a guard, with despatches to the troops who were in possession of the heights, communicating the intelligence to them and directing a cessation of hostilities. After assisting at the reduction of Amoy, he was left there for the protection of that and the adjacent islands. On finally quitting the Pylades he was presented with a Commander’s commission bearing date 23 Dec. 1842.[1] He has since been on half-pay.
He married 30 May, 1832.
TOWER. (Lieutenant, 1842.)
Arthur Tower, born 15 April, 1816, is fourth son of Christopher Thos. Tower, Esq., of Weald Hall, co. Essex, by Harriet, second daughter of Sir Thos, Beauchamp Proctor, Bart., of Langley Park, co. Norfolk; and brother of Christopher Tower, Esq., M.P. for Buckinghamshire, who married Lady Maria Frances, only daughter of John, 1st Earl Brownlow. He is nephew of Rear-Admiral (of the Blue) John Tower, C.B. (who died Nov. 1837), of Edw. Tower, Esq., R.N., who was lost with Sir Thos. Troubridge in the Blenheim 74 in 1807, and of the present Rear-Admiral Sir Wm. Beauchamp Proctor, Bart; another uncle, the Rev. Wm. Tower, married Maria, daughter and coheir of the late Admiral Sir Eliab Harvey, G.C.B.
This officer passed his examination 5 July, 1836; and, after having served for some time in the Mediterranean as Mate in the Ganges 84, Capt. Barrington Reynolds and Beacon surveying-vessel, Capt. Thos. Graves, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 18 Nov. 1842. His appointments have since been – 3 Dec. 1842 and 23 April, 1844, as Additional, to the Queen 110 and Formidable 84, flag-ships of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen, also in the Mediterranean – and 22 Dec. 1845, a few months after his return to England, to the Ringdove 12, Capts. Sir Wm. Hoste, Wm. John Cavendish Clifford, and Edw. Augustus Inglefield, fitting for the East Indies, where he is now First-Lieutenant.
TOWERS. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 10; h-p., 32.)
Robert Towers died in May, 1847.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 July, 1805, as Midshipman, on board the Africaine 38, Capt. Thos. Manby, on the West India station; where, in the following Aug., he removed to the Atlas 74, Capt. Sam. Pym. In that ship, of which he became Master’s Mate and Second Master, he fought in the action off St. Domingo 6 Feb. 1806; and was subsequently, until Feb. 1809, employed off the port of Cadiz under the flag of Rear-Admiral John Child Purvis. He was then ordered to act as Master in the Delight sloop, Capts. John Brett Purvis and Lord Balgonie. In the ensuing June he was present at the reduction of the islands of Ischia and Procida. He was next, from Oct. 1810 until Nov. 1811, and from the latter date until July, 1815, employed on the Channel, Mediterranean, and North American stations, as Master’s Mate in the Romulus troop-ship, Capt. Lord Balgonie, and as Midshipman, Acting-Lieutenant, and Midshipman, in the Ganymede 26, Capt. J. B. Purvis (to whose memoir refer), and Wm. M‘Culloch. He then took up a commission bearing date 21 Feb. 1815; and did not afterwards go afloat.
TOWNE. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 9; h-p., 35.)
John Towne was born 5 Feb. 1786.
This officer (he had previously been in the Hon.E.I.Co.’s service) was impressed into the Navy, 21 Aug. 1803, while on his passage home from the West Indies in a merchantman, and placed as A. B. on board the Leda 38, Capt. Robt. Honyman; in which frigate and, as Midshipman, in the Harpy 18, Capt. Edm. Heywood, he was for 17 months in constant action with the enemy’s flotilla and batteries at Boulogne; where he assisted at the capture and destruction of several vessels and was present in the catamaran and stone-ship expeditions. He was afterwards employed in the West Indies – from 28 Jan. 1805 until 27 Jan. 1807, as Midshipman, in the Jason 32, Capts. Wm. Burgundy Champain and Thos. John Cochrane-from 28 Jan. 1807 until 12 June, 1809, as Acting-Master, in the Dominica 14 and Asp 16, Capts. Wm. Dean and Robt. Foulis Preston – from 13 June, 1809, until 16 July, 1810, as Master’s Mate, Midshipman, and Master’s Mate, in the Intrepid 64, Capt. Christopher John Williams Nesham, and Pompée 74 and Neptune 98, flag-ships of Sir Alex. Cochrane – from 16 July until Sept. 1810, as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Pelorus 18, Capt. Alex. Kennedy – next, as a Supernumerary Master’s Mate, in the Statira 38, bearing the flag of Sir A. Cochrane – from 12 Dec. 1810 until 15 Jan. 1812, in command, as Master’s Mate, of the Ram schooner, tender to the Dragon 74, flag-ship of Sir Fras. Laforey – and from 17 Sept. 1812 (the date of his commission) until he invalided, 25 April, 1813, in the Demerara 16, Capt. Smith. In the Jason and her boats Mr. Towne assisted at the capture of many of the enemy’s vessels, including La Naïade of 16 guns, 4 swivels, and 170 men, taken after a chase of nine hours and a partial firing of 15 minutes. He held command for some time of a tender; and was frequently sent away in charge of prizes. On one occasion he landed and aided in destroying the Signal stations on the coast of Cumana. As Acting- Master of the Dominica he again saw much detached service, and was present, 3 Feb. 1808, in an action with the French privateer Victor, in which the British had 3 men killed and 6 wounded. He was in company, in the Asp, with the Supérieure 14, when those vessels fell in with the French 40-gun frigate La Junon previously to her capture. In May, 1809, having landed, he contributed to the destruction of a battery at Port Louis, Guadeloupe, and with his own hands blew up the magazine; and in the course of the same month he commanded a boat, in conjunction with those of the Heureux, in an attempt made in open day to bring out two vessels moored close under other of the enemy’s batteries, and defended by a heavy fire of grape and musketry. On 1 June ensuing we find him co-operating also in charge of a boat, with a force sent from the Forester sloop and Express brig, to storm a battery at Grande Terre, Guadeloupe, and take possession of the town. He was, on this occasion again, personally intrusted with the duty of firing a train laid for the purpose of blowing up the enemy’s magazine and storehouse. While attached to the Pompée he witnessed, 18 Dec. 1809, the destruction of the French 40-gun frigates Loire and Seine, under several strong batteries in L’Ance la Barque, Guadeloupe, and served on shore with a division of seamen at the reduction of the latter island and its dependencies. During his command of the Ram Mr. Towne was arduously employed in keeping up a communication between the islands, carrying despatches, fee. Since he left the Demerara he has been on half-pay.
A more elaborate account than has been above given of the exploits performed by Lieut. Towne, and a narrative of many adventures and incidents, which it would be foreign to our purpose to introduce, may be found in a series of animated articles published in the ‘United Service Journal’ for 1830, under the title of ‘Service Afloat.’ He is married, and has issue two children.
TOWNSEND. (Commander, 1814. f-p., 19: h-p., 35.)
James Townsend is youngest son of the late Rev. Joseph Townsend, Rector of Pewsey, co. Wilts; and nephew of the late Jas. Townsend, Esq., M.P. for Calne.
This officer entered the Navy, in Jan. 1793, as Lieutenant’s Servant, on board the Leviathan 74, Capt. (afterwards Rear-Admiral) Lord Hugh Seymour, with whom, deducting an interval of 12 months in 1794-5, he continued employed, in the Channel, North Sea, and West Indies, in the same ship, and, as Midshipman, in the Sans Pareil 80 (part of the force engaged under Lord Bridport in
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1843, p. 2960.
