SIR

See also:

• HOME
• HOME, DANIEL DUNGLAS (1833-1886)
• HOME, EARLS OF

HOME RIGGS

See also:

• SIR HOME RIGGS POPHAM (1762-1820)
• POPHAM, SIR JOHN (c. 1531-1607)

POPHAM (1762-1820)  , British admiral, was the son of Stephen Popham, consul at Tetuan, and was his mother's twenty-first child . He entered the navy in 1778, and served with the flag of Rodney till the end of the war . In 1783 he was promoted lieutenant, and was for a time engaged on survey service on the coast of Africa . Between 1787 and 1793 he was engaged in a curious series of adventures of a commercial nature in the Eastern Sea—sailing first for the Imperial Ostend Company, and then in a vessel which he purchased and in part loaded himself . During this time he took several surveys and rendered some services to the East India Company, which were officially acknowledged; but in 1793 his ship was seized, partlyon the ground that he was carrying contraband and partly because he was infringing the East India Company's monopoly . His loss was put at £70,000, and he was entangled in litigation . In 1805 he obtained compensation to the amount of £25,000 . The case was a hard one, for he was undoubtedly sailing with the knowledge of officials in India . While this dispute was going on Popham had resumed his career as a naval officer . He served with the army under the duke of York in Flanders as " superintendent of Inland Navigation " and won his confidence . The protection of the duke was exercised with so much effect that Popham was promoted commander in 1794 and post captain in 1795 . He was now engaged for years in co-operating in a naval capacity with the troops of Great Britain and her allies .

In the Red

Sea he was engaged in transporting the Indian troops employed in the expulsion of the French from Egypt . His bills for the repair of his ship at Calcutta were made the excuse for an attack on him and for charging him with the amount . It was just the time of the general reform of the dockyards, and there was much suspicion in the air . It was also the case that St Vincent did not like Popham, and that Benjamin Tucker (1762-1829), secretary to the admiralty, who had been the admiral's secretary, was his creature and sycophant . Popham was not the man to be snuffed out without an effort . He brought his case before Parliament, and was able to prove that there had been, if not deliberate dishonesty, at least the very grossest carelessness on the part of his assailants . In 18o6 he co-operated with Sir David Baird in the occupation of the Cape . He then persuaded the authorities that, as the Spanish Colonies were discontented, it would be easy to promote a rising in Buenos Ayres . The attempt was made with Popham's squadron and 1400 soldiers; but the Spanish colonists, though discontented, were not disposed to accept British help, which would in all probability have been made an excuse for establishing dominion . They rose on the soldiers who landed, and took them prisoners . Popham was recalled, and censured by a court martial for leaving his station; but the City of London presented him with a sword of honour for his endeavours to " open new markets," and the sentence did him no harm . He held other commands in connexion with the movements of troops, was promoted rear admiral in 1814, and made K.C.B. in 1815 .

He died at

Cheltenham on the loth of September 182o, leaving a large family . Popham was one of the most scientific seamen of his time . He did much useful, survey work, and was the author of the code of signals adopted by the admiralty in 1803 and used for many years .