an undue share of the success was claimed for the Captain. He accordingly drew up a narrative of what happened, from his point of view, and exaggerated the Prince George's part in the battle at least as much as Nelson had depreciated it. It must, however, be borne in mind that each of them had been intent on his own business, and was liable to be deceived as to the part taken by others. There is no doubt that each narrative conveys the honest impressions of the writer. To lookers-on, however, the part of the Captain seemed much the more brilliant; and, though it is conceded that the capture of the San Josef was mainly owing to the tremendous broadsides of the Prince George, nothing in Parker's conduct could compare with Nelson's bold initiative in wearing out of the line.
As third in command in a battle so glorious and of such far-reaching effects, Parker was made a baronet, was presented with the freedom of the city of London, and, in common with the other admirals and captains, received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament and the gold medal. He remained with the fleet under Lord St. Vincent, becoming second in command by the recall of Vice-admiral Thompson. In the summer of 1798 he conceived himself deeply injured by the appointment of Nelson, his junior, to a detached and quasi-independent command in the Mediterranean, and complained bitterly to the commander-in-chief, who allowed him to suppose that he agreed with him, and that it was done entirely by the admiralty. Parker remained with the fleet till 1799, and was with Lord Keith in the pursuit of the French fleet out of the Mediterranean and into Brest [see Elphinstone, George Keith, Viscount Keith], after which he went to Spithead and struck his flag. In March 1800 he was appointed commander-in-chief on the Halifax station; but was recalled in the following year, in consequence of having, contrary to orders from the admiralty, sent two of his ships to the West Indies. He demanded a court-martial, which was granted. The offence was a technical one, and the court, while acquitting him of any misconduct, was of opinion that his orders to the two ships had been ‘indiscreet.’ The sting of the admonition would probably have been soothed by another command; but the peace was on the point of being signed, and during 1802 he remained on shore. On the last day of the year he died suddenly in a fit of apoplexy.
Parker married, in 1766, Jane, daughter of Edward Collingwood, and by her had seven daughters and one son. William George, who succeeded to the baronetcy, and died a vice-admiral in 1848.
[Ralfe's Naval Biogr. ii. 45; James's Naval History; Chevalier's Hist. de la Marine française sous la première République; Lists, Paybook, &c., in the Public Record Office.]
PARKER, Sir WILLIAM (1781–1866), admiral of the fleet, born 1 Dec. 1781, was the third son of George Parker of Almington, Staffordshire, the second son of Sir Thomas Parker [q. v.], lord chief baron of the exchequer, and first cousin of John Jervis, first earl of St. Vincent [q. v.], who married Martha Parker, George Parker's sister. William Parker entered the navy in February 1793 as ‘captain's servant’ on board the Orion, with Captain John Thomas Duckworth [q. v.] After a voyage to the West Indies in the squadron under Rear-admiral Gardner, his ship was attached to the Channel fleet under Lord Howe, and took part in the battle of 1 June 1794. In March 1795 young Parker followed Duckworth to the Leviathan, and again went to the West Indies, where, in October 1796, he was appointed by Duckworth, while in temporary command of the station, acting lieutenant of the Magicienne, a frigate employed during the next eighteen months in active and successful cruising. In May 1798 he was appointed to the Queen, flagship of Sir Hyde Parker (1739–1807) [q. v.], but still as an acting lieutenant; he was not confirmed in the rank till March 1799. On 1 May 1799 he was appointed by Sir Hyde acting captain of the Volage of 24 guns, in which during the next few months he cruised with signal success in the Gulf of Mexico and on the coast of Cuba. His commission as commander was confirmed on 10 Oct., but he had previously been moved into the Stork sloop, in which in the following year he returned to England; and, after nearly a year in the North Sea, or attached to the fleet off Brest, he was advanced to post rank on 9 Oct. 1801.
In March 1802 he was appointed to the Alarm, one of the few ships kept in commission during the peace; and in November he was moved to the Amazon of 38 guns, which he commanded for upwards of eleven years. During the first part of this time the Amazon was attached to the fleet off Toulon, under Lord Nelson, whom in 1805 she accompanied in the celebrated chase of Villeneuve to the West Indies. She was afterwards detached on a cruise to the westward, and was still absent when Nelson sailed from Portsmouth to fight the battle of Trafalgar. In the following December the Amazon was attached to the squadron under
