Description
Egypt Medal, 1882, bar Alexandria 11th July, Lieut later Captain C.P. Streeten, HMS Sultan in Egypt.
Officially engraved: Lieut: C.P. Streeten. R.N. H.M.S. “Sultan”
With copy service papers and typewritten analysis, copies of Foreign Office reports on the meeting of Capt Streeten and Sheikh Jasim.
As a trained Gunnery Officer he was praised by Captain Hunt-Grubbe of the Sultan for the bombardment of Alexandria during 1882.
After the war he was posted to Torpedo School, joining HMS Vernon and then HMS Valorous as it took part in the first major torpedo flotilla exercises conducted by the Royal Navy during 1884.
He remained on board for 3 years, HMS Valorous being the first Royal Navy Depot ship for a flotilla of Torpedo Craft.
During which time he gained recognition for assuming Command of the Ship whilst his Captain was on leave whilst a Lieutenant and was shortly afterwards promoted to Commander.
Whilst Captain of HMS Brisk during 1893, Capt Streeten gained a commendation whilst witnessing the defining moment in the establishment of Qatar as a modern state as it feuded with Sultan Abdul Hamid II of Turkey culminating in the Battle of Al Wajbah during March 1893.
After visiting Sheikh Jasim al-Thani in person for a private meeting, accompanying the Political Resident Lt Col Talbot CIE on shore, Streeten received a written commendation for his “Cordial Assistance”:
“In reporting the proceedings at El-Bidaa in May last, I mentioned the cordial assistance I had received from Captain Streeten of the Brisk, and if this has not already been communicated officially to the Admiral I should be greatly obliged if you would have a letter written to him of that effect. Notice taken by Government of any piece of work done is always a help in the Navy towards promotion, and I should be very glad to be of even the smallest service to so good a fellow as Captain Streeten is in helping him towards his.”
Some back and forth letter ended up with Rear Admiral W.R. Kennedy, Commander of Naval Forces, East India, who approved the commendation.
Captain Charles Paget Street had been in the Royal Navy since the age of 13 when he first joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet.
Notably as a Gunnery Officer and recently passed his Senior Torpedo Course in 1881, he took part in the Bombardment of Alexandria during the Egyptian War of 1882, during which his Ship, HMS Sultan, engaged the forts at Ras-el-Tin and Pharos and the Lighthouse Battery.
For his services he was praised his Commanding Officer, Captain Hunt-Grubbe of the Sultan on 20th July 1882, his service records noting “Egyptian Campaign 1882, at attack on the forts at Alexandria, Praised by Capt Hunt-Grubbe, Memo 20th July 1882. Granted Egyptian War Medal with Alexandria Clasp”.
After the war he was specially selected for service on a 1st Class Torpedo Boat, he was sent to Torpedo School and joined HMS Vernon’s torpedo boat during manoeuvres in May 1884 for the Whitehead Torpedo Course.
This was the first major torpedo flotilla exercises conducted by the Royal Navy.
“In June 1884, Valorous served as the mother ship for seven first-class torpedo boats during what seem to have been the first major torpedo flotilla exercises conducted by the Royal Navy. The officers and rating of each torpedo boat and additional personnel connected with their maintenance and operation were borne in Valorous and listed as being "lent to the 'Valorous' for temporary service with Torpedo Boats". She carried out the same duties again in the summer of 1886.” Reference, naval and Military Intelligence June 1884.
Officially Joined HMS Valorous during the Torpedo Course on 16th June being on board until 1887.
He first showed he could command in absence of it’s captain during December 1886: “21st December 1886, Recommended for advancement by Capt Hare, In the absence of Capt Hare on leave he has been very attentive to his duties as an officer in command, signed Admiral Phillimore”.
On 21st June 1887 he was finally promoted from Lieutenant and made Commander, around the time of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee.
During 1893, whilst Captain of HMS Brisk stationed in the Persian Gulf, he would gain an unusual commendation during the “El-Katr Disturbances” as the Sultan of Turkey attempted to assert his Sovereignty over El-Katr (Qatar) and attacked the country under Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, “The Founder” of the State of Qatar.
There is a lot of information and reports made in the “Secret” files of the Foreign Office which we have copies of, providing a lengthy report on the feud between the Turks and Sheikh Al Thani as he attempted to gain independence.
Captain Streeten made sure that everyone knew the Royal Navy was neutral but observing the war and anchored himself at the Port in El Bidaa, causing some frustrations to a very stressed Tahir Beg Effendi, Captain of the Turkish Corvette Merrikh when Streeten insisted on carrying out some “educational” torpedo practice whilst in the port, this led to a number of back and forth passive aggressive letters between the two Captains.
On board the Merrikh at the time were a number of Qatari Prisoners, in the earlier negotiations before the war in October
With the war ongoing between Turkey and Qatar, Captain Streeten went on shore to El-Bidaa alongside the Persian Gulf Political Resident, Lt Col A.C. Talbot CIE, to have an interview with the Sheikh, the report of which reads:
“…In the evening Mohammed Rahim sent word that Shaikh Jasim was near Wajbah, about 4 hours march from Wakrah…Later on the Sheikh replied to the message sent to him that he would be at Wakrah before noon the next day, and on hearing of his arrival I went ashore about 2pm, being accompanied by Captain Streeten of HMS Brisk, Captain Godfrey, and Mr G. Lucas.
Shaikh Jasim received us at the entrance of one of the mud forts of Wakrah, and conducted us to a courtyard where carpets and cushions had been spread.
His Brother Shaikh Agmed and Mohamed-bin-Abdul Wahab were present at the interview.
I had asked through Mohamed Rahim, who was also present, to have a private interview with Shaikh Jasim, but was told that he preferred that Mohamed Bin Abdul Wahab should be present, so I could not further press the point.”
A further note in his service papers from Rear Admiral Kennedy reads:
“Much pleasure in testifying to this officers Zeal and Ability in the performance of his duty and of his desire to carry out my orders in an intelligent and painstaking way. I beg to bring him to the favourable notice of T.L. as an officer of long-standing worthy of advancement.”
Charles Paget Streeten was born in Torquay Devon on 6th February 1850.
The son of Reverend Edmund Crane Streeten and Elizabeth (Paget). He had 4 brothers and 2 sisters, 2 Brothers also becoming Reverends.
His Ranks and Promotions:
Naval Cadet, 8th September 1863
Midshipman, Circa 1865
Sub-Lieutenant, 25th December 1869
Lieutenant 17th December 1873
Commander, 21st June 1887
Captain and Placed on Retired List, 18th February 1897.
Passed out Royal Naval College during February 1872, received an Honorary Certificate of the Royal Naval College during June 1875.
