Royal Naval Biography/Napier, William John
RIGHT HON. LORD NAPIER.
Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
[Post-Captain of 1814.]
Is descended from John Napier, “to whom” says Hume, the historian, “the title of Great Man is more justly due, than to any other whom his country ever produced.” He was the inventor of the Logarithms and Robdologice, commonly called “Napier’s Bones;” and likewise author of a “Treatise on the Revelation of St. John.” These works will remain lasting monuments of his sublime judgment, knowledge, and penetration. His only son by his first wife was created a Scotch peer, by the title of Baron Napier, May 4, 1627. The officer of whom we are now to speak, is the eldest son of Francis, seventh Lord Napier, one of the 16 representative peers for Scotland, by Maria Margaret, eldest daughter of Sir William Clavering, K.B.
The Hon. William John Napier was born Oct. 13, 1786. He served part of his time as midshipman under Lord Cochrane, in the Imperieuse frigate, and commanded one of her boats at the attack of Arcasson, Jan. 7, 1807[1]. His first commission bears date Oct. 6, 1809; from which period he served in the Kent 74, Captain Thomas Rogers, and Sparrowhawk 18, Captain James Pringle, on the Mediterranean station, until his promotion to the rank of commander, June 1, 1812. He was then appointed to the Goshawk 16, stationed on the coast of Catalonia, where he had the misfortune to be wrecked Sept. 21, 1813[2].
We next find Captain Napier commanding the Erne corvette, of 20 guns, to which ship he appears to have been appointed in Mar. 1814. He received a post commission June 4 following; married Mar. 28, 1816[3]; became F.R.S.E. Jan, 20, 1818; succeeded his father, Aug. 1, 1823; and obtained the command of the Diamond 46, fitting for the South American station. May 6, 1824. His next brother, Francis, died second lieutenant of the Argo 44, at Port Royal in 1814.
Agents.– Messrs. Cooke, Halford, & Son.
- ↑ See Commander David Mapleton.
- ↑ See Nav. Chron. v. 31, p. 61.
- ↑ Elizabeth, daughter of the Hon. Andrew Cochrane Johnstone.