Charles Allan Cathcart

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Charles Allan Cathcart
The Honorable
Born28 December 1759
Died10 June 1788(1788-06-10) (aged 28)
Straits of Bangka off Sumatra
Buried16 June 1788
Anjer-Lor, West Java, Indonesia
Noble familyClan Cathcart
FatherCharles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart
MotherJane, the daughter of Lord Archibald Hamilton
OccupationPolitician, military officer

Charles Allan Cathcart (28 December 1759 – 10 June 1788) was a British noble and politician. From 1784 to 1788, he served as a member of parliament for Clackmannanshire.[1] In 1787[1] he was "invested with full powers by His Majesty and the East India Company to open a commercial intercourse with the Emperor of China,"[2] dying en route.[1]

Early life and education

Charles Allan Cathcart was born on 28 December 1759. He was the second son of

Glasgow University, graduating in 1772.[1]

Career

Military positions

He joined the

98th Foot under William Fullarton. In 1781 he began serving in India, and he distinguished himself in battle against the French at Cuddalore in June 1783.[1]

Member of parliament

In the general election for Clackmannan in 1784, Cathcart was an opposition candidate with the support of Sir Thomas Dundas. Winning the election,[1] from the British general election on 10 April 1784[3][4] until 10 June 1788 he served as a member of parliament for Clackmannanshire.[1] On 2 and 19 July 1784 he spoke in the House in the East India debates,[1] wherein he "praised Hastings's [sic] ability and integrity, and, concentrating on military organization, urged a clear definition of the status of commanders-in-chief in relation to the civil administration."[1] His words were praised by William Pitt and Henry Dundas, who said they would incorporate some of his proposed reforms into the ultimate bill.[1] He left in 1784 or 1785 for India.[1]

Ambassador to China

After Cathcart had left for India, Dundas selected him for his "manners and good understanding" to negotiate a commercial treaty with the

Richard Strachan in HMS Vestal.[5] He was "invested with full powers by his Majesty and the East India Company to open a commercial intercourse with the Emperor of China."[2] He started his voyage as special envoy to China in 1787, and died on 10 June 1788 en route.[1]

Death and monument

The tombstone of Colonel Charles Cathcart, ambassador to China, who died on his ship and was buried at a Dutch outpost in the Sunda Strait now part of Indonesia.[6]

When Cathcart died at sea aboard the ship Vestal on 10 June 1788 in the Straits of Bangka off

Royal Academy. A rendition of the monument was also completed by Jacobus Flikkenschild in 1815.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Brooke, J.; Narnier, L., CATHCART, Hon. Charles Allan (1759–88), of Sauchie, Clackmannan., '’The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754–1790’’, retrieved 1 January 2016
  2. ^ a b c Collins, Arthur; Brydges, Sir Egerton (1812). Collins's Peerage of England; Genealogical, Biographical, and Historical. Vol. 6. F. C. and J. Rivington, Otridge and son.
  3. ^ Edith, Lady Haden-Guest, Clackmannanshire in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754–1790 (1964).
  4. ^ Edith, Lady Haden-Guest, CATHCART, Hon. Charles Allan (1759–88), of Sauchie, Clackmannan. in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754–1790 (1964).
  5. ISBN 9780958702126
    .
  6. ^ a b c "WD2985 View of the Cathcart monument, Anjer-Lor, West Java. c.1815". British Library. Retrieved 24 January 2017.

External links

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Ralph Abercromby
(1774–1780)
 Member of Parliament for Clackmannanshire
1784–1788 		Succeeded by
Burnet Abercromby
(1788–1790)
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