Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier - Revision history

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Governor of Madras

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:11, 30 August 2021
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	== Governor of Madras ==		== Governor of Madras ==
	[[File:Napier Bridge 02.jpg\|thumb\|200px\|left\|[[Napier Bridge]] in Chennai]]		[[File:Napier Bridge 02.jpg\|thumb\|200px\|left\|[[Napier Bridge]] in Chennai]]
			[[File:Kanakakkunnu Kottaram.jpeg\|thumb\|[[Napier Museum]] in Tiruvananthapuram]]

	As soon as Napier took office as the Governor of Madras, he was faced with a severe famine in [[Ganjam District]]. He took the services of [[Florence Nightingale]] whom he had known in Constantinople. Napier undertook many major irrigation schemes during his tenure. The [[Pennar Dam]] was completed during his tenure and two other irrigation works, the [[Rushikulya Dam]] in Ganjam and the [[Mullaperiyar Dam]] were conceived during his tenure.		As soon as Napier took office as the Governor of Madras, he was faced with a severe famine in [[Ganjam District]]. He took the services of [[Florence Nightingale]] whom he had known in Constantinople. Napier undertook many major irrigation schemes during his tenure. The [[Pennar Dam]] was completed during his tenure and two other irrigation works, the [[Rushikulya Dam]] in Ganjam and the [[Mullaperiyar Dam]] were conceived during his tenure.

	Despite being at odds with different viceroys over financial issues throughout his tenure, Napier was able to resolve disputes in an amicable manner due to the friendly relations he had with [[Sir John Lawrence]] and well as his successor, [[Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo]]. When the Earl of Mayo was assassinated in the Andamans on 8 February 1872, Napier was designated to act as the Viceroy of India and he served for a short time before being relieved by Lord Northbrook. For his creditable performance as Governor of Madras, Napier was created Baron Ettrick of Ettrick in the peerage of the United Kingdom.<ref name="nytimes_18720717">{{cite news\|title=GREAT BRITAIN.; The American Squadron Protest of English Catholics Against Italy's Coorse to the Pope-Governor-General of India\|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1872/07/17/79183308.pdf\|place=London\|work=[[The New York Times]]\|date=17 July 1872}}</ref>		Despite being at odds with different viceroys over financial issues throughout his tenure, Napier was able to resolve disputes in an amicable manner due to the friendly relations he had with [[Sir John Lawrence]] and well as his successor, [[Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo]]. When the Earl of Mayo was assassinated in the Andamans on 8 February 1872, Napier was designated to act as the Viceroy of India and he served for a short time before being relieved by Lord Northbrook. For his creditable performance as Governor of Madras, Napier was created Baron Ettrick of Ettrick in the peerage of the United Kingdom.<ref name="nytimes_18720717">{{cite news\|title=GREAT BRITAIN.; The American Squadron Protest of English Catholics Against Italy's Coorse to the Pope-Governor-General of India\|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1872/07/17/79183308.pdf\|place=London\|work=[[The New York Times]]\|date=17 July 1872}}</ref>

	In 1869, Napier constructed the [[Napier Bridge]] across the [[Coovum River]] in [[Chennai]].<ref name="thehindu_20100729">{{cite news\|title=Special lighting on Napier Bridge\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article538839.ece\|work=[[The Hindu]]\|date=29 July 2010\|place=Chennai}}</ref> The [[Napier Park, Chennai\|Napier Park]] in Chennai<ref name="sindianrailwayp18">{{cite book\|title=Illustrated guide to the South Indian Railway: including the Mayavaram-Mutupet, and Peralam-Karaikkal railways\|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_irg2AAAAMAAJ\|year=1900\|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_irg2AAAAMAAJ/page/n31 18]\|publisher=[[Higginbotham's]]}}</ref> and the [[Napier Museum]] in [[Trivandrum]], [[Travancore]] were set up in his memory. Between 1866 and 1872,<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html#2 \|title=Archived copy \|access-date=26 July 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422144749/http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html#2 \|archive-date=22 April 2012 \|url-status=dead }}</ref> he had partially restored the [[Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal]] as well, which was earlier demolished considerably by Grandson of [[Thirumalai Nayak\|King Thirumalai Nayak]].		In 1869, Napier constructed the [[Napier Bridge]] across the [[Coovum River]] in [[Chennai]].<ref name="thehindu_20100729">{{cite news\|title=Special lighting on Napier Bridge\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article538839.ece\|work=[[The Hindu]]\|date=29 July 2010\|place=Chennai}}</ref> The [[Napier Park, Chennai\|Napier Park]] in Chennai<ref name="sindianrailwayp18">{{cite book\|title=Illustrated guide to the South Indian Railway: including the Mayavaram-Mutupet, and Peralam-Karaikkal railways\|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_irg2AAAAMAAJ\|year=1900\|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_irg2AAAAMAAJ/page/n31 18]\|publisher=[[Higginbotham's]]}}</ref> and the [[Napier Museum]] in [[Trivandrum]], [[Travancore]] were set up in his memory. Between 1866 and 1872,<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html#2 \|title=Archived copy \|access-date=26 July 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422144749/http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html#2 \|archive-date=22 April 2012 \|url-status=dead }}</ref> he had partially restored the [[Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal]] as well, which was earlier demolished considerably by Grandson of [[Thirumalai Nayak\|King Thirumalai Nayak]].
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	[[Category:Members of the London School Board]]		[[Category:Members of the London School Board]]
	[[Category:Lords Napier]]		[[Category:Lords Napier]]
	[[Category:Eldest sons of barons]]		[[Category:Eldest sons of British hereditary barons]]
	[[Category:Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria]]		[[Category:Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria]]

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References

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name = The Lord Napier
| honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KT|PC}}
| image = FrancisNapier10thLordNapier.jpg
| caption = Portrait of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier in 1866
| order1 = Acting [[Viceroy of India]]
| term_start1 = 24 February 1872
| term_end1 = 3 May 1872
| monarch1 = [[Queen Victoria]]
| predecessor1 = [[John Strachey (civil servant)|Sir John Strachey]] As Acting Viceroy
| successor1 = [[Thomas Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook|The Lord Northbrook]]
| order2 = [[Governor of Madras Presidency]]
| term_start2 = 27 March 1866
| term_end2 = 19 February 1872
| governor-general2 =
| predecessor2 = [[Sir William Thomas Denison]]
| successor2 = [[Alexander John Arbuthnot]] As Acting Governor
| order3 = [[List of Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Russia|Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Russia]]
| term_start3 = 1861
| term_end3 = 1864
| governor-general3 =
| predecessor3 = [[Sir John Crampton, 2nd Baronet|John Crampton]]
| successor3 = [[Sir Andrew Buchanan, 1st Baronet|Andrew Buchanan]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1819|09|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Thirlestane Castle]], [[Selkirkshire]], [[United Kingdom]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1898|12|19|1819|09|15|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Florence]], [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]
| nationality = [[British people|British]]
| party =
| alma_mater = [[Trinity College, Cambridge]]
| profession =
| occupation =
| spouse = Anne Jane Charlotte Manners
}}

'''Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KT|PC}} (15 September 1819 – 19 December 1898) was a [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[Polyglot (person)|polyglot]], [[diplomat]] and colonial [[Administrator of the Government|administrator]]. He served as the [[British Ambassador to the United States|British Minister to the United States]] from 1857 to 1859, [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands|Netherlands]] from 1859 to 1860, [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Russia|Russia]] from 1861 to 1864, [[List of diplomats from the United Kingdom to Prussia|Prussia]] from 1864 to 1866 and as the [[Governor of Madras]] from 1866 to 1872. He also acted as the [[Viceroy of India]] from February to May 1872.

Francis Napier was born on 15 September 1819 to [[William Napier, 9th Lord Napier|William John Napier]] and had his early education through private tutors. He joined the [[Trinity College, Cambridge]] in 1835 but did not complete his graduation. Instead, he mastered foreign languages and served as a diplomat in foreign missions. In 1866, he was appointed Governor of Madras and served from 1866 to 1872. On the assassination of the Earl of Mayo, the then Viceroy of India in February 1872, Napier was appointed to act temporarily as the Viceroy of India and served from February to May 1872. Napier returned to the United Kingdom in July 1872 and in his later life, chaired the [[Napier Commission]]. Napier died at [[Florence]], [[Italy]] on 18 December 1898 at the age of 79.

Napier was made a [[Knight of the Thistle]] in 1864. In 1872, he was created Baron Ettrick in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in recognition of his services in India.

== Early life and education ==
Francis Napier was born on 15 September 1819 to William John Napier, the 9th Lord Napier of Merchistoun and his wife, Elizabeth Cochrane-Johnstone at [[Thirlestane Castle]] in [[Selkirkshire]]. He was the eldest son of the couple.

Napier had his early education in private and was schooled at [[Saxe-Meiningen]]. He joined [[Trinity College, Cambridge]] in 1835 but did not complete his graduation. However, he acquired a knowledge of a few foreign languages under the tutorship of one Rev. Walter Patterson. Napier became the 10th Lord Merchistoun on the death of his father William John Napier on 11 October 1834.

== Diplomatic career ==
Due to his fluency in multiple languages, Napier's lack of educational qualifications was overlooked and he was appointed to the British embassy at Vienna and later, Constantinople, where he served as an attache. In 1848, Napier was appointed Secretary of the British delegation at [[Naples, Italy|Naples]]. He served as the Acting Ambassador for a period of eighteen months in Naples, when Italy was embroiled in the [[Sicilian revolution of independence of 1848|Sicilian insurrection]].

After his experience in Naples, he found time to publish a book assessing contemporary painters in Naples.<ref>{{cite book|last= Napier|first=Lord Francis|title= ''Notes on Modern Painting at Naples.''|publisher=John W. Parker and Son |location=West Strand, London|year=1855|pages=I |url=https://archive.org/details/notesonmodernpa00napigoog }}</ref> An aristocratic haughtiness regarding the local populace infuses his writing, dismissing the skills of more than one artist, and in reactionary fashion, the revolutionary instincts of the masses. In the preface, he writes:
{{quote|It was the fortune of the author to hold a diplomatic employment at the Court of Naples, during a period in which the appropriate pastimes of that pleasant city were discarded for the illusions and regrets of political change. These transactions, of which the melancholy issue is notorious, were of a nature to engross and often to darken the thoughts of one, who had an intimate knowledge and a foreboding view of the revolutionary drama; the resources of society were limited by the suspicions and passions which altered and envenomed the conversation even of cultivated men; and the author was induced, alike by necessity and taste, to expend his relaxation and recover his serenity in the study of the local Arts.|''Notes on Modern Painting at Naples, 1850''}}

Napier's handling of affairs as acting ambassador in Naples impressed the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Palmerston. He was posted to the British embassy at St Petersburg, where he became a close confidante of Tsar Alexander II. After serving short, satisfactory terms at the British embassies at [[St Petersburg]] and Constantinople, Napier was appointed envoy extraordinaire and minister plenipotentiary to the [[British Ambassador to the United States|United States]] and served from 1857 to 1859. Napier's tenure in Washington was soon mired in controversy. The abolitionist [[Charles Sumner]] and elements of the Northern press accused the British minister of being a pro-slavery partisan. More damaging still in the eyes of the British government was the claim that he had taken upon himself to declare in conversations that Britain recognized the [[Monroe Doctrine]], when all the British governments till then had repudiated it. Critics at the Foreign Office accused him of "giving up everything the United States can wish for, even before they ask it", which for them explained Napier's immense popularity with Washington's influential residents. He was recalled and given the less sensitive post of minister to the Netherlands.<ref>Brian Jenkins, ''Lord Lyons, A Diplomat in An Age of Nationalism and War'', McGill-Queen's University Press, 2014, pp. 85–89.</ref> Napier served there from 1859 to 1861 and in Prussia from 1864 to 1866. He was then appointed Governor of Madras in 1866 and served from 27 March 1866 to 19 February 1872.

== Governor of Madras ==
[[File:Napier Bridge 02.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Napier Bridge]] in Chennai]]

As soon as Napier took office as the Governor of Madras, he was faced with a severe famine in [[Ganjam District]]. He took the services of [[Florence Nightingale]] whom he had known in Constantinople. Napier undertook many major irrigation schemes during his tenure. The [[Pennar Dam]] was completed during his tenure and two other irrigation works, the [[Rushikulya Dam]] in Ganjam and the [[Mullaperiyar Dam]] were conceived during his tenure.

Despite being at odds with different viceroys over financial issues throughout his tenure, Napier was able to resolve disputes in an amicable manner due to the friendly relations he had with [[Sir John Lawrence]] and well as his successor, [[Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo]]. When the Earl of Mayo was assassinated in the Andamans on 8 February 1872, Napier was designated to act as the Viceroy of India and he served for a short time before being relieved by Lord Northbrook. For his creditable performance as Governor of Madras, Napier was created Baron Ettrick of Ettrick in the peerage of the United Kingdom.<ref name="nytimes_18720717">{{cite news|title=GREAT BRITAIN.; The American Squadron Protest of English Catholics Against Italy's Coorse to the Pope-Governor-General of India|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1872/07/17/79183308.pdf|place=London|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=17 July 1872}}</ref>

In 1869, Napier constructed the [[Napier Bridge]] across the [[Coovum River]] in [[Chennai]].<ref name="thehindu_20100729">{{cite news|title=Special lighting on Napier Bridge|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article538839.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=29 July 2010|place=Chennai}}</ref> The [[Napier Park, Chennai|Napier Park]] in Chennai<ref name="sindianrailwayp18">{{cite book|title=Illustrated guide to the South Indian Railway: including the Mayavaram-Mutupet, and Peralam-Karaikkal railways|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_irg2AAAAMAAJ|year=1900|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_irg2AAAAMAAJ/page/n31 18]|publisher=[[Higginbotham's]]}}</ref> and the [[Napier Museum]] in [[Trivandrum]], [[Travancore]] were set up in his memory. Between 1866 and 1872,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html#2 |title=Archived copy |access-date=26 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422144749/http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html#2 |archive-date=22 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> he had partially restored the [[Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal]] as well, which was earlier demolished considerably by Grandson of [[Thirumalai Nayak|King Thirumalai Nayak]].

In addition there is a surgical ward in Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai, named in his honor. The ward was originally built with the help of donations by the Governor Napier.

== Later life and death ==

At the end of his term as acting Viceroy of India, Napier returned to the [[United Kingdom]] and acted as the President of the Social Science Association during its meetings at [[Plymouth]] and [[Glasgow]] in October 1874.<ref name="nytimes_18981219">{{cite news|title=BARON NAPIER IS DEAD.; He Was at One Time British Minister to This Country.|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/12/20/102572013.pdf|work=The New York Times|date=19 December 1898}}</ref> During this time, Napier also served in the [[London School Board]].<ref name="nytimes_18981219" />

Lord Napier was the chairman of the [[Napier Commission]]<ref name="nytimes_18981219" />(the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Condition of Crofters and Cottars in the Highlands and Islands) which was appointed in 1883 and reported in 1884.

Napier died in [[Florence]], [[Italy]] on 19 December 1898 at the age of 79.<ref name="nytimes_18981219" />

== Honours ==
Napier was appointed to [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]] in 1861 and made a [[Knight of the Thistle]] in 1864.

== Family==

Napier married Anne Jane Charlotte (1824–1911) on 2 September 1845. The couple had four sons.<ref name="burkep1104">{{cite book|title=Burke's Landed Gentry of Scotland|chapter=The Royal Household in Scotland|pages=1104|publisher=[[Burke's Peerage]]}}</ref>

* [[William Napier, 11th Lord Napier]] (1846–1913)
* John Scott (1848–1928)
* R. N. Basil (1850–1874)
* [[Mark Napier (MP)|Mark Francis]] (1852–1919)

== Portrait ==

''The New York Times'' gives a short physical description of Napier on his appointment as Viceroy of India.

{{quote|Lord Napier is sixty-two years old, considerably above middle size, strong, healthy, with calm, handsome face, gray hair and whiskers, an early riser, very often a late goer to bed, gifted with inexhaustible energy, tact common sense and acuteness of judgement.<ref name="nytimes_18720217">{{cite news|title=LORD NAPIER.; The Next Ruler for the Eastern Empire of Britain His Record What May be Expected of Him.|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1872/02/17/78776641.pdf|work=The New York Times|date=17 February 1872}}</ref>}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=[[John Fiennes Twisleton Crampton|Sir John Crampton]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[British Ambassador to the United States|British Minister to the United States]]|years=1857–1859}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons|The Lord Lyons]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ralph Abercromby, 2nd Baron Dunfermline|Sir Ralph Abercromby]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands|British Minister to the Netherlands]]|years=1859–1860}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Sir Andrew Buchanan, 1st Baronet|Sir Andrew Buchanan]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[John Fiennes Twisleton Crampton|Sir John Crampton]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Russia|British Ambassador to Russia]]|years=1861–1864}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Andrew Buchanan (UK)|Sir Andrew Buchanan]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sir Andrew Buchanan, 1st Baronet|Andrew Buchanan]] (as Minister)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of diplomats from the United Kingdom to Prussia|British Ambassador to Prussia]]|years=1864–1866}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Lord Augustus Loftus]]}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William Denison|Sir William Denison]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of Madras]]|years=1866–1872}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alexander John Arbuthnot]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[John Strachey (civil servant)|Sir John Strachey]], ''acting''}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Viceroy of India]], ''acting'' |years=1872}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Thomas George Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook|The Lord Northbrook]]}}
{{s-reg|sct}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William Napier, 9th Lord Napier|William Napier]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Lord Napier]]|years=1834–1898}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William Napier, 11th Lord Napier|William Napier]]}}
{{s-reg|uk}}
{{s-new|creation}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Baron Ettrick]]|years=1872–1898}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William Napier, 11th Lord Napier|William Napier]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Napier, Francis Napier, 10th Lord}}
[[Category:1819 births]]
[[Category:1898 deaths]]
[[Category:Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Clan Napier|Francis]]
[[Category:Diplomatic peers]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Russia]]
[[Category:Knights of the Thistle]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the United States]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Prussia]]
[[Category:Governors of Madras]]
[[Category:Members of the London School Board]]
[[Category:Lords Napier]]
[[Category:Eldest sons of barons]]
[[Category:Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria]]