DEATH OF REAR – ADMIRAL McKIILOP.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5736, 18 August 1879, Page 3

DEATH OF REAR - ADMIRAL McKIILOP.

TO TJHE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, —I should feel much obliged if you could manage to afford room in your valuable journal to insert the enclosed obituary notice, copied from the Broad Arrow of the 7th June, announcing the death of Rear-Admiral McKillop. lam quite sure that it will be interesting to your readers to learn the career of this gallant officer, more especially to those who knew him under the soubriquet of the “Mad Mid.” of the Calliope, when that vessel was on this coast during the war of 1546-7. His memory is still more endeared to me, having served with him during the time he commanded the Snake in the Crimea, in the late war with Russia ; and bis gallantry and intrepidity was the theme of the whole navy at the time. He was generous to a fault, and remarkable for his amiability. With such a character you can imagine he was beloved by his officers and crew. Ido not remember a single case of punishment on board the Snake, —a gentle rebnke from him was sufficient. From the foregoing you will not be surprised that I am anxious to pay the last tribute to the memory of a true sailor and old shipmate. —I am, &c., Sydney Evelyn Wright. P-S. —The subject of this letter wrote a small work on New Zealand entitled “Reminiscences of Twelve Months’ service in New Zealand," which, written by a “ mid.,” may he considered as a literary feat.

(From the Broad Arrow, June 7.) The news of the death of Rear-Admiral Henry Francis McKillop, better known to the world as McKillop Pasha, will be received with regret, not only by the naval service, but by all who claimed any acquaintance with the genial Irishman, who has passed away at the early age of fifty. Although his connection with the mother country has been severed for some years, the services rendered by McKillop in his earlier days has not been forgotten, as is shown by bis having been included in the last

batch of appointments to the Order of the Bath on the occasion i.MUr M k> ’ ithday two years ago. In him !l.c A- .o,- h,n lost one of his stau idlest Mlueieu.n »-jJ most trusted councillors, and his K-,- wdl also be most severely felt in Alexandra and Cairo society, where he was ever a wei come figure. His health had been failing for some time past, and the Khedive, on receiving with regret the news of his intended retirement, had within the last few weeks conferred on him a handsome pension. Bear-Admiral Francis Henry HcKdllop entered the Koval Navy, in 1841, as a mid., in the Belleisle ; served under the late Sir J. Kingcome in the first China war. He was in charge of a boat at the capture of Chin-kian-foo, in 1842, and in the following year was awarded the silver medal of the Koval Humane Society for gallantry in jumping into the river Chusan, and saving the life of a soldier. As mid. and mate of the Calliope he took a part in the New Zealand war in 1347, commanding a gunboat at Cook Straits, and receiving honorable mention in despatches. At the close of the Calliope’s commission he was promoted to a lieutenant. On his return he was employed on coastguard service, and was then in charge of a revenue cutter, the Princess Charlotte. In September, 1854, he commissioned the Snake for service in the Black Sea, and was employed at the blockade at Sevastopol and on the Hast Coast of Circassia, receiving especial commendation in the official despatches for engaging the batteries and enemy's steamers at the capture of Kertch and Yenikale in 1855, for which he was promoted to commander. During the latter part of the war he was emploved as a transport officer in the A/ov expedition, and at the destruction of Taganrog. He served next in the command of the Kecruit in the Mediterranean from 1856 to 1859, and after twelve months’ service on the coast of Galway with the coast-guard, was appointed to the Bulldog, sloop, which he commanded on the North American and West Indies station until promoted to post-captain, in 1862. Captain McKillop a few years later accepted the offer of Ismail Pasha to enter the Egyptian service, and remained in the employ of the Khedive until his death. He had the appointments of Captain of the Port of Alexandria and Comptroller General of Ports and Lighthouses, and commanded the Egyptian squadron in the war with Abyssinia in 1875-6, receiving the Grand Cross of the Medjidie as a reward for his services.

McKillop Pasha was subsequently advanced from the dignity of the pashalate to the rank of fereek, and appointed a member of the Council of State. He was promoted a retired rear-admiral in March, 1877, and had received the China and New Zealand medals, the Crimean medal, with Azov and Sevastopol clasps, the Cross of the Legion of Honor, and the silver medal of the Koyal Humane Society, in addition to the honors we have already recorded.