THE "FATHER OF THE FLEET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7923, 30 January 1904, Page 7

THE "FATHER OF THE FLEET.

•Last week's cable news announced the death of the Hon Sir Henry Keppel, G.C.8., Vice-A-iniral of the British Fleet, who was known ao tho "Father of the ffifeet." Ho was a younger son of the late Earl of Albemarle, born Juno 14, 1809, fe_te«d the navy at an early age, was made lieutenant in 1829, and commander in 1835. Jn command of the Ohilders, 16 guni, he, served on the _.outh coast of Bpain during the civil war of 1834-5* afterwards on the -rest coast of Africa, was made captain •in 1837, and' commanded! the ' Dido from 1841 tilt 1845, during which time he was v em-, ployed in the China war of 1842, and afterwards in the suppression ef piracy in the Eastern Archipblaf o. From November, 1847, till J^y* 1851 » •** eo* l **-*"** the Meander, 44 guns, on the China and 1 Pacific stations j *~ May, 1853,, wae appointed to ,I_e command of the K^ean * Acnv 101 * .runs : eerved in the Baltic and in the Black Sea and havina » July. 1 856 * —changed

into the Rodney, 74 guns, obtained command of the Naval Brigade before Sebastopol; Aft- the fall of that stronghold he returned to England, and was appointed to the Colossus. In September, 1856, he hoisted his pennant as commodore on board the Raleigh, 52 gun_> and proceeded to China, where his ship was lost by striking or " unknown rock. , He commanded a division of boats', at the destruction of tbe Chinese war fleet in the Fatshan Creek, June 1, 1857, for which service he was made a X.C.8., and on attaining flag rank he returned to En eland. In 1859**- ho was made Groom in Waiting to tho Queen, which o_tce he relinquisned in May, 1860, on being appointed to the Cape of Good Hope as naval Commander-in-Chief, from which he was transferred to the Brazilian station. In January, 1867, he . hoisted his flag on board the Rodney, as Vice-Admiral Cem'-mander-in-Chief on the China a»4 Japan Station. He returned to England in December, 1869, on attaining they rank of fuU Admiral, and was made D.C.L. of Oxford, in 1870. He was created ai G.C.B. in 1871, and he became an Admiral of the Fleet in 1877. He was also a Commander of the .Le-,

gion of Honour, and held the Medjidie distinction of the second class. Sir H. Keppel was the author of several literary works, including an " Expedition to Borneo, with Bajah Brooke's Journal," and a "Visit to tbe Indian Archipelago."