Charles Philip Yorke, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke, Vice Admiral R.N. by Lady Biddulph of Ledbury
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Lady Biddulph of Ledbury >> Charles Philip Yorke, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke, Vice Admiral R.N.
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Lord Hardwicke's desire to obtain active employment at sea so soon as
hostilities with Russia appeared probable was well known at the
Admiralty, but political rancour as well as professional jealousy were
both employed in a secret but active agitation to prevent his obtaining
that employment. The entirely honourable distinction he had received
from the King of Sardinia by the bestowal of the order of St. Maurice
and St. Lazarus was made the opportunity of a series of slanderous
suggestions which caused him the greatest pain. It was perfectly well
known that a regulation in force at the English Court forbade the
acceptance of foreign distinctions of that kind without the express
permission of the Crown. Yet it was stated that 'The English Government
had desired that the order should be returned on the ground that Lord
Hardwicke had acted at Genoa without orders.' Further than this, as Lady
Hardwicke records, 'Much jealousy was created by his successful
diplomacy at Genoa, and his enemies disseminated a report that he had
disobeyed Admiral Sir William Parker's orders, and "made the
Mediterranean sea too hot to hold him."'
These injurious statements, however, did not reach Lord Hardwicke's ears
until some time after they were first made--'he was of course ignorant
of what was going on to defame his professional character and stop his
career in a service to which he was devoted and in which he had spent
the best years of his life.' They at length, however, came to his notice
under more responsible authority than that of mere rumour at service
clubs, and at a moment when their acceptance by a member of the
Government was allowed to stand in the way of Lord Hardwicke's selection
for an important command.
By a recent regulation of the Admiralty, Lord Hardwicke with many other
senior captains who had failed by a short period to complete the active
service afloat necessary to entitle them to the rank of rear-admiral,
was placed upon the retired list. In his case, the regulation took
effect upon January 28, 1854. Meanwhile, however, the probability in
1853 of a declaration of war between this country and Russia had led to
great naval activity, and Lord Hardwicke had applied for active
employment. 'Sir Charles Napier,' writes Lady Hardwicke, 'who fully
appreciated his courage and ability, applied for him as his flag-
captain.' His offer, however, as well as Admiral Napier's wish for his
assistance, were both disregarded by the Admiralty, and his appointment
as flag-captain refused.
There was, perhaps, no legitimate grievance in this refusal, but at this
moment information reached Lord Hardwicke through Lord Clarendon, that
the refusal had been accompanied by a revival at the Admiralty of the
injurious suggestions, already mentioned, of his having exceeded his
instructions from Sir William Parker at Genoa.
'I believe it to have been at this juncture,' writes Lady Hardwicke,
'that his friend Lord Clarendon, feeling acutely his position, informed
him of the slanders which had been spread abroad. ... This statement was
made use of by Sir James Graham, First Lord of the Admiralty and
successor to Sir F. Baring, and carried by him to the ears of his best
friends, the Queen and the Prince Consort.'
It will be readily understood that the adoption of these injurious
reports by a cabinet minister, and their repetition by him in his
official capacity to the Queen and Prince Albert, placed the whole
matter upon a different footing. Queen Victoria, almost from the
beginning of her reign, had honoured my father with her regard and
confidence, and so recently as his return from Genoa he had received a
letter which shows very plainly the terms upon which he stood with his
Sovereign.
* * * * *
BUCKINGHAM PALACE: March 4, 1850.
'MY DEAR LORD HARDWICKE,
'The Prince is anxious that you should resume your seat at the Council
of the Duchy of Lancaster which you resigned when you went abroad. I
hope that you will be willing to do so as it is important for the
Queen's interest that the persons upon that Council should be well
acquainted with the peculiar details of the Duchy business, as well as
generally accustomed to the management of property, and it would be a
considerable time before any person could acquire the knowledge of the
subject which you have gained. The change in the Chancellor of the Duchy
will not, I hope, make the working of the Council less easy.
'Sincerely yours,
'C. B. PHIPPS'
* * * * *
In such circumstances, and apart altogether from any question of the
refusal of employment by the Admiralty, it is obvious that the matter
could not be allowed to rest where it was, and a letter received by Lord
Hardwicke in September 1853 from Lord Clarendon makes it clear that he
lost no time in seeking an explanation from Sir James Graham.
* * * * *
September 30, 1853.
'MY DEAR HARDWICKE,
'I hope you will excuse me for not having answered your letter by return
of post as I ought to have done, but I assure you that the last two
days, I have been unable to do anything but fight against an
extraordinary pressure of public work. My firm belief is that the
_personal errors_ into which Graham had fallen are now quite
removed. "Hardwicke is a good sailor, and an officer of real ability and
merit"--is an extract from a letter of Graham's in answer to mine about
you; but I see that the bar to your being employed, is your own position
in the Service and your having one year and eleven months to serve
afloat before you can render yourself eligible for the Flag. There are
only three captains above you and if when your turn arrived you were in
command of a ship, and your full period of requisite service was not
accomplished, I suppose that a question, which has not yet arisen, would
then arise, respecting your right to promotion to the Active Flag. This
I take to be the real difficulty, and your professional knowledge will
enable you to judge of its value. I sent a copy of your note to Graham,
and as far as I am concerned I hope you will now take any course you may
think most expedient, only bearing in mind that Graham has no unfriendly
feeling towards you. I have said to you upon that point, nothing more
than what he told me, but I should be sorry that he thought I had said
less. I fear that all endeavours to keep the peace are exhausted or
nearly so, and I don't anticipate much active hostility at this time of
year, if hostilities we are to have. The Emperor of Russia is quite
without excuse, he persists in asking what the Turks cannot concede, and
he wants a power in Turkey which would be useless to him, except for
overturning the Ottoman Empire, the independence of which he declares
must be maintained.
'Ever yours truly,
'CLARENDON.'
* * * * *
From this letter it is clear that Lord Clarendon as a friend of both
parties did all he could to explain the conduct of Sir James, but his
mention of 'personal errors' into which the First Lord had fallen seems
an ample confirmation of that gentleman's indiscretion in giving an
official countenance to the rumours of which Lord Hardwicke complained.
In any case, Lord Clarendon's letter was obviously an explanation
thoroughly unsatisfactory to Lord Hardwicke, who, as Lady Hardwicke
writes, 'immediately wrote to Sir William Parker and obtained from him
the following memorable credential.'
* * * * *
SHENSTONE LODGE, LICHFIELD: 14 Nov., 1853.
'My DEAR LORD HARDWICKE,
'I fully enter into your feeling of mortification and disappointment in
not obtaining professional appointment in the present threatening aspect
of affairs; I am much grieved that a fallacious impression should for a
moment have obtained that the slightest approach to a misunderstanding
between your Lordship and myself had ever occurred. I am indeed at a
loss to conceive on what pretence such an idle and mischievous rumour
could have originated. Sir Francis Baring intimated to me the
astonishment and annoyance you had expressed to him at such a
fabrication; I assure you my reply quite corresponded with your
sentiments. I can truly say that the _Vengeance_ was very
satisfactorily conducted under your command, while attached to my flag,
and all your proceedings manifested genuine zeal for the Service. I
cannot forget with what anxiety your Lordship withdrew your application
to be relieved in the command of that ship, when on the Squadron being
ordered to the vicinity of the Dardanelles, there appeared a temporary
prospect of more active service. I truly regret it that on our departure
from the East you again felt yourself compelled to resign your ship, in
consequence of the illness of Lady Hardwicke at a time when I believe
you were within a short period of completing the requisite servitude for
your active Flag.
'I remain faithfully and cordially yours,
'W. PARKER, _Admiral_.'
* * * * *
'Armed with this letter,' continues Lady Hardwicke, 'he sought an
audience of the Prince Consort, and stated his case, placing the
refutation of these calumnies in the Prince's hands. Upon reading this
generous and truthful statement, Prince Albert expressed his
satisfaction at having seen it, and his astonishment at the falsehoods
that had been circulated, and requested Lord Hardwicke that he might
place it in the hands of the Queen, which he accordingly did and
returned to express Her Majesty's gratification on its perusal.'
All this took place at the end of 1853: meanwhile Sir Charles Napier was
unwearying in his applications to the Admiralty to obtain Lord
Hardwicke's assistance in the expedition which was shortly to sail for
the Baltic. In January Lord Hardwicke was placed upon the retired list,
but Sir Charles was still anxious to secure him as one of his admirals,
as is very clear from a memorandum of a conversation by Lord Hardwicke
which he left among his papers.
* * * * *
March 6, 1854.
'I met Sir Charles Napier in the United Service Club. He took me aside
and told me that Sir James Graham had consulted him as to whom he would
select as 3rd Divisional Admiral for the Baltic Fleet. He answered Sir
James Graham by saying that he would have asked for Lord Hardwicke as
Captain of the Fleet as he preferred him, but he thought he would have
no chance of having him. But now he was again to select an Admiral, he
should ask for Lord Hardwicke as he should prefer him to anyone. Sir
James Graham said, "Very well, I will appoint him, but in this peculiar
case, I must apply to the Cabinet." The result was the refusal of the
Cabinet to appoint me, in consequence of their fearing to excite emotion
in the officers of the Active List; but that although at the beginning
there was this ground of refusal, yet by and by it might be done. Sir
Charles Napier added, "I shall want one more Admiral and I shall again
apply for you."
'H.'
* * * * *
The controversy with Sir James Graham perhaps affords a sufficient
explanation of the failure of Sir Charles's repeated efforts in behalf
of Lord Hardwicke, though there is no doubt the Government had an answer
in the Admiralty regulation which had placed him upon the retired list.
'Lord Hardwicke's application for employment was brought before the
Cabinet,' writes Lady Hardwicke, 'but the Admiralty declaring that an
order in Council to make this exception would bring the whole retired
list upon their shoulders, his request was politely declined, with the
feeling that the late enactment had fallen cruelly upon his professional
career.'
'Few but myself,' concludes Lady Hardwicke, 'who have seen the anguish
of disappointment caused by such a termination of the cherished ambition
of a whole life, can at all appreciate the severity of this blow. This
statement of facts engraven on the tablet of my heart I have drawn up
with a view of placing in the hands of my dear children the means of
vindicating their beloved father's memory in case upon any future
occasion they should be called upon to do so. Let them remember that
"the Lord nourisheth with discipline" and accept the trials and
disappointments of life with the same spirit of resignation which their
beloved father always exhibited, to my great and endless consolation.'
To me, his daughter, it has seemed that the occasion of which my mother
speaks, for the vindication of my father's memory, has arrived with the
publication of this memoir of his life, and I have therefore set out the
facts as she wrote them down.
The long period of Whig rule, which had lasted with the single break of
a few months in 1852 since the year 1846, was at length terminated by
the return of Lord Derby's second administration to power in 1858, and
Lord Hardwicke took office as Lord Privy Seal with a seat in the
Cabinet. His energy and professional zeal, however, had been fully
employed since 1856 as the Chairman of a Royal Commission which had been
appointed to inquire into the question of the manning of the Navy. The
negative results of the expedition to the Baltic during the late war
with Russia had brought the question into public notice, and the great
changes which were taking place in the design and construction of ships
of war by the invention of the screw propeller and the evolution of the
ironclad battleship had given a more than ordinary urgency to the
question of national defence.
Lord Hardwicke entered upon his duties with the greatest energy. One of
the instructions to the Commission was to 'determine in case of need the
means necessary to man at short notice thirty or forty sail of the
line.' In a speech at Cambridge in 1858 he pointed out some facts
regarding the Navy of which the public were quite ignorant, and which
pointed to a serious decrease in the naval power of the country which
caused much uneasiness. Lord Hardwicke reminded his hearers that though
during the period of the American, Revolutionary, and Napoleonic wars we
had maintained an establishment of from 105,000 to 140,000 seamen and
marines, and had experienced little difficulty in manning a fleet of
ships of the line which averaged 120 sail, yet during the recent war
with Russia the Admiralty had with difficulty found crews for the
thirty-three vessels which took part in the operations in the Baltic.
'These ships,' he said, 'went to sea in such a condition as to inflict a
positive injustice on the brave officers in command of them, and if it
had not been for the efficiency of the latter and the way their crews
were disciplined, they might as well have stopped at home.'
Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort both took great interest in this
important question, and the Prince in the following letter showed his
practical knowledge of the subject by urging the importance of the
training-ship as a source of an efficient personnel for the Navy.
* * * * *
'My DEAR LORD HARDWICKE,
'In your position as chairman of the Manning Committee I wish to draw
your attention to a point, which I consider of the utmost importance.
'We have two brigs, the _Rollo_ and the _Nautilus_, at
Portsmouth and Plymouth for apprenticing boys for the Navy. You are
perfectly acquainted with their excellent system, and the fact that,
after having completed their time of instruction, these boys form the
best sailors in the Queen's service, having acquired a taste for the
Man-of-War service early in life, and are free from any connection with
the Merchandise. But these two ships give the Navy only about 200 seamen
a year. What are 200 annually to a fleet of 50,000? Why should not each
of the Coast Guard Ships have a brig attached to them on their
respective stations for receiving boys? The brigs are worth nothing to
the service, and I am told that the applications for the entry of boys
is always far beyond the present means of receiving, whilst men are
frequently not to be had. If 2000 boys so trained were added every year
to the Navy for ten years' service, it would be none too many. It would
only give us 20,000 men at the end of ten years; but these would be
permanently added to the stock of seamen of the country, which I am
sorry to say appears to be gradually falling below our wants.
'Ever,
'Yours Truly,
'ALBERT.'
OSBORNE: July 24, 1856
* * * * *
The labours of Lord Hardwicke and his colleagues were received with
general approbation on all sides, although his own declared opinion of
the advisability of reviving the Press-gang in certain circumstances was
not generally accepted.
I must here mention that although Lord Hardwicke was debarred by the
regulation in force from accepting the decoration from King Victor
Emmanuel of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, his Majesty was still
determined to mark his sense of my father's services to Italy at Genoa.
Six years after the revolution of Genoa he caused a medal to be struck
bearing the national arms and inscribed with the words:
'Al Valore Militare. Lord Conte di Hardwicke, commandante il vascello
_Vengeance_. Distinti servizii pel Ristabilmento del Ordine.
Genova, 1849.'
Queen Victoria's permission to wear this medal was accorded to Lord
Hardwicke by the following letter from Lord Clarendon.
* * * * *
GROSVENOR CRESCENT: July 24, 1855.
'MY DEAR HARDWICKE,
'The Queen's permission has been duly received for you to wear the medal
conferred upon you by the King of Sardinia and I have communicated the
same officially to the Admiralty.
'Very truly yours,
'CLARENDON.'
* * * * *
The end of every life is the hardest to describe. The time of rest must
come, and with it retirement from public work. The parent begins life
again in his children, and in making place for them in the world. We
have followed the career of an active and energetic man, who thoroughly
lived his life, and enjoyed it. We have seen his first great
disappointment in the profession that he loved, when an opportunity
offered itself for service under Sir Charles Napier in the Baltic Fleet
during the Crimean War. To die in action, fighting for England, was his
ambition, and the failure of an opportunity for its fulfilment brought
with it much depression.
Meanwhile, however, he lost no time in vain regrets, or ceased from
active and useful work on his estate and in his county. We have read a
letter describing old 'Wimple' in 1781; I shall now try to carry on the
description in few words from 1855. It was a beloved home; we 'were
seven,' and in the adjoining rectory lived my uncle the Hon. and Rev.
Archdeacon Yorke, Canon of Ely, with six cousins, a merry party in
holiday time. The house was big and the furniture, books and pictures
fine, but my father's life would have satisfied the severest of
socialist critics by its simplicity. Our own dress was scrupulously
simple. Our boots I well remember, they were all made by a little hump-
back cobbler who lived at New Wimpole, and used to come by the avenue to
the 'Big House,' as it was always called, to measure us. These
substantial thick boots and leather gaiters from the village shop, with
short linsey skirts, formed our walking attire. And in the Christmas
holiday we all tore about the muddy fields in 'paper-chases.'
Later on I remember writing a paper for my friends on how to dress on
eighty pounds a year, which was my allowance at eighteen.
The cottages were beautifully clean and the furniture solid, all the men
wore smock-frocks and very thick boots with large nails that lasted a
year: no such thing as a blue suit and yellow boots would have been
tolerated then. The best dressed wife wore a red cloak and neat black
bonnet. The family Bible was found in every cottage, and my uncle gave
two cottage Bible-readings every week of his life. There was no attempt
at Cathedral services in country churches. The Communion service was
reverently given once a month, and on the great feast-days my uncle
preached in a black gown. And such a fuss was made when the black
waistcoat now commonly worn by the clergy was introduced: it was called
the _M. B. Waistcoat_ (mark of the beast).
My uncle ultimately adopted it, when promoted to a canonry at Ely. What
changes since those days, what luxury has crept in everywhere, and how
often one sighs over the simplicity of the past, which certainly
produced a stronger, if not a better race.
My father was very courteous, especially to ladies, cheery, full of life
and spirits; liberal in heart though a strong Conservative in politics.
If anything pleasant or amusing was on hand, such as a dance or our
'private theatricals,' he would wave his hands and say, 'Clear the
decks! Clear the decks!' We often used to 'clear the decks' for games of
_Post_ and Magical Music!... Evenings at Wimpole were never dull.
We attempted to keep up old traditions, and intellect and vitality were
not wanting. There was always a sprinkling of rising men in all the
practical departments of life among the guests at Wimpole, statesmen,
agriculturists, shipbuilders and owners, besides intimates and
relations; dear old 'Schetky' with his guitar among the most popular,
and the delight of the children after dinner when he would sing his
favourite ballad 'When on his Baccy Box he viewed.' Amateur music was
greatly encouraged, not that it came up to the requisitions of the
present day, but it was very pleasant. My mother's ballad singing was
exceptional, and without accompaniment very interesting.
'Annie Laurie' and all Lady John Scott's ballads, besides 'Caller
Herrin''--the Scotch cry for fresh herring--were her favourites and
brought tears to one's eyes. Nothing was spared where education was
concerned, and music and languages were among the great advantages
afforded to myself and my sisters. To the latter I attribute one of the
greatest enjoyments of my life, especially when in later years I often
lived in Paris. Histrionic art also was cultivated in the holidays under
the able management of uncle Eliot Yorke, M.P. The 'Wimpole Theatre'
opened in 1796 with 'The Secret,' with Lady Anne, Lady Catherine and
Lady Elizabeth Yorke and Viscount Royston as the caste. It was reopened
in 1851 with the 'Court of Oberon: or The Three Wishes,' by the Dowager
Countess of Hardwicke, with Viscount Royston, the Hon. Eliot Yorke, Mr.
Sydney Yorke, Lady Elizabeth Yorke, the Hon. John Manners Yorke, Lady
Agneta Yorke, the Hon. Victor Yorke, and the Hon. Alexander Yorke in the
caste, and the Hon. Eliot Yorke, M.P., as stage manager. This company in
1853 repeated the 'Court of Oberon' with 'The Day after the Wedding.' In
1854 'The Day after the Wedding' was again given with a comic interlude
'Personation' by Charles Kemble and a popular farce 'Turning the
Tables.'
In 1855 'Personation' and 'Popping the Question' were given before their
Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Mary. A very
smart party was invited to meet their Royal Highnesses, and a great deal
of merriment was our reward.
The excellent training of 'Uncle Eliot' during the dull winter evenings
made the winter holidays a real joy; we rehearsed and acted in the
Gallery, originally built to hold the Harleian Manuscripts, and divided
by columns into three parts, making an admirable theatre and a handsome
proscenium. On one great occasion we had Frank Matthews as prompter, and
we none of us forget seeing him initiate Lady Agneta in the art of
making a stage kiss. Oh! how we laughed. He cried so much during the
performance that he prompted badly; but perhaps the dear man was touched
by the family talent! A letter from Tom Taylor recommending plays
suitable for our company will be read with interest.
* * * * *
'There is a play called "Hearts are Trumps" which I think would suit
your friends, from what you tell me of their troupe and requirements. We
played a piece at Canterbury called "Palace and Prison" adapted by
Simpson from "La Main gauche et la main droite" which, as far as I
remember, is unobjectionable. I think Palgrave Simpson had it printed,
though I do not think it has been acted in London. My little comedietta
"Nine Points of the Law" is free from all critical situations and
language, but perhaps Mr. Sterling's part may be too old for your
_jeune premier_.
'There is a piece called the "Secret Agent" well suited to drawing-room
theatricals; you might look at it. "You can't marry your Grandmother" is
a good one-act piece, free from objectionable situation and dialogue.
See also "Time tries all," "A Match in the Dark," and "Kill or Cure."
'Ever yours truly,
'TOM TAYLOR.'
* * * * *
In 1857 the Wimpole Theatre reopened with the same company and gave
'Sunshine through the Clouds' and 'Only a Halfpenny'; and in 1860 for
the last time with 'The Jacobite' by Planche; a scene from 'King John';
and 'Helping Hands' by Tom Taylor. The last was a beautiful play, but
too refined for the ordinary theatre, and consequently did not have the
run it deserved.
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