William Napier, 9th Lord Napier
Encyclopedia
William John Napier, 9th Lord Napier was a Royal Navy
officer, politician and diplomat.
(1758–1823) and the father of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick
(1819-1898). He served during the battle of Trafalgar
(1805) as a midshipman
. He later served as Lieutenant
under Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
.
, Lord Napier was an elected Scottish representative in the House of Lords
from 1824 to 1832.
In December 1833, upon the ending of British East India Company
's monopoly on trade in the Far East
, Lord Napier was appointed by Lord Palmerston, the foreign secretary and a family friend of Napier, the first Chief Superintendent of Trade at Canton
(now Guangzhou
), in China. He arrived at Macau
on 15 July 1834, and Canton ten days later, with the mission of expanding British trade into inner China. Lacking the necessary diplomatic and commercial experience, he was not successful in achieving the objective. Having failed to secure a meeting with the Viceroy of Canton who refused any form of correspondence with an alien, and being refused any further trade concessions, Lord Napier became in favour of military actions, including the proposal of taking over Hong Kong
. He sent two frigates towards Canton, where they were lost. Lord Napier then accepted defeat and left for Macau, where he died of a fever in less than a month's time. He was buried in Macau.
The Second and Third Superintendents were John Francis Davis
and Sir George Best Robinson, respectively.
Lord Napier had two sons and five daughters. His eldest son, Francis Napier, also entered diplomatic service and was promoted by Palmerston for the rest of his life.
, and then to the Hong Kong Museum of History
, where it now rests.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer, politician and diplomat.
Early life
He was the son of Francis Napier, 8th Lord NapierFrancis Napier, 8th Lord Napier
Francis Scott Napier, 8th Lord Napier was a British peer and army officer.Napier was born in Ipswich in 1758, the son of Hon. William Napier and his wife, the Hon...
(1758–1823) and the father of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick
Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier
Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick, KT, PC , was a Scottish polyglot, diplomat and colonial administrator. He served as the British Minister to the United States from 1857 to 1859, Netherlands from 1859 to 1860, Russia from 1861 to 1864, Prussia from 1864 to 1866 and as the...
(1819-1898). He served during the battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
(1805) as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
. He later served as Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
under Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
.
Career
A peer of ScotlandPeerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
, Lord Napier was an elected Scottish representative in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
from 1824 to 1832.
In December 1833, upon the ending of British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
's monopoly on trade in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, Lord Napier was appointed by Lord Palmerston, the foreign secretary and a family friend of Napier, the first Chief Superintendent of Trade at Canton
Thirteen Factories
The Thirteen Factories was an area of Canton , China, where the first foreign trade was allowed in the 18th century since the hai jin ban on maritime activities...
(now Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
), in China. He arrived at Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
on 15 July 1834, and Canton ten days later, with the mission of expanding British trade into inner China. Lacking the necessary diplomatic and commercial experience, he was not successful in achieving the objective. Having failed to secure a meeting with the Viceroy of Canton who refused any form of correspondence with an alien, and being refused any further trade concessions, Lord Napier became in favour of military actions, including the proposal of taking over Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. He sent two frigates towards Canton, where they were lost. Lord Napier then accepted defeat and left for Macau, where he died of a fever in less than a month's time. He was buried in Macau.
The Second and Third Superintendents were John Francis Davis
John Francis Davis
Sir John Francis Davis, 1st Baronet KCB was a British diplomat, Sinologist, and the 2nd Governor of Hong Kong. He was the son of Samuel Davis and nephew to William Thomas Mercer .-Early career:John Davis was appointed writer in East India Company's factory at Canton in 1813...
and Sir George Best Robinson, respectively.
Lord Napier had two sons and five daughters. His eldest son, Francis Napier, also entered diplomatic service and was promoted by Palmerston for the rest of his life.
Honours
Following his death, the British Government placed a memorial to him before the Macao Customs Office. After being lost for a short time, it was moved to the Hong Kong CemeteryHong Kong Cemetery
Hong Kong Cemetery, formerly Hong Kong Cemetery and before that Hong Kong Colonial Cemetery, is one of the early Christian cemeteries of Hong Kong during its colonial era . It is located beside the racecourse at Happy Valley, along with the Jewish Cemetery, Hindu Cemetery, Parsee Cemetery, St...
, and then to the Hong Kong Museum of History
Hong Kong Museum of History
The Hong Kong Museum of History is a museum which preserves Hong Kong's historical and cultural heritage. It is located next to the Hong Kong Science Museum....
, where it now rests.
External links
- The Napier Affair (1834)
- Another description of the Napier Affair
- Glenn Melancon, "Peaceful Intentions: The First British Trade Commission in China, 1833-5,” Historical Research 73 (2000) password required.