Constituency : Marylebone 1841-7 Southwark 1855-60
Sir Charles was an eminent Victorian whose brief parliamentary career is but a small part of his story. He was born in Scotland, the son of a navy captain and followed him into the maritime service. He started out as a midshipman and saw service in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1808 he was wounded in the thigh by a cannonball. In 1809 he was promoted to captain after distinguishing himself in an action off Martinique. He was wounded again at the Battle of Bucaco. In 1814 he was switched to America where the War of 1812 was still in progress and again impressed. When the War ended Charles became an indefatigable agitator for naval reform, the development of iron and steam ships, officer training and humane conditions for ordinary sailors. He set up his own business in steam ships but went bankrupt in 1827. He first stood for parliament for Portsmouth in 1832 but wasn't successful. He then accepted an invitation to take command of the Portugese fleet to help Queen Maria against her usurping uncle. In 1833 he won the Battle of Cape Vincent which enabled the queen's forces to capture Lisbon. In 1839 he proceeded to Syria with the aim of driving out the forces of Ibrahim Pasha. This included some land battles such as the Battle of Boharsef which Charles was able to win. He then proceeded to negotiate his own peace treaty with Muhammad Ali which the Powers repudiated although their own treaty was not substantially different. He was knighted in 1840 and successful at Marylebone in 1841. He lost it in 1847 but was compensated with a rise to the rank of admiral and command of the Channel fleet. His term was cut short in 1849 against the wishes of Russell but he was reinstated to lead the fleet in the Baltic at the start of the Crimean War. He successfully blockaded the Russian ports and captured the Aland Islands but correctly assessed that the key naval bases were impregnable given the forces at his disposal. This did not please Graham at the Admiralty who was under political pressure for more conclusive results and the two men bitterly quarrelled. His command and thereby his naval career was terminated in 1854. He was elected MP for Southwark and continued the quarrel on the floor of the Commons.
Charles also advocated triennial parliaments and the ballot. He was a loyal supporter of Palmerston but. perhaps coloured by his quarrel with Graham , thought the Peelites were renegades. By this time he was in poor health and alleged to be a heavy drinker but he held onto his seat. He was also hoping to persuade Garibaldi to acquire a fleet which he would then command.
He died in 1860 aged 74. He got his own statue in Trafalgar Square.
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