History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 1 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers — John Shaqi
History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 1 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal EngineersConnolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
History
History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 1 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers
Connolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
Great Britain. Army. Royal Sappers and Miners
Blyth served fifteen years in the 2nd Foot, and joined the company
14th June, 1773. He was promoted to be sergeant on the 18th April,
1781, in succession to sergeant Brown who died at Fez, and whose widow
became the Sultana of Morocco. By his industry and frugality he
amassed considerable property, and expended about 20,000 dollars in
buildings at the fortress. He was well known as a zealous freemason,
and erected a wine-house at the corner of the Eleventh, since called
South Parade, in which the meetings or lodges of the fraternity were
held free of expense. He was much respected by the inhabitants, and
became very popular among them. On the 31st January, 1800, he was
discharged from the corps, after a service of nearly forty-two years,
and died at the Rock about 1804, Blyth had a nephew in the Tripoline
navy, of whom a few particulars may not be uninteresting. His name was
Peter Lisle. When quite a youth, Peter was wrecked at Zoara, on the
coast of Tripoli. He was one of three only who escaped. For a time he
endured great hardships, but at length succeeded in getting on board a
British merchantman. In 1792 he was at Gibraltar, on board the
‘Embden’ letter of marque, Lynch and Ross, owners. This vessel
afterwards went to Tripoli with two consuls on board; and Lisle, then
chief mate, was placed in charge of the cargo, some of which was corn.
On arriving at Tripoli, the barrels containing the corn were found to
have been plundered, and Lisle was called upon to account for the
deficiency. This he could not do; a quarrel ensued between the captain
and himself, and resigning his situation, he landed, and entered the
service of the Bashaw. Having been chief mate of an English vessel was
a strong recommendation in his favour, and he was at once appointed
gunner of the castle. Associated with a strange people, he readily
conformed to their manners and customs, embraced Mahommedan tenets—at
least in appearance—and assumed the name of Mourad Reis. About 1794 he
was nominated captain of a xebeck mounting eighteen guns; and in the
course of time, by his naval skill and abilities, became the High
Admiral of the Tripoline Fleet and Minister of Marine. He married one
of the daughters of the Bashaw, Sidi Yusuf, had a fine family, and
enjoyed an ample income. Besides a house in the city, he had a villa
and gardens in the Meshiah among the date-groves, which exhibited
evidence of great taste and care, and were enriched with many trees of
various species brought by him from different places at which he
touched in Europe. He was a prudent and sagacious counsellor, gave
excellent advice to the Bashaw, which was always based on good common
sense—a quality not superabundant in the Divan—and was of great
service to Lord Exmouth during his Algerine expedition. His appearance
was venerable, he dressed richly, commanded much respect, and when
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