war, and was honourably mentioned for his conduct at the capture of Chusan in July 1840, at the reduction of the Bogue forts in February 1841, and in the operations leading up to the capitulation of Canton. In acknowledgment of his services during this period he was nominated a C.B. on 21 Jan. 1842. From 1850 to 1853 he commanded the Thetis frigate in the Pacific, and the London in the Mediterranean for a few months in 1855.
On 29 July 1861 he was promoted to be rear-admiral, and in the autumn of 1862 succeeded Sir James Hope [q. v.] as commander-in-chief in China, where affairs were still in a very unsettled state, owing to the rebellion of the Taepings. It was Kuper's first business to lead an expedition against them, to defeat them, and capture their stronghold Kahding on 23 Oct. 1862. He was quickly called away to arrange matters in Japan, where the great nobles were in a state of fierce excitement and indignation, consequent on the treaties with occidental nations and the threatened introduction of foreigners and foreign customs. On 14 Sept. 1862 a small party of English riding in the country was savagely attacked by the retainers of the Daimio of Satsuma, and one was killed. Reparation and compensation had been demanded both from the imperial government and from the Prince of Satsuma, and as they were not given, Kuper was requested to bring the squadron into the bay of Yokohama. He arrived there in March 1863, and under this threat, following the suspension of diplomatic relations, the Japanese government agreed to pay the 100,000l. demanded. But Satsuma proved less compliant, and on 14 Aug. the admiral brought the squadron before Kagosima. On the 15th three steamers belonging to the refractory prince were seized. Thereupon his batteries opened fire and were speedily silenced. The prince's palace was shelled, and by an accident the greater part of the town was burnt. On the 16th the prince submitted to the English demands.
The following year the Daimio of Nagato, whose batteries commanded the Straits of Simonoseki, the ordinary and most convenient channel into the inland sea, asserted his right to close the navigation to all foreigners. The French and Dutch squadrons, as well as one ship of the United States navy, made common cause with the English, and acted for the occasion under the orders of the English admiral. The ships opened fire at 4 P.M. on 5 Sept., and by the next day all the batteries had been silenced and stormed, despite the gallant fighting of the Japanese. On the 7th negotiations began, and it was soon agreed that ‘all ships of all countries passing through the Straits of Simonoseki shall be treated in a friendly manner.’ The battle led not only to the opening of the inland sea, but to the downfall of the old ‘country’ party in Japan, and to a social and political revolution in the organisation of the empire.
In the course of 1865 Kuper returned to England. He had no further service. He had been nominated a K.C.B. on 25 Feb. 1864, in acknowledgment of his services at Kagosima; and on 2 June 1869 he was advanced to the grand cross of the order. On 6 April 1866 he became a vice-admiral, and admiral on 20 Oct. 1872. He died on 29 Oct. 1885. He married, in June 1837, Emma Margaret, eldest daughter of Sir Gordon Bremer, but had no issue.
[O'Byrne's Naval Biog. Dict.; Rennie's British Arms in China and Japan; Annual Register, 1863; Parl. Debates, 9 Feb. 1864; Correspondence respecting Affairs in Japan (Parl. Paper), 1864; Times, 10, 17, and 19 Nov. 1864.]
KURZ, SULPIZ (1833?–1878), botanist, was a native of Munich, and a pupil of Martius the Brazilian traveller, and professor of botany. Having quarrelled with his family, he sailed to Java and entered the Dutch service, in which he stayed for several years. In 1864 he was induced by Dr. T. Anderson, who was visiting the Dutch possessions, to return with him to Calcutta as curator of the herbarium, which post he held till his death, to the great advantage of Indian botany. Kurz had an intimate acquaintance with Indian and Malayan plants, and was frequently despatched on botanical missions. He explored Burma and Pegu, and spent three months in the Andaman Islands, of which he gave an exhaustive report in 1870. His most extensive work is his ‘Forest Flora of Burma,’ Calcutta, 1877, 2 vols. 8vo, and many articles in the ‘Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal’ and the ‘Journal of Botany.’ He died at Pulo-Penang on 15 Jan. 1878, his death being probably hastened by neglect of the precautions needful when exploring tropical countries.
[Journ. Bot. 1878, p. 127; Jackson's Guide Lit. Bot. p. 397.]
KYAN, ESMOND (d. 1798), Irish rebel, was a landowner, residing at Monamolin, near Oulart, co. Wexford, Ireland. On the outbreak of the rebellion in Wexford, early in 1798 Kyan joined the insurgents. He commanded the rebel artillery at the battle of Arklow, where he lost an arm. Owing to this wound he was compelled to remain for some time in Wexford itself. Ac-
