish troops will not be obliged
to evacuate the peninsula ; 2d, That the Turks

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

235

would accept oui- assistance to defend the lines ;
3d, That the Turkish ^^eueral is not a traitor.
Given these premisses, I think the position might
be saved ; and, as it is the only one left in Rou-
melia which we could hold, it may he important
to consider the matter. The Russians ai'e said
to have 3000 men at Rodosto, sixty miles from
Bulair ; a force — amount unknown — at Kissen,
thirty miles oft*; and the roads from the north,
through Malgara, and generally, are bad. I
think, therefore, they could not approach the
place under three days, or have a large force there
in less than six days.

"In twenty-four hours we could land at Galli-
poli a naval brigade of 500 men, and flank the
approaches to a certain extent in the ships. This
would give the Turks the encouragement and as-
surance they require, after their recent defeats, to
hold the ground for a few days. If orders were
sent to the Governor of Malta to co-operate with
me, T should send Ayincourt, AcJiiUcs, and Raleigh
to Malta, and they should return in eight days
to Gallipoli with 3000 troops. (Distance to
Malta, 690 miles; return to Gallipoli, 730 miles.)
Steamers should be chartered at Malta, and
despatched forty-eight hours after receipt of the
telegram, bringing guns, ammunition, biscuit, rum,
and cocoa foi' the troops, and 2000 tons of coals
for this squadron. With 3500 English, the ships,
and the Turks, I believe we should hold the place

fvmnovvwtDnmisQsifimrairyn^T^^xvjju r'Tsr.

236

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

for a fortnight against anything the Russians
could do.

" By that time — that is, twenty-two days from
the receipt of your telegram — ^^you ought to be able
to send us the 8000 or 10,000 men that would
make this place safe for ever. The first steps will
be the most important, and of course the orders
must 1)6 prompt and decided from home. Troops,
ships, and Ambassador would then co - operate.
Transport animals and temporary shelter for the
troops will be the greatest difficulty, but I l)elieve
we can meet them. You may depp'nd T will feed
and shelter my own men, and 1 have great con-
fidence in our contractor, who is an Englishman.
I mention this only that you may not suppose
such matters have not been considered.

" Sir Edmund Commerell is going to Constanti-
nople privately on the 10th, looking at the Bulair
lines if possible en route, and will consult with Sir
Collingwood Dickson and Mr Layard on the sub-
ject.

" I have heard that last July it was thought we
were too late to defend Gallipoli. I believe Sir C
Dickson was not of that opinion, and that he would
join me in saying the same now, and it seems our
last chance of keeping the Straits open."

Letter to Wife.

" Besika Bay, Feb. 11, 1878.

" We had just ended a nice little run with the

■■^

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

237

beagles^ on Saturday, February 9, when we were
surprised to hear that the blue-peter was hoisted
on board, and rome one said he had heard a gun.
We all trundled back as fast as we could, and
found orders : ' Proceed that afternoon if possible
for Constantinople AA^ith Alexandra, Temerairc,
Siviftsure, Achilles, Ruhy, and Salamis, to pro-
tect lift and property of British sul)jects. Am-
bassador has been directed to obtain the necessary
orders to the forts, and a firman if reauisite, and
to communicate with me.' Off we went at 6
P.M., as 1 fully expected to find the necessary
orders bad been received at the forts, and the
communication from the Ambassador. This time,
our errand was evi ' iutly a friendly one to the
Turk. There was no question of ' keepiii^^- the
water-way open,' but to go by permission of the
Sultan.

" I had sent Sakmiis aliead to-day to sav we
were coming, and to get my telegrams from
Layard. Instead of that, when some six miles in-
side the Straits, Salamix returned, saying no
orders had be^n received ; no telegram for me ;
that the Pasha protested against our entering the
Straits, as contrary to the treaty. 1 didn't require
him \o tell me that. In fact, I had been rather
too quick, and had made a mess of it. Why is it
one forg. ., that good old proverb, ' Never be in a

^ Tlie beagles came up in the Agincourt, and the Salamis brought
twenty-nine horses from Vourla on February 2.

238

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

^ I

hurry, except in catching" a flea ' ? Well, hickily it
was dark, and tliere was no one to see our move-
ments except the look-out men on the lower forts,
six miles below us. So we turned round and
anchored at tlie moutli of the Straits. SaJaniLs
Avent l)ack to Tchernak witli messages and tele-
grams. At 5 A.M. yesterday, she rejoined me with
the news that the Porte had telegraphed to the
Pasha to say the English Ambassador had made
no request for a scpiadron to pass ; therefore they
could gi\e no permission to me to proceed, and he
was to remind me that to enter the Straits was
contrary to international law. As it was not yet
daylight, and as it was clear the Government tele-
gram could not have reached the Ambassador, I
thought it was no use stopping there, looking as if
we wanted to go up and couldn't, so we weighed,
and at daylight were to be seen returning majesti-
cally to our own quarters. I telegraphed home to
ask whether 1 was to go on and force the passage,
or to wait for permission to pass iq) ; and last night
1 lieard from Layard that tlie Porte refused permis-
sion, and in that comi)lication he had telegraphed
to Lord Derby for instructions. So this morning
the Cabinet have got a nice little j)ut to crack.
On the one hand, the Turks are (]uite right, and if
we go up during time of armistice and without
their consent, we shall be breaking that treaty of
1856 by which we have professed so nmch to abide.
If, on the other hand, we do not go, the Opposition

THE MEDITEERANEAN.

239

will say, 'Why did you order up your ships?'
' To protect British life and property.' ' Then, if
tht^y ai'e endangered, \\h\' don't they go now ? '
It's a very pretty kettle of fish, due, in my ophiion,
to our countrymen being so vain and foolisii, and
fancying they cnn settle the Eastern question,
instead of leaving it to the Government, who
might he instructed as to the secret wires that
were in motion. Perhaps if it had been left in the
liajids of statesmen, we should have ofone to Grdli-
poli in July, and that would havt- simj)litied
matters immensely."

To ///,• Rvjht Hon. A. JT. Layard.

''Fehruani 11, 11. W p.m.

"Your telegram, giving me the Grand Duke's
threat to occupy C( ustantinople if we })ass the
Dardanelles, has just reached me. I think it very
likely he will occupy it sooner or later, and at the
stage at whicli niiitters have arrived, I should be
oflad to see him advance. It would drive our
Government to take some steps such as 1 have
sketched, and secure the only strategical point in
European Turkey which is left. In case of his
advance to Constantinople, I presume the Sultan
would cross into Asia, and, I hope, take with him
his brothers and the son of Abdul Aziz.

" Have you sufficient inHuence to get Bulair
secured in the hands of a ti-ustworthy Turk, with
whom we can safely act ? If so, I adhere to my

240

SIR GEOFF HE y PHITPS HORNBY.

i (

plan. Hiiss(.'Iii Pasha ^ was here yesterday, and
he evidently thinks Svdeiman a traitor as much as
other people do. C^^uld you get him replaced ?
Hussein tells me the road from Gallipoli to Bulair
is in a frightful state — almost impassal)le. For
that reascm I want an engineer at m}^ side the
moment we move, anc asked you for one Ijy tele-
graph. As to the Turkish iieet, if it has to leave
Constantinople, there is hardly a secure port in the
Black Sea to shelter worn ships during the re-
mainder of the winter. In my opinion, all such
should witluhaw into the Sea of Marmora, with a
view to refit them by-and-by at Malta ; and all
tugs, and such vessels as the llussians could use
for laying torpedo6>s in the l^osphorus, sliould be
riijorouslv withdrawn to the soutii side. Com-
merell cannot go to you at present, but I send
this by an officer specially."

1 1,

After this, for a few days there was not mucli
done in the way of writing : the time had come for
action. At ti p.m. on the 12th a telemam was
received from the Admiraltv directino- the Admiral
to proceed into the Sea of Marmora with the fleet
on Wednesday morning without waiting for a
firman, and if fired uj)on, and the ships struck, to
return the fire, but not to wait to silence the forts.
Accordingly at daylight on the 13th the fleet
weighed from Besika ; it was blowing a north-

' (kjmmandant at the Dardanelles.

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

241

easterly gale with snow, and very thick. A.s the
ships passed out of the l)ay tliey saw the IMeigh
on shore near Ilabhit Island, and the Hotfipur and
Ruby were detached to her assistance. The Alex-
andra had rejoined about a fortnight previously,
and the other ships with the Admiral were the
. lgiu,conrt, Achi/les, Swiftsnre, Temerairc, Sultan.,
and Salamis. On the two previous occasions tlie
mission of the fleet had been ostensibly a friendly
one, and tliere had been no visible signs t)f any
warlike preparations, but now they had their masts
down and everythinix cleared for action. There
were then only four formidable forts in the Dar-
danelles. The lowest of these was Fort Najuas-
ghia, in which were sixteen Krupp breech -loading
ritled guns, supposed to be about 2() centimetres,
also one Krupp and two Armstrong 7-inch muzzle-
loading guns. Nearly opposite is the Sultanieh
Fort, in which the monster 50-ton Krupj) gun had
been moujited to conmiand tlie approaclie^ to the
" Narrow s " ; this was, however, the only formid-
able piece of ordnance in the fort, A mile above
is the Medgidieh Fort, probably the strongest of
all, having been rec<mstructed by a German otHcer,
Bluhm ; it had thirteen G-incli I ueech- loading
Krupp guns, seven of which eniihide the channel.
The fort of Nawira, two and a half miles further
on, completed the defences, as the other forts were
either only su})plied with obsolete guns, or else the
modern ones had not been mounted. The night

*j rt w

silt GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

"i ,

fii 1

before leaviii'; Beslka, the orders (,nven were, that
two of the shi])S were to engage each of the three
lower forts. The Aginconrt and Achilles were to
endeavour to silence the guns in Fort Namasglua,
keeping far enough down striuini to l)e out of
ranire of some old-fashioned monster bronze yuns
mounted at the castle of Kilid Bahar a little
al)Ove, and also tiring their starboard bo\N'-guns at
the Sultauieh Fort. The Alexandra and Sidfafi
were to undertake the destruction of the 50-ton
Krupp gun at Tchernak, and with their port-guns
to engage any forts on the European side which
should open fire on them. The Swijhsure and
'femercmr were to pass on to the attack of the
Medgidieh Fort, and to do as iiuich damage as
possible till the other ships were free to go to
tlieir assistance.

When the morning dawned tliick and snowy,
the Admiral thought it was possible that he might
get past the forts unobserved, and it was not till
the fleet was within two miles of Tchernak that he
ordered the Salamis to tro on with a letter to the
Pasha. The engineers on board the Salamis had
been expecting this signal, and innnediately it
was given, one could almost have felt the ship
spring forward. She had been up and down so
often in all weathers, and at all hours of the day
and night, that '^he could have found her way
blindfold, which was very lucky, as this thick

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

243

weather was almost worse than darkness. As the
commander of the Salamis landed, he saw that
the tompion had not been taken out of the big
gun.

The Pasha received the Admiral's letter in his
usual dignified way. The letter was to this
effect : —

Official Letter.

"■Alexandra, at Besika Bay, 1.3?/< Feb. 1878.

" Sir, — I have the honour to inform your Ex-
cellency that I have been ordered to proceed into
the Sea of Marmora to protect British life and
property, and I trust that your orders will jiermit
of allowing me to pass without molestation, as I
am ordered, if fired into, to return the lire. I
should be deeply grieved to have to take such
a course, as it could only result in mutual damatje
to two old allies, and be tt) the benefit of their
enemies.

" I have to inform your Excellency that, at the
request of the Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmed
Vefyk, conveyed to me by her Majesty's Am-
bassador at the Porte, I sent the Raleiyh yester-
day to Dedegatch to embark fugitives. Unless
the captain of that vessel receives orders to the
contrary, he will land them at the Dardanelles.
I trust, therefore, that, in any case, your Excel-
lency will receive him as a friend. The Ralei(jh

244

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

I i

win return to Besika Bay when the fugitives are
diseml)ark.ed. — I have, kc, &c.,

" G. Phipp.s Hornhy,

Vice-Admind and Commander-in-CKief.

"His Excellency Hussein Pasha,

Governor-General of the Dardanelles."

Hussein Pasha sent an Arabic letter in answer,
but as the interpreter was away on board the
Raleigh, no one could decipher it. It was, how-
ever, understood to be a protest, l)ecause tlie
Pasha had talked of the danger of forcing the
passage, and of the torpp'loes which had been
laid, entirely forgetting iiow, in a moment of
confidence a fe^\ days before, he had mentioned
tliat, during tlie recent gales, all the torpedoes
had been washed away into the /Egean Sea.
j'lnally, witli a grand wave of the hand, he had
said, " Return to the Admiral, and tell him that
from motives of humanity I refrain from firing."

Outside it was thicker than ever ; but after
groping about for a little while, the SalaniLs
found the Alexandra just below Tchernak, and
delivered the Pasha's message, which was re-
ceived with much amusement.

The weather had become so thick, that just as
the fleet approached the narrowest part of the
Straits, the Alexandra hung on the edge of a
bank, though there was deep water within two
ships' breadths of her. Keeping the Sultan to
help the Alexandra of!', the Admiral ordered the

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

245

othei' lour ships to proceed to Gallipoli, The
tSuhan anchored on the Alexaiidra.s port-beam,
and on the cable being secured by the latter
vessel's wire hawser, the Svltan slipped, and an-
chored near. After about four hours' hard work,
the Alexandra was got oif without damage, and
proceeded to Nagara P<jint, where, as the men
had had a liard day's work, it was thought ad-
visable to " splice the main-brace " and anchor for
the night.

On the morning of the 14th the Alexandra,
Sultan, and Aginconrf, (which liad anchored at
Nagara for the night) went on to Gallipoli, where
Captain Fife informed the Admiral that the Rus-
sian troops were within twelve miles of the Bulair
lines. The Admiral left the Aginconrt and Swift-
sure at Gallipoli to watch the movements of the
Russians, and having sent the Salamis to Con-
stantinople to arrange about forwarding cipher
telegrams, and to communicate with the Ambas-
sador, he went on with four ships, Alcxaitdra,
Achilles, Sultan, and Temeraire. As they left
Gallipoli they could make out the Turkish sen-
tries, and the groups of workmen employed on
the Bulair lines, and early next morning they
found themselves off Constantinople, that most
beautiful of all cities as seen from the sea in
the early morning, — the dark cypresses rising
above the uneven red - tiled roofs, and, still
higher, the white minarets standing out against

24G

SIR GKOFFRFA' PHIPPS HORNBY.

i t
1 1

the sky. Close l)y, the Russian and Turkish
tents could be seen in close proximity at San
Stefano : the Turks still clinging to " the pearl,"
as they call it, " between two emeralds and two
sapphires," and the llussian with his hand
stretched out to c it. Yet, in the very

moment of his triu.nph, he stopped. Why ?
Because four great stately ironclads had an-
chored at Pririkipo, oi- Prince's Island, about
ten miles off.

To the Russian the possession of Constantinople
is very much what the conquest of Jerusalem was
to the crusaders seven hundred years before. A.
legend circulated among the troops declared that
when Constantinople fell into the hands of the
Turks, a priest who was celebrating Mass in St
Sophia had been walled up at the altar, and
that when the Russian army entered the city
the wall would fall down, and the priest complete
the half-recited office. There they were, within
three miles, with the last line of defences in
their hands, and yet they made peace and re-
tired directly the English squadron entered the
Sea of Marmora. The Grand Duke had threat-
ened to occupy Constantinople ; he did not do
it : he asked to visit the Sultan in state — the
Sultan refused, but offered to receive him pri-
vately ; he contented himself with this. The
terms of peace required all the Turkish fleet to
be surrendered : the Sultan stood firm, and in

THE MEDITERRAVEAN.

147

this also the Ivussians gave way. They tried t(j
occupy the heights near Buyukdere, about nine
miles uj) the Bosphorus on the European side,
and to bring down torpedoes to bar ^•he entrance
to the Black Sea : the Sublime Porte, backed by
England and Austria, remonstrated, and the Rus-
sian troops and torpedo-boats were withdrawn.
And all because of the menace of those ft)ur great
ships! It was true that the Kussians believed
that they had 15,000 British troops on board;
true also that those other two ships, watching at
either end of the Bulair peninsula, and the re-
moval of the unreliable commander, had put fresh
si)irit into the Turks ; but the real truth was,
that the Kussians from the very beginning had
been playing " a game of bounce." They relied
on the feeliuii: airainst the Mohammedajis, so sed-
ulously stirred up in Europe, and in defiance of
the first ride of strategy, pushed forward into an
ememy's country, every day farther from their
base — every day with a longer line of communica-
tion to protect. Their " bounce " had been almost
successful — there was nothing really to prevent
their occupying Constantinople ; the Sultan and
his brothers were virtually in their power when
that " little black cloud," in the shape of English
men-of-war, appeared on the horizon, and they
dared not face the storm. A virulent form of
typhus ' d broken out among the ill - fed. ill-
sheltered troops ; the men had lost discipline ;

248

SIR UKOFFREY PHI PI'S HORNnV

the olHcers vvero only longing to return to their
comforts ; and, \i' the English had made conmion
cause with the Turk, the Russian su]){)lie8 hoth
by land and sea might have been stoi)ped. The
Austrians, irritated, and not likely to let so good
an opportunity slip, coukl have barred their re-
treat across the Danube, and thus, like i-ats in
a traj), they would have had no option but to
starve or suirender. When Todleben, that expe-
rienced old soldier, succeeded the Grand Duke,
his one idea was to bundle all the troops back
across the Balkans as (piickly as possible. But
this is anticipating !

So the Dardanelles had been passed at last.
Alas ! that the stej) liad not been taken six months
before. What bloodshed and misery it might have
saved ! Crowds of refutjees were still thron^jing
into Constantinople — mostly women and children
■ — packed like cattle in open trucks, standing per-
haps for thirty hours, the snow falling all the time,
and, when they reached the station, nearly as many
dead as living bodies would be taken out of the
train. Those who came by road fared no better.

Letter to Wife.

" ff.M.S. Alexandrtt, Feb. 11, 1878.

" They are flying in panic, and Mr Layard tells
me tlieir panic is quite justifiable, as the accounts
he has received of the outragfes that both Russians
and Bulgarians have committed, as witnessed by
Englishmen, are frightful. The rough old Pasha

THE MFJUTERRANPIAX.

249

told me he fairly cried at wlnit he saw. It seemed
to hini as if the end of the world were come, and
fr. n the emotion he showed I can ((uite believe
him. The suffcrini^^s of the poor children from cold
and starvation; the way their waggons got set fast
in the mud ; then on quitting them, children got
engulfed ; called to their mothers for help ; the
mothers thtnnselves got. fast; and so on. If the
Emj)eror of Russia is fated to see in anothe-r world
the misery that has been caused by his action, what
a hell he will suffer ! "

Might not one almost put for "Emperor" "the
British Government," and for " action " the word
" inaction" ?

The first action of Admind Hornby after arriving
at Prink ipo was very similar to that of Sir Sidney
Smith when the Queen of Spain refused to move
till she had seen tlie British flag lowered on the
Kock at Gibraltar. With the remark, " Anything
to obliire a ladv," the flair was hauled down till she
had time to retire. The Grand Duke had said that
he woidd occupy Constantinople if the English
ships came there, and on Mr Layard representing
that Prinkipo was within the prefecture of the
city, the shijis were moved to Touzla Bay on the
mainland, a little southward of the Bosphorus,

Twice a -day small ships communicated with
Prinkipo for telegrams, and the Salamis lay at
the entrance of the Golden Horn, ready to carry

, «'

llC

i-li'ii^ -n iui»iM iiii;ypn8lipar^jr

250

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

messages between the Ambassador and the fleet.
Ahnost every day there was some jDanic among
the Ministers ; every day letters came from the
Ambassador detailing Russian threats and Ini(|ui-
ties ; or he would summon the Admiral by tele-
gram to Constantinople to pour out volumes of
grievances. Of course, if the Ilussians had wished
to enter Constantinople, the Admiral was power-
less to prevent them; but he had taken precautions
to secure his ships agninst a sudden attack by
night, and he was prepared to take British ^ \h-
jects, and even the Sultan in person, under his
protection if necessary. The Flaminrjo came up
from Gallipoli on the 18th with news that the
Russians meditated an attack on Bulair from the
rear, and the same day Mr Hooper, engineer of the
Alexandra, was sent back in her with 3 cwt. of
gun-cotton to blow up the Dardanelles forts should
it be impossible to defend them. On the 19th, as
nothing very particular seemed stirring, the Ad-
miral wrote to Sir Ednmnd Commerell and Mr
Smith his views of the situation : —

"TouzLA Bay, Feb. 19, 1878.

" My dear Commerell, — I can't tell you what
a relief your news of the removal of Suleiman was
to me ; Ave have now one more chance if the Govern-
ment will but profit by it, and it is not my fau^" if
they do not. I am sending you orders to sound
Hussein Pasha as to the view he takes of our ships

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

251

passing his doors. If he does not objt^ct, I want
vovi to exchans-e Swiftsiire for Ri'scarch. If he
docs not Hke it, leave it alone. Do not think T
have weakened von without due consideration, but
I find you hava no opposition to dread from the
Tiu'ks in dismantling the northern forts, if there
should be occasion to do so. The Amhassador tells
me he was informed that orders had heen sent to
Hussein that the northern forts were to be dis-
mantled, and powder exploded, rather tlian they
should be allowed to fall into Russian hands. He
(the Ambassador) is anxious that you should Jisk
Hussein if he has any order-s what to do in tlie
event of the liussians takiiio- the lines. It will he
a small test of how far he is straightforwai'd with
us, or how far the Ambassador can rely on what
he liears on high authority. He thinks the lefusal
of the Turks to sell their ships is hohdjich'. If the
Russians enter Constantinople, the Sultan would
probably go to Prince's Island, and the fleet would
form a fitting guard for hun.

"As to thf! Russian troops crossing the Marmora
in small vessels, J don't see how it could pay them
to risk it; after landing in Asia they would be at
our mercv. Ijut your orders are sufficient to cover
any embarkation of liussians. If they landed in
Asia, they might easily come thenct' t<^ (jlallij)oli.
Theiefn'e, if they embark, oppose them.

" I hear the Channel ships are ordered to Malta.
— Yours very truly, G. PiiirP!^ Hokxbv."

252

^^IK GEOFFREY rHIPP.S HORNBY.

"TouzLA Bay, Feb. 19, 1878.

" Dear Mr Smjth, — Events do indeed march
(juickly, and us they are reported by telegrapli, it
seems almost useless to write. Neverth«'less, 1
must do so to acquaint you with the v»ny f^^rave
causes ibi- anxiety which I, being on th^• s[)ot,
must see and feel more pressingly than y(»u do.
Vou say, ' Fiussia appears studiously to have
avoided the appearance of controlling the channel
b}^ keeping clear of Bulair,' To me, and to Sir E.
Commei'ell, it ap})ears she is straining every ncrxe
to get there. She is massing troops as close to
it as she can. Slu- is brina'irii: marsli buti'aloes to
draw siege -guns. For what purpose, if not to
besiege the Bulair lines? She has e.xamined the
N.W, coasts of the peninsula to ascertain tiie best
landing-places, and, accordiiig to consular reports,
has Jioted all boats on both sides of it. Foi- what
purpose, if not to land troops in rear of the Bulair
lines ? What fui/thei- causes of (hstrust can we
expect to see.' As you prophesied, there will be
now a lull — but why? Because Uussi;i has not
suflicient ti' )ops to spi'ing ;it once on Bulair and
Constantinoj)le ; not sutKcient supplies at the front
to enable hev to carry on two great attacks. \\\ii
no doul)t they are now sending those supplies
across the Bhick Sea, and th<'iefore in mv opinion
we should be moving oui- su|)plie8 and tr<jops also.

" If she is content with the enormous advantajxe
the terms e^' peace promise her, why is she making

:l:^

TllK MEDJTKKRAXEAN'.

2r.3

these exertions, and iiritutinji- Austria and oin -
selves 1>}' her tlireatenin^- position and hino-uage
witli l■e<,^ard to Constantinople ? I can account
for It in no other way than that she lias deter-
mined to imjirctve her opportunity and try (or both
positi(»ns. We can save neither unless we come to
sorno aj[,a'eement on the subject with the Turks.
There seems to be an idea that this fleet can keep
tlie Dardanelles and Bosphorus '^»pen. Nothing
can be jnore visionary. Not all the fleets in the
world can keep tliem open for unaruKjuied ships.
Small earthworks on the cliffs would always pre-
vent their ])assage. Then, look what a risk we
run if Fiussia once holds the north shore of the
Bos]jhorus, and shuts us out of the Black Sea !
She can reinforce and supply her army by a voyage
from Odessa to Bouri^'as of *J80 miles, oi- to MIdia
of .'520 miles, while we should have to sup])ly <»ui'S
from a distance of ;iOOO miles, even if we were so
lucky as to have saved Gallipoli. I cann(»t believe
tliat the time has not come to sav to Russia, ' We
will help the Turks to defend Constantinople if
you attack them, and. as they are grievously im-
f)erilled, we must now move our troo])S in support.'
The traitorous general has been removed from
Bulair, so we may have one moi'e chance to .save
it. 1 eai'iiestly hoj»e we may not let this oppoi--
tunity slip as we have so many, and as another
may not recur. My only consolation is to find
from the Ambassadoi- that the Turks will not

: I

254

Sill GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

listen to the sale of any ships. Even those, they
have ill England are not so good as this ship, 'ind
I should be grieved to think that, after the war,
we were to Vx burdened with suchlike, while
other nations had been buildinir, and w»' with the
money might build useful vessels like the Dread-
nought and litjfcxihlc. If we go to war with
llussia, it will not be ii'onclads we want, but fast
small vessels, coin})etent to watch and catch the
torpedo - vessels and extemporised cruisers like
Vi'.sta, which Avill annoy us in the Black Sea. —
Yours very truly, G. Phipps Hornby."

Much to the indignation of the Admiral, the
Russians were driving the very hardest possible
bargain with the Turks; but as the British Gov-
ernment had not yet made up its mind \^'hether to
oppose the Tlussian demands by force or at the
Conference, he began to look for a more comfort-
able ancliorage for his ships. February 27 he
writes in his Diary : —

'• To Ism id in Salamis. It would Vie a nice place
to move the squadron to, but with tiie town t; ^
visible, the ships would be very open to torpedo
attack. Society in a state of chaos, Governors
paralysed, inhabitants without powei' of combina-
tion, and many armed Circassians about. Prince
Ali'xander of Battenberg arrives to visit the Duke."

This visit of Prince Alexander gave I'ise to a
perfect howl of indignation in the English papers.

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

255

Tt was said he came as a spy, to ferret out torpedo
secrets. At tliat time, as now, all torpedo secrets
are secrets only to the majority of our own service,
but the public property of other nations, so in
that line there was nothing for Prince Alexander
to discover. Probably he may have ascertained
that the 15,000 troops were not on Ijoard the
ships ; but he nmst also havi^ discovered what
perfect good-feeling and confidence existed between
the men and officers and their chief, and cannot
have failed to draw contrasts between their com-
fortable condition and that of his own disorganised
army, very mucli to tlie disadvantage of the latter.
On March 4 news came from Constantinople that
" peace was signed yesterday afternoon, and is to
be ratified witliin fifteen davs at 8t Petersburtf.
The liiissians have abated some of their demands,
and have increased others. The 40 millions to be
paid in bonds have been reduced to 12 millions,
and the tributes of Bulgaria and Egypt are no
longer demanded as part of the guarantee. Sal-
onica will remain with the Turks, but the rest of
the /Egean coast goes, I undri'stand, to Bulgaria,
the limits of whicli will be extended considerablv
more tc» the westward tiian was at tirst supposed,
in order to compensate for a large cession of ter-
ritory to Servia. The ironclads remain with tlie
Sultan, who refused to give them up. At the last
moment General Igjiatietf demanded, as an addi-
tion to the treaty, that Turkey should make a

256

SFR GEOFFREY I'HIPPS IIORXI5V.

foniifil sigiiwi (Itjclucutioii t});it thn coiuiitions were
accepted of Ixt onii five will, uiirl that she would
stick to them at tin- ( 'oiiference. Ti> this the
Sultan also positively refused to agi'ee."

As for the tiine ])einir affairs seemed to he in the
hands (if the diplomatists, the Admiral remov^ed his
ships to pleasanter (|u;irters at Ismid on the lH,h,

id the same da.y Mrs Ilornljy arrived In tl
thr-ee weeks' visit. A few days latei

icon on a

tlie I Mjkc of Edinhnr^h and I'rince fionis of liatttMi-
herg- ohtain(?d leave \^^ l;-o to iVIalta ; and the flay
they sailed, the Admiral a.n<l his wife went foi' a
few days to (Jonstaritiiio[)h'. Mo found that the
Foreiij^n Ministers were a littlo more hopeful iA'
])eac(', and madt^ aerpiaintanct; with Mouktai'
I'asha, who, to his surprise, whs quite a yount,''
man. Besides matteis connected with the war, he
was also at this time enwiaed in corresDondence

^spon

with the Admiralty because they ohjected to his
having; taken the wise precaution of ordering 2000
tons of coal to he leady for him at Constantinople.
In case the peace nefj-otiatioiis should fail, In- was
also busy with plans for carrying'' the war into the
TJlack Sea, whether the I)arflauelles weie closed to

lim or not.

To Admiral. JVc/fesky, C.R

" Ism 10, April 2, 1878.

" T reo})en my lettei", as I see I have not suHi
ciently noticed your [)oint about the possibility of

1 I

TilK MKblTKIlRAN'EAX.

257

keepiiitr the sea after we had j)aHSed up the Bos-
pliorus. If I went, 1 should try to go up hy night,
taking as many colliei-s as I could. My object
would be to prevent the Russians conununicating
with Suliua, Kustendje, Varna, Bourgas, and Midia.
Tlie business of the Ilussian Admiral would be to
tease rm; by sending fast steamc-rs Ijulen with
munitions of war, whinh I might have to chase off
thn land, and so bin-n my coal. Slowe • ones would
come by night to elude us ; but they would have
to discharge them ([uickly, for at daylight we
should look into the ports, .'ind probably sink them.
Thus it would be greatly a f[uestion of vigilance
"^^ I coal. The latter I shonld ho})e to get at
L '^i^- a regulai'ly. Sir William Ilewett thinks
our colliers could run up the Bosphorus with little
risk by choc^sing dark nights. He has had ex-
perience of blockade-running, and does not speak
of what he cannot do. Welsh coal would be pre-
ferable to that of Heraclea. If two or three fast
corvettes, say honest 12-knot ships, could be sent
up by night, they would be v^ery useful. 1 havp
nothing of the sort here at present, or I shoukl
take them. If we had much chasing, our shells
might run rather short iji two months ; in three we
should want prf)visions. All those things woukl
have to be sent here (Ismid) and carried across to
Kerpen Bay. By August the bottoujs of the iron-
clads would l)egin to foul, and the enemy's light
ships would worry us all tlie more. Still I think.

258

Sill GEOFFKEY rilirrS HOIiNBY.

they would nJways find It ilsky to send troops or
the fleet ; they would require to pi'ovision their
armies, for the country has been wasted this year,
and Is very partially sown. Meanwhile, you would
})robably be able to send us two or three more
cruisers, which would be a pull In c>ur favour.
Probably the Jlusslans would not think It worth
while to b' ' j^ sufiiclent heavy guns to Bourgas to
prevent our destroying ships Inside it. Eventually
perhaps we might borrow 2000 soldiers, and hold
that ptn't against the Tiusslans. Then we should
be in clover. I think we should keep the sea some
tinie and be disaij^reeable to them."

About this time the Admiral arranixed for a
picnic for some of his officers to Belkos, a bay
near the north end of the Bi)sphorus, just opposite
Therapla and Buyukdere, where the Sultan has a
summer kiosk. Close by is a hill called tho
Giant's Mountain, which commands a a ery good
view of the Black Sea, and near the landing-place
was a camp of Turkish refugees, so there was
plenty t(^ Interest both philanthropists and lovers
of scenery. It was the most beautiful time of the
year In the Bosphorus, all the trees were coming
into leaf, and the azaleas and rhododendrons, which
clothe the slopes, bursting into bloom. After
passing the Golden Horn, the Sultan has several
palaces on either side of tlie Bosphorus ; onc^ of
them has never been occupied, because the Sultan

THE MEDITERPANEAN.

o.-n
ta <.) t'

who built it stumbled as lie crossed the threshold,
and this is considered a bud omen. Then come
on either side two medi;>jval castles, of Eurojie and
of Asia. Bevond, remindiiiff one of the Thanit'S
al)ove London, only far more beautiful, come a
succession of sunnner resideiices of the })rincipal
Turkish officials and millioiiaii-es, and, giouped
closely toi,^ether at Therapia and Buyukdere, the
bouses where the envoys of the various foreign
Powers spend the summer months. All the way
up the B(^sphorus the water is very deep ; but the
strength of the current setting down from the
Black Sea makes the navigation rather ticklish.
At one place, Candilli, a house is built close to the
water's fdg*'. with a latticed balcony overhanging
the stream. It seems as if the ship were being
steered straight for this, wlien, just at the moment
when it seems impossil)le to avoid carrying away
some of the woodwork on the bowsprit, the current
catches her bows and carries her into her course

agani.

Before Easter came the news of Lord Derby's
resignation, and, almost simultaneously, the an-
nouncement of a firmer and more consistent policy
on the part of the Government.

Letter to Wife.

"IsMiD, Jp-i7 7, 1878.

"I received a very satisfactory telegram from
the Admiralty on Tuesday, giving Commerell the

T^r

260

sill CiEOFFllEV nilPl'S HORNBY.

uuthority for which 1 had asked — viz., 'To tak«
any ste[)S he mii^dit think necessaiy, pHCuniary or
otherwise, in case of an attack l)y tlie Hussians, to
|)rest'rve tlic limvs at Galllpoli.' This means that,
if it should he necessary, lie riiay take tlie Turkish
ti'oops at Bulair into our pay, — pashas, army, and
all, — and land some of his own men and his otHcers
to assist them in the defence. Of course Mr La3''ard
was pretty well pleased when he heta-d it. He
also had received some good news in his first
telegram from Lord S.vdislmry, which was to the
effect tliat England could not permit the formati(»n
of this huge Bulgarian principality under I'ussian
control : tliat the Bulgarian province must not
come soutli of tlie Balkans; and that, after taking
sufricient precautions for its proper government,
we should leave it under the sovereignty of the
Sultan, and that he might tell the Sultan this.
Now we shall carry the Sultan witli us ; and the
Turkish Ministry, who are English in their policy,
will feel that there is more to lie got for their
country liy sticking to us than by following the
advice of their opponents, the Russian party, who
say, ' England will do nothing except for her own
interests ; we liad better join the Russians, Avho
promise to do everything for us in Asia.' Already
it has had an immense effect. There had been a
question whether it would be possible still to
preserve the city from capture. Now it seems to
be determined to tiy. The Turks are quietly

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

2G1

throwing up a few earthwoiks here and there, and
have moved out the troops they had called in, so
as to reoccupy Buyukdere. The Russians sent to
inquire whether these preparations were made
a^'-ainst them, and said that il* they were, they
also must intrench themselves, and <)ccn])y the
ground they were on more rirmly. The Sultan
answered that they were occupying ground to
which they had no right, as it was far in advance
of that stipulated for in the armistice, and that,
as they had not ([uitted it, he had moved his
tnwps so as to guard against accidents. This
'rapprochcnK'nt is kept ([uite secret ; but the
Turkish Ministers do not fail to show, whenever
they can, how much they appreciate it, and on
Friday they exhibited me in a way 1 thought
rather foolish, though it was amusing. I had told
one of the Ministers, Said Pasha, that I should be
glad to call on him, if he would allow me to do
so incognito, and it was arranged 1 was to do so
on Friday about noon. I went to the palace
accordingly, and found he had gone down with
the Sultan to moscpie, leaving word to ask me to
follow^ to speak to him. The Sultan's going to
mosque is a great ceremony ; all ' the Faithful '
turn out to look at him, and there is an immense
collection of troops, officers, &c., &c. On that day
a great number of Russians were present. When
we got near the mosque I dismounted, and my
cavass elbowed in throurrh the thick of the crowd

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262

SIR GEOFFREY I'HIPPS HORNBY.

and th« mass of tlie troops : I followed in my black
coat, and that low black hat, which is rather the
woree for Besika hunts. But, from what he said,
every one made way, and we went in among a lot
of offictn's standing at the p'jrrh of the mosque.
Then one A. !).('. asked me in ]^i,nch to step into
aside-room, and another A\ent Lo tell Said Pasha
1 was there. Presently he came down and said I
was to wait till the ceremony was over, as the
Sultan wanted to speak to me at his kiosk. He
took me out and introduced me to Osman Pasha,
and I met tliere lleouf Pasha, Minister of War,
and Mouktar Pasha, and tliere we stood looking at
the troops and the Sultan's best charger. Most of
the pashas drew back a little, and left Said and
me well to the front. A tall man in an ulster
went down and be^jan to talk to some of the
Ilussian C'tiiceis. I asked who he was. ' Zenghis
Khan ! he is one of the Ilussian spies.' It seemed
to me that he and his countrymen were asking
who the man in plain clothes and the Ijad hat
was. wlio was standin^j' so forward amonu the
pashas. Presently we went inside. The Sultan
came down-stairs, and as he passed said something
to a general, Namyk Pasha, who was standing
close to me. It was repeated by him in French,
' That the Sultan hoped to see me presently at his
kiosk.' After the Sultan had left we saw the
troops file off, and then Said and I mounted, and
we rode together down the principal street, which

THE MEDITERRANEAX.

263

was very full of people. I was riding a very good-
looking horse of the Ambassador's, and as Said is
the Sultan's right hand, all eyes wen» turned on
him. I am sure what all the men were thinki-ig
was, ' Who is that foreiofuer in the bad hat ridiiiii'
such a nice horse ? ' Well, when wt* got to the
kiosk we went in to talk to tlie Sultan, and he
asked me questions on all sorts of subjects. How
Ave had fared at Ismid ? How many ships I had
there ? at Besika, &c. ? AVhat 1 thought of the
internal state of Russia ? If in case of a disastrous
war, 1 thought that there ^^'ould be a revolution ?
How many troops I thought we should send out
if we went to war with her ? How wv were to
make much impression with so small an army ?
How many ships I sliould want to carry out an
efficient blockade ? &c., &c., &c. He seemed rather
surprised at my giving him two or three answers
very contrary to his own opinions. He asked if I
did not think the llussian soldiers very barbarous.
I said, ' No ; I thought they were naturally, so
far as I had read of them, peaceable and good-
tempered.' He asked how I accounted for their
murdering so many of his men when prisoners.
T thought he laid himself rather open there ; but
I said all soldiers became cruel in war, and there
was no doubt that in the Indian rebellion our
soldiers had at times been very cruel. I thought
that much which had been done in Bulgaria had
been done by design, so as to frighten the Moham-

t-'-<.OS' "Ll '

264

.SIR (lEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY

medans into leaving the country. Again, when he
spoke of our army being so small, I said we had
always acted with a small army because we had
not a large one ; nevertheless, we had usually done
pretty well. For instance, when Napoleon was at
the zenith of his power and held Spain with
100,000 men, we landed an army of 20,000, and
yet in five years we bundled the French out.
Further, I said, nowadays war is carried on very
much by indirect means, and on our blockading the
ports on the Black Sea, the llussians would have
such a difficulty in keeping up their supplies that
they would have either to leave the country or to
be ruined in money and material, as they were in
the Crimean war by the stress we put on them to
hold Sevastopol. However, he took his contradic-
tions as one of the lessons he had to learn, and I
left him (rather wondering how a man who had
been brought up in a harem, and had never had
an opportunity of rubbing up against his fellow-
creatures, could have as much sense as he showed).
He said rather a good thing to Mr Layard the
other day. It seems that tl.e Grand Duke forced
him, by hints of the most barefaced sort, and by
telling those about him ' that he had heard it had
always been the custom of the Sultan to give a
horse to distinguished visitors,' to offer him the
choice of two of his Arab horses. He went to the
stable, said that the Sultan had offered him four,
chose them, and took them away there and then.

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

265

The Sultan, after telling all this, said, ' I had often
heard that there is a great dt'.i] of comnuinistic
spirit in Russia ; perhaps this is an instance
of it.'"

■'
I

A few davs after this interview the Ministers
favourable to En<rland resitmed, and thinirs looked
so threateninij: that the Admiral sent off most of
his plate and valuables to ^lalta. The next even-
ing, about 5 P.M., a sharp shock was felt on the
port side of the shi}), and for a moment every one
thought that the Russians had eluded the patrol,
and were declaring war by a torpedo attack. It
turned out to be an eartlujuake, which sh(»ok down
some walls, and did a great deal of damage in the
town of Jsmid. All the ships seemed to feel the
shock in nuich the same way, and it was supi)osed
to have been counnunicated by the anchor cables.
By a curious coincidence, there was in the harbour
a Dutch corvette, Maria, which had been accident-
ally struck by an uncharged torpedo in Malta
harbour during torpedo practice in the spring of
1877. The Admiral that time had apologised for
the accident, had the torpedo-head polished and
mounted, and had sent it as a present to the
Dutch captain. This time the Dutch captain
sent an apology to the Admiral, saying that he
was very sorry to have again got in the way
during torpedo practice.

Durint^ the reaction which followed this alarm

2G6

SIR (iEOFFllEY IHIl'l'S HOUNBY.

the fleet re<;utt« canu* olf ; on the first day, rowing
races. Theie were no very gvjod races except that
between gunrooins, which was very closely con-
tested Ijetween Ac/nllcs and 'feme ra ire. The next
day sailing races took place.

Letter to Wife.

" April 27.

" We finished our re^^atta yesterday — vejy suc-
cessfully for this ship. We took every first prize,
excej)t for launches, of which we oot the second,
and we got second prize in two out of the other
three races for which they were given. I sailed
my own galley, and was very near beaten. If 1
had, it wt»uld have been by a gunnery-man, the
commander of the lemeraire, which wouhl have
been a terrible blow ; but 1 did him at the last
l)Uoy but one."

The race for the Admiral's Cup \\*as not sailed
till August G, aufl was won by Lieutenant F'renoh
in the Cruisers' cutter, beating the Admiral's
barge by two minutes. The wind was light N.E.,
so partly on account of that, and tht-ir not being
very well handled, the launches did not do well.
It was also decisively proved that galleys cannot
sail against larger boats.

Rumours were rife that Lord Beaconsfield medi-
tated a great coiq^ during the Easter recess ; and
the first move in his game was the despatch of a

THE MKPITERUAXF.AN.

267

coiitiM,ii>'iit <if' 10,000 Iiuliiui tr(>()j)s to Malta in
May. Tli»' ultimat*' destiiuition <»{' these troops
remained uncertain, and the only thinj;' tlie
Admiral could do was to encourai^e the Turks
in eiioi'ts to iMi]»rf)ve their (nvn |)ositi(»n without
f'oicing the hand of the En;L;lish (Joverninent by
taking any initiative aijainst the Uussians. The
(i!'ar>d I)uke hnd returned to llussia ; so far his
pro^^ness had been successful, and he left to Todle-
ben the task of extricatinu' tlie army fi-om tlie
awkward position In which it now I'ouial itself.

There had been some chanu;es in the S(piadron ;
the l)('i'«.s(rttiou had i-ej)laced the Sultan, whose
boilers were worn out, and Ca[)tain lleneag-e had
replaced SIj- W. Hewett In command of th*'
Achilles. For the rest, the Admiral's letters
speak for themselves.

To Mr ir. If ^•//!^7/^

" April 2'^.

" The great object we should hav«' in view is,
to get the Russians f'\r enough away from (V)n-
stantinoj)le to enal.»le the Turks to form a good
line of defence in front of the city. For that
reason, if I were In your j)lace, 1 would accept
nothing short of Adrlanople. I telegi'aphed to
you in that sense to-day, and the leasons I gave
were, I believe, valid. 1 am much obliged for the
large sup[)ly of steamboats shipped in the Surtif.ifra,
which will, I hope, relieve me fi'om the necessity

268

SIR GEOFFREY THIPrS HORNBY .

of Inlying in Constantinople. xVdmiral (Jommerell
is much pleased with the new tug. He has had
a very anxious time of it at Ciallipoli. I helieve
tlie Uussians in Houmelia are very badly oti', and
have nothini,^ to rely on but the game of brag.
Their troops are very sickly, and they have great
difficulty in feeding them. Cavalry and artillery
horses very few, ;ind in bad condition. Money
very tight. An excuse for a retreat would be
wfilcome. If we could only hit them at once, I
believe we should crumple them up like paper.''

To Mr ir. II. Smith.

"April 30. 1878.

"... But what I cannot understand is the idea
of going to war with Russia in these parts with-
out first securing the nlliance of Turkey. The
middle and lower class Turks wish nothing better
than Entdish i-ule, and to assist in fij-ditinix Russia.
The Sultan and mc)st of the Pashas are said to be
of the same opinion. There is no reason, because
we fight beside tliem, that we must thereafter
support the bad rule of the Paslias. As fighting-
material you can hardl}' find better than the Turk,
and why we are to make a bulwark to Russia
rather than an enemy to her, is one of those in-
comprehensible propositions that only justify them-
selves in my brain in a nightmare.

" We have just lost 8ir VV. Hewett. He is
very anxious to rejoin us, as we are to have him

TIIK MEDITKUUANEAX,

260

l)!ick ; and 1 may rt-mark that liis locjil kiiowledofe
would make him specially useful in the Black Sea."

LrtUr tu Wife.

" .l/'V/ 2, 1H7.^.

" 1 am yolno- up to Ojnstantinople to see the
Ambassador, hy his request, on account of the
neL;'otiations which are goini;- on for the simul-
taneous withdrawal of our ships from this sea and
of the llussian army to Adrianople. My belief
is that it would be a very good thint^-, as it wouhl
ena])le the Turks to recover possession of the lines
which cover their city, and whicli should never
have been given up. The only thing I cannot
understand is, how the Russians can consent to
lose the gi'ip they have of it. It would look as if
they were weaker in some way than we sup])ose ;
but if we can by any means get them away, 1 shall
be easier in my mind than I have been since they
were so foolishly allowed by us to get to San
Stefano."

Ldtcr to Wifr.

''May 9, 1878.

" No signs of retiring on the part of the Rus-
sians. 1 shall believe it when I see it accom-
plished, not before."

To Mr W.H.Smith.

" May 14, 1878.

"I am writing officially to ])ropo.se to change
the anchorage of the squadron shortly. This place

270

SIU (iEOFFRKY I'lIirPS HORNBY.

Is notoriduslv iinlu-altliy in siininuT. The reason
is patbiit. Tliere is a lar^n iiiaisVi at thf upper
«*iiil; low. irrii^atKl, and swampy land on either
side; high hills all round which shut <nit li^ht
hreezes ; so that the i/ulf* is in summer like a irreat
stew-pan. 1 had great difHculty in asoei'taining
when the unhealthy season hegan. A letter
puldished hy a French doctor a few days ago, in
the ' Levant Hei-ald,' I think, gives a reasonable
answer. He says that heavy rains fall eajly in
June, and that a hot sun following +hem causes
mephitic exlialations. The only good anchorage
at this end of the sea, whi(4i is free from fevers
in sunnriei', is that near J'ruice's Island, and, so
far as the S((uadr(»n Is concerned, I should strongly
recon)mend it. Among other advantages, it pos-
se.sses a first-class telegraph station, and while we
hiy there, we should be between the Russians and
the newly laid telegrajih cal)le. The Russians will
probably object, and It Is for you to Sciy if their
objections are to prevail. Mitherto they have
done what seemed good in their own eyes, while
we might not move a step. I hear privately from
Mr Layard that he sees no oVyection to the move,
and thinks the Tiuks would have none, ' Of
course,' he adds, ' the Russians nuist be dealt with
at home.' In view of what I hear of the complete-
ness of our military pi-eparations, and the full
consideration which has been given to tlie alter-
native plans which our army may have to adopt,

■

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

271

I cannot but wish I knew wliai tlu' squadron is
expected to do. I inucli tear we may be found
detlcient on some point, whicii, if foreseen, migiit
have been guarded against."

Ldtcr to Wife.

*'M,o/ 17, 1878.

" I have just received a telegram from Mr
Layard saying the Russians began to move hist
night from San Stefano in the direction of Derlvos
and the north shore of the Bosphorus, and asking
if 1 am autliorised to take the shi[)s nearer Con-
stantinople. I have tolil him I will move to
Prince's Island innnediately if he wishes it. My
belief is, that the Russians are alnjut at last to
throw otJ' the mask they have so long worn in
regaid to us, and will try to seize Constantinople.
It is by no means safe, thanks to the insane folly
and vanity of the British public ; but if it can be
held, the repulse will be very damaging to the
Russians."

Letter to Wife.

" M.n/ 20, 1878.

" I should like very much to see and meet Tod-
leben. There is no doubt he is a capital soldier,
and, I fancy, less dishonest than most Russians.
One thing is quite certain, he has done what we
least wished. He has moved all his camps and
stores away from the coast, where we could have
reached them, and has deposited them all inland, and

? J

272

SIR (;EOFFREV PllirPS HURNBV

very near the sprinj^^s liy which Oonstantlnnple is
su})plied with water. The old Duke said he always
thoiiirht Sonlt the l>est ireiieral he met, because he
always made the dispositions which were most dis-
agi'eeable to him (the Dukf). Todleben has done
the same by us."

To Mr W. IL Smith.

"J%21, 1878.

" T warned you on the 7th that the Turks Ijefore
Constantinople were weak as compared to the
Russians. The Intelligence Department in Lon-
don seem lately to have overrated the llussian
strength, but the late movements have demon-
strated the accuracy of what I had been told. I
hope now that the Turks will insist on putting
guns into position to strengthen themselves with,
and that we shall support them in doing so. Last
month the Grand Duke forbade them, which, as
peace was signed, seems to me monstrous. At the
present moment the Russians are, I understand,
within striking distance of the Turkish lines, and
Todleben has removed all his stores out of our
reach ; so the only help this squadron could now
afford to the defence of their vital positions would
be the moral encouragement which sending up our
few field-pieces manned by seamen would give to
the Turkish soldiers. I do not see why the
Russians should retire from their present position
so long as they continue to be supplied with all

rilK MEDITERllANKAN.

273

tliey HMjuhv. 'I'hey liavf iiiijiorb'd all sorts (A'
stores very luriiely, and thrii fioises have Im-
proved iir nensfly in condition, I trust you will
do y<nir u.ninst to prevent the Turks ^Ivino up
eitiier Varna or Uatouni, however nmJi Russia
may press them. As the Russians pi-ofess to iiave
drawn nearer Constantinople for sanitary reascMis,
there can be tlie less objection to our movin»^ to
I'rince's island on similar j^rounds."

Idfn- to Wife.

".!/,/ vi23, 1878.

"There has been an emi'iif.' at the ])alac(', wheiv
the ex -Sultan, ^lurad, was kept. It was got U[)
ap|)areutly by t»ne AJi Suavl Efl'endi, an intrigelnt]^
fellow, lately director of a coUetj^o at (lalata. lie
was killed in the row ; very llkt-ly he hopt'd to get
up some interest In Murad. Th«i thing that gives
it most inij)ortance is that a rising was expected
in the Russian camp on Monday, and of course
they would be glad to see any internal trouble in
Turkey."

To Admiral Wdlcslcy, C.B.

"Mill/ 28, 1878.

" The lldicon is locked up in the Bosphorus by
a special request of the Ambassador, that she
may be held ready to embark the Sultan at any
moment."

■

274

SIR (JEOFFUEY PHIPPS IIOIINBY.

To M, W. 11. Smitli.

''Jimc 4, 1878.

"T roc«Mve(l hii^t iiiirht your letter of* tl)t' 25111
ult. I had heard pi-eviously from the iVrnbassador
that the witlidrawal of this scjiiadi-on and the
Itussian army was coiitem})latt*d ; indeed his lius-
siaii C()llea«jfue said it was settled. The scuindj-on
can move at t\v(» hours' notice. I sliall helieve in
the rtitreat of the Russian armv \\ho]\ it has Iw-en
effected; l)ut I am jjlad to think tliat there are two
reasons for it nt»w — perhaps three — which did not
exist hefore : —

" 1st. The Turks have made (Constantinople
fairly safe.

" 2d, Todlebi.'U is said to be encumbered with sick,

" 3d. Perhaps the Austi'ians may be encouraged
by Russian difficulties to threaten the connnunica-
tions of their army.

" Meantime, M. Lobanofi' savs that Varna the
only remaining Black Sea ])ort in Europ(-, is to ))e
sui-rendered to Russia. Truly, if Todlebt'n with-
draws an army encinnbennl with sick, ;ind whose
communications are compromised, and receives for
doing so a first-class fortress, and the removal of
an opposing squadron that is (juite free, he deserves
immonse credit for his l>ounce."

Letter to Wife.

''Juno. f>, 1878,

"The pashas are so supine and so mutually
jealous that really no trust can be placed in them :

THE meditf:kiianean.

275

that they are pulliiiij^ <lovvii their house as fast as
they can seems, to lookers-oii like myself, <|uite
certain. Wliether they will let thn Russians get
possession of the best corner of it is uncertain,
hut 1 f(^ai the chances ar-e in favour of it. I am
afraid to say Ijow many Prime Ministers and
Giand Viziers the Sultan has had durin<r the last
month.

"I had a very interesting conversation Avith the
Austrian Ambassador tlie day 1 came uj). lie
said the (\)niiress was sununojied 'to consider
the treaties of 1856 and 1.H71 ; t<> examine, article
by article, that of San Stefano, with a view to
bring it into agreement with them, and that
Russia was willing to accept the decision of the
CVtngress.' lie said that whereas, after "Lord
Salisbury's tlespatch was ])>il>lished, it was under-
stood that then' was to be a Bulgarian ])rincipality
noiith of the fialkans, now thei-e was no fuither
talk (tf a pi incipality. There were to be two
Bulgar-ian [trovinces, as proposed at the (^>nfer-
ence — both autonomous: tho northern tributary
to the Porte, but under the protection of Europe;
the latter tributary to, and dependent on, the
Porte. Batoum was not to become Bussian, and
all she would get in Armenia would be Kars
and a small territory round it. As he said, ' If
Russia cedes all this, what did she go to war
for ? ' The conclusion to be di-awn, I think, is
that she does not mean to give them up, but

276

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY

is only irainino- tiim* to rt'Inforce and provision
her army, and to prepare her cruisers."

To Mr W.H. Smith.

" I received last week a messaire from M.
Bartoletti, who is the (hrectoj- of tlie Sanitary
Department at (Constantinople, that if I re-
mained here till the hot weather, or till fever
appeared, T sliould tind we had a great deal of
it afttM" we left, I liave therefore determined
to move to Priiic« 's Island ahout the 20th, uidess
the W'Cather becomes veiy hot. I do not wish
to appear to be moving In a hurry just as the
Congress meets, l)ut have said openly I should
probably do so in a week or ten days.

"1 paid a visit to General Bakei- on the 4th
to 8th, and rode along all the lines in front of
Constantinople, so far as they have been formed.
I was disappointed with their strength. There
are tw^o or thiee weak points far a])art, which
would give the assailant great o})portunities. The
numl)er of men is small to hold so long a line.
Artillery very weak. Some [)ashas work well to
secure the ground they havc^ to defend, others
do not. The highest oliicers are frightfully supine.
I am told that Osman Pasha, who is Commander-
in-('hief of the whole Turkish army, and Mouktar
Pasha, \\\\o until a few days since was chief of
the staff, have never visited the lines ! Tefik

THE MEDITERRAXEAX.

277

Pasha, tlie man who planiH:'<l and executed the
Plevna defences, is put on a clothing coninilttee.
Meheniet Ah, who lias hitherto been commander-
in-chief of the troo])s hef«)re Constantinople, and
hy this time knows the ground well, has been
suddeidy sent to the Congress, so as to make
room for F'uad, wlio is hitdi in tlu^ Sultan's fiivour.
They tell me he is a })lucky man. in fact, the
trooj^s may defend the lines. They are sure to
light bravely, as they have always done, and
they will receive great help from the few English-
men who are among them, and from some of
their own oHiceis ; but fnan the pashas, their
proper leaders. th<'V will get nothing. It's a thou-
sand j)itles we don't take the country thoroughly
in hand, nmzzle the useless but oppressive ])ashas,
and give this brave and honest people the bless-
ing of a good goverinneiit as we do in India.

"General Baker spoke of Gallipoli in a way
that makes me anxious about its safety. What
he fears is that, in case of the Russians g»'tting
any success near- Constantinople, they would
fi'ighten tiie Sultan, who is very timid, into
giving u}) lo them the Bulair lines, to avoid or
delay an occuj)ation of his capital. No noise
would bt- made. He would sejid one of his
A.D.C.'s and a couple of generals, who on reach-
ing (Jallipoli would be ordered to su})ersede the
present commanders, anri would hand the lines
over to the enemy. The only way 1 can see to

278

sill (iEOFFREY I'UIPPS HORNBY

ensure a<>';iiiist snoli douliiig' would \m\ in case
of a sudden attack heiv, to tell Conmieivll t<>
take the Avhole force there at ouce uito Eii<,dish
pay, and to hold the place."

Diary. "June 14, 1878. — Heard yestMi-day
that Mouktar Pasha would visit the squa(h'on
to-day. I retujiied here i'rom (J<ti]stantiuo])le in
Sa/funis l>y I p.m. Found ^L)uktai' and Trfik
Pashas looking- at Devastation. They lunched
with me, ajid seemed quite j)i'epared i'ov lar«^e
changes in Government to the suppression of
arhitrary power. They returned to Constantinople
by evening train."

TuAibniral WdhsUui, C.Jl

"./<',if 18, 1878.

" Aflaii's seem very critical at Constantinople.
Authority is verv weak, ,tnd the Sultan very
unp(»[tuhir. If a revolution broke out wliile the
Russians wt-re still under the walls, it vNould be
a git'at temptation to thejn to move into the
town, and I expect their agents are fomenting
it for that purpose.

"./vf«e 15), 1878.
" xiiichored at Prinki})0 at 4 P.M."

To Mr W. n. Smith.

" Prixkipo, June 24, 1878.

"I must now draw your attention to the situ-
ation in which Lord John llav has been ijlac

iced

THE MEDITERRANlwXX.

279

since he came on tliis Btatioii, atid in wliicli ho
now Htaiuls. From €^ach poit ho has wiitton to
me privately, and latterly publicly, t<> ask 11*
1 couM give him any information as to his ini-
niediate emplovmmt <>r his Cutuic movements.
I have to rei)lv on each occasion that 1 know
absolutely nothing about him, exce[)t that latterly
he had been placi'd undei- my <»rders. Now he
finds himsflf at Suda Bav with the country much
disturbt^l, and <:»ur consul carrying on special
negotiations under orders from tin' Ambassador,
but I'rlerruig t(» him occasion,illy for countenant^o
and support, while he has iiot (me Une to guide
him, oi' enalile him to form an opinion how far
the consul may be leading him right or wrong.
That, so tar as my exjieiience goes, is a position
so unj)re'cedented for an otiicer of his rank to
be placed in, that I am obliged to bring it to
your notice, as 1 cannot think it will work ad-
vantageously to the country."

To Admiral Wdkslcy. CM.

'*Ju>u: 24.

"I am sorry to be obliged to ask for another
store-ship, but, as you W'ill see by my j)ul)lic
letter, I am driven to it. You will remember
what importance Sir llobert Sto})ford usrd to
attach to the mail-steamers and men-of-war l)ring-
ing up f>fHct'rs' stores. But the Wye was unable
to convey even the provisions demanded, so 300

280

SIR GKOFFREY I'UirPS HORNBY.

casks -ukI cases had to be IVeighttMl for the oiVicers
and canteens by merchant steamer, and now the
tliint^s bronirht hv Monarch fi'om P2n*rland remain
;it Maha, while Urlicun will come up emj)ty. It
does not affect me person dly, as 1 deal vi-ry little
with IMalla, l>nt get in)' things direct I'rom Mar-
seillos \i\ Frejioh steamer. It afTects the olHcers
and men considerably, though the way I'hey have
behaved in the late tedious times makes them
dese]'ve every consideration."

Diary. ''' Jmto 24.— Congress said to be getting
on well. Some excitement about tiie agreement
between Lord Salisbury and Schouvalolf. said to
have been signed in May.''

Letter to Wife.

''Juiw 25, 1878.

■'T3aker came to lunch; says Turkish positions
are imw. he thinks, safe. Much sicknt\ss in Rus-
sian canij), ;30 men per regiment said to die daily.
Tin- publication of that [tapei- In the 'Globe' was a
trick of Schouvaloff. Batourn and B»»ssarabia are
not gone yet, and even if all in that paper is cor-
rect, it seems to me only to amount to saying that
we will not fight alone for those points. If others
will join, we may fight ; or even if they \x\\\ not,
and liussia strengthens herself on the Armenian
frontier, we retain a right to strengthen ourselves
and the Turks there also ; and if we only develop

THE MEDITFKRANEA.V.

281

the resouices of Asia Minor, we may in u fV-w yt-ars
make Iliissia look vt>i-y foolish. If Schuiivalutf plays
1)1(1 Dizzy a trick, 1 feel pretty contident he will
plav a return matcli with him."

Diary. '' Jvh< 29, 1878. — Hay's squadron
ordeied to Lainaca. liaUvjIi and [nvinciblr to
join them."

I hart/. ''June 30, 1878. — Srnt Sulamix yester-
(.lay to Therapia to carry some very secret orders
from Mr Layard."'

Dlanj. ''July 2, I 878.~»SV<7<fm/5 delayed. »So
far as I can make (»ut, the orders depend on some
ne*,'otiations with the Turks, and prohahly tiie
latter will not ^ive in."

Diary. "Jnly 8, 1878. — Orders s<^nt to Lord
John Hay to tak{> possession of Cyprus."

Ldter to Adinind WimUuriii Hornhij.

"Juhj 10, 1878.

" Ambassador telegra[)hs that the cession of
Cyprus Avas announced to the House of Parlia-
ment on Monday (8th). 1 am anxiously lookint^
for the details of the agreement made ai ijerlin.
8o far as I know of tliem at present, 1 do not
like them at all. The occupation of Cyprus looks
so much like a sharing of spoil with the other
rohbers ; and to leave the llussians for nine
months in Koumelia is to hand over the Moham-
medans of that province to the murders, rapes,

282

SIR CIEOFFREY I'HII'I'S HORNBY.

;ukI I'ohberies. wliicli wore held to be so mon-
strous when perpetrated hy Mobainmednns on
Biilj:^ariaiis, For my part, 1 don't see any dif-
ference HI the tur])itude."

Dinry. '' .hij,j 1l>, 1878.— The Tm'ks ahvady
pre{)arni;^'' to raise money on the revenue whicli we
shall ij;uarantee them from Cyprus."

To Admiral the Lord John Hay.

"The disclosure of the Schouvaloff- Salisbury
circular, followed so closely by the occu})ation of
Cyprus, has had the worst possible effect Iiere.
The Turks are as sti'ongly o])posed to us as they
were in i>ur favouj' before, and tlie French are ex-
tremely sore at our taking a position so near
Efi^ypt and Syria, and doin*,'' it by a secret agree-
ment, while we pretended to be negotiating (piite
openly with them."

To Mr W. H. Smith.

''Juli/IG, 1878.

" What I meant witii regard to Lord John Hay
was, that it was very unusual for an officer of his
rank to flni himself, in presence of an insurrection,
at the beck and call of a consul, while he had not
one line to tell him what the views of his Govern-
ment were. The worst pinch is to be looked for
when the wires are cut, a thing which usuallv
happens as soon as affairs become serious. Per-
haps neither he nor I might find difficulty in

THE MRI^ITERRANEAX.

283

tdkiiif( a course, hut whether we sliould curvy uut
the Avislies of the Government is auothtT (|Ut\stioii.
Yet it is tlu' main one, ami it used to Ite ensured
by the instructions >>r h-tt«M« with which senior
otHcers were furnished wlici sent Ic disturbed
places. For my ov/n part, T have no wish to
penetrate Cabinet or other secrets; hut when a
course of action ii^ settled, I know tii^it the more
fully agents are informed of their masters' wishes
the better work will be done, I fieijueiitly see
instances of tliis. For example, a few days ago
you wanted two ships sent secretly from X(;ros to
Cyprus. If Admiral Commerell had known this,
he could have sent them witliout exciting the least
attention. As he knew nothing, he could only
repeat yoin- bald telegram, and tht? ships sailed
with sealed oi'ders. Every Greek at Xeros knew
it directly, and it was telegraphed all over the
Levant. When Caj)tain Jago reported his arrival
every one knew that we intended an expedition to
Cyprus. Again, on the 30th ult., 1 was told to
place a despatch vessel at the Ambassador's dis-
posal. No sooner did she, at his request, reach
Therapia than every spy inquired her Inisiness,
and discovered that she must, be on secret service.
On the 4th they found she was going to Cypi'us.
She did not sail till the 7th. If I had known hei'
errand, she might have lain (piietly here till wanted,
and when she sailed no one but her captain would
have known where she was bound. On the other

284

SIR GEOFFREY rillPrs HORN BY.

hand, take a cas<; wlieiv secrt'<'y was t'(|ually iK'Ct\s-
Kary, hut wheiv the authorities wero told of the
pi'ojects — viz.. the dt'spatch of the Sidamix to
examine Scarpaiito. Stampalia, &c., lust siimmei".
r*<^iiaidernl»le siii\evs were made bv her otHcers,
bill except tlii'iii there is no em- i?i the S(jnu(h'on.
nor a foreiijiier on shore, whtj knows what her

mission was.

To Adhdnd Welh.dnj, C.R

''Jul)/ 2-i.

"The on]}' people who seem ]>leased by the C(»n-
yress aj'e tht* llussians, wlio, \Nith Skobelefl'at their
head, say we have let them out of a terrible scrape ;
that they ha\e ij^ot far more than they ever ex-
pected, and in Sofia all that is necessary for the
present. In two or three years they will be reiidy
to take tht^ rest. I will ask the (leneral ^ to send
his spies specially to Buyuk-Tchermedge to look
for those torpedo-boats. 1 shall be 411 ite lelieved
if we Hud them there, for a lot left the Danube
overland, antl Bourgas, &c., and we have never
been fd»le to account ibr them. It is difficult to
spy in the Ilussian linr^s, and Buyuk-Tchermedge
is so covered with high reeds that boats might
easily be hid there. I have not the slightest
doubt the Tiussians had full plans for attacking
us with them, and 1 kept up my patrols more or
less till the Conference met. Commen^ll had to

1 Sir CoUingwoDtl Dickson.

THE MEDITERRA.VEAN*.

285

run his btill hardor, but th»^ii he was awfully
exposed. The narrow entrance to Isnild was a
great protection to us, and we \N'atched the trains
carefully, so as not to be taken from the shore."

Dinry. ''Jaly 18, 1878.— On the IGth Coni-
merell reported that the Swift sun's steam-pinnace
had been finnl into by Russians, and two otticers
taken prisoner, on Sunday 14th. Next day Sul)-
Lieutonant Hall arrived with Commerell's report on
the subject. I sent Jlelicon to San Stefano, with
a letter for Todleben, in charge of Fitzroy. He
was very civilly received, and brought back an
answer full of regrets."

Official Bcport.

" General Todleben S(3nt a despatch vessel with
answer to my letter, expressing great regret at the
firino- at boat. He informed me that he had sent
a colonel on the statf to Xeros to inquire into the
affair of the Swiftsttrr's boat having been fired
upon, and that he has not received any previous
information on the subject. He will ac(|uaint me
with the steps he has taken to prevent a similar
occurrence in future."

To Mr W. IT. Smith.

"Juli/ 23, 1878.

" I was very glad to hear of the treaty with
Turkey ; we have immense opportunity to do good

286

«IR GEOFFUKY I'HIl'I'S HORNBY.

ill these atl]ict*-(l lauds, if we only carry it out
boldly and vigorously."

To Mr IV. U. SwifJi.

" AHffu.<tt 12, IS78

"Every Tnik with whom T have been able to
Hpeak contideutially tellH me how anxious he is for
the future, and they ^nve the same reasons for
their anxiety. They say the Sultan is very timid,
but autocratic. He enunciates good plans, but
lives in fear of insurrection, and under tliat in-
rtuence he removes councill(»rs, governors, &c., on
the least sus])ici()n, and absorbs the time of his
Grand Vizier about the appointment and removal
of all sorts of people, and with such minor matters,
to the detriment of important business. They
speak very o])enly of the largt^ P«irty which exists
Avho are determine<l on a radical change. Tliey
sav it would have been made loni; since but for the
fear that a tumult iiv Constantinople would be
seized by the Russians as an excuse to occupy the
city. If, as 1 hope, we are determined to g'we good
government to this country, the time may soon
come when we are called on to act."

To Admiral Wdlcslcy, C.B.

^'August 12.

" I am very anxious about the health of our men
at Cyprus. They are exposed to a powerful sun
hi landing stores, working daily from 3 a.m. to
7 P.M. I hear the Invincible has returned to Xeros

THE MEDITEKRANEAN.

287

with nuiny fevtn- cases on board. If th(3 ships were
entirely under my orders, I should recall them to
B«'sika, Xeros, ttc, where they would he in a cool
and healthy atmospheiv, and send down an e(|ual
nunil)er witli crews unaflected v.ndei' (Jonnrierell.
The Kussian Am})ass;a<lor has informed ours that
the Russian army is about to retire immediately,
but up to the lOth they continued to land stores
at San Stefano."

To Admire I Wdlcsleij, CJJ.

^^AuguH 20, 1H78.

" On Saturday 24th I saw two steamers passin*:^
up the Boh^()horus with t]ie first of the Russian
troops to Odessa, and this morning I hoar that
fourteen transports have left Cy])ius with Indi.aii
troops. Tlie removal of the liussian army will be
a long business. General Todleben told Sir C.
Dickson he had over 80,000 men to send by sea.
To suit their system of peculation, they have
refused the offer of an English firm, by which their
troops would have been carried at IGs. Gd. p*^r
head, and have made a contract with a Russian
company which will cost them U)s. 2d., and be
carried out in small vessels. So we shall not see
the last of them for some time."

To Admiral Wellcsley, C.B.

" September 2, 1878.

*' The Russians move very slowly, some say pur-
posely. They say themselves from difficulty of

288

SIR GEOFFREY PIIIPPS HORNBY.

obtaining transports ; but the peculation they
practise will fully account for all difficulties.
^Vhcn the Sumatra took up invalids some six
weeks ao-o, the colonel commandino- refused to
sign the certificate till the captain had given liini
c£iOO."

At all events, the Russian troops lad begun to
move, and the strain of the last year was some-
what relaxed. Honours and compliments began to
be handed about ; Lord Beaconsfield and Lord
Salisbury were made Knights vX the Garter, the
Ambassador had been made G.C.B. in Jvme, and
on Autfust 6 the honour of a K.C.B. was conferred
on the Admiral. The feelino- in the service, if
letters of congratulation are to be believed, seems
to ha^^e been that the honour was much less than
he deserved, as Lord diaries Beresford writes : —

" How wonderfully comj)lete your organisation
must have been, as if even a midshipman had lost
his temper, he might have run the country into
war."

For himself, the Admiral accepted it more as a
compliment to the service than to himself, as he
says in a letter to his wife : —

"For my own part, it will give me no pleasure
to be called ' Sir Geoifrey ' ; but I certainly am
pleased and proud to know that the best men in
the service — 1 mean such as Commerell, Hewett,
Salmon, Baird, &c. — are glad to serve under me,

THE MEDITERRAXEAX.

289

and I pray that, if ojjportuiiity offers, their trust
may be justified."

Even in his thanks he is anxious to show the
apf)reciation he felt for his fellow-workers : —

" Prince s rsLA> d, A^llJ. 19, 1878.

" Dear Mr Smith, — I beg you to accept my
best thanks for the handsome terms in which you
have brought my name to her Majesty's notice, as
well as for the gratifying manner in which you
have publicly spoken of the conduct of the officers
and men of this squadron. I venture to hope that
you may be willing, and may find occasion, to
bring Sir E. Commerell to her Majesty's recollec-
tion. His work has been more difficult than mine,
as he had less assistance and a more exposed posi-
tion, and he has excited amomx all with whom he
has been broujiht in contact — Greeks and Turks as
well as his own people — such a spirit of concord
and devotion as cannot fail to have a beneficial
effect in the new position we seem about to occupy
in this country. I ever feel deeply indebted to
him for the ability and loyalty with which he has
always helped me. — Believe me, yours very truly,

" G. Phipps Hornby.

"The Eight Hon. W. H. Smith, M.P."

A few days before, Sir Ednmnd, while sailing a
match in his barge against the Ilupert's pinnace,
got caught in a squall, which capsized both boats.

mmmm

290

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORXBY.

f i

The Rupert's pinnace sank, and two of her men
were drowned ; those of the Agincoiirt managed to
cHng to their boat till they were picked up, but
the Rear - Admiral was very much exhausted.
Commentiniif on it, the Admiral savs : —

"The coinitrv would Indeed have suffered a
ofrievous loss if Commerell had been drowned the
other day. He has not only shown in his present
command the decision and professional ability
which always distinguished him, but also a great
power of influencing all with whom he is brought
in contact. Even Turkish pashas are kept straight
by him."

There \vas a great deal of boat-sailing just then.
Besides tlie regattas before referred to, there was
an international one held at Prinkipo, where
Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson, in the Alexandra
piimace, won the cup, beating all the yachts, in-
cluding an American centre-board yacht. General
Todleben was among the guests on board the
Alexandra that afternoon.

Prinkipo was to Constantinople, so to speak,
what Bn'ghton is to London, and the presence of
the stiuadron made it more than ever a fashionable
resort. The islands are all hilly, and more or less
covered with pine-woods, which keep the air very
sweet and fresh, and the views are lovely : at one
place, between the wooded capes of the island in
the foreground, you can see the islands of Marmora
eighty miles away. On the highest part of the

THE M EI )TT l]RRAN EAN.

291

• : iM

lie

jjiiiicipul island the officers luul nuulo a very good
iMWii-teiuiis gTound, and here iiearly every after-
noon the A(hnu"al ean^.e np to play, and the
Easterns, who cannot understand any one taking
exercise in warm weather, amustMi themselves by
looking on and wondering ;it the eccentricity of
the English, An enterprising Greek had set up a
little shanty or cafe where the balls and rackets
were kept and where drinks could V>e obt;iined, and
later on he laid in a sup])ly of little rockets, because
the people who rode up by moonlight to see the
vievv sometimes liked a few fireworks, (^ne night,
Avheu tlie Admiral had ridden up, some of the mitl-
slii]<men who were of the party arranged a shnin
fight, using the rockets as missiles. One of these,
aimed a little too Ingli, fell on the thatch of the
little f(yfe, and in a i'ew minutes the whole place
was burnt to the ground. The Admiral asked the
consul to ascertain what damage had been done,
and sent the man a cheque for the amount named.
To his surprise the man refused to accept it, and
on inquiring whether he had nt)t offered enough,
the consul explained tliat if the man had accepted
it at once, he would have been compelled by the
officials to give them a good deal of it as baksheesh,
but if he waited till they had forgotten a little, he
would come (me day privately to fetch it, and thus
secure the full amount.

During August and September the Admiral also
paid several visits to Therapia, where almost all

■■«fca-»l J' «

292

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS TIORNBY.

■') I

the emliassies went for tlie summer. It was a
very cheeriul and social)lo little colony; almost
every evening one or other of the wives of the
Ambassadors received, and thei'e was nuisio and
conversation ; sometimes also a little dancing.
Carriages were quite unknown in Therapia ; every
one walked to and fro except some of the elder
ladies, who were carried in sedan-chairs. In the
daytime there was lawn-tennis ; boating- parties on
the Bosphorus in caiques. x\ picnic in Asia to-day,
a picnic in P]urope to-morrow. To these latter
every one rode except Lady Layard and Lady
Hornby, who went in an arahah (a coinitry waggon
drawn by white bullocks). Occasionally thfre
were paper-chases : one special one took place a
few days before i\\e fleet moved, when a, hunt
breakfast was given at the Coal-Hole (as the house
where the secretaries lived was called), at which
Captain Chermside, Il.E., sang a new version of an
old hunting-song : —

" 'Tis a lino himtmg day, and as balmy as ^tay,
Pretty noar enouah paper we've g^t ;
Ere wo sit down to lunch, vanish 'Tiux'S,' 'World,' and 'Punch,'
And the servants soon finish the lot.
All the sailors are on it to-day ,
Each one to the other doth say,
' I'll hire a screw, and T hope worry tlirough,
liut I must go out hunting tn-day.'

Chorus — For we'll ;ill go admnting to-day,
The paper will show us the way;
AVe'U join the glad throng that goes laughing along,
And we'll all go adiunting to-day.

THE MEDITEllItAJN'EAN.

^Ir T^rnlet, C.B.,i gota Avincl of the spret;,

Carivsi.'.-: and servants are gay ;
Says the telegraph clerk, ' I am ofl' f«:>r a lark,
As those " See's" go out hunting to-day.'

The Great Master says, ' No, they must stay !
What on earth will Sir Henry Layard say?
l!ut it's such a grand spn^e, tluit I'll let them go free,
Arid we'll all go a-hunting to-day.'

Chorus — For Ave'll all go a-huntuig to-day, &c.

E. J. K.- is in boots, breeches brown as cheroots ;

(irf'eks, Turks, I'ersians their visits may |iay,
But lie cares not a jot if they got in or not.
Or who sees the great ' Elchi P>ey.' ^

There's Lord ( leorge ' in his gaiters of grey.
He and K. are the haves, folks do say ;
He sings out fr<">m las cob, ' It's a fine sporting jol)
To lead you a-hunting to-day.'

Chorm — For we'll all go a-hunting to-day, &e.

Mr Pritchanl's ^ at large, on a horse that takes charge

Of him when he goes for a ride ;
' Public servant,' '' gay felloAv, is up on a yellow ; —
There's a host of young sportsmen beside,
liussian shijis and torpedoes, they say.
Are (ialling the Admiral away.
But he soon says, ' Lord ! I cannot stop on board.
For I will go a-huiiting to-day.'

Chorus — For we'll all go a-hunting to-day," S:c.

293

They threw ofl' near some inagiiificent plane-
trees, where the crusaders had encamped seven
himdred years before, ran uj) the Buyukdere
valley, and through the forest of Belgrade, on

1 Sir Kdward Malet.

^ The Aniba-ssador.

* Paymaster of Antelope.

• R J. Kennedy.

■■ Lord CJeorge Montagu.

" Mr A. Leveaon-Gower.

294

SIR OEOFFKKY PEIIITS riOKMiV,

tho other side of wliich the scent was very hlhid
aiiioiior the fern, and there were a few rifie-])its,
which took some jtnn})inn'. Soon after tliis the
hares were viewed, but l)y this tinit* sonu- of the
horses had begun to give out ; even the Achniral's
was so Ijlown that he liad to pull U|» ;iiid bring
him in cjuietly. Only three were in at the finish :
one, a French attache', was so much pleased w ith
himself for having acquired the English view-halloo
that he never ceased hallooino- fiom the moment
the hares Avere first viewed. He wjis riding a
ca])ital, good-lo(.»king pony, and went afterwards
to Ml' Kennedy to ask for a certificate to say he
had got in third.

Almost every day transports with Kussian troops
})assed up the liosjihorus on their way hom(\ They
were very closely packed, and there seemed scarcely
standing-room on deck among the baggage, but
they appeared in excellent spirits. By way of a
little chaff, as one regiment of the Guard went by,
they eased down a few minutes before the English
emba.ssy, and their band played "Jingo," They
evacuated the San Stefano lines about the 23d
September, and the Turkish military police occu-
pif^d them ; so, in accordance with the agreement,
the tleet moved <in the 28th to Artaki.

A long fiilly promontory runs out for about six
miles and encloses a very well-sheltered l)ay. All
the hillsides, whei'e not cultivated, are well wooded,
and the soil seems very fertile. The grape and

i.\.

• H-' t' ""f-

THE M KDITER li ANE A N

295

olive harvt'sts were ripe, l»ut i'or t lie lii'sl f'*\v duys
after th'^ arrival of tht' squiulrun they could ii(<t be
gathei'ed, because the tax-^^al het • c had not l)een
round to assess the taxes on tht^ crops, so the poor
people had to sit by and watch their fruit being
dfiniag^'d by the wet without being able to help
thenis(3lves. There were partridges to be got l)y
tliose who cared to walk for them, fourteen or
fifteei: brace being a good bag for four guns, with
an occasional landrail or snipe ; and, later in the
year, Hobart Pasha came down and showed the
Admiral where good jiheasant-sliooting was to be
had. At Kai'aboya tln^y got the t)idy wild boar
seen during the winter 1878-79. He was shot,
not by one of the English, but by one of the
Turks, who always camt* out and constituted
themselves amateur beaters. The hounds were
not brought to Artaki, but there was a paper-
chase about once a- week.

December 2d, Besika Bay Hunt Steeplechases
took placo. The stewards wer*' Cajitain Fitzroy,
Judge; Lieutenant Rawson ; Hon. H. Lambton ;
Lieutenant Flammet ; Doctor Ellis ; Captain Lake,
starter. The course was one mile and three fur-
longs over a fair hunting country. There were
fifteen entries for the Alexandra Stakes, and with
only two or three exceptions the horses were riddnn
by their ovvruirs. Mr Vaughan-Huglies won on
bis Moses, and Mr Grimston's Katerfelto was
second.

290

Sill IrEUFFUKY I'lUPPS HORNliY.

In OctoU'i the fiOrds of the Adininvlty came out
ii) the llimahtifx t-> inspect (Vprus, aiul asked the
Admiral, if lie could leave without risk, to join
them there. On his way thither in the llelivoii
he looked in at Gallipoli and Tchernak t<' warn
the pashas to he very careful in watching the
Russians, and landed at Besika to have a look at
the beagles. Next day he stopped at Mitylene to
shoot, got eleven brace of partridges ; then on to
Syra, where he interviewed Mr Binney, the Eastern
Extension Telegraph Company's agent there. From
there he went on to Khodes and had a look at the
fortifications : " All those old knights did was very
good and substantial, but it has not altogether
survived three centuries of Turkish neidect."

On October 28 he reached Larnaca. In the
intervals between service and political talks with
" My Lords," Lord John Hay, and Sir Garnet
Wolseley, he took several rides about the island
with Sir Garnet. After a few days at Larnaca
they went on to inspect Famagusta and Kyrenia ;
and on Noveml)er 4, after an interesting conference
with Mr Smith, Colonel Stanley, and Sir Garnet
Wolseley, he sailed for Artaki. On his way back
he touclied at Samos and Scio, At Samos the
harvest was good, and tlie people therefore disposed
to be contented ; at Scio he found the island in
the dila})idated condition usual in Turkish posses-
sions. He stayed a night at Besika to put matters
right about a cau^ue which Captain Beamish had

.iw»i.»»".i«a:.

TTIE MEDITERRANEAN.

OQ7

ca})tiu'e(l by mistake for a ])irat(;, and next TDoiTiing
called on Hussein Pasha to i>et his promise to
deal lemently with some runaway sole hers he had
captured. November 10 lie o-ot huek to A)t;i.kl,
and turned ovei* to the Alexandra ; and two days
later he recorded his impressions of Cy])rus in a
letter t<« Lord Derhy : —

« AiiTAKi, Xoi\ 12, 187S.

" T have just returned from a short visit to
Cyjjrus, and I think you may like to hear v/hat
Ave have learnt, as it is of value to us. First, as
a possible coaling-station f)r ships wiiLching the
Canal, the survey in ])rogress ;it Famagusta shows
that the roadstead there is considerably deeper
than we supjiosed. By carrying a l)ieakwater
out along the shoals in a depth never moiv than
27 feet, averaging probably only IG or 17 feet,
we should shelter a good harbour, about one and
a half sea miles in length and half a mile wide.
•Some 1700 by 700 yards of this would have a
depth of not less than fathoms, s(» any six
ironclads could moor there safely for the w'inter.
The remaining space would accommodate a great
many small ships with a depth of water from 4^ to
2^ fathoms, which is ca[)aljle of being dredged out
to 6 or 10 fathoms without injuring the holding-
ground. Inside this again is the old harbour, now
silted up. It is a perfectly sheltei'ed basin of 80
acres, which may be easily dredged out tf) 24 feet,
and would make an excellent mercantile harbour. I

^fWi^Vf^NW^V*^

■f |iiiDlip<Mi^wt'i« vipiii ,i^i»i|i_i»t»fpwy^»»^kiiii|i

298

Hin OEOFFUKY fUHM'S HOHNBY.

flo (Kit me;. II that nny one proposes at j)resentto ask
lor tile exjjeiist' ot'a Invakwater, Init the shoals now
protect a s})aoe where a coU])le r>f iionclatls could
lie in comi'oit , and a pier 300 feet loni;' nii^ht
easily })e huilt on a ledire of rock witli a di-ptii «>f
not more than 9 feet, which at its outi'ir end would
allow ships of 19 feet to lie alongside. The position
is close to the old walls, which are useless for de-
fence, 1)i.it \\'>uld iji-ive the material for a ])ier.

"Now, as to the climate and productive p<nver.
One is struck with a curious change which our
occupation is likely to make at once in the forn\er.
A few yeaj'S ago the plain behind Larnaca, and a
gT'eat deal of the Messaria, were under vines ajid
mulberry-trees, hut the cultivators found it more
profitable to root them up and plant corn, which is
reaped in June. I^irectly a land-tax is substituted
for an arl)itrary titlu', vines, mulberries, and cotton
will again \h- planted, and the soil shtjltered from
the sun's rays during the hot months of July, Aug-
ust, and Se])tember. For some time, of course,
labour will be scarce, as late iiKpiii-ies lead to a
belief that th^' population does not exceed 140,000.
But water is easily to be had fi'om wells, and by
diii'LHuo: these in the ravines amonu the hills, rills
can be obtained which will irrigate the plains below
by gravitation, and cheaply. Population will in-
crease rapidly.

"Now, as to sickness among our troops. When
they were landed they encamped on a l^are hill

THE MEDITERRANEAX.

299

about two miles from, and 100 feet above, tbe sea.
Tbe men liad nothinjjc whatever to do, or wliere-
with to amuse themselves. They bad iiiditterent
food, and were kept all day under bell-tents In
which the thermometer stood at 110" to 120", with
clouds of dust blowinu- in. 1 arrive with the colonel
of the 7 1st, who says that if his men had been
treated in the same way, either at Malta or Gib-
ralttir, they w<.>uld have had just as nuich fever.
That regiment is now encamped on the northern
slope of the southern range of hills, and the men
have been set to work mornino- and eveninir to
prepare ground for and to erect tlieii' huts. The
residt is that their sick are reduced to 5 per cent.
The 42d are more favourably placed on the slope
of the northern hills and close to the sea, but are
unemployed and kept in tents. Their sick reach
to over iO per cent. When we first took possession
of the island, Buffo was garrisoned by seamen from
the Raleigh. They were proA'ided with distilled
water from the ship, and luid plenty <.>f w(.»rk in
landing stores, cleaning up the place, &c. They
had no sickness. They were replaced by two com-
])anies of the 42d, who have been carefully nursed
after the system adopted in the regiment : they
have had no end of sickness. It seems to me as
much a question of colonels as anything else.

" The latest accounts show that we shall have
to pay the Porte about £90,000 a-year. The tithe
and taxes m the Larnaca districts alone reach that

300

SIR GEOFFREY PlllPrS HORNBY.

sum. The siqx'iIntHiKlent t)f customs toltl mu that
up to th»' present we have received 50 ])er cent
more than tlie Turks received hi any correspond intjf
pei'lod of late years. At Lurnaca the streets iiave
been well repaired, and a small sea-wall nearly
Iniilt, hy lines and small contributions. These
have been most willingly paid, for the people say
they see the money has been spent for their benefit.
The town is now as cleanly kept as Valet ta, and
everywhere houses, walls, and fences are beiiic^ re-
paired and tidied, showing not only that there
must be a good deal of money hid away, but that
already the j)eople feel they are perfectly secure in
spending it. In fact, going there rather prejudiced
by what I had read against the island, I have re-
turned feeling sure that we have at command the
power of making all we want in the way of a naval
station — an island that might easily give us, if
such were our policy, a large tribute ; and we shall
give the blessing of a good government to a long-
o[)pressed people, with so small a change apparent
in system that they and their countrymen will be
astonished. I have heard but two ' growls ' with
reference to our action. One was from some
Cypriot soldiers at Rhodes, who say they are now
English subjects, and should be freed from Turkish
service. The other from Syria, where the people
say it was very hard that we stopped at Cyprus,
and did not go on to take possession of their
country."

THE MEDITKPRAXEAN.

301

Very soon after the Afliuirfil's i-eturn from
Cyjirus, CliristTiias festivities beg-aii to l)e con-
sidered, and all agreed that Chiistnias was tc»
be kept in the most ortliodox fasliion, ht^cause
the anxiety of the former "ear harl ])revented
• ny due celehiation of tlie season. The prepar-
ations were almost comj)]et(^ Avlien, as ill lurk
would have it, the Admiralty decided iust a
few days l)efore t.'hristmas to order the Innui'lhle
and Pan<(s to change stations, thus si)oiling the
Christmas dinners of both ships.

"Our men," says the Admiral, 'have so few
diversions that I do not like to see them lose
one to which they look forward so long and hope-
fully as their Christmas dinner. I fear the ar-
rangements for the Christmas dinners of the
Incinciblc and Pallas will be spoilt by their ex-
change of stations ; the lumncihles men would
have gone to - night to Constantinople in the
Helicon with those of the other ships. Beamish
has doubtless made his arrangements, as we did
last year, to get his things from Constantinople.
As our telegraphs have again broken down, he
probably will not know anything about this move
befcn'e the 1 9th, when it will puzzle him to get
them to this out-of-the-way place by the 24th."

From each of the other ships eight men had
been sent to Constantinople to get tlip necessary
supplies ; and extra allowances of beer, tobacco,
and lights were given to the men with the per-

302

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

mission of the captains. The latter dined with
the Admiral, and a very merry dinner they had
— " thus," as he writes, " bringing to an end
pleasantly a year that has been very prosperous
to me through the good conduct of my three
dear boys, and which I shall look back on there-
fore with thankfulness to God."

For some time previously the Admiral had been
advocating a move to Ismid ; he had written to
Mr W. H. Smith :—

" December 8, 1878.

" I cannot see why the country is to be put
to unnecessary expense, and my men to the mon-
otonous existence they endure here, to gratify
Russian whims and fancies. Their army moves
where it pleases on Turkish soil. So far as I can
learn, they occupy positions on it chiefly with
a view to put the most plunder in their officers'
pockets. I beg to submit the claims of my men
in preference. It is not here an officers' question.
The officers can get some diversion, shooting or
on ln^rseback ; the men get none except what
indiflerent grog-shops can affiDrd. We cannot even
get a recreation-ground within four miles of the
ship for them."

At last permission was granted for the squadron
to proceed to Ismid. The ships sailed, January 1,
from Artaki, and next day occurred a disastrous
explosion on board the Thunderer, Captain Chat-

THE MEDITEUIIAXEAX.

3o:

field, which had reheved the Devastation some
two months i)i'evioUbly. Tlie official and private
reports of the accident say : —

Official Report.

" At daylii^ht the ships of the squadron separ-
ated, liy signal, to carry out the usual monthly
firing at targets. On board the TJivnderer th
practice began with an electric broadside, for which
all the guns were loaded with battering charges
and chilled shell. This havinu: been fired, the
guns were loaded with full charges and empty
shell. The starboard gun in the fore-turret fired
first ; when the smoke cleared, the order was
given to fire the })ort gun. A violent shock was
felt throughout the ship, accomj)anied by a loud
explosion and much smoke, while masses of metal
of various sizes were thrown into the flying deck,
and one fiagment even so high as the top. It
was found immediately that the gun just fired had
l)urst, all the muzzle before the trunnion beiug
blown away ; that several men were killed, more
wounded, and that the ship was on fire in the
fore - shellroom and l)attery - deck. There was a
slight delay in extinguishhig the fire, consecpient
on so many hands in that part of the ship being
suddenly stricken down; but direc'-y the reason
of the delay was recognised, the firemen from the
after-part of the ship ran forward with the great-
est alacrity and coolness, and it was got under

804

Sill GEOFFREY PlllPrS HORNBY.

without fiu'ther loss of time. Captain Chatfield
immediatflv sio'ii'i-llt'd tor medical assistance, and
the nearest ships, the Monarcli and AvhilJcs, were
quickly on the spot. I followed them so soon as
I had ascertained tlie nature of the accident, for
the Thunderer was not Avithiii sisjfnal-distance of
the Alexandra, and by noon the wounded w( re
divided among the ships present, and the squadron
proceeded to Ismid. The two officers killed were
youn(^ men of considerable promise, and tlieir death
is a great loss to the service. Lieutenant Coker
conunanded in the turret, and, with seven out of
the nine men in it, was kiJletl outright. Lieu-
tenant Daniel, R.M.A., supervised the hydraalic
loading-gear. Me Mas looking into the turret at
the time the explosion took place, and, with one
of his men, was killed instantly. The shock
throughout the ship was so severe as to put out
all the lights ; and when the order was given to
stop the engines, the engineers had some trouble
to find the levers. . . . The sufferers are reported
as (juiet, and doing as well as can Ix^ expected.
Indeed I may say that the medical ollicers are
sanguine as to saving the patients."

To Mr W. II. Bmith.

"■January A, 1879.

" The llmnderers accident is a o-reat calamitv,
not only fi'om tiie loss of life ami amount of suffer-
ing it has caused, but from the distrust it must

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

305

create in our heaviest guns. Fortunately those
two excellent othcers, Captains Tryon and Heneage,
recognised instantly the gravity of the occasion,
and no sooner had thev sent their doctors to assist
the wounded tlian they returned to their targets,
and blazed away with the heaviest charges, to
show that their guns were not o-oinsf to burst.
1 think there will be no nervousness in their
ships."

To Admiral Wclksky, C.B.

" January 8, 187!).

" I am sending a report Ironi Captain Chatfield,
commendnig some of his officers and men for
conduct in the late accident. 1 think if some
mark of [)proval could l)e given to two of them
it would have a good effect — viz., James Bunce,
bugler, who, though l)lown down and hurt by the
explosion, picked hin\self and his bugle up quickly,
and sounded the ' Still ' smartly when told to do so
after the fire-bell rang ; William Bridges, quarter-
master, went down straight into the shellroom,
which was on fire, and from which thick smoke was
issuing, showing a very good example."

OJicial Report.

" I received the following from her Majesty's
Ambassador at Constantinople — namely, ' Sultan
begs me to express to you and the fleet his deep
regret at the lamentable accident on board TJnui-

■' .:V

306

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

di'vcr, and places his kiosk at your disposal. He
will send down an aide - de - camp to make all
necessary arrangements. His Majesty adds, that
if you like to send up some of the wounded to
the hospital in the imperial palace, they will be
properly taken care of liy his own surgeons, and
that he will himself visit them, this being the
least he can do for his friends and allies.' To
which I immediately sent the following reply :
' I have received your telegram, and desire to
tender tc* his Majesty the Sultan, through you,
the expression of my sincere gratitude, and that
of the officers and men of the squadron, for his
Majesty's kind message of sympathy, and good-
ness in placing his kiosk at the disposal of the
wounded. This afternoon, January 4, I received
instructions from Enti'land to send the T/tiin-
dereJ^ at once to Malta, so that the landincif of the
wounded here will be inexpedient. His Majesty's
offer to receive some of the woiuided into the
hospital at his palace, and to visit them himself,
is gratefully appreciated, but the medical officers
represent to me that the moving of the patients
from the ship at present is undesiraV)]e. 1 am
happy to say tiiat only two cases give cause for
immediate anxiety, and the remaining thirty-four
are doing very well.'

" On the 3d the funeral of the two officers and
eight men killed by the explosion took place in
the Armenian cemetery at Ismid. The funeral

THE MEDITERRA^TEAN.

307

was attended by the captains and nearly all the
officers, and a large number of seamen and marines
of the ship^ present."

Telegram.

" The evidence and report of in({uiry into cause
of the t;un bursting is lengthy : the opinion of
the inspecting otEcers is that, after being rannned
home, the shot followed the ranmner down the
bore towards the muzzle, the cartridge remaining
in its right position, thereby subjecting the gun
to excessive explosive strain when iired. The shot
had slipt forward on former occasions, owing to the
wad having been withdrawn by the rammer."

Official licporf.

" Some of the wounded men made statements
that, when the rammer was withdrawn the last
time the gun was loaded, some of the wad was
withdrawn with it."

Letter to Wife.

" Febniari/ 21, 1879.

" At Constantinople they have subscribed about
£740 for the TIiunderev'H fund, and all the nations
and languages seem to have joined in it truly —
Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics. The list begins
with H.M. the Sultan, contains a lot of Pashas,
Demetriades, Zafiropoulos, &c., &c., and ends with
Solomon Ben Jeuda."

VvT?:r^

308

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

A further inquiry was held at Malta when the
men were sutliciently recovered to be thoroughly
examined, and the conclusion come to was that
the gun burst from having a double charge. It
is possible for a gun to miss fire, when an electric
broadside is fired, without any one noticing it at
the moment. On the other hand, it seems in-
credible that no one observed that the ranmier
did not go quite home ; and as almost all those
who could have given decisive testimony were
killed, it remains one of those questions which
will never be satisfactorily solved.

The first two months in the year had been
spent at Ismid, and as the hounds had been
brought up from Besika, the second season of
the Besika Bay beagles commenced, under the
mastership of Captain Culme Seymour, There
were plenty of hares, but the country was very
much wooded, which made it very difficult to
kill them. Nevertheless the hounds went out
twice a-week and had some very good runs.
One day they drove puss into the sea ; she
swam 300 yards before she landed, beating the
hounds who swam after her, and finally got
away by putting up two others. Another day
one of the Sultan's keepers, who had been told
to give the officers every assistance in his power,
with the best intentions in the world, shot the
hare immediately under the nose of the hounds.
He was very much surprised, first, at the volley of

-■i^

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

:^09

invective showered upon hiin, then to see the hare,
vvhicli such a niunber of men and dogs had turned
out to kill, given to the latter to eat, and went
oft' shaking his head and muttering to himself,
probably about the extraordinary customs of these
" dogs of diristians."

By the beginning of March the Admiral wns
getting very anxious to bo able to make a move
with the ships ; he believed that when the llus-
sian troops retii'ed there would prob;d)ly Ije
troubles among the sn)aller States, and was anx-
ious to get the slii])s refitted, so that they
might be ready if called in to hel|>. Moreovei',
the men were much on his mind : some of them,
the liberty and special - leave men, had been
granted leave at Ismid and at Prinkipo, but gen-
eral leave had not been given for fifteen months.

Letter to Mm Stnj^ford.

"... That is, many of them have not been
out of the ship for tliat time, nor, with the mniiber
of villains who infest these towns, and the inefti-
ciency of the police, is it ])0ssible to give leave
to any who cannot be trusted in the matter of
drink."

At last, early in March, the news came that
the Russians were about to withdraw their troops
from yVdrianople, embarking them at Varna, and
shortly afterwards the Admii'al received orders

: i

;3io

SIU GEOFFREY I'HirPS HORNBY.

to hold liiiiiself in readiness t<> leave at f'orty-
eig^ht hours' notice. Preparations for leavintj were
made accordingly, and the Besika Bay lieagles
were presented to the " Sport C^lub " at Constan-
tino])le. Their shoi't hut distinguished career
ended with the two seasons at Besika and Isniid,
as Levanthie ideas of sport were peculiai-. One
member of the club proposed that any member
might, l)y giving two or three days' notice, order
them to any particular place, and " use them foi'
stirring up a large wood, and driving out hares,
b(iar, deer, &c. '

Orders to sail for Besika were received on the
1 1th, and next day the ships were ready to weigh,
wheii a telegram from Mr Malet (Sir H, Layard
was away) delayed them. The reason for the
delay was that the Sultan wished to give to the
Admiral and his captains "a banquet in acknow-
ledgment of the service which the presence of the
fleet had been to him, and to show the Queen his
appi'eciation of it.'

It was a very high mark oi' imperial favour, but,
as the Admiral says in his journal, "We had a
most quiet dinner at the Yildiz Kiosk. The room
was in the shape of a wide cross — the side-bays
bein^ separated from the aisle, in which the table
was laid, by very pretty and light marble j)illars,
formed of four brownish columns each, the rest of
the room being white and gold. Tn each corner of
the dining-space was a very handsome glass can-

THE MEDITERRAXEAN.

ill

{lelabrum, about 10 feet or I 2 feet liiirb, and a larire
^lass cbandelier hnii^^ ov^-r the centre of the table.
The silver plate on the table \v;is lairly handsome ;
the candelabra rejn-esented trees, with deer, slieep,
&c., at their I'oc^ts. There were lari^e and hi'di
masses of artificial ilowers on stands between, and
the whole effect was good. The party consisted of
myself, secretary, and Hag-lieutenant, four cap-
tains, two commanders, and Wingfield (command-
ing Antelope). Malet was accompanied Ity two
secretaries and the head di'airornan, Saiidison.
There was the Grand Vizier ; Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Seraskier (Gha/j Osnian Pasha); Grand
Master of Artillery, Namyk Pasha ; Gapitan Paslia,
and three Turkish admirals ; Sami Pasha, who
occupies some high position at the Seraskierate ;
Kurd Pasha, whom I did not recognise at first ;
Colonel Dreyse, and some minor officers. We sat
down, about thirty, to dinner. The Sultan sat at
the head of the table, Malet on his right, I on his
left, Khaireddin next to Malet, Ghazi Osman next
to me. Almost a dead silence was preserved
during the greater part of the dinner. Among
the Turks no one would speak except the Sultan
spoke to him. The Sultan had his dragoman
standing by him ; he gave him messages in a low
tone, now for Malet, then for me. The dragoman,
drawinof close to us in turn, translated it into
French, and spoke it to us in a very low voice.
The Sultan's conversation was very small ; except

1 '

312

.SIR (JKOFKUKV rUllM'S IIOUXRY.

that he asked if any, and which, of tln' olHceis had
served durinir the Crimean war, lie hardlv Bald
aiiythiui^ woi-tli icuieniherinjjf. 1 spoke oocasion-
ally t.(» ()sinan, and he answered, but niadr no
attempt to eontinut^ a conversation. After- a lime
thei-o was a httle talk down the table, but the:
general effect was very quiet. Dui'iri*^ dinner the
Sultan filled a champa^ne-«rlass with water, rose,
and told Muriei- something' in a low voice. Murier,
in an ecpially l<»w voice, S(^ that only Malet and I
could heai', said that the Sultan wished to «hink
the Queen's health, and the continuance of the
alliance which had so loni>: existed betw»;en the
empires. No one at the table could know what
they were called on t(» di'ink. Presently Malet
rose },nd proposed in English the Sultan's health,
thanking him for the honour he conferred on us
in offering us this bancjuet. The dinner consisted
a good deal of Turkish dislu^s — mutton and rice,
kabobs, kc, but no pilaif. Th»i wine was pretty
good, but nf) Turk touclied it, nuich to old Hassan's
disgust, who said it wouhhi't do for him to drink
there.

"After dinner the vSultan took Malet, Khaired-
din, and mv^self into his small drawing-room : the
Grand Vizier acted as interpreter. He told Malet
again to convey to the Queen his ^ense of the
great sei'vice the fleet had rendered to him by
coming near Constantinof)le. He digressed a little
to talk of the refoi'ms and the new gendarmerie

THE MEDITKRRANEAX.

313

that was to be established. Malet gave Osniau a
slap in the face, and Khaireddln a help, by point-
mg out that to appoint only a few line-looking
men of the Redif, as had bpen done, was not to
provide the necessary material. He was told the
present measure was only provisoira. Then the
Sultan told us that as soon as the reforms were
started, so that he could show what he had done,
he meant to come to iMigland to visit tln^ Queen,
The (^)ueen of Sheba went to visit Solomon. Times
are changed I "

Ldler to Wife.

" The Sultan wanted to decorate us all. Of
course Malet told him that could not be ; he
begged him to telegraph home for permission, but
Lord Salisbury \ery properly replied that he could
not depart from our custom and regulations."

The Admiral had moved the fleet to Gallipoli
before the banquet, and had, with his captains,
gone up to Constantinoj)]e for a couple of nights
in the Salamis and Antelope, though the Sultan
had offered to send a royal yacht to fetch them.
The day after his return to Gallipoli, March 19,
they again passed the Dardanelh -this time in
lovely weather, and making a very imposing spec-
tacle, all the ships under steam and sail. They
anchored at Besika the same evening, but remained
there only two days, as "I received a telegram

.-^

014

SIR fSEOFFREY THIITH HORNBY.

from Admiralty onlerin<^ me to Saloiiica, and ' to
make the usual arr{in«;ements for detaching ships
to visit the dirt'erent parts of the station.' This
tlid not convey a very clear notion of their wishes
— if they had any — to my mind. 1 therefore did
what was best ni the interests of the squadron,
and sent Monarch, Invincible, and Pallaii to Malta
to refit."

These sliips were to spend a few days at Athens
on their way, so as not to be placed in quarantine
when they arrived. There was supj)osed to be
some plague near Damascus, therefore the Maltese
authorities had seen tit to impose (juarantine on all
vessels cominj^ from the P^ast, thong] i travellers
who took the quicker overland route from Salonica
might land without <(uestion. The panic among
the custom-house oificials was rather comical.
Before the Admiral knew of their reo'ulations he
had sent down a barrel of oysters to Lady Hornby :
they did not like to take the responsibility of de-
stroying this, or to detain it nine days in quaran-
tine ; they therefore fumigated it with sulphur, as
they did letters, and sent it up to Admiralty
House. The effect, when the oysters were brought
into the house, can be better imagined than de-
scribed. It never seemed to occur to the Maltese
that this policy of imposing quarantine only cut
their own throats, as it was arranged that the
ships should stop at other places on the way down,
so as to pass the necessary time, and thus money

THE MEDJTKRHANEAN.

115

was spent at Athens and t'lsewliere which would
iuive ^one into the j)Ockets of the Maltt'Se.

At last, in tht^ beginning'' of April, the Achnlralty
gave the Alcxntidra permission to go to Malta,
provided three ironclads were left in the ^l^^gean
Sea ; and the Hagship anchored in Valetta harlx)ur
on Good Friday, April 11.

As the summer was a hot one, no one was sorry
that the summer cruise was t<> conunence early in
June, and the dockyard was being pushed to the
utmost to get the ships r-eady. As things were
not yet (|uiet in the East, the cruise was to be to
the eastward again, but as Etna was in eruption,
the Admiral thought that too interesting a sight
to be missed.

Journal. ''June 6, 1879. — Anchored at Ripoh.o,
about seven miles north of Aci lleale, at 8.15 A.M.
Landed with Maiy, Fitzroy, and Winsloe, and
drove through Pie -Monte and Lingua Glossa
towards Moya to see the lava -flow. The road was
pretty, and the foliage of trees and vines luxuriant,
but disfigured by a covering of powdered pumice.
The cloud from the mountain shaded us from the
sun during most of our journey, and for about an
hour, near Lingua Glossa, it showered pumice upon
us. The road was good, and including the zigzags,
must have been seventeen miles, and occupied us
five and a half hours in going and four in returning.
The lava had spread in a huge heap, like a rough
railway embankment, about one and a half miles

. if!

\\\

316

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY,

mto the valley, with a mln;mum width of a mile
at least, and was piled up iuU 50 feet above the
road, where it had crossed it. The line in which
it had descended the mountain was narrow and
sharply defined, and had of course followed that of
a ravine. The mass of it was enormous to be
ejected in so short a time. We were told that we
should have to walk three miles to the end of the
mass, and as Mary was with ua, I could not under-
take it, but some of the officers went, and found
the distance less than two miles, and the sight
most curious. The lava moved on a,t the rate of
about three yards in five minutes, and every now
and then rolled over a mass of the cooled scorite
from above, disclosing the molten earth below.
It was like a great wave of stones and earth
breaking on a beach. The mass was smoking in
various places, and very hot. It had overflowed
two houses, and was making straight for a village,
from which it was about one and a quarter mile
distant. Vineyards were disappearing under it,
but we saw no sign of weeping proprietors. Several
tourists came towards evening to see the lava by
night, and a large body of troops had been collected
in the neighbourhood to protect deserted houses ;
but the flow of lava was so steady that any one
might calculate exactly the time at which his
house would be invaded. The mountain was
smoking, heaving, and emitting sounds like cannon-

THE MEDITERRANEAN'.

31'

shot eve^ry now and then. The lava was said to
hn tlowino- from five craters."

A passage of sixty hours, including steam trials,
&c., brought the S(|uadron to Athens, where the
French, Russian, and Greek squadrons were lying.
The King and (^u(^eii came in in their j^acht m xt
morning, and all the shi])s salute-d and dressed
ship. The foreign ships dress from yard to y;n-d,
which does not look so well as the English fashion
from mast to mast. At Athens the Admiral dined
once with the King, and had two dinner-parties on
board. Owing to the heat, the taljle was placed
on the quarter-deck in the open air, and the con-
trast of tlie shaded candle-light on the table with
the starlight outside gave a pretty effect. The
first of these parties was to the foreign admirals
and ca|»tains. The llussians were most anxious to
acquire all the information tliey could. The
Frenchmen enjoyed their diiuitu* : there was per-
fect enjoyment in the tone in which one French
captain said, " Petlts pois h I'Estragon. Ah-h- h ! "
The other dinner was to the King and Queen,
Jmie 19. Of this occasion the Admiral writes in
his Journal : —

" After dinner he [the King] began to talk about
the cession (Ireece was to I'eceive from Turkey,
and that they could accej)t nothing less than the
line mentioned in the Berlin Trv^aty. 1 said 1 did
not see how, if he got Janina, tlie (Greeks could

r^T"'™ (.T^TFjr

.'} 1 H

SIR (;koiki{i;v i-rniM's hohmjv

^rovcvu It. II*' s;ii() tli;il vviiH iiol, ho; Ik- IumI
Irth'iH from Jill tlif most inflm-nt iai iiKiii, All*;iiii;iii.s
UH well ;is ()i<-rkH, K.'iyin^ ^'"'y wmld vvijlin^jly
c}i!i(i;4'c to Cin-i-k iiilf, l)H< tli;il, t licy Wfn- ;i,iV;ii(l
to H;iy s<» puMicly hu loti^ ;is tlioy \v(;i(^ umlcr IIkj
Tiji'kisli (iovcniiiHMiL"

Tlif AdimiJi! Iiiid Im'cii pioiiKttcd on llic I5llj,
;iim1 n-c.c.wrtl oil I Ik- I7tli [M-rmiHKioii to lioist liis
flii^ ill tin- m;iiii ; init iis lio disliked ;tny iipjXijii'-
aiKM; ol" oKlt'idat ion, Ik- vvaiti-d ti» lioist it till ;d't»'r-
Ik- irfl, HO ;is to avoid liaviii^ Ins ll;i^ suliitrd hy
tin; ion-Ajj^w slil|)s.

(Mm- of llir ol)jccls ol' tliis ,snnnn<'f f;iuis(t ol"
I H7I) vv;is to ins|)(M:l some of tlic [»ossiiil r (ro;ilin^-
Htid ions Ml llif ;ocln|)<'|;iMo : for tins |)nijjosc, hotli
Milo iitid StiiinjiitliJi were, visited.

Jnin-H'il. '' Mth,^ .hnn L'j, IH7i). We li;jvc
Imm'ii Iktc ("oni" d;i\'s. Tin- h.'iy is hir^'c iuid well
protecti'd, hut the dejdh of \v!i,te|- iriJikes liir- the
|jir^(!st |);ut un;i v;nl;ihle for (he ships. The hilln
on ejich side oi" the eiitninf;«; would iiMord iidmii"-
ul)l«i |)<»HitionH I'oi forts ; hut witJi siieh (Nm'J)
vvjiter ;iiid ;in eiitraiKte HO \'n'{\ from all difli-
cultiffs, I <|iiestion if ships eoiild he Htop|)ed hy
siMV iii-t,ilhriy fire IVi.m eiit,enn<c the noit, at iii<'ht.
'i'he defence iniiHt tr'ust t,o toipedocH. A/^;iiii, t hf5
N.K. <;nd of tln^ iHland is so well shelter<',d hy
Kimolo that, !i hindin;^ could (!a,Hily hi; elfeete*!
th(M<', uiileHH coHtly find lare*- works wei-e thrown
up t<» provont tin; unchora^c heing oo(jupi<;d.

TIIK MIlDITKIMtAMlAN.

'.19

illi-

Ki'oiii IIh'Ik;*' tin* (!<>ij(iiry is ojifn iuid ••;iKy, jiimI
it in hurkf'd <»ii llmt side hy ;i, riiii;^n- ol" IhIIh uliich
would uflofd <^iu>i\ .sil.cH (or ltiit.(<-(I<'S to lire on sliijiH
iiiooifd ill iIh- Iciv. I do tiot lliiiik it so r^'ood ;i
jtort iiM Sir Howard I'Jj)IiiiihIoiic injucsfUiltMl it,
1,0 h.-."

'' Sl<i,,,.i><il i,u^ JtiH.r 'J.H.- I wrht, to Port V';itliy
to-d.iy with ^ 'ii|)t,;iiii Soymoiir over rouds wliicli
W<-|'o, r)rtti<- l'ol|M||cst, if ilidftd tln-y cuw lie fidlcci

• •vet! loot |);i.t lis. I w;(,M <'ti;iriiio<i witli I li<- j)fiTfct,
hlniltoi' lor ;t fo;!! depot wlilfli tin- li:irli(»iir ;i|»|)<',;i,fH
to oircr. II" it fjiii Ix: do(|Mii('d, ;is tin; survo\' of
'77 jdlir'iiiH, it would lie iiiohI v;dii;dj|c to aiiy
iiii.vjil Power; ;iiid, Ko lii,r ;is one could )ud;.;i- in ;i
li;i.Kt,y visit, I Ik- i-iil i ;i,iicf would ho <';tHilv' dofoiidcd,
;ui<l ii must, ho the l;uilt o(" the holdcMK il" they
liiii,k<' the foiiiiliy ill fl"' I'""' (wliir;|i at, promMii
is (juito im|)rii.cii(;ahlt') possihlo (oi- an onomy
to advanco throuoh. N<»rtli, south, and west
the ^r<tund ruscH stcfji IVoni tin- liarhour, with
only a, narrow iiiar;^in of lov('| shore, ha.rdly ;'»()
Vii.r<lH wide. At the; east end the sjotx' is niore

• fcntle, iiiid there inav he a (•oiiple ol" hundred
acres ol" atahle lainl. 1 1 we lodk it, I ihink the
lirsl thin^'^ would he to hiiy up all the land in t he
isliUid north of it ; enclose and jdant, all tin- liill-
nidcH. At present, (he lellectlon ol" the lime rroli)
the hillside.H makes the place hot: trees would he
a ^r-eat ie|i«d', hut they cannot he ^rown unleHH thf;
^oatH ar(; kept oil' the hills, and the exp«)rt ol'

320

HIR GEOFFIIEY PIIirTS HOENBY.

cheeses, though very small, is one of the most
important of the island. In my opinion, dwelling-
houses should be built on tlie south and west
shores — that is, facing north and east — and
when they are liegun, it would be essential to run
a iiood sewer the whole len<2"th of the inhal^ited
part, discharging well outside th«^ harbour. There
can be little circulation in the harl)our, and if the
discliaro-e of refuse is not forbidden in the harbour,
it would soon become an o})en cess])Ool.

" The ]\Iudlr told our interpreter that the gross
produce of the taxes amounted to about .£400
a-vear, out of whicli his salary and that of one or
two otticers, zaptiehs, &.G., came to £280 ; so that,
spending nothing for the benefit of the island, there
was about £120 to remit to Constantinople. Tlie
old to^vn above the Scala was very curicnis : a
perfect rabbit-warren, with streets, or rather pas-
sages, which seemed to be barely G feet wide, but
withal less dirty than the general run of Greek
towns. There seemed to be very few Tui'ks
among the pojjulation, tliough the Mudir said
there were only 1500 Greeks cunong 5000 in-
habitants."

Rhodes, Boudrun, and the anchorage between
Paros and Anti-Paros were visited, but do not
seem to have struck Sir Geoffrey as particularly
suitable for harbours. At Boudrun he was very
nnich interested in looking about for the site of the
original mausoleum ; but though a good many in-

THE MEDITERRAXEAN.

321

eeii
Dot
ally
vvy
I lie
iu-

terestnig Greek and medieval remains are scattered
about the neighbourhood, he was not abh- to fix on
the right spot, and so little local interest, -\vas taken
in the matter that no one could guide him to it.
At Anti-Paros a descent was made into the mai'-
vellous cave, a great pocket, descerding oOO feet
into the side of the hill, and filled with the most
beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, some smooth
and transparent, others frosted over like ice on the
window-panes. Commander Lake of the Alex-
roidra had chartje of the arrtmijft'ments for the
descent, and managed all so perfectly tliat, though
it \Aas pitch-dark, and in one or two places rope-
ladders had to be used to descend the jn'ecipices,
the whole par-ty, including the Admirals daughters,
gt)t to the bottom without accident. Then in a
moment the cave was illuminated with blue-lights,
so as to show the whole beauty of the place.

Tlie longest stay of the summer was made at
Yourla, where the ships lay for nearly three weeks.
A cool breeze from the north comes in every day
about noon, which makes the heat less oppressive
than at most places in those parts. From Vourla
an expc^dition was made t(» Smyrna, and thence by
special train to Kphesus and Aidin.

Diary. " The ruins at Ephesus give the idea of
a large city, not like those in Greece. The rail to
Aidin well engineered ; country very fertile, and
looks as if there was little oppression or fear of
unjust exaction."

322

SIR GEOFFREY rHIFPS

HORNBY,

Th».

lU.

xt few weeks

were

spent between

SIgri—

where

le Admiml's

1879

CU[)

ANUS ^VO]l

^^y

Ewart, a midshlpinuii of the Alexandra — Tero,
MoLniros, I)eutliero, Leninos, and Mount Atlios,
where the Admiral eniharked some of the monks
and took them for a sail.

All througli tlu^ summer the routine was very
mueh tlie same: a d;iv or twf) at sea, steam
mantieuvring, target-practice, &c. Each moi-ning
after they anchored, the captains would come on
board t(j discuss mattei's, and to give as well as
to receive criticisms. Sometimes the ea})tains
criticised each other, and one or other would leave
the cabin with tlie words, "1 shall write a service
letter on the siil^ject, sir!" Then perhaps in the
afternoon the one who considered himself aiia'rieved
would beat the othei-'s galley racing on shore, or
an o]i})ort unity foi- chaif arose too good t<"» be
resisted, and peace was re-established without any
service letters };eing written.

In harbour th<^ di'ills and hard work were ffene-
rally got over befoie the heat of the day, so that
the rest of the day there was oidy the usual routine
and writing for mails. They generally managed to
find some place suitable for a lawn-tennis ground,
and when the partridges were strong enough on
the wing, if the weather was sutliciently cool, they
went after them. Sometimes they rode to explore
the country. T^>e Admiral's pt rry, Osman, had for
the last two years always acconipanied his master.

, I

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

323

and got quite accustomed to being hoisted in and
out of the ship, and jumping on shore or into the
launch when re-embarked. He had to spend the
days in his box, but at niglit a colhsion-mat was
spread for him on the deck, he was brouglit out,
and, after a good roll, stretched himself out com-
fortably for the night, never disturbing himself in
the least when the men jumped over him, for
blue-jackets have a wonderful power of inspiring
confidence in all animals. At that time they had
on board a hare, a pigeon, and a bear living in
perfect harmony.

Sometimes at night experiments were tried as
to the possibility of protecting ships in harbour
from torpedo-attack, by electric search-lights, by
look-out boats at short distances from each other,
by a floating hawser, and by a ])oom across the
mouth of the harbour.

Official Beport.

" October IG, 1879.

" The lotal result appears to be that ironclads in
harbour are open to the attack of locomotive
torpedoes from torpedo-boats with very little risk
to the assailants, unless the mouth of the harbour
can be closed by a boom which the boats cannot
break. If the ships can be seen from the boom,
it will be necessary further to hang torpedo-nets
under it. The boom itself must be protected by

guns.

55ri7?^S7ET?5r?^7:srrT3r?^!r':;3'?rrj^^

324

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPrS HORNBY.

Thus the summer wore on till the beginning of
September, when the Admiral, having got very
much knocked up by the heat, took a week's
run to Therapla. There he found Mr Laurence
Olij^lumt negotiating for the return of the Jews to
Palestine, the Ambrssadors of England, Austria,
and Italy very much at issue with the French
Ambassador about the settlement of the frontier
of Greece, and every one excited about a change
of Grand Viziers which was pending.

The Admiral rejoiiu'd the lleet at Sigri, and as
the ships were not allowed to go to Besika, during
the rest of the month he cruised slowly down by
way of Patmos, Kos, Marmorice, and Rhodes to
CJyprus. The day before reaching Cyprus (Official
lieport) " the Achilles ran alongside of, and came
into collision with, the flagship of this squadrcm at
about 4.20 p.m. The squadron was at the time
exercising steam tactics, each ship being manoeuvred
by the officer of the watch. I attriljute the damage
done to each ship being so small to the ships being
well handled by the captains when the collision
was inevitable, so that they fell alongside each
other, and only touched once. The defects have
been made good."

The damage caused by this laying the ships
alongside each other, and which the Admiral often
subsequently referred to as one of the prettiest
m inoeuvres he had ever seen executed, consisted
only of smashing the Admiral's galley and a few

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

325

minor articles, and cracking a plate in the bottom
of the AvkilU'S.

On October 1 the squadron anchored at Larnaca,
and on the 5th the Admii-al started in the Helicon
for a trip to the coast of Syria. At that time the
Admiral Avas anxious to see as much of Asia Minor
and Syria as possible, because his mind was full of
Lord Beaconsfield's scheme for establishing military
consuls in those parts, to open up the country and
to raise a militia which could be depended on in
case of Russian aijm'ession. There was also mucli
talk t)f a Euphrates valley railway, with a terminus
in the bay of Alexandretta. Perhaps, ii' Mr
Gladstone had not seen fit to reverse all Lord
Beaconsfield's policy in the East directly he came
into office, there miglit have been no Armenian
troubles to-day, but a peaceable and prosperous
country.

Letter to Wife.

" My trip to the coast of Syria has been a
very pleasant one. Tlie party I took were Tryon,
Lake, Gallwey (torpedo lieutenant of Alexandra),
Jenkins (commander of Temevaire), and Winsloe.
We left soon after midnight, October 5, in Helicon
for Tripoli ; we anchored there a little after noon,
found it very hot, and so did not land until 4 p.m.,
when we rode a short two miles to the town. We
unfortunately found, at so late an hour, the bazaars
shut ; but there was a queer and interesting mixture

326

SIR GEOFFREY PUIPrS HORNBY.

of Eastern ju'ople, Syrians, Arabs, Jews, and non-
descripts. Tlie Arabs were real desert-men, who
had come in with their caravans, and with very
marked features as well as dress. Nt^xt day we
went on to Iluad Island and Latakiah, small and
uninteresting places. The following day — Tuesday
— we steamed past Alexandretta, It stands on
the end of a niarsh, and oilers no attractions
except for a tine mountain behind it, which looks
as well, or better, from the sea than anywhere else.
AVe then steamed round the head <^f the bay to see
the field of the battle of Issus, and to look for a
new site whereon Tryon wishes to found a town
and have a railway-station, and then we went
on to Ayas Bay. It is a ojreat shooting-place in
winter, and a good place for francolin, which I had
never seen, so we stayed there twenty-two hours
and shot a few. Tryon was in great force, and we
had a merry party."

The day after his return to Larnaca the Admiral
rode up to Nicosia, and was much struck by the
beauty of the approach to the town. From Larnaca
the ships went on to Famagusta and Limasol, and
at each place the officials dined with the Admiral,
and seemed much to enjoy a civilised dinner after
their long time of roughing it. On the whole,
the island seemed to have improved in general
prosperity, but at Larnaca the town was not so

I /

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

327

clean or the roads so well ke])t as when a soldier
had l)een commissioner the year previous. At
Famagusta, to prove ho\, much space there was
in the harbour, the Admiral took the shi])s in
and out in two columns in line ahead. They
sailed on the 1 6th, and steamed in to Yaletta
harboin- in close order on the 24th, Almost the
first person on board to greet the Admiral on
his arrival was his eldest son, wliose death from
cholera had been reported two months previously.

The tleet, for the fii'st time for two years,
wintered at Malta: conse(juently the season was
an unusually gay one.

At last the time of his command drew to a
close. On February 25 a telefjram was received
announcing that Sir B^auchamp Seymoiu' had left
]*ortsmouth in the IncoiiMaiit , and everything be-
uan to be done foi^ the last time,— -the last cricket-
match, Polo Club versus Garrison, won by the
former ; the last polo-match, Iloyal Scots rn'svs
Garrison, won by the latter ; the last picnic ; the
last visit to the naval hospital, where the Admiral
always went once or twice a-week to visit the
sick ; the last dinner to naAal men at Admiralty
House, March 9. Then followed a farewell dinner
at the dockyard, where Admiral M'Crea proposed
the Admiral's health ; the leave-taking on board
the Alexandra, when (.'aptain Fitzroy, contrary
to Admiralty regulations, called for cheers ; the

'IM

mn^

?.28

SIR GEOFFREY I'lIIPPS HORNBY,

sayirii,'- "Good-bye" to the officers in tiie dockyard
on the nth; the embarkation on Friday 12th,
the yards manned, the bands playing, and all who
could uet away comin*; on board the Helicon to
say "Good-bye" again, when nearly every one
was weeping, and no one seemed ashamed to show
feeling.

329

2tlj,
who
1/ to
one
how

CHAPTEU XIV.

THE GREENWICH ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE,

1881 TO 1882.

LETTER OF APPROVAL FROM ADMIRALTY APPOINTED PRESIDENT

OF THE ROYAL NAVAL (COLLEGE — WORK AT (iREENWICU THE

EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN.

Within a week of his return to Eno'laiid tlie
Admiral was, at a meet of the hounds at Stansted,
being warmly greeted by many of his old friends.
Almost immediately he took up his cor .ty duties,
attending a meeting of magistrates to discuss county
business at Petworth, the Bench at Chichester,
the Board of Guardians at Westbourne, &c., &c.
Before this he had reported himself at the Admi-
ralty, where he had a very cordial reception, and
asked that extra leave miMit be o^ranted to the
crew of the Alexandra w^lien they arrived. Next
day he received a letter of approval from the
Admiralty couched in very flattering terms. The
letter ends as follows : —

" The war between Kussia and Turkey, and the

330

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

critical attitude of other European Powers, added
very inucli to the responsibilities of those duties,
and my Lords have observed with much satisfac-
tion the zeal, ability, and good judjnjment with
which you had carried out the instructions of
H.M. Government, and so ably supported H.M.
Ambassador at Constantinople in upholding the
dignity and honour of this country."

Folded in with this is another paper, " testifying
to the extraordinarily creditable state in which the
Alexandra was hajided over to her present officers,
reflecting the utmost credit on Captain Robert
O'B. Fitzroy, Commander A. P. M. Lake, and
Lieutenant James L. Hammet, and all who be-
longed to the ship."

These papers are docketed in the Admiral's
handwriting : " Approval of conduct while com-
manding in Mediterraneaji, but no promotion
offered on hauling down flag, and request for that
of Commander Lake, Lieutenant Hammet, and Mr
Mosse, senior secretary's clerk, not granted."

Captain Lake did ?iot get his promotion till
January 1881, and the letter announcing it to the
Admiral makes the latter the offer of the appoint-
ment of President of the Royal Naval College at
Greenwich. These Admiralty letters are some-
what deprecating in their tone, Vjegging Sir
Geoffrey not to decline the appointment without
coming up to see Lord North brook and Sir Cooper
Key, also that he would " sacrifice his own incli-

GREENWICH.

331

nations and wishes and accept the post." The
Admiral went up to see Lord Northbrook, and
accepted the appointment without any arriera
pensee, because with him the only consideration
which had any weight was the good of the service,
Writhig to announce it to his sister, Mrs Stopford,
he says : —

" LukijiNGTON, Jitn. 15, 1881.

"Naturally you will not congratulate me on
having to turn out of this pretty home again ; but
you will be interested to hear that I am going to
Greenwich. Lord Northbi'ook was jileased to say
that the rV)llege had got^ ' very \o\v, and that he
was sure the service would be very inach benefited
if I would go there.' J quite agr^e with the
premiss, whether the conclusioii will be achieved
is doubtful, but of course under such representa-
tions on^ can only go and do one's best. From
what 1 heard at the Admiralty I believed that the
vacancy would not take place till the end of
March, but Shad well writes that it will be on the
1st. This is a great bore, as I shall lose a mouth's
hunting, and we have this vile frost on. 1 hope
you will feel very proud of having your two
brothers ' Head-Masters ' ; l)Ut I leproach myself
frn' not having had sullicient presence of mind to
stipulate that I should be a doctor."

! i

■5

Every one knows Greenwich Hospital, the great
handsome building close down to the river-side,

332

8IU (;F,OrFRKY I'TUrPS HOUNFJV

. • ' I

with the Purk and ( )l>S';iVHti)i'y i-isini; bt'liiiul, and
the icfin /ailin^s whicli siUTound tin; eiicloKurt?
fliuikod on citlicr side by the Anclior and the Ship
of (hnin<r f'am*' ; hut. as Macaulay savs, " jr\v of
tho.S(< who now ^^az»; on the nohh'St of iMnojxjan
liospitals ai(! awarc^ that it is a ni<'niofial of the
virtues of thf; oood (^)iifcn Mary, r»f the love and
sorrow of William, and of the ^i-eat vicloiy (tf
La Hoiru(»." When Admiral Ilonihy went to
(lrernwi(;h the ench)snre surroundin<r tin- huildin^
was a hare expanse of ^rass and ^navel, to hi'eak
whieh lie oaus(^fl a doiihle row of ti'oes to he jdanted
at each end of the hui!dill<^ These litth- trees he
watched with the L;•l■(^at(^st solicitude, and he. was
\\<int to say that, when they wfre hi^- enoU"h to
he oi'iiamental and shady, he hoped that if notliin^^
else were lememher-ed of him, he wouKl lie ^ixtMi
CHidit for having- had them j)lanted. '^riiou^h he
also took the keenest interest in the redecoratioii
of thf chaj>el, \slii('li was ;4;oini^ on at this time,
his woi'k was maiidy athninistrative, a?id had to
d(»with the physical and mental w(dM»ein<( of the
ollicers at the (^dle^e. The j)hyHiral aspect of
thin;;s gave him pictty nearly as tnuch to think of
as the tiK-ntal. lioth extei-nally and internally
the place could not ))e considered a healthy one.
Externally, because the Thames, which runs close
by, could be likened to nothin;^ but an o})en sewer ;
internally, because the ])locks of buildint,^ thou^^ii of
various ages, were all old, as their names, Charles

CJIIEENWICII.

II., \VillI;iMi iuid Mary, Qu«;eu Anne, (inov^^i III.,
&c., testify, and very ill-suited to the modern
aj)pliances of C(us, sanitary urran^einents, kc,
vvfiioh liad Ix-en fitted into tlifMii. Tlie mess, also,
was very far from wliat fie wislicd to make it, lils
ol)i(;ct beinif that it should hi- t<» tlie Navv what
tlie one at Woolwich is for the Artilh-rv. When
the ( !olle^e was first moved to (irtjenwlch, the
oftlc(!rs \v(;re not allowed to have the Painted Hall
for ii messroom, for f'eai' tin- i^as should s|toil the
pictun-s, and the messroom had heen made in tli(!
hasement, and was conse(Hiently very low and
stufl'v. The ante-room was also in anotlaM' hase-
rnent, and the two connnunicated i)y a vnry cold
and di'auj^hty underp'ound passage. Meanwhile
nearly a whole block of huildin_i;s had heen given
uj) to the nnisenm, models of ships, Nelson
relics, kc, which har<lly any on(' evei- went to see.
The Admiral tried hard, hut unsuccessfully, to <;et
th(} contents (»f this nujseuni moved to the Painted
Hall or elsewhere, and the huildini; handed over
to the Navy for conversion Into a comfortable and
suitalile mess. I'houj^di not a)jle to accomplish
what he wished to do, the Admiral did everything
in his power to I'aise the tone oi' the mesH, and tf>
hiterest the ofticei-s ni its good manageniont.

Of course, though in many ways the vicinity of
Greenwich to London is a gr(;at convenience, yet
it has its drawbacks. When a place; i^; within
three or four minutes of a station, and twenty

I '

; t

334

Slit (;k<)I'kiii:y imiiim's uokmsy.

iiiinulcs uf ^ 'lintiiii'' < 'I'oHN, !i voniM'- rt'||<»\v iiiusl/
\>*'. v«Ty iiiril»it louH, oi- vccy si iidioiis, not lo .sfiiik
Home of llic Work oil o(',(:;isioii I In- l*r<',si(l(tii( oj"
llic ( !(>I|(M'(' rr(i!i!rc,s to fX('if!l,s(t ;i ''ifjil, i\r:\] ol"
iiiHiLrlit Jtiid t,;i(rt to know (;\;i.cllv vvlicii IokIiiiI, Ins
«!V<"H ;iinl vvIkmi t(» li;i,v<' (Ih'Iii very vvi(l«; <»|)(Mi
iiidfcd, to show ;i, nice <iiscriiniii;i,t,ioti \u:i\i(H',i\ ;i,
iiiJiii ol' ini-diocic ;il)ility vvli<» t.ricH liiH l*f.st iiiid
juioIImt ol'^dod j)iuts vvlut will not, w<iik, in fiici,
to s'M' (Ji.'it. every one is woikiii;,'' ;il the very
hi<(lie,st/ pressure ol' whieh his individiud lir;i,iiis
;ire ojipjdde. 'I liiit, the Adinii'al ll.xed his re(jiiire
liienl.s \erv hiuh IS illidoilhted ; hilt he ;dso Went
\(!ry ihoroiinhly iiit,(» th<' e,\iiiiiiii;i,t ions <|Uestioii,
holJi for the hoys enteiin;^^ the N;ivy;iiid for the
Huh lieiitciijiiits |);issiii^^' at. (ireenwieh. I lis -•liiii
iili'l ohjecl were, th;il (hi- (|iie,sl loiiS should he
honest oiK'S, dillieult, enough liiirly to test, the
kn'»wi(!d<^(; ol' the eoni|)(t itors. hut that l,lier<'.
hIiouM he no playine into the hands of e,r;iiiiineis
l»y M, t ri -k or (jiiihhle He jilso hinistJl" \'\u\n
time to time attfiiided viirious lectures on jdiysioH,
chemist ry, electricity, nnviil arcthitect ure, imval
history, kr,.^ hr., so that he niiyht see that they
WfMf well itiid f;le;uly de|iv»rM;d ; and Irom iJic
cnj)tjiiiiH and (•oinnianders who were studying'
at the, ('olleee he eiicouraj^'ed eriti(;isiiis as to
whether the lectui'His Were doin^ what I hey pro^
fessed -y.r., criaJiliii;^'' naval men to keep them-
HoivuH uhieuHt of all the dt'velopmentH of Hcioiicc

r;iiKi;\wi< II.

;{:{r>

••y

IM!

vvliicli li.ul ;(,iiy c'Miiiccl loll uilli ii;ivi</;it ion. In
tin- Kpiiiij.;; ol'lHH'^ iltc Adiniiiil liiiiiSflC (|oliv(uv;(|
tlirfr- Icct mcs on cxi'icisin;,; (](M',1s, wliidi wcrr v<;ry
well ;iMfn(lf(l, not only I'V tlx' ofli'^'-rs Ht.ij(lyin;.( ;i,t
tin; ( 'iiWi-^i- I)ii1, l»y .s(^ine iidiiiiriils jlihI ni;inv ol" the
<)l(l cnpliiins. AfhT tin- (IflivffV ol llio N-cl.inr-.s,
for \vlii<;li Im* liful for sfvcr.il inontlis Lci-n jircpjiiin^
noU^K ;in(l <li;Hii;ini,s, lie lnul ;i ^icat, ni;iny rcciiifjHt.s
f,li;if. Ill- vvoiiM jiijljJiHli iJii-iii ; hut In- s;ii(| ) IimI
llicn- vvtM<' niJiiiy hints Im- vvonlrj unc to l']iii'lisli
nii\;i! oJli(:<;rs uliicli Ik; v\;is nol (ii.sposrtl lo |(iil)li.sli
t,o (lie uoiM, ;iii(l it, Wiis not till tliict- y<';ir.s hiUiV
lli;il, lie ciiiIxkIhmI till' r'(!Kull.s of Ins rxjirricncc in
a hook fntitlcil 'S(|n;nlions of Ivxtircisc,' which
was |iiint,<'(l hy Messrs <irillln (Sc T'o.

While Sir' (ifoHVey vva,s at ihc ( 'oilf^c llur
Mik;i,<lo of Jaji.in sent ov(-r his iii|)h«'\v, I'rinrc
Tat'hito, to Hliidy tiK'rc. This .I;ij»an(s»; |»rinc<;
looked |Miha|ts yonri|.'<'r l,lia,n his ii^'o on ;i(;counlj
of lii> --mall slaluif, drciSKi'd hiinsflf j)cil(M',t ly in
l*ajro|i» iiii clothes, and had a very fair knowlcdno
of |']ii<rliHh. His in;iniM'rs vvcrc I host- of a. miohI,
finished little gentleman, and he seinied to take,
if, as a. H)»ecia,l coiriplinienl thai when he dllK-d
with the Admiral the tahle was de<;orate(| v\ith
chi'ysa,nt henmnis, the Jajianese royal flower.

The diitii'H (»!' " llea.d-inast<-i/' as the Adniii'al
culle<l his appointrnciil , woe not hy any means his
only ()(',ctij);tt,i()iis at this time. lj(! had a, ;^(k»(| dt-al
to <lo with the local allkirs of (ireeiiwich and

?' f.

< fi

(

336

SIR (4.E0FF11EY PniPPS HORNBY.

Bltickheatb, the Greenwich Boys' School, the
DreiKlrioiii^-ht Hospitnl, kc, kc. lie was also
serving cm a committee to iiKiuire into improving
the status <>f naval architects, and was constantly
l)ein£r consulted on a varietv of minor matters.
Another reason put ibrwartl for appointing the
Admiral to Greenwich had l)een, that he would
be near at hand iji case the Admiralty wished for
his opinion on any subject under discussion ; and
the Admiralty certainly availed themselves pretty
freely of the opportunity of consulting him, a week
rarely ela})sing without some such notice in his
Diary as, "To Admiralty about signal-book"; or
"Estimates,'' or "Building pr<)gnimm(\" &c., &c.

In the spring of 1882 troubles began brewing
again in the East, and in July the campaign com-
menced with the bombardment of Alexandria. Sir
Geoifrev was watchinc' each turn of the irame with
the keenest interest, and was kept au fait of the
progress of events from every point of view, —
from that of Sir Beauchamp Seymour, naval
Commander-in-Chief, to that of his own s<m, a
niidslii].HTiaii ser\'ing on board the Alexandra.

There was no lack of promotions and honours
given for this Egyptian cam{)aign, and Sir Beau-
champ accepted a peerage for the sake of the
Navy, as he says in a letter to Sir Geoffrey,
October 9, 1882:--

" You were most kind in w riting to me on the
21st, congratulating me on the peerage, which,

1 |!

-TT'-^'vrtrjy

GRKEXWICH.

337

Sir

I regret to say, I would give .£500 to get oii'. I
have only accepted it because 1 consider it an
honour conferred on the service and not on me
individually. I heartily wish that you had got
it instead of your obedient servant."

These two loyal old friends gi'udged eacli other
nothing of tlie tjood thino-s of the service which
had fallen to their respective lots, hut they were
both very emulous of keeping up the traditions of
the Navy. Sir Beauchamp had followed tlie Ad-
miral so fiar in every command — in the F'lying
Squadron, the (Channel Fleet, the Mediterranean
— but this was iiis last command. Though junior
in the .service he was an. older man than Sir Geof-
frey, and befitre the latter had Hnished his time at
Portsmouth, Lord Alcester had reached the age for
retirement.

I .1

' 1

)n, a

the
lich,

: I ;

^H"

338

chaptp:ii XV.

PORTSiMOUTH, 1 882- 1 88').

COiMMANDKK-].\'-ClIIEF, 18S2 — WORK AT POUTSMOL'TH CHL'IiSK TO

CIIANN'EL ISLANDS RUMOUHS OF WAR MANCEUVRKS FAUE-

WELL DINNER.

;£

The Portsmouth C(^mmand fell vacant in the
autumn of 1882, ami the three uho hatl been
talked of for vhe Admiralty in 1870 were also
named as possible Commanders-in-Chief, It was
oft'ered to Sir Cooper Key, who refused be-
cause he })referred remaining at the Admiralty ;
some urged that Lord Alcester should havn it
because he was within three years of retiring, but
as he had iiever yet preceded Sir GeoflPrey in any
command, the authorities adhernd to the ol<l pro-
cedure, and gave it to iht^ younger man, who was
directed to hoist his flag in succession to Admiral
Ryder, November 28, 1882.

Portsmouth and Plymouth are looked ujion as
the two biggest plums of the navy, and as the com-
pletion and recognition of a long and honourable

^■

i t

I'OHTS^rOUTIl.

339

the

l)eeii

also

t was

)n as
com-
lable

service. The duties are not arduous, except to those
people to whom entertaining is irksome, as a great
deal of entertaining is expected ul' a (/ommaiider-
in-Chief. In olden times it was considered a v<'i'y
good thing in a ])ecuniary sense ; but nowadays Sv.
many 2)eople directly and indiiectly connected with
the service are established at Southsea, that it is
nothing unusual for a Conunander-in-dhiefs wife
to have a thousand names on h»'r visiting list.
When this aiid the lumiber of casual visitors are
taken into consideration, it can be easily under-
stood that any o)ie at all hos])itai)ly inclined does
not find it easy to make the pay and table allow-
ances cover the expenses. The Commander-in-
Cln'ef at Portsmouth is for the time of his com-
mand an honoi'ary member of the Iloyal Yacht
Club, and Sir Geoffrey's favourite sununer amuse-
ment was either to watch the races from his own
yacht, or to take a passage in one of tht^ racing
yachts. Tn winter, if there were no royalties to
be received or seen off. no meetinsxs at the Sea-
men and Marines' Orplian Home, or other charities
to be presided over, or service mattei's to be at-
tended to, he would get away for a run with tlie
liounds. Two weeks taken from his Diary will
jxive some idea of his maimer of life at this
time : —

''Friday, Feb. 23, 1883.— To Littlegreen to
meet architect, a pleasant and sharp- looking man.
He had found the cause of most of the leaks — bad

' y

340

sill GEOrFREY rillPPS HORNBV.

lead generally. Good account of the lambs, but
two ewes lost.

'' Satynhiy, 'lAth. — (\)loinl) to see me about
j)lain clothes' quest ion. Much excitement about
it. Young Michael Seymour embarked. Nepaul
sailed.

" Sunday, '25fh. — With ]\Iichael Seymour for a
walk i*ound Anglesey, &c.

''Mondaij, 2G//^.— With HegMii and flobin to
Barn Green. A lartjfe meet and a lonij draw.
Found near Southwick, and had a good gallop up
and along Po'tsdown Hill ; lost him by making a
bad cast. Dined ^^•lth M'CJrea to meet Saxp-
Weimars and Lady Ailesbury.

" 'Tuesday, '27t/i. — Very tine. Gave dockyard
gardener a lesson on ]))"uning timl.)eT' - trees.
French and Austrian attaches to dinner.

" Wednesday, 28th. — Drove with E. to pay calls.
A good lecture by Dr Walter Reid at College on
naval lanterns.

" lliursday , March 1. — Duke of Cam))ridge down.
Serapis sailed. Attended meeting of governors of
grammar-school. Lunched at Government House.
Jack Fisher showed me a reply he was about to
write to Francis Eo-erton for Lord Hartino-ton
about £»"uns and Gun Committee."

Turning to the first week in August, the entries
run : —

" Friday, Aug. 3. — E. to a bazaar ; 1 to a
hospital meeting. Prince of Wales arrived before

PORTSMOUTH.

341

time, but we met him on pier. A reception for
him at Government House in a tent ; well done.
Saw King of the Netherlands' Cup for Koyal
Yacht r'ub. Did 'iiof go to 'Goodwood Ball' at
Southsea.

" Saturdu)/, Uh. — Called on Prince of Wales.
Princess arrived at 11.30 a.m. Fine, but sultry.
To Asia for a dance, and to Cowes aftenvards.

" Siiuday, 5th. — Pfeavy rain in morning, though
bar. stood at 30*2. Took a walk round 8outhsea
Common.

''Monday, Gfh. — liast of our Goodwood party left.
Went off to Wye with Lady Parker and Skipwith.

" Tuesday, 7tli. — Light wind and liazy. Over
in Fire-Queen for C/Owes Kegatta, a large party
on board. Saw yachts round the Nab, then to
Cowes, and landed.

" Wednesday, ^th. — To Littlegreen, lunched there,
and walked round Ijy West Marden and Forest-
side. (Jot very wet.

" Thursday, 9<A.— To Cowes for regatta. Fire-
works very moderate, and being outsid(^ the royal
yachts, we could not see their illuminations ; not
home till nearly 1 A.M.

''Friday, lOth. — To Cowes with Prince Edward,
to breakfast with Princ (if Wales, and sail in
AlitLC for the King of Netherlands' Cup. A strong
breeze. She carried away hook of peak halliard-
block, gybing round the Nab, and was out of it.
To Osborne to dine and sleep."

: !

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342

SIU CJEOFFUEY rilirPS HORNBY.

After the Cowes week came tli»' iiutiinui inspec-
tions of the harbour 8hi])S, the annual visit of th"
Arhniralty, the departure of the tnujp-ships, the
arrival of the Court at Osborne, and so on da
capo.

The first thing that hap])ened out of the usual
routine was the return uf Lord Alcester from his
Mediterranean command : the Admiralty yacht
EnchtDitress was sent to (lierbouro- to meet him,
and a large numV»er <»f naval and military men
assemhlt'd at rortsmoutli t(» receive him. From
Portsmouth Loul Alcester left by special train for
Windsor, and then on to town, where several large
diimers were i^iven in his honour. Sir Geoft'rev
was present at those given by Lord Nortbbiook,
and at the United S»'rvico Club. Of the furmei'
of these dinners he writes to his wife : —

''March 17, 1883.

*' I sat last night at dinner ])etween the G.O.M.
and Mrs (Joschen. He and I talked 17 to the
dozen. He was eloquent on {\\v moi'al and physi-
cal qualities of tht' Montenegi'ins ; T said my best
for the Turks of Asia Minor. The Pruice of
Wales was pleased to ask my opinion about a
greatcoat for the Navy, and premised his remarks
by saying ' he believed T took great interest in
uniforms.

This chaflf' of H.R.H. was doubtless in allusion

PORTSMOUTH.

343

883.

).M.

the

lysi-

^ of

ut a

arks

t ill

to ih{' pliiin clothes' question, which had l)0('n
a^ntating th(^ Portsmouth naval mind tlie previous
month.

Very soon after his return from the Alcester
festivities the Admiral was much shi^ckrd by
the unex[)ected death of his old friend, Admiral
M'Crea, at the Portsmouth dockyanl.

Admiral M'CVea was not only a very old friend
and fleet-mate of the Admiral's, hut he was very
j:;-enerally pojmlar for liis ahihty as an officer, and
for his t^enial hospitality and kind-heartedness.
The feeliuijf about him can he realised from the
window erected to his memory in the Portsmouth
Dockyard chapel, which has for its subject " The
Good Samaritan."

In fact the winter and sprint- of 1883 to 1884
was a very sad one, for not only did it see the
deaths of many of the Admiral's old friends, and
many distinguished naval men, but oti March 28
Prince Louis of Battenberg arrived at Avinnralty
House with the news of the death of the Duke
of Albany. On April I the royal yachts left for
Cherbourg to fetch the body.

A sort of chapelle ardentc had been arranged in
one of the cabins of the Osborne in which the
coffin was placed, amid a profusion of wreaths and
crosses, till early on April 4 the funeral cortege
left for Windsor.

Side by side with due reverence paid to the
dead seemed to come naturally schemes for the

( !

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344

SIR GEOFFREY PHIPPS HORNBY.

alleviation of suffering. It was during this year,
1883 to 1884, that the Admiral was able to carry-
through an entire reorganisation of the nursing
system at Haslar Hospital, and that he assiF'ted
Lady Hornby to institute an association for nurs-
ing the sick poor of Portsmouth, which still con-
tinues to flourish and extend its borders. More-
over, the Troop - ship Guild, started some years
previously by Lady M'Clintock, but which had
nearly died out from inanition, was re-established,
and althougii the Indian troop - ships have been
done away, the hired transports still carry boxes
of warm clothing for distribution to the wives and
children of soldiers on the return voyage.

In the early days of June the Admiral had what
was to him the great pleasure of presenting a V.C.
to Gaptain Arthur Knyvet Wilson, C.B. ; and a few
days later Lady Hornby launched the Calliope,
a little ship which afterwards distinguished herself
by steaming out of the harbour at Samoa in the
hurricane which wrecked the German and Ameri-
can ships. Later in the summer a great many
foreign ships visited Spithead — Americans, Italians,
Danes, and a Swedish yacht with the king on
board. The king spent a long day in the dockyard
with the Admiral, lunching at Admii-alty House,
and coming to a ball there in the evening, where
he stayed vei y late and danced a great deal, tak-
ing advantage of the incognito under which he
was travelling to select his partners.

•I

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rORTSMOlTTH.

345

After ttie foreigners had left, the Admiral started
for a cruise whicit h". Is supposed to make onco
during his PortsmouJi oonmmnd--i.e., to visit the
Channel Islands. Leaving Portsmouth o]i the
afternoon of August 21, lu^ reached Portland in
time to get Captain Fitzroy, then connnanding
the Hercules, to dine with him. Next day he
inspected the Boscmven and the Hospital, and
in the evening dined on hoard the Hercules, a
thorougldy naval diiuier - party, which he much
enjoyod. At II p.m. he sailetl for Alderiiey, vv'here
he landed early to insj)ect the breakwater and
forts. The const r-untion of the former disappointed
him. In the afternoon he went <^n to St Helier,
getting most lovely view\s of Guernsey an.d vSark
as the yacht passed between tlieni. Sunday was
spent at St IJelier, where he attended the French
servici^ iji the parisli church. The way the service
was done pleased him much, though it sounded
odd to English eai's to hear " Notre Keine tr^s
debonnaire " prayed for, Ijut he thorcjughly ap-
preciated the graceful turns of expression in a
most excellent sermon the Pharisee and the

Pul.)lican. Jersey is not .-i safe place to go «)ut
of in the dark, s«t the Fire-Queen waited till day-
light to weigh. She nearly missed the tide at
Havre, but by the aid oft' ^ j)ilot — a very " hrave
gan-on," as he called himself— they just saved it,
and got in In time for dinner. Leaving tht^ yacht
early next morning, the party started for Trou-

.'I
i i

mm.

;46

,SJR (ifJOFFREV PfllPJ'S HOKNnV.

ville ill ;i passeii^'er steamer, where tliey saw as
ranch of the place and the very pretty surround inijj
country as was possil)L' In twenty - four hours.
Then on Ijy rail to Uoiien, where the Admiral was
(lelii^hted ])y the mar-vellous ))eauty of the two
cathedrals, ami very much interested in the ([uaint
old houses, and the collection of anti<|uities in the
museum. Thursday eveniiii^- saw liim back at
Havre, and the, same night he crossed atji'aiii to
Portsmouth- -a rough passage, the only time during
the last week when tliert; had ])een wind enouo-h to
show of what knocking ;d)oiii the Fir<'-Q>Wi'ii. was
ca])able.

The Admirid got hack from liis ci'uise just in
time to receive some xVhyssinian envoys, line liaml-
some men in thi-ir pictures([ue natiori;d dress, over
which they wore cloaks of leopard - skin fastened
by ^'ery curious and massive gold clasps. After
this the Admiral settled down to completing his
book oil 'Squadrons of Exercise,' the manuscri])t
of which was sent off to (JrilHii on Februai'y 13.
The book was ready by May, and at first tlie
Admiral contemphitfMl the idea, of publishing it,
but refrained from thr s;ime reason v\hich had
]j)'ev(^nted him from [)u))lishing his lectures in
IH82. He kept the copies entirely in his own
hands, giviig them away t<» those among his
brother otficei's who wero likely to profit l)y them,
and the most importiint part of the Ijook is now
incorjjorated in the • Manceuvring Manual.'

PORTSMOrXII.

34^

St'oing how matters ([niftt'd dtiwii afterwards,
it seems curious to look l*iick and eliserve how
inevltal)]e war witli liussia seemed In the spring
of 1885, and iiow it ulmosi seemed as if the
Russians wen' taking tlie initiative. Judgijig
from the Athniral's lt;lters and diaries, it was a
veritnhl(! uai- scare, which after all only ended
in the initiation of the atimud na\al nuiiKeuvres.

Diary. " April 9, 1885. — Hear that the Jiussians
have attacked the Afuluuis on thf Kheish liver
and given theni a devil of a thj'ashing.

"ylpnV 10. — lieport that the Indian Govern-
ment wisli foi; war now.

^^ April 13. — Michael Seymour and Heneagodown
from town, — the f<jrm»'r to conunand an Atlantic
cruising squadron, the lattt-r to he second in
command in Mediterranean.

".!/>?•// \^d.—lri>ti Thikc ordiMvd to he conunis-
sioned,

" AprU 21. — Wi'iting hard most of tho day.

*' April '2'2. — Heneage says London was very
warlike yesterday : he wishes to go to Baton m,
but does not see how wo ai-«; to get into the IJlack
Sea.

"April 24. — To see Mi- White's tor] »edo - boat.
Admiralty can't make up thoii- minds to buy her,
and are wasting much time, lb- has otferod her
for £20,000, but will want X25,000 when - ar is
declared.

*' April 25. — Ri'puUe arrived.

— I jiiyifM^jii* jF"'««i!W"i'*TC^ ■p_,T-'^^-iF-''T"'P" ■ 'y" '7"VT^T'7

-ir-n^jwy

;48

sill GEOFFRFA' PIIIPPS HORNBY.

" Ajyril 26. — Lord Warden arrived.

" April 27. — Jack Fisher tells me he is to have
command of the squadron of tugs, ai'd otlier li,^*ht
craft, in Baltic under Hoskins.

"April 29. — Pressing' on preparations for war.
Kennedy appointed to Ajax.

"Apnl 30. — Walter Kerr appointed to Devasta-
tion and Kujg to Ilnpert.'''

Letter to Mrs Htopfonl.

"-Maj I, ]f^S5.

'' The country is absurdlv apathetic ahout the
war. It sliuts its eyes to the shameful neglect
of duty and the petty m<jtives which have sacri-
ticed our interests. Tt fancies we are efointr to
have ajiother Tel-el-Kebir cam[)aign somt^where on
Russian soil, and it fails to see how the Govern-
me^it may commit ns to a wai* in which we cannot
strike for tlie objects \\e are quarrelling about
without tlie permission of a thii'd Power, of whc>se
goodwill we iire not secure. The only vulnerable
point of our enemy, the Black Sea, has been care-
fully blocked.

" Now the only place w^here we can strike him
is tlie very place where w^e ought Jiot to do so
— viz., Finland. 1 am not at all sorry they have
not fisked me to go to the Baltic. The Reserve
Squadron was ordered thei'e, and it is quite riglit
it should go under its own admiral, Hoskins.
When I connnanded the Channel Squadron, T

PORTSMOUTH.

349

should have been veiy inuoli ag-oTioved if it had
been sent to the Baltic under another admiral.
I have always held that it work is to be done,
the vouno-est men will do it best. lloskins is
four years young-er than I am ; and in picking-
Cuhne-S(^ymour and ITeneage for commands, Lord
Northbrook has, I think, shown wisdom, as they
are young- and experienced. 1 wouldn't mind,
though, having a sliy in waters 1 know. If we
])egin this war, 1 can't see how we ar(? to finish
it without passing the Dardanelles, and I am
vain enough to think that I could take a fleet
up there better than tiie Commander-in-Chief of
the Mediterranean.

'Mlowever, you recollect liow our dear father used
to sav. ' No one ouL'-ht to go to sea after he is
sixty, for he can't sleep properly.' I am sixty,
and I don't sleep as I used t(~> do, so I am quite
satisfied to go or stay as the Powers may decr«^e."

Diary. " Maij 3, Sundai/. — Brassey called, said
there would be no war, and suggested a review.
I objected strongly."

After this anti- climax the Government \\as
doubtle.ss a little puzzled to know what to do
with the large numl)er o{' ships assembled at
Portsmouth, as nothing transpired for mor(- than
a fortnight. The Admiral takes up the subject
again in his Diary : —

''May 17. — To town to see Key about cruise.

I '

i ^

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■ >

350

SIR (iKOFFREY J'Hiri'S HORNBY.

Found hliii leady to ^nve me everything — Lcander,
gunboats, Orec/on, tugs, &c. Many greetings in
Clul).

''Moi/ JO. — Called I ) town by note to see Lord
Northl>rook, who wishes me to take commaml <tf
the rieet, to carry out experiments on attack and
defence with Whitehead torpedoes.

"■ Jviic I, — Busy all day writing and going into
plans of }»oonis with Markham and Jetfreys.

'''June 5. — Hard writing all day preparing orders.

^^ Jnn<: 0. — Hard at work preparing for start.

'' Juim 7. — Left Portsmouth in Fire-Queen, got
into Portland at 7.10 I'M., and Joined Minotaur.
Britten had made my cabin very cheery t' ^ ■ '''m^
in half-a-dozen of his best pictures. Thei.- are
already four arm-chaiis in it, so I shall send back
the one 1 brought from home.

^^ June 8, — Admirals and captains met me at 10
A.M. to talk of booms, mines, and signal-book. Li
afternoon returned admirals' calls, and to look at
the tor])edo-iiets of Snlt/vn and ShdUiton. Hoskins,
Dun-ant, Fitzroy. (Jallwry, and others al dinner.
The. cook is fairly good, and everything nicely
one.

LMrr to Wife.

'^Minotaur, BEBKitAxK.v, Ju/if, 11, 1885.

" We arrived her<i about 4 p.m. to-day, after a
remarkably fine passage and plenty of steam tactics.
L"^ntil to-day it had not Ix-en hot, nevertheless we

PORTSMOUTH.

351

who have been a great deal on deck are frightfully
burnt. In fact, you may tell Mrs Fisher that the
conijilexions of her husband and yours are in a
dem'd statt^ We are hard at work making booms
and laying down torpedoes, to prevent the enemy
from blowing us up by torpedo-boats or running
us down with rams. Yesterdav we had a corvette-
course. Andoe in the Mercury was iiunted by
Gallwey and another man in two torpedo- b(jats.
It was very gratifying, for Andoe came back
saying he had sunk a torpedo-boat, and Gallwey
reported that he had destroyed the Mtrcury.

ti a
^tics.
h we

"June 12.

" The laying out of the mines is a very long pro-
cess, and interferes very much with placing the
boom, which should keep out torpedo-boats. We
were to have had four gunboats, and for want of
them we cannot tow out our boom and lay the
mines at the same time.

"June 14.
" On Friday night four small ships and four
torpedo-boats went outside to watch the port,
while Gallwey went out two hours later with nine
torpedo-boats to drive them away or l)low them
up. He has not returned, as I gave him leave to
take his boats to Glengariff or Bantry, so that his
men might have a pleasant run till to-morrow
evening. Service in those boats is hard, ('aj)tain
Dale, who commands the blockading force, says no

352

SIK GEOFFREY PHIITS HORNBY.

torpedo-boat found him, but that the Mariner had
a boat under fire which turned away. The interest
between the two parties who act against each
other is intense, and 1 doubt not we are going to

learn u i^ood deal.

" June 18.

" On Tuesday niglit we went out with this ship
and two others to see if we could get j)ast the
blockading squadron of ships. No one but Gall-
wey knew that we were going to move, and I told
him only l;Hcause I wanted him with liis tor])edo-
boats to SAveep away, if he could find them, the
torpedo-boats of the enemy, and to frighten off the
small ship that was looking out in a special direc-
tion. I had a party to dine, so that it might be
thought unlikely that we should start. However,
thouLdi the nio:ht looked dark, it was not so.
Gallwey took the look-out ship readily, but most
of the other torpedo-boats kept out of liis way.
One of them caught sight of us, and very cunningly
kept abreast of us at first, so we thought he was
one of Gallwey's lot, and indeed two of our boats
were on the other side of us. Of course we could
show no light, so it was impossible to ask questions.
Presently the rascal threw up his fireball, so as to
give notice to the blockaders that we were coming
out. Our torpedo-boats immediately went for him,
but he was too fast. The small ships drew off the
land, so that at daylight they might be in sight
of us, and so we found it was a coup ma7t(pi£.

PORTSMOUTH.

353

r had
terest
, each
Jig to

me 18.

is ship
st the
, Gall-
I told
rpedo-
m, the
off the
I direc-
ght 1)6
wever,
lot so.
t most
s way.
iiingly
le was
boats
could
stioiis.
as to
loming
[r huii,
l)ff the
sight

I'll! it was very good ext'i-clse and exj)<TieiiC(? all
round.

"J«HC'23.

"These liisli iii'e df^'lestahly lU''; -i. Last year
one of them nsked co!ri])eiisati<>ii for a calf which
was said in luive heuii prematurely born frojii tlie
cow lu'ini; friglitened l)y a torpedo discharge-, and
got it. Now several aie soiiding in falmjous
claims. One wrote for compensation for damage
done to his land by Sj)ars having })een liuuled np
on the beach. 'Daniel Bai-ry' makes claim ' for
trespass on his potato-garden, and injuiv done to
his cows by reason of the noise and waving of Hags,
£.'1' 'i'lie palish priest indorses liis claim, saying
he is a very iionest and poor man, with many
children, and that the value was assessed l>y two
most respectable men. Aftt?r much search the
scoundrel showed me one fo(>t,print in his potato-
i)ed, but « n close inspection it pro\(Ml to be made
by a bare foot. I met tlie priest a little later and
gave him a bit of my mind.

" June 27.

"The Lcunboats are come, so we shall hav- nm-
sham tight, probably on Monday. We continue
mutually to seize sus])icious persons as s})ies. Last
night young Thyiine came down with a letter from
Hoskins and an artist. Tliynne made himself busy
in examining the mine-field, and the artist made a,
sketch (/ the l)oom. They were imprisoiuHl iiu-

i 5

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■^

354

sin tiKOlT'REY rilllT'S IlORNr.Y.

medi.'itely, nnd tbe artist, who, I pivsume, Is a
i^^ood fMl<i\v, has bi-vn permanently aiinexed by the
A(/in<(H!ii. Tti-dav two niids <»!' ilie n'Oii, D>ike
went hv land to (ilenijjaritl' tor a Saturday's ontint,^
They have been seized, and, 1 suppose, Avill be
kept at the hotel.

•' We ' declared war' yesterday. G.-dl^voy cume
down will) Mcrcuyif and his boats and captured
two of our lioats. Iloskins came down to attack
ns last niuht about 1.1 p.m. : the siuiile boom was
jumped, but the double one is secure. Early ttiis
morning we began some experiments with (an*
boom. Ivaii I'tJ iiphciDus at it, tiying to stop her
w Itli Whitehead torpedoes ; but she was well
handled, escaped them all, and blew up part of the
boom, but hardly made it passable.

''July 2.

"We ai'e «>ft' for a sea voyage, so you nt^^d not
ex|)ect to heai' again till you see a letter."

Diary. ''Jul if 3, — Sunbeam in company. Bras-
sey came on board at 9 a.m., and ' l)egaji steam
tactics ; but thick mist came on, ar x I was glad to
get them in two columns again, four cables apart,
before it came on thick.

'''July 4. — Told the slii])S off for anchoring in
tln-ee divisions. Formed ttiree cohunns on ap-
proaching anchorage at Blacksod Bay and moored.

, IS u

)y the

Duke

•ntini^.

,111 l^e

uie 30.
y- CiiUie

ptuied
attack
)ni \\!is
•ly tills
til t >ur
t(>|) I lev
IS \\v\\
(.r the

Udy 2.
c(l not

Bras-

(-ICDIl

'lad to
apart,

•uig in
on ap-
iK )ored.

i'OKTSMOl'TIl.

355

"./?'/// 0. — Arianged an attack hy the first-chiss
boats, 'i'he elrctric h^hts were luid diagonally
away from the fltM't, so that boats coming in nnist
cross tliem, and picket-boats were auchorod oil',
with second-class torpedo bouts palroUing. It
answered well, as all boats were seen on entei'ing,
and the nets caught the torpedoes."

Letter to Wifn.

"Belfast, Jul;/ 14.

"We ran in liere this moniiug after an interest-
ing and amusing cruise of fom* days. On Friday
morning Admiral Whyte and his division sailed
from Blacksod lUiy to interc<-pt us in oui- attempt
to pass romid tlie north of Ireland, so as to attack
this ])lac(! or Greenock. After they left we saw
the Oregon return, a little after sunset, towards
the harbrmr to watch us. We took little heed,
however, for the night was dark and dirty, and
iniless we ran over her there was little chanc(^ of
l>eing seen. l>y morning we were thirty-Hve miles
off the land, liut the w«Nitlier was nasty, and the
other torpedo-boats could not deal with it, so they
had to be sent back to Blacksod, and the lleela
went with them to rejiair and to look after them.
Gallwey in liis boat and ATerevn) went on to
Colonsay. My plan was tt> go there, and run
through the I'ather narrow sound which separates
Islay from Jura, pusli acrt)ss from thence to the
high land of the Mull of Cantire, under shade

! >

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^mm

IMAGE EVALUATEON
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

// V^-^

1.0 Ifi^l^

I.I

1.25

^ 140

1.8

U 11.6

'e^.

356

SIR CEOITREY I'lIirPS lIORXnY.

of which r liopcd to pass down nnpt^rceived,
and pos.sihly get round th»^ Mull aiul go up to
Greenock.

'•We made a long jKiSKnge to (joloiisay. First,
because we had to keep a long way to the west to
kee]) clear of th<^ Onyoii. Secondly, l»f :ause I
coul<l Jiol drag the gunl)oats along (piirker than
seven knots. We reached ihat islnnd yestej'day
mormng, landed, and enjoyed a ramble over the
heather and a glimpse of Sir John M'Neills house;
and T tliought what a jolly place it would be for a
summer or autunm, Gallw«!y had run <lovvn Tslay
Sound, found nn one was watching the south end
of it, and by cHmbing a mountain saw Whyte's
ships and ;dl he was d(»ing. At 4 P.M. we ran
through, and very pi'etty it was. — saw a lot of
d(H'r on Jura. We anchf»red in a littl(^ nook on
the east side of jslay, hidden from south, to wait
for «lark. Unluckily, it remains light so late in
those high latitudes that we could not weigh till
ten o'clock, and as we had i>vei* twenty miles to
run, it made us late, so that when we got to the
Mull the tide was makin*^ against ns, and beintr
spring-tidt^s. we could hardly stem them. Never-
theless, we h.ul clearly jockeyed them so far, and
passed at least one of their shi])S without being
Feen : we were very sjinguine of success, and the
interest ftdt was immense. All of a sudden a little
firework went off close to, and then we saw a
torpedo-boat not 100 yai'ds otr. She fired a

PORT.SMOITU,

357

rocket, [tiid it was answered, and we saw our lu)[)«?s
of surprise were over."

Letter to Mrs i^iopfonh

"We should have re(|uisitiojR'd (ilas_i,''ow for
,f35,000,0()0 if we had hreii ;tt war, hut. as our
agreement with the 'enemy' was, that we wiM'e to
go up luiobservt.'d , we were <»l»hged to play fair and
fraternise, wlien that dirty little torpedo-boat
found us out. We all feel the better for tlie
cruise, and f find that [ sleep a deal better on
board than 1 do on shore."

l)eing

beimx
id the
little
saw a

red a

Diary. "■ Jnhf 21, Portland. — Orders to bi-ejik
U]) s<|uadron. Foreign attaches down to see
S(|uadron, Iniiolu-d on board. Gallwey .ariived
with tor]>edo-hoats.

'' J nil/ 22. — A farewell dinner-party. Weighed
at 9 P.M. with East ei'n Division. Fired two rockets
to show that ' o))erations were conclude<l.' JSIany
expressions <-)f thanks for lessons giv^en.

" JnJi/ 23. — Anchored at Spithead at 7 A.M.
Dressed for Princess Beatric<''s ^v'edding."

This was the end ju'actically of his active ser-
vice, though it was four months longer b«'fore his
tittg came down. At the fju'ewell dinner given to
him at the club, November 27, Captain Ooloml)
was in the chair, and in proposing the Admiral's
health, spoke of the warm alfectiou entertainetl tor
him in the service, and the regret at his leaving,

'VlUl-'f.

358

SIR GEOl'FTtEY PIITPrS IIOHNliV.

concluding his spcccli with th(> ronuirk " that the
Adnnnil was as straight as an arrow and as true
as steel."

Accordinn- to the * United Service Gazette.' the
gallant Admiral, in res])onding, spol<e of the ujii-
f'orin good fortiuie wiiich had followed his early
advancement in the service. JMaced as he was, he
could not but look fo)\\ard to a liap])y future,
even though separat»^d from active service ; hut on
looking Lack, he could not Imt lie thankful tiiat his
lif- liad heen spent in the Navy, .nnoiigst those
whose first ])rinci])les wei'e honour, xeal, and deter-
mination to do their duty. He then paid a warm
tribute to tlio ollicei'S who had liffu from lime to
time undfi' his command, for tln'ir unvarying sup-
])ort and assistance to liim. lie had seen many
changes in tlie service, and many u})s and downs,
since he wfMit to sea. It was very low when he
joined Admiral Martin's flag in the Mi-fhterraiiean,
hut sinco then the Na\ y liad r;ijiidly imjn'oved,
esj)e'(!ially In tho l;ist trn vi'urs. lit- ci)nsidered
that much of thi' improvement was duo to th(^
estahlisliment of the Collego at Greenwich, which
was producing a class of officers whose iiiHuonct^ on
the men w.as so marked. It was also «hn' to the
practice of the officers personally instructing the
men in the di^tails of theij' work, which ga\e the
latter a remarkabh- confidence in their oHicers.
Sjx'iiking of tho advantages of early [U'omotion, he
said he was assured that when responsibility was

PUKTSMOUTII.

3.-) 9

was

imjxjsed cai'ly. tlie nuiii was all tlit' iiioiv al)le t<>
bear It. While tlie jh'r^fnmn / ot* the Navy was
never U'tter than at the pieseiil, material was
lamentably low. TheiH were .shi|»s witiiout speed,
^uns without ran^e, and hdilejs with (Uily a t'rw
months' lilt' in tliem. It, was called economy, hut
it was only not spendin^^ niMH.'y. It was as if* lit-
were to let his barns p> to min to avoiti spendino-
the money to I'epair and replace them. 'I'ln' linlurc
in material mii-ht be traced to the movemt-nt of
1870, which tended to make the naval element
snl)ordinat(^ to the orovei-nnnMit oi' the seiAic«% and
which made it more diflieult to i-et the iia\al voice
heard, hut he was surt^ that naval oHicers wo»ild
not be lit M irresponsible should ilisastfr occur. It
was incumb«'nt on tliem to spt';d\ out when they
had tlie opportunity. A pnicedeni they had in
the example of the grt^at man wht)se picture (j^tird
Nelst>n's) was t)])posite to the speakei'. lie wrt)1t'
that, if he died, " want t>f lrii;-ates" would be fbiuid
ennTaved on his lieart : and it was so now. \\'ith-
out abundance, of cruisers and tor])t^do-l)itats uo
fleet could be called comj(let»\

The Athniral ct included a sjieech, which Mas
listened to with the most appreciative and ctMictii-
tratetl interest, by ho})in«j;- that his las' words weif
only a " Fai'evell till w»* meet at^am," aiitl by re-
cordiuij: in warm and touchinu woitls his thankful-
ness that his life had till then been spfiit among
naval officers.

360

SIT{ (IKiU'FREY I'lIlPrs UOIJMiY.

The two follow iiio- letters will j'ive some idea of
the good feeling which fxist'-d between the
Admirul Jind those under his coiiunaiid : —

To C<qifaia Colomh, E.iX.

"Admikai.ty HoL'SK, Phhtsmoith,
JStipteiuber 1, 18k:}.

" SfR, — The anxiety I have felt for so many
years, fi'um your h'liilency to forget imjvirtajit
parts of your duty, Btill jtursuow me. I have renson
to doulit u'liether you have done anything for the
last six months to maintain yoin* skill <is a marks-
man, espooially in tiring at a moving ohjcot.

" I have therefoi'e to request thnt you will make
provision for the discharge of your ordiiiMry duties
on Tluu'sday next, the 7th inst., and will parade at
the Harhoui- Railway Station at 0.55 a.m. with a
fowling-pi(^ce and suital'le cartridges. The object
at which you will be exercised will l)e partridges
(clevei" rhymo !).

"If not otherwise disposed t»f, you will be
allowed to return to above-mentioned at 7.25 P.M.
— I remaii\. sir, your obedient servant,

" G. Pfupps Hornby, Achniral,

"Admiralty Hdr^K, Pi k MonTn,
JSeptemOtr 9, l'^"!.

" My dear (^olomr, — 1 am authorised oy the
Rt. llonble. Sir Cooper Key, G.C.B., to a?(piaint
you that it is his intention toapj)oint you to reheve

iHipT^^Morni.

361

('aj)l.iiii li'Avlcy, A I ).('., ill cuiimi.tiicl <>!' tlie D'ikc
of \[ e/liiKjfoii, wlieii lie va<'jit('S on ])r<>nn>tii)ii ; mikI
In tendering- my congratulations to y^^w, 1 may
aiM, tliat from \\\r wciijit llit> Ut. Ilonitlc. oHioer
attaches to harmony of iction in these ports, he is
confident that yoii will not only conform to the
directions you may fi'om time to time receive from
your C-in-('hief, hut that von will nlways think
precisely as lie does on oil topies ; notably, on such
naval (piestions ns sie-htlne shi[)S. maiKuuvrin^i' in
groups, rules for avoiding collisions. The last is a
thing to be jtarticularly attended to, and I am
graciously j)leased to acknowledge that so long as
you do this, it is possible thai we may not ([uarrel.
— Yours verv trulv, (j. PiiiiTS Hornby."

the
liiiit

leve

I ,

3G2

CIIAI'TKII XVl,

Al» Wl K \ I (>!• 1 ilK KI.CIiT.

lAVK \\ r,l)|!I)INiiT<'N— n.r.n. ANIJ \.ll.C. — llli: (H'KK^ '^ irnii.i'K —
AliMlK.AI IlK niK Kl.Kin — 11.IM>S liKUMAN M \ N iKl V |{|'>.

TlKUCIl lit' li;i(i still Ipii \(';irs t<> Sfl'Af fit tlic
actixo list, lilt' Adiiiii'.il sctlK'd at Lt)nliiigt(iM, ami
said that lu'iicet'oi'tli lie \v(»uld Itt'cuiii' "Yi'oinaii
Hcrnbv," a man wlio t'aiins liisuwn I. iid, Tln-aiii'i-
ciiltural dt'|iii'ssiini, likt' tlif linic <>[' |)ios|n'rit \' bf-
fitrc it, was advaiioiiii;' with It a|i^ .md htninds. His
])r()]»erty. th<»u_:!;li it had htM-ii iiii|iit»\i'(l in thi> mat-
ter of rtiads, farm-l)uildiii<^-s, and cittai^^t'S, hrf)ui;ht
in somt'tiiiiiL; less than hall' what it had done ten
yt'ars [a I'V itnisK-. anil In- was haiilly f\ fi v\ithi>ut
{1 t'ai'in tJii his hanijs. All idea <it'l)t'ini; ahlf to live
al Littli>i;"i('t']i hatl to ht- ahantl'ii. cd. In llif early
nionthw ol* isjsi), wlidt- tho li<»iisi' v\,is imli'l, ho was
there very IVotiUfntly, and t-arh visit is marked hy
feon«t' such entiy in his I)iary as

'' Mfti'rl, 'J.\), 188(1. T«» Littleoivfji, very low to
sec how nice that dear honse is .ind we l)a\t> no
prospect of livMiit there."

His

nat-
ten

tout

livp
•inly

Wits

-i/y^ "i^^^

"P '•»

G.C.B. AND A.D.C.

363

''April L7.~Onr tliiity - tliinl \ve<l«liiin' - day.
With K. to LittlfgnM'u. Place lovfly, f»'t'liiii;f
very low a})oiit it."

Exce})t witli len^ard to liittlr^neeii, it is only in
the two years afU-i- lie K-ft Portsmouth that he
makes any com])laiiit <»f the state of his atVairs ; hut
on the last (lavs ol' these two years he writes : —

''Ike. 31, I S8(;. — Parted from this year, ^\hioh
has heen a most happy one, from the conduct and
society of our children ; hut tiie worst Hnancially,
and the most anxious on that score, that I have
evei known."

"Dec. 31, 1887. — So ends a \'ear wheri'in 1
thmk I have had more enictvment of home life,
and fi'oni my children, than i ever e\j>erienced he-
fore ; hut, on the other hand, the most crushing
anxiety and pinching toi' want of miuiey."

He was never too pooi-, h(»\\ever. to [irovide em-
ployment in I'oad-makini;, oi- in the woods, for
poor lahourers who had he»Mi thrown out of work
hy the hard weatlier ; to jirovide warm dimiers in
the school for the children who li\ed too far away
to ^o home for theij dinners; oi to kee[) old folks
who ha<l worked all theii' 1i\<'s on the jn-opiM'ty
from the woikhouse. Nay, even outside his pro-
perty there were many occasions when he took
specially hard cases under his protection. Truly
his right hand did not know what his left hand
did, for many would have found it difticult to be-
lieve that the man who uisisted so rigidly that

^tk

3C4

SlH riKOFFHKN I'HIFTM UnHNUV

every contract sliouM \>c raithfully canii'd out,
and was bo seven' t»n any laljourcr wlio was t'ouu*!
scaniplni; "i- sliitkini; liis work, could 1m» sr) tender
and laviwli in any case of real sufleiin^.

'l\vo luxuries only Jn* allowed hiinsell": these
were, keeping' tlie ljOi'din*,Mon sljootin<; in liis own
lian<ls, ant ne hunter, jjoth •! these he enjoyrd
mainly for the sake of his sons, who lu the last
day of iiis life were always " the l)«)ys" with him,
and his ideal shootinir-party was to have his three
sons, a son-in-law, one old naval friend, and himself
to make up the isix guns. As to hunting, as he
said, "It douhjes th«' [»leasure to have a hoy
with me," an«l ho was certainly as keen and as
bold a I'idtM- as any boy.

Lufkily his old black hors<', '" liudj^e," was a
very safe conveyance, and carried his master per-
fectly for twelve seasons. It miidit almost be said
of the hoise, as the 'Times' said some years later
of the Admiral, that " ].»' never made a mistake."
Budge and his mastej- were generally very well up
with the hounds, sometimes the only members of
the field to see the whole of the run, .is, for in-
stance, on .laimaiy 18, 1m8(): —

Letter to Mrs Stopford.

"T have had a rare day. I started this mor-
ning with Itobiu to meet the Goodwood Iloun«is
on Ibdnaker Hill, and came in for what they tt'll
me is the best run they have had this year. We

ecu. AND A.D.C.

O /• "

ran witliiii ji inilc* of Aniiidfl, and tluMi tw(» miles
Imck ai^aiii ; and only tlu- lunitsinan, one whij), a
fainuT, iJobin, and I v, Te uj» at tlio kill. Wdl
<lone tln' llornhv famikv! TIk- laniu'i- liad no
Ims'-^'jSH there, I'or ho cut in hy a Hukc iji the last
nulf, but the rest (tfus ludc it fairly."

Ill his other tasl«*s thr Admiral waw fxtrciucly
.siin|»h' ; Ih' never smoked, aii<l was remarkaMy
alxsteniious both in eatin;"' and drinkinu'. His
everv<lay lite was to start immediately alter
breakfast for a run with his dojL;-8, and then to
•'m[)loy the I'esi of the for<'nof)n in writing' «'r see-
iiijjj his tt-nants <>r \vork-|)eoj)le. In summer, part
of the forenoon would be t^iven up to his bt-rs,
whose dili^o'iit way of life was of imi-M-nse ainuse-
nit'iit and interest to inin. After lunch he would
be otl" directly, either to see how work was gettiiii^
on at thii farms, to see to the felling oi' planting
of timber, or to his favourite occupation of pruning
or trainiiiii" the vouuiT trees in tlu; woods where
the undirwood had been cut. At tea, Ih- jiad
always some aimising account to give of w hat he
had been doing during the day, or comments to
make on t!»e tloings t)f others, after which he
would go to his study to w rite or read till diinu*r-
time, or in summer, if no lawn -tennis were going
on, he dug plantains on the lawn. He was very
particular alnmt the keeping of the grass and
gravel paths, that the trees and shrubs should be

.-XTT

wtr~*

wmm

360 SIR GEOFFKEY PTIirP^i HORNBY.

cared for and have plenty i»f room. ])ut lu flowers
and veget;il)le.s Ik' took ?io interest. They might
be necessary ioy decorative nv culhiary purposes,
out it was nlmost tlie only point at issue lietween
Sir Geoffrey and Sir Thomas Symonds, that the
latter could never stir his old friend into any
enthusiasm oij horticultural suhj<.'cts. Of course
the dogs had to he considered, and dogs are pro-
verbially bad gardeners, and with the Admiral it
was a decided case of " Love me, love my <log."
N<»t ojily were his f»wn sporting dogs very well
cared for, but old favourites heloncfiriij: to his sons
Avere always encouraged to spend the remaining
years of their lives in luxurious leisure at Lord-
inu'ton ; and his dauirhter's cttUit', Jlob, had the
very largest possible amimnt of spoiling. Hf even
shared his master's after - dinnei' cii]) of coffee.
Then he would retire to his corner, while the
Admiral leant back in his arm-chair, crossinjr one
leg above his other knee, his left hand stretched
out as though he \ver(^ warming it, wliethei" there
were a fire or no ; and takino- his book in his ri^-ht
hand, he read without clianging his attitude —
except, peiii.'ips, to change the volume — ofteii till
nearly niidjiitj'ht The last bo(tk in his hands at
night, the first one he o})ened in the murning, was
always his Hihle. Neither fatigue nor press of
Imsiness ever induced iiim to nea'lect this. His
religion was not kept for leisure h(;urs and Sun-

G.C.B. AND A.D.C.

367

days, but was with hiin coutiimally, the I'uliiig
inotivti of his life.

Even after he settled at Lordinrjtoii liis life
continued to he a very Inisy one, and the simple
country life described above was very fiequently
interrupted by county business an.d matters con-
nected with his profession, which took him aw;iy
from home. One of his tirst absences after hn left
Portsmouth was on a sununons to Windsor to be
invested with a G.C.B. Lord George H.imilton
had announced to him tliat the lionour was about
to be conferred, in a letter written December
1885 :—

"I have just had the (^)ueen's assent signified to
a proposal I ]iut forward to signalise your retire-
ment from Portsmouth Avith a (i.C.B., and I have
nuich pleasure in coimnunicating to you this in-
telligt^nce. Your woi-k in conmiand of the evt)lu-
tionary s(juadron was so exceptional that 1 am
fflad to be able to associate some distinction with
it.

This letter, and the very warm congratulations
of a great many of his okl friends, gave the Ad-
miral great pleasure, as ditl also another naval
distinction — viz., that of Principal Naval A.D.C.
to the Queen, which devolv«^d on him on the re-
tirement of Sir Cooper Key in Jajiuary I88G.
This appointment of A.D.C. frequently took him
away from home, as it became his duty to attend

368

SIR GEOFFREY PllirPS HORNBY.

di-avviiisf- rooms and other State ceremonies at
which the (^)ueen was present. Another naval
matter which, though it did not take him away
from homC; occnj)ied a great deal of his time, was
the production of a new signal-book. The Ad-
miral was not serviiiij on the Committee, but he
was discussing all its main provisions with various
members of the Connnittee, and was always in-
sisting: on clearness and minuteness in the instruc-
tions. In one of the last letters which he wrote
to Captain Winsloe on the suljject he says : —

" Xovenihcr 4, 18^6.

"You are laying before the service an enormous
change, and the veiy siz(^ of the new book has al-
ready struck terror into the minds of some officers
who have seen it, but to whom tlie key was not
known. I believe you will make its acceptance
far easier and pleasanter if you will give your
reasons for the chano-es : —

" First, The desire to reduce the flairs in use.

" Second, The fact that you have to provide in
your code for three conditions — sometimes singly,
sometimes tom-ther.

" Thirdly, By showing how, from changes being
made by ships tui'ning to port instead of to star-
board, some <3f those changes are doubled, and
that you have to provide for each.

" I am sure much information on these things
(that are simple enough to you) are much wanted

ies at

naval

away

le, was

e Ad-

but he

^-arious

lys in-

nstruc-

wrote

4, 1886.

lormoiis
has al-
officers

vas not
ptance
vour

use.

)vide hi
shigly,

IS being
to star-
id, and

thmgs

anted

■

QUEENS JUBILEE.

369

by several riieri ; and now that you have the l)a]l
at your foot, wliy riot kick it for the benefit oft lie
service? Youi- index-sheet is clear enough to nn%
tiiid I have no doubt it will be so to others, if, as
fjoi'd lieiiconstield used to s.iy of tlio House of
Commons, vtHi will take theui into your con-
fidence."

fVsides n;tv;d duties, tli^iv were pr)litical niatters.

First, came the inauguiiitiou oJi a l^rinu'ose
League Habitation in West bourne.

Second, the tirst of his juany attejidances at
Royal Academy dinners. He writes of it to liis
wife, May 3, 1880:—

•' I had a very pleasant dinner ori Saturday,
slttinv l)etween Calderon the artist and I.ord Col-
ville. The President spoke very well, and when
he spoke of' Loyalty to the Ancient (Jrown, which
was the symbol of the strength, and stability, and
union of the Empire,' all the comjiany, except the
two or thr«3e Ministers, cheered for about five
minutes. Lord Ilosebery spoke well, for his N\'as
a difficult speech to make."

Third, came the general election of !S8f>, and a
request from Mr W. H. Smith that the Admiral
would stand for Poi-tsmouth ; but the Admiral
held tliat ])oliti'''s, like every other profession,
needed special training, and he declined.

In 1887 of course nothing \vas thought of but
the Jubilee ; and the Admiral's lirst care was that

2 A

I i

^^^

370

SIR OEOFFTJF.Y I'lUrT'S HORNBY.

every one on his property shcnild at least have a
good dinner on tlie .Jubilee Day. Tie was also
put on the Committee of Selection tor the models
of sliips which were to be given by the Navy to
the Queen. On the Jubilee Day, with tlu' other
naval aiues-de-camp, he attended the Queen at
Westminster Abbey. It had at fii'st been sug-
g«\sted that they should ride in the procession
fi'om Buckingham ]^l];lce ; but as the Admiral con-
sidered tliat a naval oilicei' was out of place on
liorseback, lie asked leave for himself anrl his col-
leagues tt> await the Queen at the entrance of the
Abbey. He was most touched by a litllo iiicid«'nt
which occurred just as the (.^ueen alighted from
her carriage. It may h;ive been the sudden
chanyfe from tlie roav of the cheerijiif outsi<le to
the silence of tlie Al)hey wliich caused lier just for
one moment to lose hei' self-possession, and she
went foi'ward with both hands outstretched to-
wards the Prince of Wales, as though she herself
required support, ^hily one moment, for almost
immediately she recovered her composure, and
though the Admiral's [tlace in the procession was
near enough to her to give him ample opportun-
ities of observing, he never noticed one moment's
departure frc^m the usual calm dignity of hei- de-
UK^anour.

It was not till the eve of the Naval lieview at
Spithead that the Naval Jubilee Memorial was
presented to the Queen at Osborne. The Ad-

ADMIRAL OF" TllK ILF.KT,

• > /

mirnl n'rites ; "Tlir naval address was far tfu)
long. The (.j>uet']i read 1; t i<'[)1v. wliit'h x\;)S a
very i^ood one, adniir;d)lv." (hi tli»* <lciy of thr
review lie was in attendance on Ijoard (he royal
yaeiit, and was required to <;ive a deal of uii'ov-
iTiation on naval niatttn-s to many of tlie royal
guests. This same day the Adntiral received a
Jubilee medal frum the (^iiecii,

Dnririo- the winter the Admii'al was Imsy niatur-
Ine- his plans to try to awaken the public to the
fact which they are only just beginnint^; to realise
— viz.. that Entrland must have a navv stion^^
enouj/li to defend not onlv the (.■hannel l)ut her
comm(:'rce and colonies. I'he first step was not
taken till nearly the end of May, when he read at
the Chamber of Conunerce a j)a]i(n' on "The He-
fence of the Mercantile Marine." The meeting
was very well Jittended, and a very profitable dis-
cussion followed it, for which and the [)ap(n' I'lde
'Journal of the Chamber of Commerce,' June 5,
1888.

Another paper followed, delivered in the City
of London, " On the suf)ject of our Naval lle-
(|ulrements," which was also very well received ;
but after this his severe illness put an end for a
time to all further attempts to atti'act public
attention to naval matters. In travelling down
to Eton by night, after deUvering his lecture, the
Admiral was seized by a severe attack of hepa-
titis, and for three weeks lay dangerously ill at

372

SIl! (.KOFFh'KV I'lIlf'i'S llUHNilY

Ills lirothfr's licuse at Ktoii. All this lini" liis
desire to li'el back \u>\\\e was liTowiiio- and in-
creasn^i;- so iniicli tliat Jiis doctor determined to
risk lie move. In spite of the discomtorts of tl>e
ionrn(^v, il almost s(>enied as it' the chan^'e of air
liail had the «lesrred etVect. Tie rallied so )nar-
vellonsly that his trained nurses wer^- dismissed.
After a few weeks, lioweN^er, it became evident
that the mischief was still there; but for feai' ol'
alarmini^" him bv i-fx^dliii^ trained assistance, his
(.laujjliters decided to undertake the nursino-. He
was not a tractable patient. One Saturday
evening;- he read in the paper what he considered
an unfair criticism of Aihiiiral Baird's manaii'e-
merit of his s<|ua(h'on. Next morning', thou^fh
so weak that he could haidly stand, he came
down at ten o'clock, and announced that he was
goiui;- to wr^'e a letter to the 'Times.' He found
he could not write, and dictated it to his daUirhter
so «iuickly that she had hard ^\ oi-k to keep pace
with him. Then he bade her read it over; two,
perhaj>s three, words had to be altered, and it was
sent ofl^' l)y the eleven o'clock Sunday post, ajj-
pea)'iji<>- in the ' Tinies ' the following- Tuesday.
Another day he heard that a question in which
he was interested was coming' before the (roveriiors
of the Chichester Hospital, and he was determined
to go to the meeting. Lady Hornl)y liegged tlie
doctor to forbid It, but Hr liostock answerenl, "If
you don't let him do what he wishes, he will sa)',

XDMIT^AL OF THE FLEET.

373

came
e was

tOlllKl

jrbter

]KlCb

two,
it was
, ap-
Kflay.
w hicli
i'liors
niiit'd
I the
L -If
I say,

' I may just as wi'll lie <l<»\\ii and die,' and lu- will
il<> so '

There was no hel}) tov it, theretorc, but t<> ar-
I'augi' tliat he should have as llttlr tatiouc as pos-
Hiljle, In spite of every precautiou, he nearly
fainted from exiiaustion when he came out from
tlie mecthig ; but as soon as he be*;aii to revive
a little, he said he must take tht' opportunity of
beiui,'- in Chichester to hav • his hair out. Luckily
the barber, seeing' how ill he looked, did not make
a long job of it, and he g<»t home, seemingly
none the worse exce])t for fatigue. Not many
days after this the crisis camt% August 14. The
abscess burst outwardly, and from tiiat moment
the Admiral never looked back. You C(AiUI almost
see the flesh growing on his bones. He had been
So emaciated that when h.; raised his arm you
could see daylight between the two bones. Be-
fore September was over he had I'e.sumed all his
usual avocations, was writing an article for the
' Fortniii'htlv," and was somewhat inditniant that
his doctor would not allow him to lie<rin ridinjx
before the middle of October.

About this time also he beg.m to prepare for
the county council election, th(^ piroposids for divid-
ing the county into electoral divisions having been
passecl at the October (juarter sessions. It having
alsi» been agreed that it was advisal>le for some
of the magistrates to olTei" to serve on the county
council, the Admiral oflered himself for election.

!] 5

?.1i

silt (SEOFFREY PHIITS IIOHXI^V

Sti'iiii^e to say, lit- was not only (tpposed. Imt
b<.Ml;»*ii, losinjL? the ele(3tion, probahly for tlie sauu'
reason whicli loses so many elections — viz., de-
s])isin^ liis (ippoiient. Fm' llie last time tjuai'ter
Sessions were held at IVt worth on Jaimary 2d,
and the iirst provisional oonnty council met at
C.'hichestei' on p\'h)-uary 14, when they voted the
Duke oi' Uichmond into the chair and chose some of
tlie Committees. The Admiral havinir been broufjht
in as an alderman, was soon busy on several (\>m-
mittees, the two in which he took most interest
bein<r the " IVIain Tioads " and " Sea-Fishei'ies."

Meanwhile his interest in naval matters had
not llan"L;ed ", •••11 thr time of his illness his friends
had kej>t him supplied with every detail concerning
the mancFuvres then ^oing on. In fact, then, and
after, he seems ah\'ays to have had first-hand news
of every incident connected with the Navy which
occui'red in any part of the world.

During the winter 18H8 to 1880 he was called
on to ii'ive evidence before Lord Hartini;t(jn's Com-
mittee, and to speak on n ])aper on the " Wants
of the Navy" read by Lord livassey at the Man-
sion House. The following summer he was or-
(ItM'ed to attend the young Emperor of Germany
during his visit to (V)wea, and was nmch disap-
j)ointed that the English fleet did not get under
weigh to meet the Oerman squadi'ou. Only the
Piince of Wales, taking the Admiral with him,
went out in the Osborne, to meet the Emperor.

ADYTTHAL i}V Till' KI.KKT.

375

Nuxl (lay tlic Adiiiiiul wiot*' to his witV* : —

'' Tlin yaclit wns sliaiut'AilIv luihln'd l»v tlif
Solent stoaiiK^rs as \v Wfiit towards the ' Nal),'
and thi'V could be kc|»t otl' oidy Iiy ii^n|;iii<;' the
firehose an<l threateniii;j;' fo j)unij) on them. The
(rennan sinps came u|> very well. \\r u.-re all
presented to the pjn]»eri»r on hoard his yacht, and
then went back to Osborne. I)in<*d there in the
tent where we lunched on the Jubilee Oay. Lord
Salisbury, the Gennan Ambassador, Malet, and a
lot ot* swells. After diiniei \\" wt-ni into the
drawing-room, and were all presented in turn to
the (,)ueen. 1 have a very comfbrtal>le cabin here,
Sir 11. Keppel, Stephenson, &c., on board.

lied
om-
ants
Man-

or-
lany
sap-
iider

the
liim,
L'or.

" :5 P.M.

'* I've been to call on the German admirals, and
meant to have gone on to see Baird iind otheis ;
but the tide ruiniing against the strong wind
made such a bobbery that I was afi'aid to I'isk tlie
si«les of the beautiful blue loyal barge. They
talk of taking me to Aldershot, where they base
sent a most sedate charger for my use."

" A Hf/nst f).

" After breakfast a messaij:e came fi-om Osborne
to say the Emperor wanted to see me. It was to
take me to see the Irene, the ship which his

;:'.76

8III tiEOFFRKY JMlU'l'S IIOUNHV.

In'otliiT l'riiic<^ Henry C(tinn)ancls, -i wiy nice sliip
nii<I ill Vfcv !4<Kul .»r(l»-). I have ri-t iii'iicd lirrt' at
12.45, .iikI at S P.M. shall meet liim a<^'';iiii .it tlie
pier, ill inv best riollies, for tlie iiiSjX'etioM.

" Ye.sterday at'tenioon we ^v■eIl). on hoard the
last-iniilt shiji nl' tin- White Stai- Line (the Tm-
(oiti'c), the II<>iC( . LiuiiDii'fhtc, and Prince George's
torpedo-ljoat."

" We liave had a very ofood day at AidtMshot.
I «^ot a veiy i;'o<Hl hi»r.se to go, hut he was [K»or at
standing still. fOvfrv now and then we hncketed
ahout at a great pace, and then my gear gave way
— liooks <>f* the sw'.ird n)ihouke(h liook in my cout
to snpport the helt torn ont, lo<>]) of alguillette
gave wiiy, and so forth. However, I fell ui with
a General Fremantle, who was very kin<l, and
told me what the soldiers >vere trvinir to do. We
had a nice dinner yesteidav with the \'acht Gluh.
Both Prince of Wales and Em})eror sjtoke very
well ; srt, some people (notal)ly the Km])ei'(>r) wei'e
good enough to say, did your humhle servant."

" The (^ueen inspected the seamen of the Ger-
man fleet to-ilay, the P]mperor commanding. The
men marched and manunivred admiiahly."

The year following, the Admiral was again in
attendance on the Emperor during Gowes week,

GERMAN MA\(Kr V1{K!S,

^77

Ger-
rhe

veek,

hilt he i^ivcs ;i nu>vv detiillftl uccoiint of tlie j)n)-
ceediiii's in his Diarv th;m "ui liis letters: —

" .{>'(/. 4, 1890. - Einh;iik('(l in Alhcrfa at 10 a.m.
with the Piiiice of Wales, to meet the KinpeixM- of
Geiiuaiiy on hoard JIo/u iizo/lrni in ()sl)onie Bay.
Lunched and dined at Oshorne, and had to ^o
into the smokin<^-r<»oni to talk till after niidni'dit
with the Emperor.

"yl'///. 5. lioyalties dined at club-house.

"/!'///. (k — Prince Heniy sailed in Viilkyric, hut
she was unlucky. '^I'hf rest of us went to I^astney
to see an experiment for hidiiif^ an attack of troops
by smoke. It was a failure, the wind being
across the advance. Barracks Avere much ad-
mired. A large dinner-party at Osborne.

''Ami. 7.— To tiie dockyard at Portsmouth;
were joined there by the Austrians. xV fair show
in the works!,ops. Lunch very well done.

'■ Lord Salisbury at ( Jsborne ; lie and the Em-
peror had a Ion*,'- talk. Prince Stephen and Aus-
trian ofHcers slept on board Victoria and Albert.

"An//. 8. — Ueg'atta f(>r small craft and rowing-
boats. Dined on board Oshorne; the Prince of
Wales told me I was to go to see the German
maiueuvres, and the Emperor said he would show
me a military review, and had a good horse for
me. He sailed about 11.15 P.M."

It Avas officially decided that an Admiral of the
Fleet (Sir Geoffrey had attained this rank, May
1, 188S) could not go unattended, and therefore

378

•siu <;t:oFKHEY i'Hirr.s hokxhv.

h* was Jiccoinpjiiiied l»y ('aptuiii Muon- and Lieu-
tt'iiant Ivobiii IMji{)i)S lloriiliy.

F»'t'lin<r tliul lie ami liis slatK wetv in a .sciist*
ivpresfnlini'' tin' l'ji*rli.sli Xuvv, Sir Gt^oHVev, tiue
to his uda^^c iliat "att«'ntion to niinutiii' st'Cun'd
etHcionoy," looked mtv caivtully into every drtail
of preparation, and leinenilifiinu^ iiis Hxpt-riiMice at
Aldcrshot, had lh»* naval uniloiin .s})ecially "con-
structed and secured" tor ridin<^. August the
30th he started tor London, whence his letters to
his wife commence • —

'' Athjmt 30, 1S!)0.

"I have heen to the drerniiMi Kndtassy to ^^''^t
information, and hear that on the 4th there will
he a ^^'and paiadc of thr Ai'iny Corps; on the
5th, fleet nianu'uvres ; (Uh, xVrniy Corps man-
oeuvres ; 8th, fleet and army, and possihly some-
thing more on the \)\.\) \ so it looks as if I might
get home ahout the 1-tli."

" Hotel Germanma, Kiel, f<<"pt. 2.

" We h.'ive journeyed very well so far, with just
enough rain to lay tlu^ dust, Ijut M'ith tine weather
generally for the scenery. (Jook made rathnr a
mistake In our tickets, which were not available
for the shorter routes, and so we travelled round
by Brussels, while Moore and the courier went
across to Venlo, and arrived at Cologne five hours
before us and oidered rooms. We put up at the
Hotel du Nord, near the cathedral and the big

a KKM AX M A Xi Kl VR IIS.

379

railway l)i-I(l<;o, and were very coiiif* stable. We
f((»t up early eiioUi^li t(» look at tlu' catluuhal and a
Kit of the town, and Iff't Colouiie at 10.15 A.M.,
arrivin<; here at 8.40 p.m. ye.sterday. We came
over many lon^^ [)lains, l>ut there is a wondt'itully
well-to-«l<» look ahout everythin*^. Houses, cot-
tai;*es, fiirni - huildin^s, and i'oundi'ies seem well
kept, and the nei^dil)ourhood of iron and clieminal
works compare very favoural)ly with tliosc near
Apjjh'by, St Helens, and Widnes. We are lodged
here at the Emj)eror's expense, and nothinjj; can
exceed tlie attention that has been shown us.
Abf)ve all thin^^s, 1 Hnd that Count Moltke and
Waldersee aie coming <lown witli the Emperor, so
liol)in and 1 shall see them, and point the finger of
scorn at those who have not. The manujuvres in
this n(Mghl)Ourhood are to be as 1 told you. To-
night the Em])eror arrives here at 7 p.m. We are
all to be presented to him at the Schloss, and after
that„l dine, or, as it is called, sup with him."

" <!Lrc'KsnuR(i, Sept. 7.

" Since we arrived here, Wednesday 3d, we have
been too busy to write a line. On that day the
Emperor inspected the German scjuadron. AVt^
lunched on board the fiagshij). Then the Emperor
steamed in a des])atch-boat round both Sijuadrons,
after which they weighed, llohenzolh'ru led out,
and the re,' followed. Anchored about 5 p.m. in
the lower part of Flensburg Fiord.

"■t-~W'J-.v«'i

380

SIR GEOFFREY PHirPS HORNBY.

" We were taken up the fiord to Glucksburg,
where lit one of the hotels we were greeted by one
of the Emperor's chaniberlahis, and asked to go to
Slipper with the Duke of Oldenburg. Though we
had dined only a couple of hours before, we went
down, and found a nice-looking young man of
thh'ty or so drinking beer with his A.D.C.'s. We
talked of the programme for the next day, and ate
very little.

" Fine weather greeted us next morning. We
were taken to Flensburg by water (it is at the
S.W. end of the fiord), where we found my horse ;
but E-obin and Captain j\Ioore had to drive two
miles before they got theirs, I should tell you
that besides the Duke of Oldenburg there are stay-
ing at this hotel Prince Albrecht of Prussia, a
cousin of the Emperor, the son of the Duke of
Saxe- Weimar, and Field -Marshal Blumenthal, with
their staffs. So * 2Ic ' and these swells, and the
Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria, all ror^e out
together.

" Flensburg, which I had supposed to be quite a
small place, is really a town of 36,000 inhabitants.
There are several quaint old houses in it, and it
seems to be very well kept. We rode nearly a
mile through the streets. There were 14,000 men
on the review ground, the infantry in white
trousers, which, in combination with the dark
blue uniforms, made the men look very large.

i 1 1

GERMAN MAXfEry-RES.

!81

:sburg,
by one

ixo to
lirh we
e went
nan of
5. We
ind ate

r. We
at the
horse ;
ive two
ell you
re stay-
Lissia, a
)uke of
al, with
ind the
o(ie out

(juite a
bitants.
and it
early a

00 men

1 white
lie dark

large.

Men, cavalry, and onus went pnst twice, nnd
looked wojiderfidly well. Got back here about
three o'clock, and started n.t five f(;r Gravenstein,
about seven miles off, jit the N. end <>f tlie fiord,
where the Krnpress lives in a lav^e old-fasliioued
chateau. Here we met all the staff of tlie armv —
generals and offlceis commanding in it. 'J'he Em-
jieror and Emprt^ss walked i-ound se[)arately, and
talked to diiferent |)eo|)le, l)oth befcire and after
dinner, without any formality. We sat down 'J50
to dinner in a long marquee pitched the longti) of
the courtyard of tiie chateau. The Em])eror thank
a loast to the welfai-e of the x\ rmy Corps dui-ing
dinner, to whicli the General commanding replied,
and drartk to the he;'.', h oi' the sovereigns. We
were little more than an hour at dirmer. The
Em])ress wore a very handsome dress, approaching
crimson, with very fine diamond ornaments. She
is a tall, fine-looking woman.

" On Friday we landed about three miles N.N.E.
of Flensburg, and rode out fast some three miles
to the mananivring-grouml. This day there was
only a skeleton enemy, ))ut we saw something of
their way of judging the value of artillery fire, &c.
Robin had the advantage of a lecture on the art
of ridhia' fnmi tlie G'crman -lack Fisher on Tliurs-
day ; and on Fritlay .Prince Rudolf of Bavaria, a
young fellow about twenty, was looking foru'ard
with iifreat irlee to seeinjx the Enirlish naval otficero

ipp^pp

382

SIR (iKOKFTlKY I'HUM'S ITORNIiV,

(Ml h()rso});iol< ; and was a s^'ood deal astonifihrd to
S(M' fliiil they ^L,^()t, <»\('i' tlic! small (»!)structif»ijs
licttcM- than th(3y of (irrniaiiy.

" Tluit (nciiirij^ \V(! dined ai^aiii at ( Jravenstein,
to irieol tlic civil aiithoi'iliis <»!' flu} |M«)vince. I
had a Inntf talk with Field-Marshal HluriK^iithal
<tn the wa\' ii|), and 1 sal ' fsidr Moltkc at dininT,
lull the hand was tu(» loud f«<i' much talkiiii;". The
toasts duiiiiir dinniM' wvic -the wcltarf of the
province, the health of the, so\ e'rrin^ns, ajid the
health nj' ilic Ai-chdukc of Austria.

" Y(,'sterday wo wiuit to sea, t(» r>-\i('w the lleet.
Il was <x<»t nndcu' weiuh, and wo wrnt out to
look for the enemy's fleet, which was re|)res<'nted
hy souK^ targets, we tirf^l ut them, and tiually
ranuued th(Mn. 'I'lir toi)i< 'do- boats vnn ahout a hit,
and we ca.m(^ to aiicho)' rather late, nearly 5 r.M.
Tlie handlini^' of the torj)edo-l)oais was very jL^ood ;
of the fleet, ;^ood, hut w(^ did not <!<» much. The
gunnery was Ixdow ])ar. TIk^ dinner was to the
navy. After dimier they h.ul a lorchli^rht tattoo
in the (gardens. All the hands wei'e massed. 1
do not, know how many men — sonu^ say 400, others
700 or 800 ; hut the efleet was heautiful, particu-
larly as they maiched away in ])i'ocession with
the torches still alight. We did not ^o honn^ till
I I I'. M., very lati^ foi' these ])arts.

" 'lliis is a <|ui(^t day, hut we shall have to
attend a <linnei' at. f) p.m. at anothei* hotel here,
giveji by the council of this province."

(iKRMAN MAN(KUVIIES.

383

"Septemher 12, IfiOO.

" We have hatl two more days of most Interest-
ing marueuvres, and now we luive only to eat one
more lunch and retiir-n to Ki(;l. I never was more
agreeably siii'pilsed than I have het^n hy this
country. Instead of Ijcing, as i had anticipated,
low and Hat hke our Orkney Islands, it is a pretty
undulating country, wtll wooded, and intersected
with inlets and arms of the sea, and with many
large ponds, ap])roaching nearly to lakes. 'i1ie
towns have many old lnjuses, hut all are in e.xcel-
lent re[)}ur, and the streets are kept v«!ry tidy.
The whole countiy looks thoroughly wtill-to-do,
and with such easy access to th(^ sea as the many
fiords afford, it is no wonder that it is ])rosj)erous
and comfortable."

Letter to Mrs Stop/ord.

" liORDlNfiTON, Septemher 11, 1890.

" llobin and I ha\'e had a ri^-ht ir(»od time
in Schleswiix-Ilolstein. Nothi?iir could exceed the
kindness and cordiality of the I^^mperor, and his
subordinates followed suit. His army is wondei'-
ful, in the aj)p;iient [lerfection of its condition.
Every little detail seems to be complete ; each
advantafc the tn-ound affoids of elevation for
attack, or hollow for shelter, is cai-efully turneil to
account. At other times it can make a grand dis-
play. The march past, with the long and swag-
gering Prussian ste{* and a gallop of guns and

384

feJR GEOFFREY PllirPS HORNBY,

cavalry, Is very impressive ; and a torchlight
tattoo with over 500 musicians and drummers, and
lots of coloured lights, was as pretty a thing as
could be seen.

" Bob [Admiral Stojjford] will be interested to
hear that they kee|) good station in their squadron,
and that their ships are very silent. They are not
so clean below as ours, nor are their men so smart
in appearance, and the senior otlicers do not seem
to have got nearly so far as we have in tactics.
The Ejnperor lent me a capital horse, and liis
othcers seemed sur]nised to find that a naval man
could ride.

'' They were hard on us with their stories.

"1. A day or two before he left Berliji, the
Emperor was asked if he were going to see Buffalo
Bill. He replied, ' No ; but next week I am going
to see fiftv naval officers on horseback.'

" 2. The man who was charged to break the
horses for the said fifty was complimtnited on their
being so quiet, and asked how he got them so. He
said he got a lot of tailors and cobblers, and when
none of these were spilt in a day's ride he thought
the horses must be fit even for sailoi'S.

" I saw a great deal of both Moltke and Blumen-
thal, Tlie former ages fast."

The Emperor's kindness did not end with the
manoeuvres ; he was never in England without
sending for the Admiral for a talk, and during

GERMAN MANfElIVRES.

385

the C<^\ves week Sir Geoftrey always spent two
or three clays on board one or other of the royal
vachts. On one of the few occasions when he
mentioned his regret at having to retire, it was
because he should not see the Emperor again, and
it might be considered fishing for an invitation if
he went over to Cowes to write his name during
the royal visit. The Admiral had two porti-aits
which the Emperor had given him, one a print,
and the other a miniature mounted in diamonds on
a snuff-box. These of all his possessions he v\alue<l
most, excepting only his father's gold medal and
the portraits which had been given to hiin by the
Queen.

2 B

386

CHAPTER XVII.

(;ONCL[JSION.

A Si:iilOU« ACCIDENT DEATH OF THE ADMIIIAL S SISTEH AM) WIFE

I'UBUC DUTIES — THE LAST DllAWlNC-UOOM ILLNESS AND

DEATH.

Now Celine a time when it seemed that the Admiral
was to ^o to the places, one after another, where
he had passed liis lx)yhood. In tlie followin*,'' years
he was tor the hist time at Winwick on the occasion
of the funeral of his cousin, the Tie v. Frtmk Hop-
wood, the rector. He went for the last time to
Knowsley for tlie funeral <»f the late L(jrd Derby,
who had been one of the great friends of his youth;
and when he was at Plymouth, for the Hour court-
martial, lie went over the old house where so much
of his boyhood had been spent. It hapjiened also
that in the early days of IB'JI all his six children
were in En^^land, and under the pretene of a
villag-e entertaiinnent he gathered the whole family
together for the last time. They w»ire now all
grown men and women ; his eldest son and two
of his daughters were married, but in his eyes they

CONCLUSION.

387

niiral
vhere
years
asion
llop-
le to

nth ;

[oiirt-

Inniel)

also

llclreri

(jf a

mily

,v all

two

they

were all lioys aiul i^irls again, only with three more
you no- people added to the ]>arty.

"The children," he writes in Jiis Uiary, .January
17, 1891, "gave a theiitrical display in Walder-
ton Barn, Very good." And certaiidy by llir
the most appreciative niemher of the audience
was tlie old Admiral liimself.

Not much more than a month after this festive
gathering, all those of his family still in England
were summoned home again l)y the news oi' an
accident which liad befallen tlieir father. He was
going up to town for a levee, and A\as driving
liimself to the station with a mare whose one
terror was a traction-engine. fhey \vere very
nearly at the station when the mare, catching
siirht of a traction-engine standing' in a gravel-
pit 011 the left side of the road, swung suddenly
round a corner to the right, catching tlu; wheel of
the dog-cart against a post and upsetting it. The
Admirtd was thrown violently out on to the, back
of his head, and very seriously injured. He
had a very large deep wound on the lack of his
head, and it was t liought that his skull was frac-
tured round the left side. For twejity-one days
he remained unconscious, no one being able to tell
what the end would be — whether it would be life
or death, or, what would have been worse than
death, any injury to his intellect. During this
anxious time the Queen asked to have daily re-
ports telegraphed to he]' at Windsor, and with

:}88

sru (jKOi'FHEv riiiri'S iiouxiiv.

thut thouirlitrul cojisidt'ration so cluirjicteristio of
liei', ordered that the teleo'raiiis should be sent on
to the A(hiiii'al s })i'other, the Provost of Etc»ii.

At last, alter twenty -one days, the Aduural
woke as it weie from a lonp^ dream, in whieh he
had dreamt tliat he was commandini;- a Heet in the
Baltic. Never had there IteeTi such successfully
executtvl mano'uvres, never such cheery diiuier-
jvirties, never so much fun and cliaff, and all his
favourite captains had been with liim. ())dy, when
he nwoke, it seemed to him tliat this dream had
been the reality, and the incidents of his illness the
dream. He was aged considerably in appearance,
but this did not in the least in»))ai]- his activity.
Only he seemed to feel heat and cold a great deal
moi'e than heretofore. 1'he only oth(;r way in which
his illness seemed to have atfecttxl liim was that,
though he hail had a remarkable memory for
najues and ftices, Jiow the memory foi- the names
was gone, and though he rememl)ered th(^ faces,
and every little incident connected with them, he
C(tuld not readily recall thi^ name. At first he
could not bear any vibration, not even that of the
easiest cai-riage ; but this passed off gradually, till
by tlie end of June h«' was able to attempt a rail-
way journey. This cost him a severe headache,
which, however, h(- thought (juite compensated for
by the vei-y warm greetings which he received from
many of his old friends at the Marlboi'ough House
garden-party, the object for which lie had attemj)ted

CONCTJ'SION.

389

his first journey. Eveu this offcct of vibration
passed off, and when September canu- he Ibiind
tliat shooting did not at all affect his head. He
did not do any cul)-hinitin_f(, hut was out AvitI) the
hounds towards the end of ( )otoher — in fact it was
the last winter that he ever really eiijoycd huntin^^
Before the next- season his old hors<' liad Ix-oome
hopelessly lame, and thouo-h tiie Admii'al's sons
tried tlunr best to ^et him a reliable ain'mal, ihe
thorou!j;h conn'adeship between man and hcn-se could
not be re-established, and after two or three
attt^mpts durin<; the winter 1892-1893, he gave up
hunting altogether. What really took the zest
and enjoyment out of his life was not age f)i' illness,
but the death of his wife, follo\\'ing very close on
that of his favourite sister, Mrs Stopford. Tjoth
of these fell victhns to the prevailing epidemic of
influenza. Lady Hornby's health had never re-
covt^red from the shock of an accident which had
deprived her of the sight of one ♦■ve in 1876, and
for some yeais she had been so frail that tlie
slightest ailment assumed a serious cliaracter.
Though every effort was made to shield hei' from
infection, she was (_»ne of the first to be attacked,
and though tlie actual disease passed off, she had
not tht^ strength to rail}'. It seems more reverent
to let his own words speak of this great sorrow : —
Drari/. ''Jan. 29, 1892.— Our Dearest One left
us a little before 4 r.M. Sinking gradually and
without pain at last. Oli ! the dos(jlation no one

390

SIR (JEOFFUFA' TIIIPPS HOKNHY.

can conceive, so lovino;, wise, mid true. Dear old
Boy had K'ft, i\m\ Kobin did not arrivi' till G P.M.,
but tlie others were with me, and were a great
support.

''Feb. 3, 1802.— A terrible day taking the body
of that Dearest Out' to Wokinj;' for cremation.
Arrangements well niarlc, and everything con-
ducted very (piictly. James read the funeral
service. T\\r jewel has been removed from the
casket, an<i the dear little home is desolate ! Gotl
help us."

His bereavement did not make him flinch from
work, or from anything whicli he considered Miis
duty. Within a week of the funeral he was
attending the })oor-law board and the bench, and
one by one, as the time came round, each one of
his old occupations was resumed. So much of his
life's work had been done away from home, that it
seemed to assuage the sc^nse of loneliness to hav'e
interests which took him (^itside himself. As he
wrote to one of his friends, he had but three years
to wait till he reached his ap])oiuted threescore
years and ten, and then he could look foi'ward to
meeting hej' again.

The (irst thing which he seems to have really
enjo^-ed was his visit to Plymouth at the time
of the Hoioe court-martial. His old friends gave
him So cordial a welcome, he revisited so many
of his old haunts ; his old comrades, and among
them an old boatswain of the Wiiivhestcr, came

(1 to

laiiy
ame

CONCLTSION.

.S91

to see hiin and iviiew acquaintanc**. Except on
the nljii'lit of his arrival, he never (lined at the
hotel, and he had j:^enerally more Invitations
than he knew how to accept. As to the court-
martial, it connnenced on Decemher 29 and sat
on till the second week \\\ January. Thv case
for the prosecuti<»n took a lon^; time ; hut Ad-
miral Hornby was called as one ol' the first
witnesses f'oi- the defence. Very soon after he
had given his evidence the proceedings came to
an end, and the trial ivsulted in the ac(pilttal
of Admiral Fairfax.

Another instance of the weight whir,h attached
to his evidence was in the action for libel bi'ouij^ht
by Mr Montgomery against Professor Laugh ton
with regard to some strictures })assed by the
latter on a book \\ritten by Mr Montgomery.
The Admiral was called as a witness for the
defence : —

Diary. ".//?//»' ]1, 1894. — Only Laugh ton and
1 were put in the box. After hearing me the
jury stopped the case and gave the verdict for
the defendant. Sir Henry James very compli-
mentary, and old Dctctor Russell very much
pleased."

If anvthing, work rather uicreased than dimin-
ished in these last vears. In local matters, to
his attendances at the county council atid Board
of Guardians were added the duties of ciiaii'man
to the parish councils of W alder ton and Racton ;

392

SIR OEOFTORY PIIIPPH IIORNBY,

,^>

uimI lie only succeeded in escaping l)eini; made
High Slierift' hy the ])U'a that he was still liable
for active service. From the outside came so
many rt-tjuests to ex])ress jmhlicly his views on
a variety of subjects, that his time would have
.••;:;"" l.ieeu fully ft('cu[)ied had he acceded to oue-half
of tliem ; and every year saw him taking part
in the work of sevend special committees, such
as that of Chui-ch Dt'fencf in 1802, and the
windino- up of the Naval Exhibition, when it
;^ fell to him to propose a vote of thanks to the

T^rince of Whales, which his old comnades told
him he did very well. The next year he was
taking: active interest in the Airricultural Union,
and was one of the committee to select the
naval [)resent to the Duke of York. The Ad-
miral was at Marlboroui^di [louse for the presen-
tation, at the weddint*", and at some ol' the
wedding festivities ; but at tlu' moment he was
feeling very acutely the loss of his old friend.
Sir Ge(^r^-e Tryon, in thn Victoria, and had
much difficulty in throwing himself into what
was goino^ on. In the last year of his life, one
of his last public appearances was at the dinner
given to Admiral Kiben and the otficers of
the American stjuadron. Sir Geoffrey sat next
at dinner to Captain Mahan, whose two books,
' The Influence of Sea-Power oji History ' and
' The Influence of Sea- Power on the French
Revolution,' had impressed him very much. It

roNCLrsioN.

803

;i1so tV'U to th«' Adniii'iil to ])ropos(^ Admiral
Erhc'ii, wlilcli Im* (lid witli ;iii iilliisioii t(» tliC
motto at tlie end of ilw room, " [ilood is thicker
than Avater" — an allusion partionlarly liappy tor
the double ivason thai it oauie from the fvand-
son of OtMieral TJviii,''oyiie, and leferred lo an
otHcer who had been serving on board the
American shI]) at the time of the attack on
the Taku forts.

Towai'ds the end of the year 1894 the Admiral
was made Permanent Cliairman of the Defence
CV)nnnittee of the London Chambe)- of Commerce,
and in the l)eirinninif of 189.') was asked in the
most tlattering tei-ms to become President of the
newly formed Navy League. Yet though, as his
seventieth birthday M])proached, he would say
laughingly to his friends, " Does not it seem
absurd lo retli'e a vouiiff fellow like me?" the

■J o

conviction that he had not nmch longer to live
was jrrowini'- on him. When Lordiniilon wood
was shot in NovemliT 1894, he told his son-in-
law, as he walked home, that it was the last time
he should shoot the wood himself. In writing
to condole with his brother, who had just lost
his eldest son, the Admiral spoke of this con-
viction, that his separation from his wife had
almost come to an end.

There was no sign of failing health about him
to account for this idea. As he left the levee
on February 14 some one reproached him for

f.» w.

394

Sm GEOFFREY THIITS HOUNBY.

beiiit]^ without a greatcoat, and his answer was,
" I am walkinu' so fast I don't feel the least
cold." On February 19, he was again in town
for the last drav/ing-room which he would attend
as principal aide-de-camp to the Queen. He
was perhaps rather more particular than usual
about his order and medals being exactly in
their places ; he complained of a slight head-
ache, and as he left the Palace his daughter
noticed that he was rather flushed ; but know-
ing how very loyally devoted he was to the
Queen, it did not surprise her that he should
be affected by the thought that he was per-
sonally serving her Majesty for the last time.
Next day he seemed to liave quite recovered,
and one of the officials who saw him off at
Waterloo noticed how well and cheerful he
looked. His dauijfhter did not return home till
the 21st, and then found him so ill that she
insisted on his going to bed and sending for
the doctor, who pronounced his complaint to be
influenza. Till Monday it was hoped that the
disease was taking its normal course, though
the Admiral seemed almost from the first to
make up his mind he would not recover. The
last letter to which he ever put his signature
was to Sir Noel Salmon, and was dictated to
his daughter, February 24, to this effect ; —

"My dear Salmon, — My best thanks to you

CONCLUSION.

195

for

you

for your \evy liearty wishes. Nothing can be
more pleasant to an old officer on retirement
than to find how many of the best men In the
service are pleased to say I have dont:"- it good.
It's no use standing still ; what might have been
good enough ten or twenty years ago is not so
now, and [ liope that the service will hold firmly
to that best jtrinciple of Sir William Martin's
— namely, the co-operation of colunnis. I am
very sorry to say I got a bad chill on the
21st, which has got such a hold of me that I
am unable to write. Your China and Indian
experience will enable you to understaiid that,
when these things happen to old men, it is
likely to prove a homeward - bound signal. —
Yours very truly, G. Piiiprs Hornby."

That same day, Sunday '24th, he asked his
daughter to ])ring him his private |)apers, some
of which he caused to be destroyed ; and having
sent for his eldest son, he gave him on the 25th
certain instructions with regard to the dis])Osal
of the property. After that, he became too ill
to hold any consecutive conversation, ft seemed
to him ])erfectly natural that his children should
be with him, onlv as his Aveakness increased it
puzzled him that his youngest son, who was u.
the Royal Arthur in the Pacific, was not there.
'^ Does that dear Robin," he would say, " kjiow
T am ill ? " He sent affectionate messages to his

196

SIR OEOFFREY PlIIPPS HOllNP.Y.

gramlcliildieu, and spoke sometimes of Admiral
Fitzroy and sunie of his old naval friends. (.)nee
in the early part of his illness he said, " Tell them
1 think it is a great shame to i-etire an old Ad-
miral when he can still work."

Several times he mnrmm-ed, " The days of our
age are threescore years aiul ten ; and though men
be so stron*; that they come to fourscore vears : yet
is their strength then hut labour and sorrow; so
soon passeth it away, and we are gone."

Thougli the doctors did not disguise the fact
that his two serious ilhiesses in 1888 and 1891
had given his constitution a severe shake, at no
time during those Inst days did there seem enough
illness to kill him if he had really wished t»» live ;
and it seemed as if the will was lacking )'ather
than the strength. Even so late as on the Friday
evening the doctors pronounced the case to be
serious but not hopeless. For the first few days
his couirh racked him terribly, but afterwards
there seemed to be only a feeling of intense
lassitude and fatigue, till he was too weak even
to put out his hand to the old collie Rob when
he came to the side of tlie bed. His one com-
plaint se«.'med to ])e, "I am so weary," and when
on Saturday morning his daughter went into his
room, his last words to her w^re, " My denrie,

I am ," but he was so weary that he could

not finish the sentence.

The doctor thought he would not live till mid-

CONCLUSTOX.

307

night ; but just about that time his pulse steadied
a liti.]e, his breatluug grew quieter, and for a few
hours there seeint'd hope that though he had gone
to the very conhiies of the Dark ValJev he was
now turning back. Towards morning, however,
the power of swallowing left him, and then very
quietly, just like a little cliild falling asleep, he
passed away. It was Sunday morning, Marcli 3,
just about the time that on board shi[) the drum
beats for divisions.

His work was finished. Vigorous, active in
mind and body, he had just ste|)ped over tlie
threshold of his seventieth year, and then, like
a workman who is weai y with his day's work, he
put aside his tools and ^ly down to rest.

His had been a successful, and, o]i the whole,
a very happy life. Grief he had had, — the loss of
his wife and his favourite sister had been heavy
blows ; but though the wounds were deep, and
ached at times, he was too healthy minded to
let them fester. As to minor trials, probably
the greatest in his life was the decrease in the
value of his property, whicli prevented him from
living at Littlegreen. He had no disappoint-
ments, because he nevei" sought anything for
himself; but it often grieved him soi-ely that
he could Jiot make others as keen for the ])ublic
tiood as he was himself.

8ir William Hewett, writing in 1878, had said,
" He will get a Peerage or Westminster Abbey,"

398

STR (JEOFFIIEY PHIITS HORNUY.

but the. Admiral would not have cared for either
of those distinctions ; he had what he valued far
more, the loyal respect and aifection of men of all
ranks in the Navy. >Since tlie deatli of Sir Provo
Wallis in Fel^ruary 1892, Admiral Hornby had
been de facto, as for years he had been de jure, at
the head of the service. Some people wlio met
him casually, and saw in him only a genial, agree-
able old gentleman, wore surprised at the deference
with M-liieli lie was treated by his brother oiHcers ;
but men (^f any distinction, from IVloltke down-
wards, Heeraed instinctively to recognise the power
of his mind and his claim to inijilicit confidence.

He had left no instructions with regard to his
funeral except that he wished his body to be
cremated and laid l)y the side of his wife, and
that Admiral Fitzroy, C'aptain James Bruce,
Captain Winsloe, ('aptain Lake, and the Provost
of Eton, should be invited. Of these five, only the
two last were able to be present ; but the service
to which he had given more than fifty of the best
years of his life claimed the privilege of paying
him the last honour. His sons and sons-in-law
expressed a wish to be aljowed to act as bearers,
but they were told that this ^\'as tlie right of the
petty officers. C(;rtalnly right and fitting it did
seem tliat those stalwart men in their workman-
like uniform should bear the coffin covered with
the union-jack, on which, beside his sword and
Order of the Bath, were placed a wreath of im-

CONCLL'SIOX.

w09

and
Im-

mortelles " From tlio (^Lieen," and somn violets
from the Duke and Duchess of Cuhurg '" In affec-
tionate I'eniembrance,"

Many relations and friends were present. The
Emperor of (.Jermany sent Captain A^)n Gulicli,
the German military attaclic, to lay a beautiful
wreath on the iHTav(\ and to deliver to Miss
TMiip])S Ilornby the messa^^e, " The Kniperor
wisiied me to ex])ress his deep and sincere
sympathy with you, and liis gwiit reo-rct at the
loss of such a distini^^uished naval olHcer."

F'rance, Austria, the Cnited States — even
Ja2)an — sent their re[)i'esentatives, ;iiul all ranks
and branches •►f the lloyal Navy came to render
this last service to tiieir <>ld chief. They were
all there, from the olllcers who represented the
Queen and the nava.l mendjers of the ] loyal
Family to old jtensioners wlio had served with the
Afhniral us far back as the time when lie com-
manded tiie Tribune. Some of those present liad
been mess-mates of his on hom-d tlie Priitccss
CharhilU'.; others had served under him as mid-
sliiimien on hoard tlie Alcjcamlra.

Slowly, t( the solemn strain of tlie Dead !Maroh
in " Saul," played as (udy the best military band
in Enijjland can play it, the jirocession moved into
the little Hower-iilled country churcli at Compton.
Then ai"t(^r thi' service, when the tombstone had
been rolled back over the little urn into its place,
the last notes of Tennyson's hymn " Crossing the

400

SIR GEOFFREY niirPS HORNRY.

Bar" died away, Miid the sharp crack of the rifles
had ceased, they took tlieir last farewell of the old
friend, who after life's long voyage had met liis
Pilot "face to face," and in tlie desired haven was
" Waiting," as he had once written, " where there
is no more parting and sorr(>w, till they also, one
by one, come Home."

There they left all that remained of him on
eartii in th«^ quiet Sussex valley, where tlie richer
pastures slope upwards to the vsind-swept undula-
tions of the Downs, where the cathedral-like aisles
of the beech-woods give way gi-adually to stunted
yew-trees bending away from the force of the
south - west wind, where the silence:; is seldom
broken, save by the boom of the big guns at
Portsmouth and the cry of the stN-i-gulls as they
come up in stormy weatlier to feed in the
fallows. There they left him, close to the little
church, in the shadow of tlie woods lie loved,
almost within hearing, almost in sight, of the
sea.

INDEX.

Acre, the bombai-dnipiit of, 12,
Admiralty, ciitiuism of the, 192 rj

s>q., 1!JS.
African squadrons, opinion rcganl-

in^' the, 122, i;!l.
Alexandria, tlio bombardment of,

3.S6.
Amadeo, King of Spain, ab<lication

of, I OS.
Anti-Paros, a cave of stalactites at,

Artald, the fleet at, 2!)4.
Ascension, l.']l.

Baker, (.General, of tlio Turkish

army, 276, 277, 2S0.
Battenberg, Trince Alexander of,

2-)4.
Benin, the Bight of, notes on, 123

tt sw/.
Bcresford, Lord Charles, 288.
]5erlin Congress, the, 2Sl ct stq.
T'esika Bay, 21 1, 219 ct w.cf.
Boer insurrection, a, 10.
Bosphorus, the scenery of the, 258.
Bounty crews, nature and usual

character of the old, 7,5 d. ,-'.7,,

209.
Bulair, the Turkish lines at, 214,

218, 234, 2.-) 2.
Bulgarian atrocities, the, 198.

California, discovery of gold in,

34.
Cameroons river, a Baptist mission

at the, 127.
Canton, impressions of, .'il.
Cape Town, 19 e^ s"/., 144.

Coptaii>, lo.ss of H.M.S., 158.

ChunuLl Fleet, a cruise of the,
102.

(Jialdini, the Biedmontese general,
82, 84.

Clyde shipbuilding, Admiral Horn-
by's opinion of, 104.

Comme.ell, 8ir K, 201, 214, 227,
2ti0, 288, 289.

(^onnaught, the Duke of, in Sweden,

173 (t srq.

Constantinople, Russian advance
on, 240 ct w/.

Cowper - Coles, Captain, theories
of, regarding armour-ships, J 09,
11,5.

(Cyprus, value of, as h coaling-
station, 297— climate and fer-
tility of, 298.

Daores, Adnural, 78, S3 d shi.,

99, 118, 13.-).
Dahomey, the slave-trade in, 12.').
Dardanelles, the passage of the,

241 (I si'i.
Derby, Lord, 1, 44, 10"), 206, 259,

38t).
Dr.raAation, trial of H.M.,S., 179.
Dickson, Sir Collingwood, 214, 216,

236.
Drontheim, King Oscar's coronation

at, 1 72 (it ^iq.

Edinburgh, Duke of, at Kingston.
1 62.

Egerton, Commander, secret mis-
sion of, 206.

Elgin, Lord, 53.

'^ C

402

INDEX.

Emperor William, 37r>, 377, 384.

I'>n(|uiriiiuilt, 61 . (>!l.

Etna, account of an eruption of,

.Sir.

Fairfax, Admiral, Sfll.

Farquhar, Sir Arthur, recollections

of Admiral Hornby liy, 10.
Fit/roy, Admiral, l--'2, 164, -200,

'A27, ;j;?o, :U)6.

Flying Si|uadron, tlie, !;?!• n tn/.
-notes for use ni, 18!)--sinn-

mary of route of, 1.j7.
Frusia' rivoi, a journey up the,

62.
French na\'y, comparisons with

the, 11,'.,

(Jai'ibaldi, an abortive rising by,

92, 97.
(rcrman naval manonivres, 8S1 >(

SI q.
(ireenwich. Royal Naval ('ollcge,

description of, '.\^\ — nature of

work done at, .'5.34.
(Juild, the troop-ship, 344

Hay. Lord .lohn, '27S, l'.SiJ.

Hewett, Sir William, til 4, 216,
•-'6S, -288, 397.

Hobart 'J'own, notes on, 148.

Hornby, Admiral Sir (JeoflVey
Phipps, childhood and .school-
days, 3, 4 - H.M.S. /Viw.evs
Churliit'ij, 6 — Sir Arthur Far-
quliar's recollections of, \0 — at
the bombardment of Acre, 1'2 —
to the (Jape in M.M.S. Win-
chrx/er, 14 — his "Old Dutch
Motiier," 19 Sir Anthony Hos-
kins' estimate of, ib. — H.M.,S.
('/(O/in'ra, 22 — flag-lieutenant
H.M.S. Ava, 27 -death of eld-
est brother, 33— command' r, 34
— on tour with Lord Stanl' _> , 38
et iiK/. — marriage, L". — to China
in command of H.M.S. Trihmic,
49 — the San ,Juan difficulty, 64
et sei). - mother's death, 73 —
H.M.S. Ni'pt!(iu' in the Mediter-
ranean, 7<> ct .scq. — at Malta and
Naples, S.") >/ ^eq. — flag cajjtain
on H.M.S. Edfjar, Channel Fleet,

99 --tour round I'.ritain, l^l r^i
si(f. — at l..isbon, lid et >< ,. —
commodore of West Africau sta-
tion, H.M.S. /irlstol, 118~ileath
of his father, 133— adnural of
thti Flying Scjuadrun, H.M.S.
fyinr/xjo/, 139 — Africa, Aus-
tralia, New Zealand, .lapan, I 12
il SI If. - oonnnand of the Channel
Fleet, H.M.S Miuotour, 16H-
at Vigo, Hi". '' s'c'/. — reception
of the Shah, 170r/, '•cf/. — at the
coronation I'l the King of
Sweden, 173 — appointment in
the Admiralty, 184 — work as a
sea-lord, 187 «' sni. — the Mdli-
terrancan command, H.M.S.
A I' xdinlra. I !IS - passage of
the I >ardanclles, 237 <' •<*.'/■ —
knighthood, 288 — ban(iueted by
the Snltan, 310 — rresidciit of
the Royal Naval C<.llege, 330—
the l'o)t.=ini()uth command, 338 —
naval manouvres, 3-")0 et ^iq. —
a farewell dinner, 3.")8 — life at
Lordingtou, 363 -— G.C.P... 367
- illness, 371 —at the German
manomvres, 378 it ^eq. — a seri-
ous accident, 3S7 — death of %\ife
.iiul sist(>r, 389 - last attindance
at lUickingham Palace, 394 —
illness and death, 306 — funeral,
399.

Hornby, Rev. (ieorge, 9, 82. 91.

Hornby, Sir I'hipj.s, early na^.a!
career of, 2 appointed to ^Vool-
wiuh, 14 — the Pacitic comnuind,
2()— death of oldest son, 33--
settlement at Littlegreen, 36 —
the IJoard of Adnuralty, 43—
death of his wife, 73 --death,
133.

Hoskins, Sir Anthony, recollections
of Adnural Hornby by, 19,

flou'i' court-martial, the, .390.

Hudson, Sir James, 91, 93.

Hunt, Mr Ward, 184, 187, 190,
192, 197, 205.

H)rahini Pasha, 11, 12.
Insubordination in the navy, cases

of, 207 i;t snq.
Ismid, sport at, 308.

IXDEX.

403

(;/

91.

nava,!

\Vool-

iivuuul,

.St)—

43-

iloath,

190,

Jaimu, viHit of the Flying Squadron
t(j, I'jd - two natives of, taken
witli the s(|na<Uon, \'i\i.

ilajiaiicse anilia.SMa<li(i's, visit of, to
iJritiHh Hect at Malta, 8S.

• lubiice, leminiaccnces of the
(^uucn's, o7".

Kandy, description of a native

procession near, 40.
Key, .Sir Cooper, 195, .".SO, .'^.•JS,

3B7.

Layard, Sir Henry, 211. 218, 2SS.
Letters --

To his father, 52, '.9, HI, 84,

88, 104, 1-Jl.
To his wife, 50, T)], .'".(i, 58, (i'2,
64, (i7, 71, 76, 79, lol, 10->,
lOtt, 108. 114, 115, 111), 117,
121, \:r.), i(i-2, \i:\ 214, 222,

2.S0, 2:U), 24 S, 259, 2(.)(), 2H9,

271, 273, 274, 280, 288, .Mt7,
313, 325, 342. 350, 355. 30i).
375, 378.

To Captain Colonib, 3fiO, 301.
To Sir Kdmund Coninierell, 250.
To Sir Syilney Dacres, 99, 135.
To Lord Derby, 210, 297, 302.
To < 'apt. R.jliert Hall, K.N., 118.
To A.lniiral Lord .John Hav, 282.
To Alis.^ E. Hornby, 130. "
To Admiral "Windham Hornby,

281.
To Rt. Hon. G, Ward Hunt, 205.
To Sir Henry Layard, 239.
To S. P. Alartin,'p:si., 94.
To Sir Alex. Milne. K.C.B.,

134, 182.
To Sir Noel Salmon, 394.
ToRt. Hon. \V. II. Smith. 209,

225, 234, 252, 207, 208, 2C9,

272, 274, 276, 278, 2^2, 285,
304.

To JNlrs Stopford, 309, 331, 348,

357. 364, 383.
To Sir Robert Stopford, 14.
To Admiral Wellesley, 227. 256,

273, 278, 279, 284, 286, 289,
305,

To Captain Winsloe, 368.
To Sir Hastings Yelverton, 207,
221.

Line of-battlt .ship, the last, to leave

Portsmouth, I 10.
Liabon, i:er(iuonial visit to, 110 el

Liverpool, the Chamiel Fleet ban-

(jneted at, 105.
Lordington, manner of Admiral

Hornby's life at, 362 « / .sev.

M'Crea, Admiral, 343.

Malet, Sir Edward, 29.3, 310, 312,

375.
Malta, an adventure at, S — de-
scription of, tliirty five years ago,

^5 — (juaiaiitine at, .314.
Manfeiivros, 350 ft srrf. — of the

German tloet, 3Nl <' si^f/.
Martin, Sir \\'illiam, character of,

as .admiral, 77 — the originator of

steam tactics, 80.
Miliemet Ali, 11.
Mcllniurne, visit of the Flying

Squadron to, 145 H >t7.
Mikado, reception of Admiral

Hornby by th(% 151 — a nepliew

of the, sent to (Ireenwii'h, 335.
Milo, value of, as a coaling-station,

318.
Missions, some West African, 125

1 1 >» 7.
•' -Mother, Old Dutch," Admiral

Hornby's, 19, 144,

Nanga^aki, a reception at, 57.

Napier, Sir (harhs, defeat of Ibra-
him Pasha by, 12.

Naples, account of a festival at, 82
— residence at, 92, 93.

Navy, a retrospeiit of the progress
of the, 358 ef .iffj.

New Zealand, notes on, 149 pI scq.

Northbrook, Lord, 330.

Palnias, Cape, American mission
at, 128.

Parkes, Sir Henry, 150.

Percy, Admiral, 1 4, 22.

Persia, visit of the Shah of, to
fleet, 171.

Portland, oijening of the break-
water at, 163.

Portsmouth, the work of the navad
command at, 339.

-10-i

INDEX.

I'ortugal, King (if, curemony of
investing tiie, with the Ciarter,
1 ID ft »fi}.

Prinkipo, -jao.

Reuss, f'riace, Ciorman AmViassailor
at Constantinople, 'JI 1.

Rio <le Janeiro, 28, T.i, 14."}.

KusHia, tiu; position of, in Tnrkcy
in 1S"7, 2'20 il snq. — ailvanco of,
on Constantinople, '2'2'A — failure
of designs of, 'J 17- the 1>erlin
Congress and, 2K4 — departure
of, from Turkey, 'JS?.

Sails, transition from, to steam,
101.

San Juan, American disputi con-
cerning, IJ4 ft •<''(/.

Sefton, Lord, mission of, to Lisbon,
110.

Seymour, Sir I^eauchamp, 195, 202,

•.i-27, xu), :u-2.

Seymoui-, Admiral Cuhne, .'iU.S,

310, .54!).
Shah, vi.sit of, to l?ritish tlcot, 171.
vSherman, (toncral, visit of, to

Channel l^'lcet, I GO.
Sierra Leone, 1 ver at, 121.
Signalling in the navv, reforms

in, -AGS.
Slave trade in Africa, the, 22, 123

ft ■-•( '/.
Spain, notes on a rural di-^Jtriet of,

165 ef Nt'y.
" Sijuadrons of E.xercise," 346.
St Helena, 132.

Stanipalia, value of, as a coaling-
station, 207, 319.
Steam-tactics, the beginning of, 80

— e.vcrcise in, lOS, 203 rt si^j.
Stopford, Admiral Sir Robert, 6,

S, 12, 14.

Sultan, a reception by the, 262 it
St 7. — character of, 'iSO- descrip-
tion of a banquet 1 /, 310 tl

Sweden, King of, coronation of,
173 '' If'/. — visit of, to Ports-
mouth, 344.

Sydney, visit of tlie Flying Squad-
ron to, 14G I't seij.

Therapia, a paper-chase at, 202.
'rhuiiiln-er, explosion on board

H.M.S., 303.
Todleben, the Russian general,

248, 271, 285,
Tripoli, 325.

Tryon, Sir (Jeorge, .S05, 325, 302.
'I'urkey, betrayal of fleet of, to

Mchemct Ali, 11 — method of

securing- labourers in, 215.
Turret-8hii)9, the beginning of, 109.

" Uncle Geofl',". 114.

Valparaiso, residence at, 30, 70 —
some old customs at, 31.

Vancouver's Island, (il <7 te'/.

Victor Kmmanu(d, vi.sit of, to
the 15ritish S(iuadron at Naples,
89.

Vigo, sport at, 165 et kcij.

Vourla Iky, 224.

Wales, I'rince of, naval rejoicings
for the recovery of the, 161 —
return of, from India, 191.

Wellington, the funeral of the
Duke of, 44.

W"st Africa, tlie slave-trade in,
123 '■(■ scq. — missionary and
merchant dirticuLies in, 125.

Wilson, (,'aptain Knyvet, 344.

\Volseley, Lord, 296.

rillNTED BV WILLIAll BLACKWDC3 AJrt) SCJJS.

)tiou l,y the, 262 ,t
tt'r uf, 2.S(1- iloHorip.
anquet I/, SIO el

of, coronation of,
-visit of, to I'orts-

' tlie Flying Squa,]-

r-T-cliase at, 202.
)losion on board

Kussian general,

e. 303, 325, :m.
1 of fleet of, to
11— method of
•era in, 21,).
Ijeginning of, 109.

14.

3nce fit, ;^0, 70—
'!« at, :il.
1, til f.f nei/.
'I, visit of, to
Klron at Naples,

y €( i<eij.

naval rejoioinga
' of the, 161 —
ndia, 1<)1.
funeral of the

slave-trade in,
nissionary and
"ies in, 12,3.
lyvet, 344.
(i.