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1S6 THE LEAPEK [No. 361, .Saturday:'
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SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. Sir Joshva Reynolds...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Baltic Napier. The History Of The Ba...
unintelligible orders , now ¦ "warned ¦ him to be cautious , now touched his self-] Dve with a prick of irony , now said , " Surely Sweaborg is assailable , " then cried , " It is time for you to get out of that infernal Gulf . " Within four days the Admiralty ordered him to attack Sweaborg , and not to attack it . But what was to be expected from Sir James Graham , who said in an official despatch that a fleet , even though unprovided with mortars , anight reduce a fortress by its vertical fire ? We think that all Englishmen interesting themselves in public questions are bound to read Sir Charles Napier ' s narrative—for it is virtually his . First Lord of the
What will they then think of Sir James Graham , as a Admiralty , talking of the " vertical fire" of long guns , recommending Sir Charles Napier to " risk" his four line-of-battle ships , and , at the same time , discoursing on . the madness of running one ' s head against stone walls , offering a dredging machine whej ^ he was asked for gun ^ boats , suggesting diving-bells when rockets were wanted ? The truth is , our Admiral went to the Baltic with a skeleton armament ; he had not a gun-boat , not one mortar ; his worst imprudence consists in having treated the Admiralty Lords as they were treated by Lord Nelson and Lord St . Vincent , who told them they "were dull and impertinent . of Sir Charles Baltic
We do not propose to retrace the story Napier ' s campaign . But we must confess that this volume contains irrefragable proofs that he was grossly misused by the blundering pedants of the Admiralty BoaTd . It is true that he issued a bombastic signal when the declaration of war was announced to the fleet ; but it is true , also , that from the first he endeavoured to moderate the expectations of hi 3 countrymen . His ships were insufficiently manned with sailors , " miserably raw ; " Admiralty authorities informed him , " We are come nearly to a dead stand for seamen . On going out he was cautioned , on coming home he was goaded ; yet , from first to last , he continually urged upon the Government the necessity of mortars , of gun-boats , and of a land force to co-operate with the fleet . If he Admiralty professed to consult his judgment ; when he acted
independently it censured him , though afterwards compelled to apologize . " When he practised shell-firing , he was enjoined to economise his ammunition , and when he begged for pilots , the First Lord wrote , " I suspect you must grope your own way in your own surveying vessels . " He offered , with a number of steamers , and a small force , to keep the Russian armies * on the trot ' round the coasts of the Baltic ; hut the Admiralty could not afford that diversion . It was one of Sir James Graham ' s eccentricities , however , to discourse to Sir Charles Napier as to what might be done with " floating batteries heavily armed with steam power and light draught of water , " when no such battery was at the Admiral ' s disposal . The Admiral replied , that he might as well throw peas as shells against the granite walls of the . Russians ,. Minie" rifles were sent to him , but no ammunition .
When the fleet reached Cronstadt , it was supposed that the enemy ' s -ships of war had anchored outside the fortsi : — The tars-exulted in the prospect of catching them , and more so that not a breath of -wind prevailed to carry them inside the protection of their batteries ; but this expectation was doomed to disappointment . The ships ahead looking out for ' infernal machines , ' found , as the mist cleared away , that the Russian fleet -was safely ensconced within the harbour , and under the guns of the huge forts , -which alone presented their fronts , as if in mockery of a force -which could not get near them . There was no doubt the usual amount of swearing at an enemy -who -wouldnot come out to be killed , bat beyond this ebullition , the ships had nothing for it but to come quietly to an anchor . On the approach of the squadron , there was , however , evidently a great stir amongst th « Russian fleet ; the steamers got up steam , and all seemed on the alert to meet on attack , should the Allied fleet come within reach , of which there was little danger , as the large shipB of the line could not have been floated in , and there were no other vessels with which an attack could even have been attempted .
To attack this tremendous fortress with ships , Sir James Graham said would be "to play the Russian game "—" an act of madness . " Supposing , however , that a fleet could be successfully pitted against such a fortress , what were Napier ' s menus ? The French Government supplied 2 , 000 , 000 shot and shell to the besiegers of Sebastopol ; with , 12 , 000 shell the British Admiral was expected to lay in ashes the mighty range of fortifications along the Baltic shores- Mr . Earp supplies , from the Admiral ' s notes , a striking summary of the difficulties in the way of such an undertaking . Sir Charles Napier , commissioned to overcome these difficulties , was liberally ad-vised by Sir James Graham , who omitted ^ however , to furnish the machinery with which his plans might have been carried out . Among his plans was one for blasting a trench in the ice round Oesel and Dago—cutting oft ' two islands from a sea of ice by a season of gunpowder explosions ! In August , 1854 , Sir Charles Napier would have attacked Abo , but his instructions prevented him , since the French Admiral refused to co-operate . Sir Jaines Graham then intimated that the ileet was wanted at home . But
a blow at Sweaborg was suggested , and four daya afterwards came a despatch > dioolariug that an attempt on Sweaborg was the last thing which the Admiral should propose to himself . However , one gun-boat was sent out , to illustrate the vigour of the Admiralty architects : — It-waa only when the season had passed away , with neither gun-boats , mortarboats , nor rooketa supplied to the fleet , and when the public had become clamorous , tbat Sir James Graham urged rash impossibilities , knowing full well that the Admiral would not adopt them . TIub letter sealed the fate of Sir Charles Napier , though not a . word of its plain , solid truth could be taken hold of . It was as guarded as it was
unanswerable . For the Admiralty to be told in plain terms that all the Admiral had asked for to destroy Sweaborg was gun-boats , mortar-boata , & c , whilst tho Admiralty was catching at the straws thrown to them by two engineering officers , was too true to be palatable . Henceforward it became evident that the only relation in which the Board of Admiralty and Sir Charles Napier could stand towards each other was , who should boar the blame with tho public ; and for this contest the Admiralty girded up its loins * ight manfully . Tho Senior Naval Lord , mth a degree of frankness , apprised Sir Charles of tho coming atonn in the following words : — "We Bhall have blue-books and parliamentary questions -without end . Tun attack . paimno . against XOU , WILt , BH LVCVMULBD AIUIB BoAlU > : Oil UAIUINO AGAINST TJLUD BOAUU , WILI- U 1 C
LEVUCLXJ £ 1 > AGAINST YOU . The best comment , as Mr . Earp saya , is That ica tho sacond campaign , with evory placo thoroughly surveyed for him by Sir Charlea Naplor ' a fleet , and with moans , all of whi & h wore -wrunting to tho firat iteot
Admiral Dundas could not reduce the fortifications of Sweaborg . So satisfied -yva fc of their impregnability , that he never even assembled his fleet for the nnrrm - attacking them . l » "l > ose of The French Admiral left the Baltic in 1854 without announcing his ' tention to the British GoYernment . Sir James Graham wrote on the 25 tli of September : — " The intelligence of Admiral Parseral having left you has taken us by sunn The British Ambassador was informed in Paris on Saturday last bv the Fr ^ l ' Minister of Marine that a Letter dated the 13 th instant had been received bv ft French Government from Admiral Parseval , from which it was quite clear that if intended remaining ; with the greater part of his fleet and all his steamers as Ions the British force remained . " S as N ~ apier was now alone . Graham was anxious for an attack . Admiral Berkeley , however , began to feel uneasy about the fleet z-
" I am seriously thinking when it will be tine to get you out of that infernal Gulf How long-do you think it will be right to permit those big shijis to remain ?" We can only make room for two more extracts ; the first is the Adniiralfv order to Sir Charles Napier to strike his flag : — ^ " The Baltic fleet , on its return from port , being now dispersed in different harbours of Great Britain , and several of the ships which composed this fleet beinounder orders for service in the Black Sea and Mediterranean , you are hereby required and directed to strike your flag , and come on shore . " That was curt enough . No thanks to the Admiral , officers , or men . Sir Charles Napier elicited an explanatory letter in an amended tone : — " I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that the order which you have received , agreeably to custom , to strike your flag and come on shore , is always the termination of a flag officer ' s command ; and I am directed by my Lords to talce this opportunity to express to you the sense their Lordships entertain of your exertions during the period of your service in command of the Baltic Fleet . "
There can be no question but that Sir Charles Napier , blamable , as an Admiralty Lord said , " not for his acts , but for his writings , " is . a good and gallant sailor , and that he led the Baltic fleet bravely ' and wisely through innumerable dangers and temptations—physical dangers , and temptations to desperate enterprises . The testimony contained in this book vindicates him altogether . Impolitic he may have been with his pen , but as Admiral in the Baltic he deserved well of his country .
1s6 The Leapek [No. 361, .Saturday:'
1 S 6 THE LEAPEK [ No . 361 , . Saturday : '
Sir Joshua Reynolds. Sir Joshva Reynolds...
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS . Sir Joshva Reynolds and his Works . Gleanings from Ms Diary , Unpublished , ' Mamscripts , andJro 7 n other sources . By W . Cotton , LI . A . [ Edited by John Burnet . Longman and Co . The severities of criticism should be merciless to men who publish books with attractively deceptive titles . Here is a Mr . Cotton ' who aunounces gleanings from Sir Joshua Reynolds ' s Diary , and unpublished manuscripts , livery lover of painting and literature will prick up his ears ; many-will order the work from the booksellers . The work arrives . The leaves are
cut . The preface titillates expectation . The delighted purchaser reads : — The letters of the Rev- Samuel Reynolds , master of Plyrnpton Grammar Schoolbut not incumbent of Plympton , as erroneously stated by most of Sir Joshua's biographers—will be read -with interest ; as they are now published for the first time , and relate to a very important period of his son ' s life , when he became a pupil of Hudson , the portrait painter : they also induce us to believe that Reynolds , after bis quarrel with Hudson , returned to London , and was reconciled to his master , -who , it is said , frequently consulted him with regard to the pictures he was painting , and likewise introduced him to the acquaintance of the most distinguished men in his profession . . ¦ _ ¦ ¦ . _
The extracts from Sir Joshua ' s private Diary contain much that is interesting and amusing , besides giving proof of the astonishing amount of work accomplished by him ; for wo there learn that he was often in bis studio from nine o clock m the moraine till four in the afternoon , and received as many as seven or eight sitters m as many consecutive hours . But when absent from home , he appears to have enjoyed the sports of the field , and on one occasion , in September , 1770 , we find him huntmj a nd shooting every day during a week's ' visit at Sal tram . And shortly after the delighted reader finds himself under the guidance of a twaddlino- cicerone who , because Reynolds was born at Plympton , undertakes , in guide-book style , to drag him over the place , enumerating the names of certain persons of small celebrity connected with that seat ol learning and telling ' all about' wliat no mortal desires to know , l & e " Letters , " now first published , are soon discovered by tho delighted reader , now swiftly degenerating into a gloomy and suspicious purchaser , to be Letters loft unpublished because utterly without interest . The gleanings from the Diary turn out to he mere lists of " sitters . " One specimen shall suflicc : — KXTKA . CTS 1 'ltOM TIIK DIAKY—1759 . . This year ' s pocket-book contains the names of about 80 sitters . In the wontu January wo find Tho Prince of Wales , afterwards George III . Prince Edward his brother , who was created Duke of York tho following year . The Duchesa of Hamilton . This last was the celebrated beauty Miss Gunning , who married JnmesHi xthDuko of Hamilton . Walpole , in a letter to Sit- Horace Mann , -writes : — " The world is su mad about the Gunnings . The Duchess of Hamilton was presented on ™ ^! and the crowd was so great tbat even tho noble mob in tho drawing-room eluuiutuu on tables and chairs to look at hoc " In February tho portraits of Lord Georgo Suckvillc , Lord Kdgcumbe , Commodore Edgcumlm , »» a Ml 6 J Roy nolds were painted : and on Sunday , April 8 th , the following memorandum occurs : — Mr . Roger * at 5 . Again , in August , 17 G 1 , Thursday at o £ , Mr . Rogers , in St . Lawrence Poultney Lane . On Saturday , tho 21 st , we iind the name of Kitty Fiahor , and ngnin , Sunduy , 27 th , nt Elevon o ' clock , Misa lfisclior .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 21, 1857, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21021857/page/18/
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