HOBART.
573
Turldah Governments. On his re- turn to Constantinople^ he was pro- moted by the Snltan to the rank of Ptoha, and created a full admiral. Admiral Hobart Pasha afterwards served as Inspector-Oeneral of the Torkiahnavy. He was long occupied with the reorganisation and develop- ment of the Turkish navy, which owes its state of efficiency to his practical knowledge and untiring energy. In June> 1871, the Queen granted him her royal license to accept and wear the insignia of the second class of the Imx>erial Order of theMedjidie, conferred upon him by the Saltan. In 1867 the Greek Mi- nister had called the attention of Her Majesty's Government to the fact that Hobart Pasha had been engaged on behalf of Turkey in the Cretajd blockade; and the Admiralty, at the instance of the Foreign Office, struck his name off the British Navy List. In 1874, however, Admiiral Hobart Pasha addressed a letter to Lord Derby, admitting that he had committed a breach of naval discipline by accepting service under the Turkish Government without leave, but adding : — " Dur- ing seven years that have elapsed since that time I have endeavoured to maintain the character of an English man for zeal, activity, and sagacity, and I have been fortunate enough to obtain a certain European reputation of which I hope I may be justly proud. I prevented by my conduct during a very critical period at the end of the Cretan Re- volution (while I was in command of a large Turkish fleet) much blood- shed, and, many people think, a European war. I have organised the Turtosh navy in a way which has led to high encomiums as to its state from all the Ck>mmanders-in-Chief of the English fleets who have lately visited Constantinople. I have es- tablished naval schools, training and gannery ships (and here I have been ably seconded by English naval olEcers). While doing all this to- wards strengthening tbs navy of our
ally, I naturally have made many enemies. . . . AU that they can find to say (and it is bitter enough) is, ' He haa been dismissed the English service,' without, of course, explain- ing the cause. This is most painful to me, and is very detrimental to my already difficult position." He therefore asked that his offence might be overlooked, and that ho might be relieved from *' the ban of disgrace." This application was sup- ported by the Earl of Derby, " as a matter of Imperial policy," consi- dering it to be of material advantage that Admiral Hobart Pacha should occupy the position he held in Tur- key. The Lords of the Admiralty therefore consented to allow the Hon. Augustus Hobart to be rein- stated in his former rank as a Captain in the Royal Navy, placing him on the retired list (Nov. 28, 1874), with the opportunity of rising by seniority to the rank of a retired Admiral. On the outbreak of the war between Russia and Turkey Admiral Hobart Pasha was ap- pointed to the command-in-chief of the Black Sea Fleet of Turkey. As our Government had issued a proclamation of neutrality, this appointment naturally attracted public attention, and the question was raised in Parliament whether he, being on the official list, and still nominally in Her Majesty's service, should not be required to resign altogether his connection with the British navy or to relin- quish his position in the Turkish fleet. This question was soon answered in a practical manner by his formal withdrawal from Her Majesty's service, and his election to remain with the Sultan of Tttr- key. On Jan. 8, 1881, the Sultan raised him to the rank of " Mushir " and Marshal of the Empire. He is the first Christian on whom this honour has been conferred. He married, first, in 1848, Mary Anne, second daughter of Mr. Colquhoun Ghrant, (she died April 13, 1877) ; secondly, on May 5, 1879, Edith
