The Commander-in-Chief was appointed in 1831; the appointment ceased to exist when it was separated into the
East Indies Station and the
China Station in 1865.[1]
At the age of 67,
Charles Austen was advanced to rear-admiral on 9 November 1846,[3] and was appointed commander-in-chief for the East Indies and China on 14 January 1850, hoisting his flag the following day.[3] He commanded the British expedition during the
Second Anglo-Burmese War but died of
cholera at
Prome on 7 October 1852, at the age of 73.[3][4] On 30 April 1852 Austen had been thanked for his services in Burma by the
Governor-General of India, the
Marquess of Dalhousie, who subsequently also formally recorded his regret for Austen's death.[4]
In December 1852
Fleetwood Pellew returned to active service with his appointment as Commander-in-Chief, East Indies and China.[5][6] His appointment caused some concern, with questions raised over the suitability of sending Pellew, considering his age and past background, and the unhealthy climate and tense diplomatic situation following the outbreak of the
Second Anglo-Burmese War.[5] Pellew raised his flag aboard
HMS Winchester in April 1853, and by September 1854 he was off
Hong Kong.[5] Here he seems to have decided that he would not allow shore leave until the dangerous season for fevers and infections had passed, but neglected to make his reasoning known to his men.[5] The crew were apparently in a mutinous mood, so Pellew ordered them to beat to quarters. When they refused, he sent the officers onto the lower deck to force them up at sword point. Several of the crew were wounded and the nascent mutiny was quashed.[5] The news of these events was poorly received in Britain, The Times included several leading articles drawing attention to the mutiny on the Winchester, and the one on the Resistance many years before.[5] Pellew was duly recalled by the
Admiralty, never to serve at sea again.[5]
"In 1856 [Stirling] was recalled because he had failed in the primary naval duty of finding and destroying the Russian squadron - partly, perhaps, because of his preoccupation with the self-imposed task of negotiating with Japan."[10]
^W.G. Beasley (1995) [first published by Luzac & Co., 1951]. "Chapter V: The Stirling Convention:1854-1855".
Great Britain and the Opening of Japan, 1834-1858. Japan Library paperback. pp. 113–144.
ISBN1-873410-43-3. For the Russian squadrons, see The First Pacific War: Britain and Russia, 1854-1856, John D. Grainger.
^
abcdeLaughton, J. K. "Seymour, Sir Michael (1802–1887)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004 ed.). Oxford University Press.
doi:
10.1093/ref:odnb/25178.
The Commander-in-Chief was appointed in 1831; the appointment ceased to exist when it was separated into the
East Indies Station and the
China Station in 1865.[1]
At the age of 67,
Charles Austen was advanced to rear-admiral on 9 November 1846,[3] and was appointed commander-in-chief for the East Indies and China on 14 January 1850, hoisting his flag the following day.[3] He commanded the British expedition during the
Second Anglo-Burmese War but died of
cholera at
Prome on 7 October 1852, at the age of 73.[3][4] On 30 April 1852 Austen had been thanked for his services in Burma by the
Governor-General of India, the
Marquess of Dalhousie, who subsequently also formally recorded his regret for Austen's death.[4]
In December 1852
Fleetwood Pellew returned to active service with his appointment as Commander-in-Chief, East Indies and China.[5][6] His appointment caused some concern, with questions raised over the suitability of sending Pellew, considering his age and past background, and the unhealthy climate and tense diplomatic situation following the outbreak of the
Second Anglo-Burmese War.[5] Pellew raised his flag aboard
HMS Winchester in April 1853, and by September 1854 he was off
Hong Kong.[5] Here he seems to have decided that he would not allow shore leave until the dangerous season for fevers and infections had passed, but neglected to make his reasoning known to his men.[5] The crew were apparently in a mutinous mood, so Pellew ordered them to beat to quarters. When they refused, he sent the officers onto the lower deck to force them up at sword point. Several of the crew were wounded and the nascent mutiny was quashed.[5] The news of these events was poorly received in Britain, The Times included several leading articles drawing attention to the mutiny on the Winchester, and the one on the Resistance many years before.[5] Pellew was duly recalled by the
Admiralty, never to serve at sea again.[5]
"In 1856 [Stirling] was recalled because he had failed in the primary naval duty of finding and destroying the Russian squadron - partly, perhaps, because of his preoccupation with the self-imposed task of negotiating with Japan."[10]
^W.G. Beasley (1995) [first published by Luzac & Co., 1951]. "Chapter V: The Stirling Convention:1854-1855".
Great Britain and the Opening of Japan, 1834-1858. Japan Library paperback. pp. 113–144.
ISBN1-873410-43-3. For the Russian squadrons, see The First Pacific War: Britain and Russia, 1854-1856, John D. Grainger.
^
abcdeLaughton, J. K. "Seymour, Sir Michael (1802–1887)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004 ed.). Oxford University Press.
doi:
10.1093/ref:odnb/25178.