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at the East India Company's Military College at A ddiscombe, and, 

 after passing out with great credit, on the 15th December, 182G, was 

 appointed to the Bengal Engineers. After a practical course of 

 engineering at Chatham, he proceeded, in 1828, to India, and was 

 soon sent to assist Captain (afterwards Colonel Sir Proby) Cautley in 

 superintending the restored Eastern Jumna Canal, which had fallen 

 into disuse during the decline of the Mogul Empire. In 1840, after a 

 visit to England, he was appointed Executive Engineer at Darjiling, 

 and, in the following year, he was transferred in the same capacity to 

 the Karnal Division of the Public Works. Three years later he was 

 employed in building a new station at Ambala to replace the canton- 

 ment of Karnal. 



Captain Napier first saw active service in the Sutlej campaign of 

 1845-46. At Mudki and Ferozshah, where he was severely wounded, 

 he was on the Staff of Sir Hugh Gough ; at Sobraon he was Brigade- 

 Major of Engineers, and at the siege of the hill fort of Kangra he 

 was Chief Engineer. For his services in the campaign he was thanked 

 by Government, and received the brevet of major. In 1848-49 he 

 served in the Panjab campaign, and was present at the siege of 

 Multan, where he was severely wounded ; the battle of Gujrat ; and 

 with Sir Walter Gilbert during the memorable pursuit of the defeated 

 Sikh troops. 



In 1849 Colonel Napier was appointed " Civil Engineer for the 

 Panjab," and whilst holding that post displayed great boldness and 

 capacity as an engineer. Roads, such as the trunk-road from Lahore 

 to Peshawar, were made ; great rivers were bridged ; old irrigation 

 canals were reopened, and new ones, such as the Bari Doab Canal, 

 were projected ; civil buildings were erected ; and trees were planted 

 along the canals, or in large plantations, for fuel. In 1852-53 

 Colonel Napier was employed in the Black Mountain campaign 

 against the Hassanzai tribe, and in the expedition against the Bori 

 Afridi tribes ; and in 1857, after a visit to England, he was appointed 

 Officiating Chief Engineer of Bengal. His services were, however, 

 soon required on another field ; throughout the operations conducted 

 by General Havelock for the relief of Lucknow he served as Chief 

 of the Staff to General Outram, and during the second defence of 

 the Residency he directed the engineering operations. Though 

 wounded at the relief of Lucknow, he was able to take part in the 

 siege and capture of that town ; and afterwards, during the campaign 

 in Central India, he commanded a brigade, and fought the action of 

 Jaura-Alipore. For his services during the Indian Mutiny he 

 received the thanks of Parliament, and was made a C.B. and K.C.B. 



During the China war of 1860, Sir Robert Napier commanded a 

 division under Sir Hope Grant ; and at its close he received the 

 thanks of Parliament, and was made a Major- General " for distin- 



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