Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/230

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216

COLLIER.

flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Decrès. Mr. Collier, who waa likewise present at the first landing in Egypt, subsequently joined the Greyhound and Egyptienne frigates, both commanded by Capt. Chas. Ogle; and, on 11 April, 1803, was promoted, from the Excellent 74, bearing the broad pendant in the West Indies of Hon. Robt. Stopford, to a Lieutenancy in the Osprey 18, Capt. Geo. Younghusband. In the following June he appears to have served on shore at the taking of Ste. Lucie and Tobago; after which he took charge, on 26 Oct., of a captured privateer, La Resource, of 4 guns and 43 men; and, on 23 March, 1804, signalized himself by his bravery and activity, as First of the Osprey, in a gallant action of an hour and 20 minutes, in which that vessel beat off, with a loss to herself of 1 man killed and 16 wounded, the French frigate-built privateer L’Egyptienne, of 36 guns and 248 men, 8 of whom were slain and 19 wounded.[1] While in command of a prize belonging to the Osprey, Mr. Collier also took a privateer of 1 gun and 45 men. Having further served for a few months on board the Centaur 74, Commodore Sir Sam. Hood, he obtained command, 25 Jan. 1805, of the Alligator troop-ship; and next, 25 Oct. following, and Jan. 1806, of the Nimrod and Wolverine sloops, in which latter vessel he captured, in the course of the same year, La Tremeuse national schooner, of 3 guns and 53 men,[2] and the Guadeloupe, Jeune Gabrielle, and Marianne privateers, carrying in the whole 10 guns and 163 men. Assuming the acting-command, 9 Nov. 1808, of the Circe 32, and of a small squadron stationed between the Pearl Rock and the town of St. Pierre, Martinique, Capt. Collier, after silencing, with the assistance of the Stork 18, and Morne Fortunée gun-brig, the fire of two batteries and of a body of troops which protected an enemy’s schooner, came into successful contact, on 12 Dec, with four other batteries, and perseveringly directed the operations which terminated in the destruction of Le Cygne corvette, of 16 guns, and of two schooners, including the one alluded to.[3] We subsequently find him, in command of the Star sloop, contributing to the reduction of Martinique, in Feb. 1809, and then confirmed to Post rank by commission dated back to 13 Dec. 1808. His next appointment was, 3 Sept. 1810, to the Cyane 22, which vessel he commanded in the Mediterranean, Channel, and West Indies, until Feb. 1812, when he became Flag-Captain to Sir Fras. Laforey, in the Dragon 74. While in the Cyane he witnessed the destraction, in Dec. 1810, of L’Elize frigate, near Tatihou island.[4] From 10 Oct. 1812, until 2 Aug. 1815, Capt. Collier afterwards commanded the Grampus 50, in the West Indies and China; and, on 11 Feb. 1818, he was appointed to the Liverpool 50. Being invested towards the close of 1819 with the conduct of the naval part of an expedition fitted out for the purpose of crushing the pirates of the Persian Gulf, he rendered the most ardent and efficient aid to Major-General Sir Wm. Grant Keir, under whom were 3000 troops, and fully succeeded in the object of their joint mission – Ras-al-Khyma, the head-quarters of the freebooters, being taken, their fortifications destroyed, and all their vessels burnt or sunk.[5] Capt. Collier arrived home in Oct. 1822, and afterwards joined – 4 Dec. 1826, the Sybille 48, as Commodore on the coast of Africa, whence he returned early in 1830 – and, for a few months in 1832, the Vernon 50, employed on Particular Service. On 17 Dec. 1841, he was nominated Captain of the William and Mary yacht, and Superintendent of Woolwich Dockyard, appointments which he continued to hold until nominated Commodore and Commander-in-Chief, 30 April, 1846, of the Channel squadron, with his broad pendant in the St. Vincent 120. His promotion to Flag rank took place on 9 Nov. in the latter year.

Sir Fras. Collier was created a C.B. 8 Dec. 1815; knighted 28 July, 1830; made a K.C.H. 1 Jan. 1833; and appointed, in 1837, a Naval Aide-de-camp to the Queen, having previously officiated in a similar capacity at the funeral of William IV. He is also a Knight of the Persian Order of the Lion and Sun. Having lost his first wife, he married a second time, 14 March, 1831, Catherine, daughter of Thos. Thistlethwaite, Esq. of Southwick Park, Hants, by whom he has issue. His eldest daughter by his first marriage, Julia Augusta, married, 30 June, 1835, F. P. B. Martin, Esq., only son of the late Col. Geo. Martin, of the Hon.E.I.C. service. Agents – Goode and Lawrence.



COLLIER. (Lieutenant, 1842.)

George Baring Browne Collier is eldest son of Capt. H. T. B. Collier, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy 8 Aug. 1832; passed his examination 6 Sept. 1837; served latterly, as Mate, on board the Camperdown 104, flag-ship at the Nore of Sir Henry Digby, and Alfred 60, Commodore John Brett Purvis, fitting at Sheerness for the South American station; and, on 7 Feb. 1842, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He continued to serve in the Alfred until the close of 1844; joined next, 12 April, 1845, the Queen 110, Capt. Sir Baldwin Wake Walker, one of an experimental squadron employed under the orders of Rear-Admirals Hyde Parker and Sir Sam. Pym; and on 7 Nov. following removed to the St. Vincent 120, bearing then the broad pendant of Sir Fras. Augustus Collier, and now the flag of Sir Chas. Ogle, under whom he is officiating as SignalLieutenant.

Lieut. Collier married, 18 Feb. 1846, Stepney, youngest daughter of the late Joseph Gulston, Esq., of Derwydd, co. Caermarthen, and of Grosvenor-square. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.



COLLIER. (Captain, 1822. f-p., 13; h-p., 34.)

Henry Theodosius Browne Collier is third son of the late Vice-Admiral Sir Geo. Collier, K.T.; and brother of Rear-Admiral Sir Fras, Augustus Collier, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 28 April, 1800, as a Vol., on board the Brilliant 28, Capt. Hon. Chas. Paget, and in Oct. following accompanied the armament sent against Ferrol under the orders of Sir John Borlase Warren. From May, 1801, to May, 1806, he next served, generally with Capt. Paget, although at times under Capts. Geo. Mundy and Edw. Durnford King, in the Hydra 38, Endymion 44, and Egyptienne 50; and, being almost invariably employed during that period on the Home and Mediterranean stations, was in attendance on Geo. III. at Weymouth, and assisted, as Midshipman, at the capture of La Bacchante and La Colombe corvettes of 18 and 16 guns, L’Adour store-ship, and Le Général Moreau, privateer, of 16 guns. After further serving at the passage of the Dardanells on board the Canopus 80, flag-ship of Sir Thos. Louis, he obtained, 3 June, 1807, a Lieutenancy in the Banterer 22, Capt. Alex. Sheppard, part of the force employed in the ensuing expedition against Copenhagen. Removing, 5 Nov. in the same year, to the Amelia 38, Capt. Hon. Fred. Paul Irby, Mr. Collier witnessed, in the course of 1809, the Hon. Robt. Stopford’s destruction of three French frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne, and the subsequent capture of La Mouche, corvette, of 16, and La Rejouie, national brig, of 8 guns; after which he joined, 2 Feb. 1811, the Leda 36, Capt. Geo. Sayer; and was First of that ship at the reduction of Java. Until April, 1812, he next served on board the Minden 74, Capt. Edw. Wallis Hoare, and Barracouta sloop, Capt. Norton. He was then appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Madras Hospital; and, on 30 June, 1812, obtained the acting command of the Hesper sloop, from which he invalided a short time previously to his official promotion, which took place 24 Oct. in the same year. He afterwards commanded, for a few months in 1814-15, the Crocus, at the Nore; and was further appointed – 26 March, 1819, to the Falmouth 20, on the Cork station, which vessel he left, in conse-

  1. Vide Gaz. 1804, pp. 5, 620.
  2. Vide Gaz. 1806, p. 539.
  3. Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 147.
  4. Vide Gaz. 1810, p. 2061.
  5. Vide Gaz. 1820, p. 1670.