200 



HEREDITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL OFFICERS. 



61. EDWARD HOBART SEYMOUR. 



EDWARD HOBART SEYMOUR was born April 1840. He states of his child- 

 hood: "As soon as I had sense enough to form a real wish it was to go to sea 

 a choice I have never regretted." He entered the British navy in November 

 1852, after an examination in the rudiments, and in 1853 on the frigate Terrible 

 was ordered to the Mediterranean station. In 1854 he took part in the Crimean 

 campaign. In 1857 he went to China and joined the squadron of his father's 

 brother, Sir Michael Seymour, and was made signalman of the fleet. Invalided 

 home on account of illness, he was "made to go back," which he did in 1859. On 

 his homeward journey he leaped into the sea to save a sailor who had fallen over- 

 board. In the western Pacific he was given command of small vessels to go up 

 Canton river to hunt for shipwrecked sailors on the Carolina island, etc. He 

 cruised to the Arctic and saw service in the west coast of Africa, where he was 

 wounded in rescuing Europeans from natives. He had command of the first ship 

 of steel (1880) and later of the Inflexible, at that time the largest and most powerful 

 ship of the navy. In 1889 he became rear admiral, cruised around the world, 

 was in Chinese waters at the Boxer uprising, and was senior officer in the allied 

 expedition to Pekin. In 1902 he was commander in chief at Plymouth. 



Seymour belongs to one of England's most distinguished naval families. A 

 father's brother Michael was vice admiral; another father's brother's son, Sir Michael 

 Culme Seymour, is admiral. The latter married Mary Watson, daughter of Lavinia 

 Quin, whose brother Richard was rear admiral. Their mother was a Spencer of a 

 naval family. Edward H. Seymour's father's father was Admiral Sir Michael Sey- 

 mour, whose wife was a daughter of James Hawkes, a captain in the Royal Navy. 



FAMILY HISTORY OF EDWARD HOBART SEYMOUR. 



II (F F F), Rev. John Seymour (died 1795), of Palace, Limerick county. I 2 (F F M), Grizel 

 Hobart, died 1822. 13 (F M F), James Hawkes, a captain in the Royal Navy. 15 (M M F), 

 John Smith (died 1819), member of Parliament for Wiltshire. 16 (M M M), Sarah Gilbert. 



II 1, Rev. Thomas Culme. II 3 (F F), Sir Michael Seymour (1768-1834), was an admiral 

 in the Royal Navy who distinguished himself in several gallant actions and died at Rio Janeiro 



when commander in chief of the Southeast 

 coast of America. II 4 (F M), Jane Hawkes, 

 died 1852. II 5 (M F), Charles Smith (died 

 1814), of Suttons, Essex county, a member 

 of Parliament. II 6 (M M), Augusta Smith, 

 died 1846. 



Ill 1, Elizabeth 

 Culme. Fraternity of F: 

 III 2, John Hobart Culme 

 Seymour (1800-1880), 



III 



IV 



s,r~i *"A 3, Maria 1 



died 1887. Ill 4, James 

 Seymour (1801-1827), captain in the army. Ill 5, Sir Michael Seymour (1802-1887), became an 

 admiral in the Royal Navy. He was vice admiral of the United Kingdom and commander in 

 chief of the East Indian station, Canton, and Portsmouth. Ill 6, Edward Seymour (1804-1837), 

 a captain in the Royal Navy. Ill 7, William Hobart Seymour (1820-1859), of the army. Ill 8, 

 Jane, Dora, Mary, Caroline, Elizabeth, and Ellen Seymour. Ill 9 (F), Richard Seymour (1806- 

 1880), canon of Worcester. Ill 10 (M), Frances Smith. Fraternity of M: III 11, Frances 

 Seymour, died 1897. Ill 12, Spencer Smith (1806-1882). Ill 13, Drummond Smith (1812- 

 1832). Ill 14, Sir Charles Joshua Smith. 



IV 1, Sir Michael Culme Seymour (born 1836), was vice admiral of the United Kingdom, 

 commander in chief of the Pacific fleet, of the Channel squadron, and of the Mediterranean fleet. 

 Ill 2, John Hobart (1837-1887), a lieutenant colonel. IV 3, Henry Seymour (born 1847), re- 



