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Edmund was back at sea in 1851 in the
north american station on the 'Cumberland'. Within a year he was promoted to
captain in December 1852 and immediately took command of a screw steam
frigate - 'Highflyer'. This ship displayed the key features that separated
it from the sailing navy of Nelson's time. The Admiralty had seen the
benefits of steam power. They ditched the old steam paddle wheel ships,
installed screw propulsion and gained the main advantage of speedy
manoevering. The choice of screw propulsion rather than paddle wheel was
decided by a contest between a screw ship the 'Rattler' and a paddle ship
the 'Alecto': Rattler won by a considerable margin. Edmund's ship 'Highflyer'
still had sails as well as steam and was built of wood, but the key step
of evolution to the navy of the first world war was complete. That
following year he put his life back 'on an even keel', married again and
used his next half-pay time on shore with his new wife Jessie: enjoying his
family life and the house, Fritham Lodge in the New Forest, which he had bought
in
1848.
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This picture is of a
warship with both sail and steam capability. The 'Constance' was
laid up for ten years after its first and only sailing voyage.
Around 1860 'Constance' was cut in two and extended to fit a steam screw
propulsion system. It would have looked very like the sketch shown
and had a useful life afterwards. |
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Edmund might have been on half-pay for some
considerable time - there was so little need for navy captains - but
within a year, obligingly, the Crimean War began. He was sent with the
fleet to the Baltic to harass the Russians on their northern flank while
most of the land action took place in the Black Sea. His new wife had given
birth to a son shortly after he had left for the Baltic. Another screw
steam frigate - the 'Archer' - was his command and he remained in the
Baltic station for three years and 109 days: each day carefully recorded
and written into the files of the Admiralty. |
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Edmund's ship was not involved with the two
main actions in the Gulf of Finland but he was active just to the south in
the Gulf of Riga where his actions were noticed by the Admiralty. The
Public Record Office holds item ADM 196 36, page 608 which notes that '
27th August 1855, The board approves of his proceedings in the Gulf of
Riga'. Further '9th October 1855, Rear Admiral S Dundas commending him for
further proceedings in the Gulf of Riga' and '20th October 1855, further
proceedings in the Gulf of Riga commended by Admiral Dundas'. Edmund's
career was continuing well. |
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Another period of inactivity and half pay
awaited Edmund when he returned from the Baltic. He could enjoy the
company of his wife and young sons - two from his first marriage and one
from his second - at Fritham Lodge, for two years. He was then appointed
to the 'Doris' with the Mediterranean fleet. During that period the
Admiralty noted on the 1st December 1859 that "The Foreign Office
praised his efficient assistance on the occasion of disturbances on the
coast of Morocco". That little note can be read in the document; PRO
196 36 page 608. He returned to England in mid 1861 to take up command of
the 'Ajax' which was based in Ireland on coastguard duty. During that
spell of command he managed to be reprimanded for taking extra leave and
was suspended in March 1862 for improper conduct relating to some remarks
which were printed in the newspapers. |
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Fritham Lodge at Fritham
in the New Forest. Although it began as a hunting lodge for the
early Stuart kings the house is now substantially the same as it was
after Edmund had extended it around the 1880's. |