Sir C. J. Napier, comprising all his General Orders, Remarks on Courts-Martial, &c., with an Appendix containing Reports of Speeches, Copies of Letters … extracted from Contemporaneous Prints, by J. Mawson,’ appeared at Calcutta in 1854.
[Despatches; War Office Records; India Office Records; Works by his brother, Sir W. F. P. Napier; Life by William Napier Bruce, 1855; Life by Sir W. F. Butler, 1890; Corrections of a few of the Errors contained in Sir W. Napier's Life of Sir Charles Napier, by G. Buist, 1857; Remarks on the Native Troops of the Indian Army, and Notes on certain Passages in Sir Charles Napier's Posthumous Work on the Defects of the Indian Government, by John Jacob, C.B., 1854; a Few Brief Comments on Sir Charles Napier's Letter on the Baggage of the Indian Army, by Lieutenant-colonel W. Burton, 1849; Sir Charles Napier's Indian Baggage Corps; Reply to Lieutenant-colonel Burton's Attack (on a pamphlet by the former), 1850; Finlay's Hist. of Greece, vols. vi. and vii.; Four Famous Soldiers, by T. R. E. Holmes, 1889; The Career and Conduct of Sir Charles Napier, the Conqueror of Scinde, by W. MacColl, 1857; General Sir C. J. Napier as Conqueror and Governor of Scinde, by P. L. MacDougall, 1860; History of the Indian Administration of Lord Ellenborough, edited by Lord Colchester, 1874.]
NAPIER, DAVID (1790–1869), marine engineer, was born in 1790, and with his cousin, Robert Napier (1791–1876) [q. v.] laid the foundation of the well-known firm of Napier & Sons, shipbuilders and marine engineers, of Govan, Glasgow. In 1818 he was the first to introduce British coasting steamers as well as steam-packets for the post-office service. He was also the first to establish a regular steam communication between Greenock and Belfast. For two winters his vessel, the Rob Roy, of about 90 tons burden and 30 horse-power, plied with regularity between these ports, and was then transferred to the English Channel to serve as a packet-boat between Dover and Calais. Shortly afterwards Napier caused an elaborate vessel, named the Talbot, to be built for him, and, placing in her two engines of 30 horse-power each, thus made her the finest steam vessel of her time. He employed her in running between Holyhead and Dublin. In 1822 he established a line of steam vessels between Liverpool, Greenock, and Glasgow, applying to the purpose the Robert Bruce, of 150 tons, with two 30-horse-power engines; the Superb, of 240 tons, with two 35-horse-power engines; and the Eclipse, of 240 tons, with two 30-horse-power engines. In 1826 Napier constructed machinery for the United Kingdom, the largest vessel yet designed; she was built by Mr. Steele of Greenock, and was 160 feet long, 26½ feet beam, and 200 horse-power.
Napier invented the steeple engine, which was a great improvement on the side lever as occupying much less space, and was one of the first, if not the first, to try the application of the surface condenser in marine engines. Probably, with the exception of Robert Napier, no man individually did more to improve the steam navigation of the world. For many years previous to his death he lived in retirement at Worcester. Late in life he proposed a plan for the removal of the Glasgow sewage by means of barges, and offered to subscribe 500l. towards testing the scheme. He died at 8 Upper Phillimore Gardens, Kensington, London, on 23 Nov. 1869, aged 79.
[Glasgow Daily Herald, 27 Nov. 1869, pp. 4, 5; Engineering, 3 Dec. 1869, p. 365; Illust. London News, 11 Dec. 1869, p. 602.]
NAPIER, EDWARD DELAVAL HUNGERFORD ELERS (1808–1870), lieutenant-general and author, born in 1808, was elder son of Edward Elers, lieutenant in the royal navy, who was grandson of Paul Elers [see Elers, John Philip], and died in 1814. His mother, Frances Elizabeth, daughter of Lieutenant George Younghusband, R.N., married in 1815—after her first husband's death—Captain (afterwards Admiral Sir) Charles Napier [q. v.], who adopted her four children, the latter taking the name of Napier in addition to that of Elers.
Edward was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and on 11 Aug. 1825 was appointed ensign in the 46th foot, in which he became lieutenant on 11 Oct. 1826, and captain on 21 June 1831. He served with his regiment in India, and was present with the nizam's subsidiary force at the siege of Haidarabad in 1830. The regiment returned home in 1833, and in 1836 Napier entered the senior department of the Royal Military College, but left in 1837, before passing his examination, on the regiment being ordered to Gibraltar. He commanded the light company for several years. While at Gibraltar he made frequent excursions into Spain and Barbary in pursuit of field sports, and also took a cruise in his stepfather's ship, the Powerful, 84 guns, in which he visited Constantinople and Asia Minor, and acquired a knowledge of Levantine countries, which led to his subsequent employment on special service there. At this time he published some ‘Remarks on the Troad,’ which attracted attention, and presented a highly finished map of the locality, from his own surveys, to the Royal Geographical Society,
