Charles Philip Yorke, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke, Vice Admiral R.N. by Lady Biddulph of Ledbury

L >> Lady Biddulph of Ledbury >> Charles Philip Yorke, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke, Vice Admiral R.N.

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'They are pirates and were then in Crete and had much to do in Karabusa
formerly; I expect that the proclamation of Mohammed Ali has been
prevented reaching the ears of the Spakiotes by them.

'Oct. 16.--Arrived here a secretary of a Greek chief in Candia and tried
by intrigue to gain what he thought would turn to his advantage, the
opinion of the Russian captain as to our future intentions and
proceedings here: he tried to persuade him to give them some ammunition
&c. &c. He expressed his abhorrence and hatred of the English, saying
that in Candia all said we had sold the island to the Turks and had
undone them. He declared that the Greeks had not yet lost all hope of
gaining Karabusa but when they had they would carry their women and
children to Spakia.

'Yesterday received news from Canea the Egyptians have established a
good police in the town and two councils have been established, one
Greek and the other Turk. Also, a proclamation of Mustapha Pacha, most
affectionate in its language, offering protection to those who
surrendered and denouncing vengeance on those who still held their arms.

'Oct. 20.--During the night a brisk fire of musketry began, about half-
past one; went to quarters, went on shore with marines. At daylight took
seven prisoners of which Chrisaphopulo was one, two of the others were
Candiote captains.

'I consider that as there were about 100 [Footnote: Proved afterwards to
have been 800.] men on the opposite side that it was an excursion made
by them during a dark and tempestuous night to reconnoitre.
Chrisaphopulo came to the house of Apostolides and said I had come with
ten men, on which the said Apostolides sends a corporal to inform the
garrison; after which every stone they saw was a man. Query: if
Chrisaphopulo had said I came with 100 what would he have done? To-
morrow we mean to quarter the prisoners. I think that D'Aubigny has
surrendered Karabusa and not his lieutenants.

'Chrisaphopulo presses me to receive petitions of the inhabitants. He
when alone with me said the Candiotes would fain be in the service of
the English. I think this will follow, that he will offer to give
Karabusa to the English and assist them to defend it if I will protect
their families.

'It is necessary that something should be done for the Greeks at
Karabusa, also, that the President should do something for those Greek
families who are about to leave Greece.

'Oct. 22.--Canaris interfered with the commandant of the garrison in the
affair of Wednesday night. He came out here to-day and I met him,
Captain Maturkin, and M. D'Aubigny. I said I had nothing to do with this
affair, as the Greek flag was flying on the fortress, that what had
passed was purely a Greek affair, but that should they wish me to assent
to the examination of the prisoners I should be most happy. Canaris
wished that I and Maturkin would not remain in the room; we consequently
went away, after expressing a desire to have a report of the decision,
as it must be a matter of great interest to me.

'They were allowed to depart with their arms. From all I have been able
to make out it must have been an attack which was intended but which
failed owing to their not getting over quick enough. They had 150 men on
the other side. These seven got over in a row boat, passed my sentry on
the beach running, a few minutes after the firing began from the
fortress the _Alligator_ was at quarters with her ports lit up, and
a rocket was thrown from the ship. All this showed that there was no
hope of a surprise, the others consequently went back.

'The next morning, thinking that their chiefs were slain or taken, they
upbraided each other, quarrelled and fought; many were killed and
wounded; among the former two captains, one of whom was a man that was
tried at Malta for piracy but escaped. I told those that came over that
if I caught them again here, they would be shot.

'Oct. 27.--Left the ship (on the information that the Pacha was about to
march) in the gig with a great chief, for Kesamos; on my arrival was
received by all the chiefs on the beach, and conducted with my companion
(Simpson) to Castelli (a small fortress about a musket shot from the
sea, the interior of which is a perfect ruin), where I was ushered into
a room up a ladder and followed by the chiefs, and the armed population
of the place, who quietly began plying me with questions not one of
which I understood, until a Greek of Milo appeared who spoke a little
English. Various were the questions asked: "Might they fire on the
Turks"; "could I get for them more time"; "why do the Turks make war on
us"; "might they hoist the English colours?" A great deal of excitement
was visible among this _canaille_ of a population and I was in
considerable apprehension of consequences, particularly as there were
present three or four of the captains whom I had ordered to be shot if
they put foot in Karabusa. At length after much detention, terms were
procured and I was permitted to depart saying that I would do my
possible to stop the march of the Turks for a few days. I left Castelli
as I had entered it under a salute of three guns. In five hours we
reached Gonia, a monastery situated on the coast of the Gulf of Canea
where we were most hospitably entertained, good fare and good beds; our
party was very talkative on Greek affairs. There were among the party
the Spakiote chiefs Vanilikeli and Chrisophopulos.

'The next morning we proceeded, and as it was raining heavily we were
obliged to stop for two hours in a ruined house. Here in a few minutes
little streams became torrents carrying before them trees and lands, in
four hours we reach the Greek lines. The country we passed through was
level and rich in oil and wine; yesterday the country was rugged and
mountainous. When we advanced from the Greek lines across the neutral
ground towards the Turkish lines, considerable anxiety was apparent in
the Turkish advanced post; we were about twenty horsemen, the chiefs
well mounted and armed to the teeth, and took post on a level rising
ground, where we dismounted, and lit our pipes as a preliminary to
conversation. The Turkish vedettes now advanced to about musket shot,
when I mounted my horse and rode over to them, desiring to be taken to
Mustapha Pacha; a young Greek chief named Leuhouthi accompanied me. We
were soon joined by Hafir Aga, a stout good-natured Turk who, after
giving us a good luncheon, accompanied us on our journey to Canea where
in about three hours we arrived sending a courier to the camp. In one
hour more found myself in the tent of Mustapha Pacha, and was addressed
with "_Asseyez-vous je vous prie_" by Osman Bey. After having
conversed on the affairs of Karabusa, at which the Turk complained
bitterly of our policy in keeping his men from landing, I requested him
to stay his march against the Greeks for a few days as my crew at
Karabusa was weak and I feared his first movement would be a signal for
a second attack; but, as I expected a reinforcement of French, he might
then march as we should be efficient for the defence of Karabusa. I saw
at once this would not do and next morning again tried my hook, but the
fish would not bite; when on the point of marching, three Greeks were
brought into the tent with the information that the Greeks had made a
display of the three flags of England, France and Russia.

'I immediately said that the Pacha could not with propriety march
against those flags until I had in person visited the position and had
ascertained how the case stood. The Pacha gave me a horse and throwing
his own cloak over my shoulders (for it rained hard) I started off with
my Greek friend and a few Turkish guards whom I requested might return,
as I wished to go alone, my mission being perfectly pacific. In about
eight hours I reached Cambus (? Kampos), a prodigiously strong position
in the mountains, and on approaching afar off I beheld the three Greek
flags flying on the pinnacle of the highest mountain in sight. The pass
to the position of Cambus is most narrow and difficult, and then at the
summit it is a plateau of fine soil with large trees and gardens. It is
a most beautiful spot and well worth fighting for. I was soon ushered
into an assembly of the chiefs who were Spakiotes, and Mons. Resiere was
there also. This Mons. Resiere was originally a physician of Canea; born
in Crete and having received a good education and speaking European
languages, he was considered by the President of Greece as a fit man to
govern Crete. He now wishes to keep up the shadow of that power which he
once had, and has established a council, at Milopotamos in Crete, of
which he is president, for the government of the Greeks and arrangement
of the future plans of operation. In quietly conversing with Resiere I
found by his own confession that the object was to gain time, and he
beseeched me to use my endeavours for that purpose. To be sure comments
may be made of the conduct of the allies towards the Candiote Greeks
this year, for the sale of property does not expire until February and
the enemy has been permitted to march against the Greeks; their olives
are ripe and they wish time to gather their crop and reap the advantages
of it, for though the Greeks love liberty they love money better. As
matters were I had used my endeavours for that purpose and without
success. I now spoke publicly, and the captains and troops were
assembled in a large room. I desired the flags of the three nations to
be immediately surrendered to me. There was now a long silence, during
which time the captains eyed one another, apparently to read in the
countenance of each what was to be done. At length the headmost and best
speaker (his words coming out like drops of water from an exhausted
supply) "You may send and take away that of your nation, but the others
we will not give up." I replied I had made a demand and required an
answer; after much consideration they gave one in the negative. I on
this made a verbal protest against the colours of the allies being
hoisted in opposition to the Governor and departed. On my journey over
the mountains, it rained hard, and enveloped as I was in the cloak or
mantle of the Pacha, I feared I should be taken for a Turk and shot at,
or that my neck would be broken in the difficult passes of the
mountains; but in this case the excellent animal I rode served me most
faithfully and never made a blunder. Oh Maria [Footnote: His
stepsister.]! and ye lovers of horseflesh, how you would have praised
and petted this animal had you ridden him; pitch dark on my return,
nearly perpendicular flights of stone and not a false step! Excellent
beast, your master the Pacha knows your value. I got back about 10 P.M.
wet through nearly--the Pacha's cloak served me well though. The tent of
Osman Bey received me and we found some excellent rum to season my
sherbet with. The next day about one o'clock we started on horse-back to
attack the strong position of Gambus, two regiments of regulars, 1000
each, had gone on in the morning. My object in going with the Turks was
a mixed one, curiosity and hope of doing some good in preventing
bloodshed. But there was no need for any personage of that humane
disposition, the Greeks themselves were so full of humanity that they
decamped bag, baggage, and colours a quarter of an hour before the
leading Albanians entered the place of Cambus. I shall only remark that
it stood on the top of a mountain; only to be reached by the most narrow
and difficult passes, and had the Greeks intended to fight at all, they
never could have had a better opportunity.

'The day after I left Canea in a small boat I had hired to take me to
Karabusa. It was a fine calm morning, but when we had gone about two
miles along shore a very heavy gale came on, our sails were blown away
and with great difficulty we reached Cape Spada, rowing for two hours
within fifty yards of the shore, and could not reach it. We lay in a
level with a rocky headland this night with but little to eat. The next
day we tried to get round Cape Spada but could not; the wind then
shifted to the northward and blew a hard gale. We were now wrecked among
the breakers at the bottom of the bay of Gonia. Thank God I reached the
dry land and was well taken care of at the monastery. There I found
Chrisophopulos and Vanilikeli, who escorted me to Castelli and from
thence to Karabusa.

'December 12.--At Canea. Find the Greeks here well contented with the
Turks. No taxes or impositions get laid on, in fact at present the
Greeks are better off than the Turks. The Spakiotes have not all
submitted. Three Spakiotes taken prisoners with their arms are made
Primates of their respective villages and members of the Council.

'December 13.--Left the ship in the cutter, in company with Signor
Capogropo and Mons. Corporal. Landed at Celivez, a surf on the beach,
all got wet, it was _sauve qui peut_ and we left our cloaks behind
us, which to people on the point of bivouacking for the night was not
really pleasant. But Signor Capogropo, though eighty-two years of age,
seemed to make so light of the matter that it was out of the question to
complain. Here we found horses sent for us to the camp, where I arrived
about ten o'clock having passed through a rich and beautiful country to
the village which, like all in Candia, gives a good idea of the ravages
of civil war. Here I found the Pacha and Osman Bey had established their
head-quarters. I was treated like a Pacha, boys attended to wait on me
with pipes, coffee, a barber, &c. I made my toilet in the morning
attended by seven or eight servants. Nothing can be better than the
manner in which these chiefs are conducting affairs in this country.

'June 2, 1831.--Left Malta for England, left my ship in Malta harbour in
the hands of new officers. Poor _Alligator_, I did not know I had
so much of the love of ships, no not ships, I knew that, but of men, in
me. I could have kissed every man jack of them to death--and have cried
over every blue jacket on parting, and my dear Mids, they I believed
were surprised; they did not think I cared so much about them till I
took leave of them.

'My loss is great. God's Will be done. God only knows whether I shall
return to my ship again, but I think I have love enough for her to make
it no difficult task on my part.

'Nine o'clock at night, blowing strong from the N.W. course in the
dirtiest steamboat I ever was in, nevertheless she wears a pendant.

'June 23.--Foul wind--cold dark day--making little progress, that is 100
miles a day. What a change in seamen's distances, 100 miles a day, right
in the wind's eye, and call that doing ill. What would Benbow say if one
could tell him that? I will tell you, "You lubberly dog, you lie."

'Nevertheless I go fast towards home or--God knows what! What part in
the play am I to act, I wish my mind was made up on this cursed Reform
question. It will be carried, but I should like to do what I think right
and honourable towards myself, that is act and vote as I really think.
We must become republican England as well as republican France (damn
France, she is the root of all evil and the branch of no good). It
matters little how; whether by Reform which will produce national
bankruptcy, or by a starving population which will produce rebellion and
civil war. Reform certainly means No taxes and cheap bread. Have been
reading Moore's Byron. Poor Byron, quite what I believe him to be in
many things and more than I believe him to be in others. I saw him at
Missolonghi.

'June 6.--This day six years I was made a Post Captain, had my poor
father lived to-day he would have completed his sixty-third year. Strong
winds and contrary--directly in our teeth. Nevertheless we make good
more than four miles per hour. Yesterday hove to under the lee of
Gibraltar all day. I finished Byron's Memoirs by T. Moore. Many
sentences in his latter letters from Missolonghi which he word for word
said to me when I saw him there. Our passengers are a gentleman in the
government of Corfu and a young officer of the _Britannia_ said to
be dying of a consumption--eats like the devil--very obstinate--will
do as he pleases, seems determined to do what is quite right--send the
doctor to the devil. Learn that a horse power in steaming is 32,000 lbs.

'June 9.--Fell in with the _St. Vincent_ bearing the Flag of E.A.
Sir H. Hotham on his way to relieve Sir P. Malcolm. Received letters
from my uncles, &c. &c. Melancholy enough and politically disagreeable.
Shall rejoin my dear _Alligator_ again. Nothing can be more kind
than the conduct of the Admiralty. Allow ship to come home if I please,
&c. &c.

'Steam boilers leak. Put fires out, lose seven hours--obliged to empty
boilers--the Devil and all! At least the men here are devils incarnate--
two of them entered the boilers and drove rivets with the thermometer
160 in there.

'Sir H. Hotham wrote me a kind note in answer to my request to allow
Hart to bring the ship home after me.

'June 20.--At sea hove to off the coast of Portugal in the steam packet.
Sailed from Gibraltar (the 2nd time having put back once in consequence
of the coals being bad Welsh). On the 15th called at Cadiz. On the 16th
went on shore, Consul B--y pompous, &c. Daughters, music, painting, &c.
William the Conqueror, &c. &c. Last night the Jew groaned heavily in his
sleep, woke him--he was dreaming of being robbed of his money.

'June 23.--Put into Vigo Bay for coals and left it in the evening of the
24th. Beautiful Bay, fresh day; St. John's market a beautiful sight, if
fine women constituted that. The steamboat all day crowded with
strangers. Heard that Don Pedros had left Brazil and been received in
London.

'June 30.--Arrived in sight of Falmouth and anchored in 30 fm. having
burnt the guts and bulwarks to bring her thus far. Went to town the next
day by mail.'

CHAPTER VII

COURT DUTIES AND POLITICS. 1831-1847

On the voyage home from the Mediterranean in the steamship
_Meteor_, which is described in the journal I have quoted in the
last chapter, my father received the sad news of the death of Sir Joseph
Sydney Yorke, an event to which he makes no allusion in the journal.
Admiral Sir Henry Hotham, who had just been appointed to the command of
the Mediterranean station, and had sailed in the _St. Vincent_ from
Portsmouth, was the bearer of a last letter written by Sir Joseph to his
son on the 3rd of April 1831. The _St. Vincent_ met the
_Meteor_ at sea, and Sir Henry, in handing the letter to Captain
Yorke, had also to announce Sir Joseph's death, which occurred only two
days after he had finished the letter. This letter was found among my
father's papers, and I set it out at length; it is quite typical of
others which display the affection which existed between father and son,
and it shows very convincingly the success which attended Captain
Yorke's career in the Mediterranean. The circumstances of the accident
in which Sir Joseph lost his life appear, so far as they can be known,
in a note to Sir Joseph's letter written by my brother John, the late
Earl of Hardwicke. [Footnote: He died from influenza, March 1909.] From
this it will be seen that Sir Joseph was returning from a visit to the
St. Vincent, which he had made in order to hand his letter to Sir Henry
Hotham, when he met his death. It appears also from the annotation by my
father that Sir Henry sailed without hearing of the accident, and only
learned of Sir Joseph's death by subsequently reading a notice of it in
Galignani's _Messenger_.

* * * * *

14 NEW BURLINGTON STREET, LONDON:

April 2, 1831.

'MY DEAREST CHARLES,

'Your last note to me enclosing your long recital of occurrences in
Candia, addressed to your brother Henry, was duly received about a month
ago, and has made us all equally happy and highly interested in your
fortunate and successful mission. I proceeded to the Admiralty as you
desired, and looked over the whole of the correspondence there, and I
was much struck with the encomiums passed on you by my friend Sir Philip
Malcolm, and of the coincidence, of the Admiralty minute and all the
observations made by that chief, on your conduct. It runs thus,
"acquaint Sir P. M. that their Lordships entirely concur with him in the
opinion he has formed of the conduct of Capt. Yorke during his service
at Karabusa." I see by the _United Service Journal_, that you
sailed for Smyrna on the 8th of January, two days after your letter to
me, and that you were at that port on the 18th, of course this
acknowledgement of your correspondence will go by the Admiralty bag, but
I doubt whether I shall save the packet. It will however be conveyed by
your new Chief, Sir Henry Hotham, who is very desirous to render you all
attention, for in a note I had from him, about a Middy I asked him to
take with him in the _St. Vincent_, he says, "had I been able I
would have fulfilled your wishes with much pleasure in this instance, as
I shall have the pleasure in doing in regard to the captain of the
_Alligator_, and if you have anything to send to him I will take
the charge of it with pleasure." Thus you see, my dear Charles, that Sir
Henry Hotham will be as much interested about you as any of his
predecessors if you desire it, which I am sure you will.

'You may indeed say, or rather exclaim, What changes! The chances now
are that our order in the State (to make use of Lord Grey's words about
his own order), instead of being Lords of the Admiralty will be hewers
of wood and drawers of water, that is, if the Reform Bill passes in its
present shape. For it cannot be denied that it must give a
preponderating bias to that class, namely the L10 householder, which are
by far the most numerous, active, and republican class, who by living in
towns, can be collected for any political purpose at a moment's notice;
who are shopkeepers, citizens, manufacturers, possessing great
intelligence and spirit, and whose business it will be to have the chief
government, and bring down the interests of the funds. This will, of
course, straiten most severely all those who at present derive any
income therefrom, and as the small sums into which the said funds are
divided, are spread over a widely extended population of humble but
respectable persons, it will totally ruin a great many. However, there
seems to be an opinion that the Bill will be greatly modified. For the
sweeping away of sixty boroughs (amongst which Reigate goes at once) and
taking one member from four more, is a measure of such violent
disruption, as to create a resistance that may be fatal to the public
peace of the country. Persons are much excited all over the land,
particularly the class of householders I have already mentioned.

'With regard to foreign affairs, it appears still problematical whether
France will take part in defending by force of arms revolutionary
movements and doctrines in other countries than her own. You will of
course know pretty readily, how these matters are to go in the Italian
States, or those of the Church.

'With respect to my family in domestic matters, we continue to remain
without change, or much appearance thereof. Your brother Grantham,
however, is rather an exception to this rule, for he has been so very
ill of a rheumatic fever, that a great change has taken place in his
appearance. He is however considered convalescent, but up to yesterday
remained quite helpless. Eliot went yesterday to see him for the first
time, and comes up to-day to dinner from Hampton Court Palace where Lady
Montgomery, as you have heard, has apartments and where your brother and
Emily his spouse have been residing for the last six or seven weeks. I
have been also very much indisposed for the last three months, but have
according to my own practice abstained from medical advice, and am now
fast convalescing. It was a cough and of asthmatic tendency which
bothered me, off and on, for some time, and which I got at Xmas
attending the grand jury at Winchester on the Special Commission. But my
own opinion is rather that at sixty-three age brings about such changes
in one's bodily organs, as renders these attacks necessary in order to
hasten on the great events of life, namely, Old Age and Death.

'Lord Hardwicke is wonderfully well, your Uncle Charles but so so, Lady
H. and Mrs. Charles Yorke and all their tribe very well. Lady
Clanricarde better than usual, not very strong, Henry fit for a monk in
point of appearance. Eliot, for him very well, Grantham I have
described, and last and least A. Y. [Footnote: Agneta Yorke, his only
daughter, afterwards Lady Agneta Bevan.] who is very well indeed, except
when hot rooms and late hours come on, and then she is but so so.

'We always look out with very serious desire to hear from you, every
post, as you are an interesting object and rather a lion to be looked
at. But I am thankful to know you are well and busy, business generally
makes you well. I am going down for two or three days to Sydney Lodge on
some business--and I shall send this to Sir H. Hotham to take care of
and forward. The whole of us here and elsewhere unite in every good
wish. For myself I can only say that you may rely on my regard and
affection and believe me always dear Charles, your affectionate Father
and sincere friend,

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