Admiral Sir James Stirling RN (28 January 1791–23 April 1865) was a British marine officer and colonial administrator. He was the first Governor of Western Australia (1828–38) and on his own initiative signed Britain's first limited treaty with Japan in 1854.^[1]

Contents 1 Family background 2 Early Career 2.1 Period as a Midshipman 2.2 West Indies 2.3 Surrey 3 Australia 3.1 Sydney 3.2 Western Australia 3.3 Harvey 4 Later Years 4.1 Mediterranean 4.2 Far East 4.3 Retirement 4.4 Honours 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External links

[edit] Family background

He was the fifth of eight sons, ninth of the sixteen children, of Andrew Stirling, Esq. of Drumpellier near Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. His mother, Anne, was his father's second cousin, being the daughter of Admiral Sir Walter Stirling and the sister of Sir Walter Stirling, 1st Baronet of Faskine and Admiral Sir Charles Stirling.^[1]

The Stirling family was well-known and celebrated in the naval annals of the 18th century. With such a family background, it was natural for James to enter the Royal Navy. His education at Westminster School^[2] was interleaved with periods of training on board British warships, and on 14 January 1804, at the age of 12, he entered the navy as a First-Class Volunteer^[3], embarking on the storeship HMS Camel for the West Indies. Thus began a distinguished career.

[edit] Early Career

[edit] Period as a Midshipman

Stirling trained for midshipman on board the Camel and also served for a period on HMS Hercule under the flag of Admiral Sir John Duckworth, Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Squadron. He passed his midshipman tests on 20 January 1805 and shortly afterwards was posted to HMS Prince George, but on 27 June, at the request of his uncle, Rear-Admiral Charles Stirling, he joined his uncle's flagship, the 98-gun HMS Glory^[3].

The following month, at age 14, he was to see his first naval action. The Glory was in the fleet, commanded by Vice-Admiral Robert Calder, which in July that year engaged against the combined French and Spanish fleets off Cape Finisterre during the Napoleonic Wars. The Glory sustained a damaged foremast spar and sails "much torn". After the battle, the Squadron returned to England with two captured Spanish ships as prizes^[4].

In July 1806 his uncle was given a new ship, HMS Sampson, and orders to convoy General Samuel Auchmuty and his troops to the Río de la Plata and take over command of the squadron there from Admiral Sir Home Popham on the flagship HMS Diadem. James accompanied his uncle^[3] and saw the fall of Montevideo to General Auchmuty's forces and the capture of twenty-five warships and more than 10,000 tons of merchant shipping^[5]. In August 1807 the Stirlings crossed the South Atlantic for a stay of five months at the Cape of Good Hope and at the end of February 1808 the Diadem returned to England via a short period in Rio de Janeiro.

On arrival in England in April, Midshipman Stirling was posted to HMS Warspite under Captain Henry Blackwood. At this time he was preparing for his examinations to become a Lieutenant, and Blackwood arranged for him to have short stints as Acting Lieutenant on other vessels in the Channel Fleet. He started his examinations at Somerset House on 1 August 1909 and on 12 August rejoined the Warspite as a full Lieutenant^[3].

[edit] West Indies

On 1 April 1810 Stirling was transferred from the Warspite to HMS Hibernia under Captain R.D.Drum and moved with Drum when the Captain was transferred to HMS Armide in November. A year later, on 20 November 1811, he received a significant elevation to Flag Lieutenant on HMS Arethusa, the flagship of his uncle, now Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station. On 3 March 1812, he was appointed Acting Commander of the sloop "Moselle" and three months later, at age 21, he was promoted to the rank of Commander^[6]. Soon after that he was given command of the 26-gun sloop HMS Brazen, built in 1808, in which he was to serve for six years.

In the War of 1812 between the United States of America and Britain, the role assigned to the ships of the Jamaica Station was to attack the U.S. coast and ports on the Gulf of Mexico and to destroy their ships and stores. On 11 July 1812 the Brazen weighed anchor on Stirling's first mission, which was to be against New Orleans and the Mississippi delta. However, the Brazen was severely damaged by a hurricane and had to abandon the mission and enter the Spanish port of Pensacola to carry out repairs. Despite this, Stirling was able to make a valuable survey of Mobile Bay and the Spanish held Florida coastline and capture an American ship, which he took back to Jamaica as a prize on 20 November^[7].

He had no immediate opportunity to revisit the Gulf of Mexico, as the Brazen was ordered to return to England for a maintenance survey. After docking in Sheerness for four months, the ship escorted a convoy carrying settlers and stores to Hudson Bay. On his return to the Strait of Dover at the end of December 1813, Stirling received confidential orders for an important mission, to carry the Duke of Brunswick to Holland^[7]. After that, during most of 1814, the Brazen patrolled the Irish Sea and the Hebrides in search of French or American ships until, at the end of the year, Stirling received orders to return to the West Indies, to the Windward Islands Station at Barbados, where Admiral Duckworth was now Commander-in-Chief.

There were now two stations in the West Indies, at Barbados and Jamaica, and for a while the Brazen shuttled between the two, carrying communications between the two admirals. On one such trip Stirling was introduced to Simón Bolívar, who was in Jamaica following a defeat on the South American mainland^[8]. Soon after that the war against the United States ended, and he was given a mission to rescue British troops who had failed in an attack on New Orleans. His reconnaissance of Mobile Bay and the coast of Florida three years earlier now stood him in good stead. The troops, under the command of Lieutenant Harry Smith, were rescued and taken to England on the Brazen after surviving a severe gale in the Gulf of Florida. Smith was impressed with Stirling's seamanship and became a long-standing friend^[9].

The Treaty of Paris, signed by France, Great Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia on 20 Nov 1815, ended the Napoleonic Wars and a large fleet was no longer needed. The Admiralty set about decommissioning ships and retiring officers. However, Stirling and the Brazen received a stay of execution, as they were needed again in the West Indies. Spain was losing its grip on the north of South America and rival factions were struggling for power. So close to the West Indies, Britain had an interest in the establishment of secure government on the mainland, but needed to be careful to avoid offending Spain, now an ally. The Brazen arrived at Barbados in June 1816 and on 20 July Stirling and the Barbados Harbourmaster were sent to survey the coast of Venezuela and gain intelligence regarding the attitudes of the population and the disposition of the various revolutionary factions^[7].

After making his report Stirling went back to patrolling the Caribbean with orders to prevent piracy and the contraband trade. Late in September he seized the Hercules. This action turned out to be unwise. The Hercules, not to be confused with HMS Hercule on which Stirling had served in 1804, was nicknamed the Black Frigate and had at one time been the flagship of the Argentine Navy. When taken by Stirling, she was a privateer with 22 guns carrying a valuable cargo plundered from Spanish American cities and ships. She was under the command of William Brown, who had been an Admiral in the Argentine Navy and was in command of the revolutionary fleet fighting the Spaniards^[10]. Her capture compromised the cautious line taken by the British between the Spanish and the revolutionaries. The Governor of Barbados ordered her release, but, when she had left Barbados, Stirling recaptured her and took her to Antigua as a prize. After long drawn-out proceedings, the High Court of the Admiralty ruled in Brown's favour^[11], but he lost the frigate and her cargo. Stirling continued to receive demands for payment of damages for many years.

At the end of 1816 Stirling was commissioned to make a further detailed inspection of the conditions in Venezuela. From Güiria in the Paria Peninsula he sailed west to Caracas and the port of La Guaira and returned eastward by an inland route, in order to study the conditions in the interior of the country. In February 1817 he submitted a detailed report to the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral John Harvey. In it he blamed Spanish neglect for the devastation and decay he found in the interior. He described the insurgent 'Patriots' as determined and disciplined, but the Loyalists were indisciplined and lazy^[12]. Following this, Stirling was given a number of covert missions in connection with Venezuela. The exact orders he received are not known, as the period from January to June 1817 has been removed from the Brazen's log in Admiralty files. In May, the Executive Committee of the Patriots prepared a draft Constitution for the Republic of Venezuela which was given to Stirling for transmission to the West Indies Stations and thence to England^[13]. However this draft was subsequently rejected by Bolívar. Another source^[14] reports that a secret agreement, between the British and the Republicans, was signed later on board the Brazen, in which the British would assist Bolívar in exchange for preferential trading rights when the Republic came into being.

In the second half of 1817 Stirling returned once again to patrolling the Caribbean with orders to seize any vessels suspected of piracy, orders which he carried out with alacrity because of the prize money. By June 1818 the Brazen was in need of repair and he returned with her to England^[15], where the ship was taken out of commission and Stirling received the dread news that he was to be placed on half pay. However, Admiral Harvey had sent the Lords of the Admiralty a letter strongly commending 'the zeal and alacrity of this intelligent and excellent officer', which may have influenced their decision to promote him to Post Captain on 7 December 1818^[16].

[edit] Surrey

Although at the end of 1817 he was not to know it, Stirling was to be without a command for eight years. Between 1818 and 1822 his father, Andrew, was a tenant at Henley Park in Surrey, and Stirling made use of his enforced leave to visit his parents and other members of his scattered family. He also made several visits to the Continent of Europe. On one such visit to France he met and befriended Captain James Mangles, RN, who was also on half pay. Mangles was returning from a tour of North Africa and Asia Minor and was among the first Europeans to have visited Petra. His uncle had an estate at Woodbridge Park, about ten miles from the Stirlings at Henley Park and had extensive interests in the East Indies, had been High Sheriff for Surrey in 1808 and was a director of the British East India Company. Captain Mangles invited Stirling to visit Woodbridge, where he met for the first time the, then, 13-year-old Ellen Mangles, his future wife. The two families got on well together and the parents were delighted two years later when, according to the etiquette of that era, Stirling formally asked the uncle's permission to propose marriage to his daughter. The permission was granted on the condition that Stirling should not make the proposal until Ellen completed her schooling^[17]. The couple were married at Stoke Church, Guildford on 3 September 1823, on Ellen's 16th birthday, and went on a nine month honeymoon and grand tour. On their return, Ellen gave birth to their first child, Andrew, at Woodbridge on 24 October 1824.

During the next eighteen months Stirling put forward several ideas to the Admiralty, including a means of assessing compass declinations at sea^[18] and a proposal for improving stowage in warships^[19]. He was keen to keep his name in front of those in the Admiralty who could post him to active service. He had returned from the grand tour short of funds, his father had died in 1823, the family businesses were not prospering and he himself had to make payments to the court in connection with the Hercules case^[20]. The competition for preferment from other officers on half pay was intense, so he was fortunate that on 23 January 1826 he was recommissioned and given command of the newly built HMS Success.

[edit] Australia

[edit] Sydney

In 1826 the western side of Australia was still called New Holland, but the Dutch appeared to have no interest in its development. For the British, a port on the west or north coast might be a useful stage for trade with their settlements in the Cape of Good Hope, India and Singapore. However, the French were known to be have an intense interest and French ships were exploring the Australian coasts^[21]. The British needed to assess further the potential of the region and find out the extent of the French interest without creating a diplomatic incident. For this task, Stirling, with his record of exploration, diplomacy and covert missions, was a natural choice. New South Wales was running short of currency and the settlement on Melville Island was short of food and scurvy was rife^[22]. A supply mission to these would be excellent cover for intelligence gathering activities.

The Success sailed on 9 July 1826, carrying cases of coins and a distinguished passenger, Admiral Sir James Saumarez, Knight Companion of the Bath, a hero of the Napoleonic Wars. Ellen and one year old Andrew remained at home at Woodbridge. One of Stirling's officers was 3rd Lieutenant William Preston, who would marry Ellen's sister Hamilla seven years later. The Success arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on 2 September, discharged its passenger, took on provisions and set sail again, arriving at Sydney Heads on 28 November^[23].

Captain Jules d'Urville arrived in Sydney Harbour on 2 December on the French corvette L'Astrolabe^[24]. The L'Astrolabe was on a voyage of exploration, which gave Stirling an opportunity to assess French interest in the region. Stirling and d'Urville dined together several times and Stirling discovered that the Astrolabe had a detailed chart of the Swan River. Before leaving England, Stirling had studied the available charts of the west coast of Australia and had concluded that the Swan was a possible site for a harbour and settlement and had hoped to be the first European to explore and chart it. However, d'Urville indicated that the French did not consider that the Swan would be a suitable site for a harbour, because of the difficulty of access and lack of fresh water^[25]. This gave Stirling a free hand.

A ship arrived from Melville Island on the same day as the L'Astrolabe, bringing reassuring news that scurvy was under control and the settlement was progressing more satisfactorily^[26]. The Governor, Major General Ralph Darling, advised Stirling to delay his visit to Melville until later in the year. Stirling then made a report to Darling, setting out detailed arguments for a mission to the Swan River^[27]. Darling gave his approval and, on 17 January 1827, the Success sailed from Sydney for the Swan, via Hobart in Van Diemen's Land, where several cases of coins were delivered. On board the Success were the Colonial Botanist Charles Frazer, the surgeon Frederick Clause and the landscape artist Frederick Garling^[28].

[edit] Western Australia

Stirling was impressed with the land in the vicinity of the Swan River describing it as ideal for establishing a permanent settlement. In particular, he was pleased with the defensive prospects of Mount Eliza (the large hill which Kings Park is on), situated as it is near the narrows of the Swan River, which would make defending the colony from gunships easy, with just a few cannons.

On returning to London in 1828, Stirling lobbied officials to enlist support for a settlement to be established in Western Australia. Along with his brother-in-law, Captain William Preston RN (who was married to his wife's sister) he finally succeeded. They assembled a team of pioneers from the parishes of Pirbright and Worplesdon and on 6 February 1829 the sixty-nine pioneers departed Plymouth in the Parmelia under Captain J H Luscombe out of Spithead, arriving at Garden Island, Western Australia at what became known as the Swan River Colony on 31 May. They re-erected a wooden house that had first been assembled at Captain Preston's home in Sutton Green that would become the Governor's home.^[29] These pioneers were responsible for laying the foundations of Perth, Fremantle and the market-town named Guildford that is now a suburb of Perth^[29].

Stirling administered the Swan River settlement from June 1829 until August 1832, when he left on an extended visit to England where he was knighted, and again from August 1834 until December 1838. However, he was commissioned as Governor of Western Australia only from 4 March 1831, rectifying the absence of a legal instrument providing the authority detailed in Stirling's Instructions of 30 December 1828. Stirling had said

I believe I am the first Governor who ever formed a settlement without Commission, Laws, Instructions and Salary.^[30]

With the creation of the Western Australian Legislative Council in 1830, Stirling automatically became an official member.

In October 1834 Stirling led a detachment of 25 armed troopers and settlers including Septimus Roe and Thomas Peel that attacked an encampment of 60-80 Pindjarep Aboriginal people. The Pindjarep fled into the bush and were later encircled near a crossing on the Pinjarra River, Stirling referred to this as the Battle of Pinjarra. Settlers accounts claim between 10-80 aboriginals died compared to aboriginal oral history which claim 150 people died.^[31][32]

Stirling remained entirely unsympathetic to the needs of Aboriginal people in Western Australia, and never recognised their prior ownership of the land despite the fact that the Buxton Committee of the British House of Commons informed him that this was a mistake for which the new colony would suffer. Stirling mentioned in dispatches that the Aborigines "must gradually disappear" and the "most anxious and judicious measures of the local government [could] prevent the ulterior extinction of the race".

As recognition of his service in establishing the colony Stirling was granted land near Beverley, Western Australia. This land, along with neighbouring properties was re-acquired by the Western Australian Government, who later subdivided the land into farmlets for returning soldiers. The remaining land was later used to establish the Avondale Agricultural Research Station, which includes Stirling's restored homestead.

[edit] Harvey

In the mid 1800s, Stirling selected 12,800 acres (52 km²) of land in Harvey and called it the "Harvey River Settlement"^{[citation needed]}. However, The only improvement made was a convict built cottage on the banks of the Harvey River. The cottage featured a shingled roof and pit-sawn jarrah walls with hexagonal-shaped paving blocks fitted together to form firm flooring. A replica cottage known as Stirling's Cottage has been built on the site and includes one of the original paving blocks in its history room.

[edit] Later Years

[edit] Mediterranean

In October 1840 he was appointed to command the Indus in the Mediterranean where he remained until June 1844. After another three years ashore he was appointed to the Howe which he commanded from April 1847 to April 1850 when he was knighted by the King of Greece.

[edit] Far East

In July 1851, Stirling was rear ended Rear Admiral and in the following year served at the Admiralty. From January 1854 to February 1856 Stirling was commander in chief of the naval forces in China and the East Indies.

Using gunboat diplomacy he signed the first British treaty with Japan (the Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty) on 14 October 1854 "In 1856 he was recalled because he had failed in the primary naval duty of finding and destroying the Russian squadron - partly, perhaps, because of his preoccupation with the self-imposed task of negotiating with Japan"^[33] Yet his agreements with Japan were ratified, and his conduct was officially commended.

[edit] Retirement

Stirling was promoted Vice Admiral in August 1857. He became an Admiral in November 1862 and died in comfortable retirement at Guildford in Surrey on 22 April 1865 aged 74. He was buried in Wyke Churchyard, near the western end of St Marks Church, Wyke, as was Captain Preston. There is a memorial tablet within the church.^[29] His wife survived him by nine years and was buried in the extension to the graveyard of Stoke Church where they had been married.

[edit] Honours

The plant genus Stirlingia, was named in his honour by Stephan Endlicher in 1838. A variety of Pittosporum is also named in his honour. In England, Stoke Church's social centre and hall is named The Stirling Centre.

In Western Australia the suburb of Stirling is named after him as is a seat in the lower House of the federal Parliament. The Royal Australian Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet is based at HMAS Stirling near Rockingham. Stirling Highway (which links Perth and Fremantle) was named so in his honour. There are also many pubs and buildings named after him throughout Perth and Fremantle. Stirling Irrigation (a water management company) was named after Stirling in 1983 and still runs today.

[edit] See also

Wikisource has original works written by or about: James Stirling

• History of Western Australia
• Anglo-Japanese relations

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Hasluck, Alexandra.James Stirling.Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 1963.
• Statham-Drew, Pamela. James Stirling : admiral and founding governor of Western Australia Crawley, W.A. : University of Western Australia Press, 2003. ISBN 1876268948

[edit] External links

• Celebrate W.A. site
• The Constitution Centre of Western Australia (2002). "Captain Sir James Stirling 1828-1839". Governors and Premiers of Western Australia. West Perth, Western Australia: The Constitution Centre of Western Australia. ISBN 0-7307-3821-3. http://www.ccentre.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?event=governorsJamesstirling. 
• Archival material relating to James Stirling listed at the UK National Register of Archives

Preceded by none

Governor of Western Australia 1828–1839

Succeeded by John Hutt

Persondata
NAME	Stirling, James
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Governor
DATE OF BIRTH	28 January 1791
PLACE OF BIRTH	Drumpellier near Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH	23 April 1865
PLACE OF DEATH	Guildford, Surrey