Brazil, the River Plate, and the Falkland Islands / With the Cape Horn route to Australia. Including notices of Lisbon, Madeira, the Canaries, and Cape Verde.

SIR CHARLES HOTHAM, K.C.B.

This distinguished officer, now Governor of the Australian Colony of Victoria, comes of an ancient ancestry, many members of whom attained eminence in that special branch of the public service in which he himself has acquired such deserved repute. Indeed, there are few families that have for so long a time, and for such a continuance, given so many servants to the state. As early as the reign of Edward II., we find that John de Hotham, great grandson of the first of the name, who settled at the family seat of Hotham, Yorkshire, was Bishop of Ely, Treasurer of the Exchequer, and subsequently Lord Chancellor to Edward III. Sir John Hotham, the first baronet, Governor of Hull, who had five wives, was beheaded on Tower-hill, together with his son, Sir John Hotham, Knt., by the Parliamentarians, for corresponding with the Royalists, in 1643. His grandson and successor married into the noble family of Beaumont, in Ireland, and hence the Irish peerage, which the present Lord Hotham, member for the East-Riding of Yorkshire, and uncle of Sir Charles, retains, his lordship being a major-general in the army, and having served at Waterloo. Of the many naval officers in the family, both in direct descent and collaterally, the most celebrated was the Rt. Hon. William, Baron Hotham, of South Dalton, in the peerage of Ireland, so created 7th March, 1797, with remainder, in default of direct descendants, to the heirs male of his deceased father, in consideration of his gallant achievements, as a naval commander, at the commencement of hostilities with republican France. Having previously attained the rank of rear-admiral, he was advanced to that of admiral of the white, appointed second in command of the fleet ordered to the Mediterranean, under Lord Hood, of which he obtained the chief command a few months afterwards, upon Lord Hood’s return to England; and but a short time subsequently elapsed until Admiral Hotham had the good fortune to bring the French squadron to action (14th March, 1795), and to obtain a decisive victory over it, for which he received the thanks of both houses of parliament, and was made admiral of the blue. He died, unmarried, in 1813, and was succeeded by his brother Beaumont, Lord Hotham, father of the present Lord Hotham, M.P., and of the late Vice-Admiral Hotham, who was, consequently, uncle of the subject of the present sketch, of whom the annexed particulars are taken from the great nautical professional authority, ‘O’Byrne’s Naval Biography’:—

‘Sir Charles Hotham, born in 1806, is eldest son of the Rev. Fras. Hotham, Prebendary of Rochester (second son of the second Lord Hotham, one of the Barons of the Court of Exchequer), by Anne Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Thos. Hallett Hodges, Esq., of Hemsted Place, Kent; and first cousin of Capt. Hon. Geo. Fred. Hotham, R.N. Sir Charles, who is brother-in-law of Lieut.-Col. Grieve, of the 75th Regt., has also a brother, Augustus Thomas Hotham, in the army. This officer entered the navy 6 Nov., 1818; and on the night of the 23 May, 1824, when midshipman of the Naiad, 46, Captain Robert Cavendish Spencer, served in the boats under Lieut. Michael Quin at the gallant destruction of a 16-gun brig, moored in a position of extraordinary strength alongside the walls of the fortress of Bona, in which was a garrison of about 400 soldiers, who, from cannon and musket, kept up a tremendous fire, almost perpendicularly, on the deck. He was made lieutenant, 17 Sept., 1825, into the Revenge, 76, flag-ship of Sir Harry Burrard Neale in the Mediterranean; and next appointed—15 May, 1826, to the Medina, 20, Capts. Timothy Curtis and William Burnaby Greene, on the same station—and, 8 Dec. 1827, and 26 July, 1828, as first, to the Terror and Meteor bombs, Capts. Wm. Fletcher and David Hope. As a reward for his distinguished exertions on the occasion of the wreck of the Terror, Mr. Hotham was promoted by the Lord High Admiral to the rank of commander on the 13th of August, 1828. After an interval of half-pay he obtained an appointment on the 17th of March, 1830, to the Cordelia, 10, and returned to the Mediterranean, whence he ultimately came home and was paid off in October, 1833—having been raised to post-rank on 28 of the preceding June, in compliment to the memory of his uncle, the late Vice-Admiral Hon. Sir Henry Hotham, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. His next appointment was, 25 Nov., 1842, to the Gorgon steam-sloop, stationed on the S.E. coast of America. In Nov., 1845, having assumed command of a small squadron, he ascended the river Parana, in conjunction with a French naval force under Capt. TrÈhouart, and on 20 of that month, after a hard day’s fighting, succeeded in effecting the destruction of four heavy batteries belonging to General Rosas at Punta Obligado, also of a schooner-of-war carrying 6 guns, and of 24 vessels chained across the river. Towards the close of the action he landed with 180 seamen and 145 marines, and accomplished the defeat of the enemy, whose numbers had originally consisted of at least 3,500 men, in cavalry, infantry, and artillery, and whose batteries had mounted 22 pieces of ordnance, including 10 brass guns, which latter were taken off to the ships, the remainder being all destroyed. The loss of the British in this very brilliant affair amounted to 9 men killed and 24 wounded. In acknowledgment of the gallantry, zeal, and ability displayed throughout its various details by Capt. Hotham, he was recommended in the most fervent terms of admiration by his Commander-in-Chief, Rear-Admiral S. Hood Inglefield, in his despatches to the Admiralty, and he was in consequence nominated a K.C.B. 9 March, 1846. Since 13 May in that year he has been employed as commodore on the coast of Africa, with his broad pennant successively flying in the Devastation and Penelope steamers. While Sir Chas. Hotham was in the Gorgon, that vessel was blown far on shore in a hurricane at Colonia, and it was only by the most indomitable and procrastinated exertion on the part of himself and his crew that she was saved.’

The glorious and almost unequalled, and certainly unique, exploits in the Parana, here alluded to, are far too important to be passed over so summarily as in the preceding paragraph, especially as, in a work of this nature, the history of these transactions, however brief, serves to furnish some interesting information respecting one of the most celebrated and remarkable sites in the entire of that navigation which the diplomatic skill of the same commander has since opened to the commerce of the world no less effectually than did his gallantry to the combined fleets of England and France seven years previously. Full professional details of the operations will be found in Mackinnon’s ‘Steam Warfare in the Parana,’ published in 1848, in which the writer says:—‘The great secret of the success which crowned almost every effort, with one miserable exception, was due, firstly, to the excellent arrangements which, by the powers of steam, were so perfectly and expeditiously carried out; and, secondly, to the admirable nature of the ordnance, and the skilful application of its different branches. Where the leader is of great ability, and possesses the confidence of those under his command, coupled with such materiel and personnel as Sir Charles Hotham had in his control, it is not by any means astonishing that everything succeeded admirably. It is rare, too, for a British officer to combine the talent for languages which Sir Charles Hotham possesses in such an eminent degree, with the perseverance and skill recently evinced in the extraordinary recovery of H. M. ship Gorgon, and in the after operations in the Parana.’

A still more emphatic and authoritative tribute to the genius of Sir Charles is supplied by the diplomatist under whose instruction he acted at the time, and who, as we have already seen [see ante], had previously availed himself of his services in the then attempted initiation of that European intercourse whose subsequent consummation has indissolubly associated the name of Hotham with the peaceful as well as the warlike annals of South America. Appended is Sir W. G. Ouseley’s graphic account of the passage of the Parana at Obligado, the writer being lavish of praise on everybody, but silent as regards himself, who was really responsible in every respect for the conception and organization, if not for the execution, of the whole design.

The pass of Obligado, on the River Parana, was the position selected for obstructing the passage of the English and French vessels employed in completing the blockade of the province of Buenos Ayres, by cutting off its communication with the provinces on the opposite bank. A blockade of the capital only of Buenos Ayres, and of its River Plate shores would, of course, be nugatory unless enforced along the course of the Parana as far as the limits of that province extend. Reinforcements of troops, horses, artillery, and warlike stores of all sorts, would continue to be sent across the Parana into the province of Entre Rios, from whence continually to renew and supply the Buenos Ayrean army invading the Banda Oriental and besieging Monte Video. To prevent this and ultimately cause a cessation of these disastrous hostilities it was necessary to blockade the whole fluvial coast of the province of Buenos Ayres. In order, therefore, to effect this blockade a small combined squadron of French and English vessels was detached from the force in the River Plate to occupy the Parana, as far as the effectual enforcement of the blockade of the province of Buenos Ayres might require. The boundary between the province of Buenos Ayres and that of Santa FÉ strikes the Parana at the ‘Arroyo del Medio.’ This division, marked by a brook running into the river, is about thirty or forty miles above the turn in the Parana, called the ‘Vuelta de Obligado,’ which it was of course necessary to pass in order to reach the limits of the province. It was determined by the Government of Buenos Ayres to prevent the combined squadron from proceeding beyond the pass of Obligado if possible. But although the preparations for defence could not but have been known to hundreds, long previous to the declaration of the blockade, as well as the fact of works being in progress for barring the passage, the construction of batteries, and placing the chain cables, vessels, &c., all of which must have occupied much time, it is remarkable that no information whatever as to the plan or real nature of the intended obstruction could be obtained either at Buenos Ayres or Monte Video. Vague rumours did reach the admirals commanding in chief, and other officers, of preparations in progress, but some reported that vessels were sunk in the channel, others said that forts or batteries were in course of construction at every commanding point on the river; in fact, the true nature of the intended resistance was entirely unknown, until some boats which preceded the squadron when proceeding up the river were fired upon a few miles below Obligado, at a place called San Pedro. And even then it was not believed that any serious opposition would be attempted to the advance of the blockading flotilla. However, when once the fire had been opened by the Buenos Ayreans at Obligado it became of course necessary to return it, and the result was the general engagement that ensued. When it is recollected that the scale on which the defences had been prepared was quite unexpected, and that the Buenos Ayrean force employed was much greater than was anticipated (amounting to about 4,000 men), while the nature of the other obstacles to be encountered was previously unknown, it will be evident that the skill and experience of the able officer who commanded the squadron were put to a severe test, and that it required his well concerted arrangements in the plan of attack and the gallantry displayed in carrying them into effect, to obtain the successful result that added to the high professional reputation of Sir Charles Hotham, already too well known to need any tribute here. It must also be borne in mind, in order to form a just estimate of this successful engagement, that with the exception of the steamers and a corvette, the major part of the force consisted of a mere flotilla of small vessels, armed for the purpose of ascending the river, and that they were for several hours exposed at no great distance to a heavy and well-directed fire from formidable and skilfully planned batteries. It is, however, needless here to give any detailed description of the action that resulted in the destruction of the batteries and other defences at this place. The despatches of the commanders of the English and French squadrons, Sir Charles Hotham and Admiral TrÉhouart, were published at the time, and give a clear account of the manner in which the affair was conducted, showing the skill and great gallantry manifested generally throughout this affair. Across the pass from the Buenos Ayrean shore and batteries to the wooded island in the plan and sketch, a number of coasting vessels and river craft, chiefly Sardinian, as are most of that class of vessels in those rivers, were moored, supporting four large chain cables, solidly fastened to the shore on either side, thus presenting no trifling barrier to the passage up the river. On the right bank (i. e. on the Buenos Ayrean side) were constructed four batteries, of which two were close to the level of the water, and all well placed for defending the approach to the barrier of chains and boats. On the opposite, or Entre Rios bank, above the chains were anchored a brig of war and some gun boats, with heavy guns, out of the line of fire from the opposite batteries, but well placed for the annoyance of any attacking force. The brig was anchored off the Entre Rios shore, near an island, between which and the main land the water was too shallow to admit of the brig and gun-boats being attacked from that side. The batteries, four in number, mounted, according to the despatch of Gen. Mancilla, the Buenos Ayrean Commander-in-Chief, twenty-nine guns; the vessel had six mounted on one broadside, which, with field-pieces posted in the woods, made forty-two guns. The guns were well manned and served, chiefly by Europeans and North Americans, and troops to the number of about 3 or 4,000 lined the Buenos Ayrean shore. Some of the smaller vessels were fired upon as they approached the batteries: this was of course returned, and then commenced the action, which lasted for several hours, and was kept up with much spirit by the Buenos Ayrean batteries, until the fire of some of their guns was silenced, when boats were sent to break the chains, which service was gallantly effected under a heavy fire, and ultimately parties of English marines and seamen, (and subsequently French,) were landed, and, led by Sir Charles Hotham, succeeded in completely driving the Buenos Ayreans from their guns and obliging their forces to retire, and the flotilla passed up the river. This very arduous service was performed in the coolest and most effectual manner by Capt. J. Hope, of the ‘Firebrand,’ Mr. Nicholson, with two engineers of the ‘Gorgon,’ and a few men, who proceeded in small boats, under a most galling fire, deliberately to break the chains with cold chisels and sledge-hammers, after an attempt to saw them had failed. The depth of water at Obligado is about twenty-five fathoms, in some places (and at certain seasons) much more. The stream runs at about four knots, which was of course an additional source of difficulty, especially to the sailing vessels and boats.

Continuing the biographical notice of Sir C. Hotham from the point at which Lieut. O’Byrne leaves off, it is only necessary to add, that in April, 1852, he was appointed plenipotentiary in that mission with the record and anticipation of whose results so large a portion of the present volume is occupied. The mode in which he discharged that delicate and important trust recommended him to Her Majesty’s present advisers as the most fit and proper person for probably as difficult and onerous a duty as it is possible for the crown to expect at the hands of a public servant at the present moment, viz., the Governorship of Victoria, a colony that presents innumerable phases of social and political transmutation and anomaly, of which history affords not only no parallel, but nothing in the least degree approximating to its similitude. If Sir Charles had been at liberty to follow the bent of his own inclination, if he did not feel that to decline such a service would in some measure embarrass the executive, it is considered that he would have preferred, in these stirring times, seeking the probable repetition of such incidents as the Pass of Obligado, and with foes more worthy of his hereditary fame than he then encountered. The crest of the house of Hotham is, according to the heralds, a demi-seaman issuing out of the water, holding in his dexter-hand a flaming sword:—supporters, two seamen, habited, and each holding a sword, the point resting on the ground, the motto being the significant shibboleth, ‘Lead on.’ Sir Charles married, in 1853, the Hon. Jane Sarah, (born 1817) relict of Hugh Holbech, Esq., and daughter of Lord Bridport, a name illustrious in nautical annals, and allied by marriage to one still more famous, that of Nelson; the mother of the present Lady Charles Hotham being niece of the victor of Trafalgar, and now Duchess of BrontÉ.

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