Royal Naval Biography/Hope Johnstone, William James
WILLIAM JAMES HOPE JOHNSTONE, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1823.]
Second son of Vice-Admiral Sir William Johnstone Hope, G.C.B., M.P., Treasurer and Receiver-General of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, by Lady Anne, eldest daughter of James, third Earl of Hopetown, who, at the demise of his grand-uncle, George, Marquis of Annandale, in 1792, inherited the large estates of that nobleman, and the earldoms of Annandale and Hartfield; neither of which dignities did he, however, assume, but simply added the family name of the deceased marquis, Johnstone, to that of Hope[1].
Mr. William J. Hope Johnstone was born, July 28th, 1798; and entered the naval service, as midshipman on board the Sarpedon brig, in June, 1811. He subsequently served in the Adamant 50, Captain John Sykes; Venerable 74, Captain Sir Home Popham; Stirling Castle 74, commanded by the same officer, and employed in conveying the Earl of Moira (afterwards Marquis of Hastings) to Bengal; Latona, receiving-ship at Leith, Captain Andrew Smith; Endymion 40, Captain Henry Hope; Tagus 38, Captain J. W. Deans Dundas; Satellite sloop, Captain James Murray; and Ramillies 74, Captain Thomas Boys. In the Venerable, he was present at the reduction of Lequitio and Castro, on the north coast of Spain; also at the attacks made upon Puerta Galetta, Guetaria, and Santander; and at the destruction of the fortifications of Bermeo, Plencia, Galea, Algorta, Begona, El Campillo las Quersas, and Xebiles, in the summer of 1812[2]. The Latona and Ramillies bore the flag of his father, as commander-in-chief on the coast of Scotland, in 1813 and the five succeeding years. His first commission bears date May 2d, 1818.
In June, 1819, Lieutenant Johnstone was appointed to the Vengeur 74, Captain Frederick Lewis Maitland, C.B. which ship conveyed Lord Beresford from Rio Janeiro to the river Tagus, and the King of the Two Sicilies from Naples to Leghorn, in the year 1820[3].
On Sir Home Popham’s return from the naval command at Jamaica, a short time previous to his demise, the commander’s commission in his gift was bestowed upon the subject of this sketch, and bears date Sept. 9th, 1820. In the following year, being then unemployed, he joined, as a private, the Dumfries-shire yeomanry cavalry, in which respectable corps he is now a captain. On the 28th Feb. 1823, he was appointed to the Eclair sloop, fitting out at Deptford, for the South American station.
While employed in this vessel, affording protection to British property on the north coast of Brazil, the country being then in a very unsettled state. Captain Johnstone differed in opinion with his Majesty’s Vice-Consul at Pará, as to the line of conduct that should be taken by the English residents, and requested that they would forthwith withdraw their names from a cavalry corps which had been formed during the recent disturbances in the province; urging the nature of his orders, which required him to discountenance any thing but the strictest neutrality. He afterwards received a note from Mr. Dickenson, the Vice-Consul, wherein the latter expressed himself as follows: – “I have much satisfaction in assuring you, that the British merchants have with alacrity fully adopted your advice, although not consonant with their individual opinions.” – At a subsequent period, he had the satisfaction to receive an official letter from the Admiralty, conveying Mr. Secretary Canning’s approbation of his conduct.
In January, 1824, the house of Mr. Hesketh, an English merchant at Maranham, and brother to the British Vice-Consul there, was forcibly entered, and searched for arms, Captain Johnstone, thinking a shew of force, by moving the Eclair, might have the effect of producing greater circumspection in future, shifted her berth accordingly, and placed her, as soon as possible, on the flank of a low battery, mounting eighteen 9 and 6-pounders. In the meantime, the Vice-Consul had obtained an apology for the outrage committed; but the Junta of the province afterwards deliberated whether they should not deprive the Eclair of her rudder, for approaching so near the shore! On leaving that harbour to join Sir George Eyre (his commander-in-chief) Captain Johnstone received the following letter:–
“Marnaham, 26th Jan. 1824.
“Dear Sir,– I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter which I received this morning from the British merchants, under the signatures of their respective firms, expressive of their wish, that the visits of His Majesty’s ships to this port may he continued, and their grateful sense of the attention you have paid to the protection of their interests, also of their individual regrets at losing the pleasure of the society of yourself and the officers of H.M.S. Eclair.
“I comply with the wish of the merchants in transmitting the enclosed, and rejoice in the opportunity thus afforded me to express my particular thanks for the zealous and friendly disposition so sincerely manifested on the morning of the 14th instant, towards my brother and myself; and I shall ever feel proud of the acquaintance I have made from your visit to this place. I am, with great truth and regard, my dear Sir, yours very sincerely,
(Signed)“Robert Hesketh, Vice-Consul.”
“To Captain Johnstone, H.M.S. Eclair.”
The measures adopted by this officer at Maranham were also highly approved by Mr. Secretary Canning. In Mar. 1824, he assumed the command of the Doris 42, at Pernambuco, into which frigate he had been posted by the Admiralty, on the 2 1st of October preceding.
The port of Pernambuco was then closely blockaded by a squadron from Rio Janeiro, the province having refused to acquiesce in the wishes of the Brazilian government; and Captain Johnstone remained there nearly four months, for the protection of British property. Notwithstanding every endeavour on his part to steer a perfectly neutral course, he was formally accused by the President, of sending supplies to the royal squadron, which induced him to address a letter to his Excellency, denying that the boats of the Doris had, “either directly or indirectly,” been so employed; and stating, that unless the President allowed he had acted on partial information, His Majesty’s ship should receive no more supplies from thence. Obtaining but a very unsatisfactory answer to this communication, he thereupon sailed for Bahia, to complete his water and provisions; having only the disagreeable alternative of allowing the government of Pernambuco to suppose that they might with impunity accuse a British officer of dishonorable conduct, if he remained and took supplies; or of leaving the English merchants under considerable alarm, as was strongly expressed in a letter to him. On his return, however, in a fortnight afterwards, he had the infinite satisfaction to find that no British subject had been molested in anyway; and he subsequently received a letter from Rear-Admiral Sir George Eyre, acknowledging the receipt of his despatches on the subject, and perfectly approving of his conduct.
Many other disagreeable circumstances occurred during Captain Johnstone’s stay at Pernambuco, but more particularly on the 22d of June, 1824, when two midshipmen of the Doris and a boat’s crew were made prisoners, on landing, by the populace, under the impression, we believe, that her boats had assisted in an attack made on the previous night by the blockading officer. In consequence of this outrage, a lieutenant was sent with a letter to the President, demanding “an explicit and ample apology;” and next day, Captain Johnstone received in writing “His Excellency’s regrets at the occurrence,” and found that a strong proclamation had been issued to enforce civility to all foreigners.
The blockade being raised a few days afterwards, and tranquillity restored. Captain Johnstone rejoined his Admiral at Rio Janeiro, proceeded from thence to the Rio de la Plata, and then sailed for England, where he arrived in Dec, 1824, and paid off the Doris, Jan. 12th following.
Captain Johnstone’s next appointment was, June 6, 1828, to the Asia 84, fitting out for the flag of Sir Pulteney Malcolm, commander-in-chief on the Mediterranean station, with whom he is now serving in the Britannia 120, having removed with him into the latter ship, April 28, 1830.
Agents.– Messrs. Cooke, Halford, & Son.
- ↑ Sir W. Johnstone Hope’s eldest son now claims the earldom of Annandale in light of his mother.
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part II. pp. 523–527.
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part. I. p. 399, and note † at ditto.