THE LATE CAPTAIN KING, OF TARANAKI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4132, 18 June 1874, Page 3

THE LATE CAPTAIN KING, OF TARANAKI.

Tho following memoir of tho late Captain Henry King appears in the Taranaki News of June 10 : The half-masted ensign on Mount Eliot, on tho afternoon of Saturday, June C, announced to the people of New Plymouth that a chief had fallen, and tho intelligence soon spread over the town that Captain King was dead. Tho deceased officer has far exceeded the ordinary bounds of human life, being at Ms death in tho ninety-second year of Ms ago ; he was also the last survivor of the battle of St. Vincent. After fighting the battles of Ms country lie came out to Taranaki, a hale old man of fifty-eight—an age at which most men seek re-pose—-to fight the wilderness. Since then ho has lived a second life of thirty-three years amongst us. Eor several months it has been evident that tho vital force of the once strong old man was nearly spent. On Saturday, 30th May, just a week before he died, he was seized with paralysis of the throat. On the following Tuesday he revived, was cheerful and even jocose, but this was but the last flicker of tho flame of life, for ho speedily relapsed into a state of unconsciousness, which ended in death.

Captain Henry King was bom at Torquay, Devonshire, England, on April 7, 1780. He entered the Eoyal Navy as midshipman on board the Namur, Captain Sir James Whitshed, on December 27,1793, being at that time but ten years and eight months old. On February 14, 1797, bo was present at the engagement olf Capo St. Vincent, the Namur forming part of the fleet under the command of Admiral Sir John Jorvois, afterwards Lord St. Vincent. This victory was obtained with only fifteen sail of the line, four frigates, a sloop of war, and a cutter, over a Spanish fleet of twenty-seven sail of the line. The English fleet consisted of six three-dockers, eight of seventy-four, and one of sixty-four guns ; the Spanish of ono four-decker of one hundred and thirty-six gums, six three-deckers of one hundred and twelve guns each, two of eighty-four, and eighteen of seventy-four guns. In this action Oolliugwood and Trowbridge wore present, and Nelson signally distinguished himself. Mr. King served five years in the Namur, distinguishing himself by many acts of daring in connection with entting-out expeditions. Ho loft his ship with the rank of third lieutenant. Ho next served in the Canopus, Captain Sir G. Campbell. Here at the recommendation of his captain bo was promoted to a second lieutenancy. His next ship was the Ambuscade ; and the next the Unitis, Captain Sir Patrick Campbell. Ho was invalided from this ship, having his log broken by a top-tie falling upon liim. On his re-

covory lie was appointed to the Sea Horse, Moth the rank of first lieutenant, and served in her in the Potomac during the American war. While on this service the Sea Horse was appointed to convoy a fleet of merchant vessels, laden with com, cotton, and tobacco, through the enemies’ fleet, from Alexandria to England. This service was so satisfactorily performed, that Mr. King was rewarded by being promoted to the rank of Commander. This appears to have been his last important service in the Navy. After the lapse of many years, he obtained the rank of Post-Captain. On his retirement from the service, Captain 1 Kin«‘ went to reside in his native Devonshire, whore ho soon became actively engaged in the canal trade. On the establishment of the Plymouth-Company for colonising Now Zealand, he purchased land, and came out to this Province in the good ship Amelia Thompson, Captain Dawson, landing at Ngamotu on thw 3rd September, 1811. In connection with his relative, George Outfield, Esq., he established himself on the now pretty suburban farm called Brooklands. He went on a voyage or two to Sydney for the purpose of obtaining live stock for the Province, after which he never again left the settlement. At an early date he was appointed Resident Magistrate, and became the Governor’s factotum for the Province. In those days crime among the Europeans was so infrequent that during the ten yeans of his magistracy he had to commit but one prisoner for trial. The conduct of the Natives, however, demanded of him the utmost amount of discretion. The handful of peaceful wostconutvy farmers, who at that time formed almost the entire European population of the settlement, neglected by the Home Government, frowned on by the Church, poor and defenceless, wore at the mercy of a baud of insolent, manumitted slaves, and returned refugees of the Maori race. The threats and wardances of these people were successfully met by the brave, but judicious, old Captain with the only possible effective weapon—diplomacy. In 185:2, Captain King retired from public life, receiving a service of plate from the settlers as a token of their grateful recognition of his services. In March, 18G0, the breaking out of the Maori rebellion necessitated his retreat from his pleasant villa at Brooklands, within the lines of New Plymouth. On the Sth Eob,, 1861, his only child, Captain William Outfield King, of the Taranaki Volunteers, and a promising young man, was killed by a party of rebels in ambush, within sight of the garrison of British troops on Marsland Hill.

If the gallant deeds of this brave naval officer are lost sight of in England, in the midst of the galaxy of glorious achievements effected by his contemporary heroes, his peaceful, but no less honorable and useful, services in the foundation of the Province of Taranaki, will be here honorably remembered for ever.