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CRAIGIE—CRANE.
he continued to serve with Vice-Admiral Stanhope, in the Thisbe 28, and Namur 74, flag-ships at Greenwich and the Nore, until Aug. 1810, latterly as Master’s Mate. When afterwards on board the Grasshopper 18, Capt. Henry Fanshawe, the subject of this sketch appears to have been in company with the Hero 74, when that ship was lost in a dreadful gale on the Haak Sand; on which occasion, 24 Dec. 1811, the former vessel, being driven close in with Texel Island, was obliged to surrender to the enemy. On his return from captivity in May, 1814, Mr. Craggs became attached in succession to the Ceres 32, Capt. Jas. Prevost, and Namur 74, Capt. Chas. John Austen, as also to the Conway 24, Capt. John Tancock, with whom he cruized for some time off Madeira. He obtained his commission 8 March, 1815; and since the following Aug. has been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
CRAIGIE. (Captain, 1839. f-p., 20; h-p., 16.)
Robert Craigie, born, we believe, in 1800, is descended of the Craigies of Rilgraston, in Perthshire.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 March, 1811, as a Volunteer, on board the Arethusa 38, Capt. Fras. Holmes Coffin, under whom, and Capt. Aug. Brine of the Medway 74, he served in the West Indies and at the Cape of Good Hope, nearly the whole time as Midshipman, until March, 1815. During the next seven years he appears to have been successively employed, on the Home, South American, and East India stations, on board the Prince 98, Capt. Edm. Boger, Ramillies 74, Capt. Thos. Boys, Tyne 26, Capt. Gordon Thos. Falcon, Glasgow 50, Capt. Bentinck Cavendish Doyle, and Curlew sloop, Capt. Robt. Graham Dunlop. On 13 July, 1822, Mr. Craigie became Acting-Lieutenant of the Leander 50, bearing the flag of Hon. Sir Henry Blackwood; and on his arrival home from India he was officially promoted by commission dated 9 Jan. 1823. Joining, in April of the same year, the Naiad 46, Capt. Hon. Robt. Cavendish Spencer, he next served for three years and a half on the Mediterranean station, where we find him in command of the boats at the cutting out of a Sardinian vessel from under the fire of the batteries at Bona. He afterwards officiated as Flag-Lieutenant to Hon. Sir H. Blackwood when Commander-in-Chief at the Nore; and, while a passenger on board H.M.S. Clio, was noticed as having eminently contributed by his zeal and activity to her preservation when nearly lost on the coast of Northumberland. On 16 Feb. 1828, immediately on his return from an experimental cruize, Mr. Craigie was awarded a second promotal commission; subsequently to which he commanded, from 4 Dec. 1835 until the close of 1839, the Scout 18, on the coast of Africa. During that period he liberated upwards of 2200 slaves – twice commanded, for periods of eleven and nine months, the squadron on the west coast – successfully conducted a very critical negociation with the King and Chiefs of Bonny in 1837 – and in 1838 acquired the thanks of the Governor of Mauritius for the “ahle and efficient” manner in which he discharged the duties of a special mission to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. In consequence of these and other important services, Capt. Craigie was rewarded, previous to the paying off of the Scout, with the rank of Post-Captain, 7 Nov. 1839. He has not since been employed.
Capt. Craigie married, in April, 1842, Charlotte, second daughter of the late Chas. Grant, Esq., and niece of the late Right Hon. Sir Wm. Grant, Master of the Rolls. Agent – John P. Muspratt.
CRANE. (Retired Commander, 1843. f-p., 19; h-p., 30.)
Poynter Crane, born 5 June, 1786, is son of the late Edw. Crane, Esq., Coroner for the city of Norwich.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Feb. 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Repulse 64, Capt. Jas. Alms, in which he beheld the capture, in 1799, of three French frigates by a part of the Mediterranean squadron under Lord Keith, and was wrecked, near Ushant, 10 March, 1800. After a short imprisonment in France, he joined Capt. Rich. Goodwin Keats in the Boadicea 38; and, continuing to serve with that officer until Oct. 1805 in the Superb 74, took a warm part in the victory gained by Sir Jas. Saumarez over the Franco-Spanish squadron, near Cadiz, 12 July, 1801, and accompanied Lord Nelson in his pursuit of the combined fleets to the West Indies during the summer of 1805. He next served for some months in the North Sea and Baltic, on board the Roebuck 44, Capt. Geo. M‘Kinley, and Alert 18, Capt. Robt. Williams; was appointed, 31 Oct. 1806, Acting Sub-Lieutenant of the Havock gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Wm. Rich. Bamber, in which he escorted Major-General Claxton on a visit of inspection to the different ports of Prussia; and on 12 July, 1807; was officially promoted to the full rank of Lieutenant, and appointed to the Resolution 74, Capt. Geo. Burlton. After a brief attachment to the Forester 18, Capt. R. Richards, the subject of this notice assumed command, 13 Aug. 1808, of the Irresistible prison-ship in the river Medway, where he remained until Jan. 1812. In March following he joined the Reynard 18, Capts. Hew Steuart, Geo. Brine, and David St. Clair; in which vessel he served at the defence of Riga, and conveyed, as Acting-Commander, the despatches announcing the eventual discomfiture of the French to Rear-Admiral Morris, off Carlscrona. He was subsequently, on 12 May, 1813, while in command of a prize, driven by a gale into Frederickstad, in Norway, where he was detained a prisoner for some months. In Sept. following he joined, as Senior Lieutenant, the Brisk 18, Capt. Henry Higman, and in that vessel and the Ariel 18, Capt. Dan. Ross, appears to have been actively employed on the Irish and African coasts until Dec. 1814. Mr. Crane was next appointed, 6 Nov. 1815, to the Bulwark 74, flag-ship at the Nore of Sir Chas. Rowley – and, 14 March, 1817, to the command of the Asp Revenue-cutter. He was paid off in April, 1818; and invested with his present rank 6 April, 1843.
Commander Crane married, 2 May, 1809, Urania Hoare, daughter of E. Weekes, Esq., of the Hon.E.I.Co’s, service, by whom he has issue six sons and two daughters. One of the former, Benjamin Henry, is a Midshipman in the Indian Navy.
CRANE. (Retired Commander, 1840. f-p., 19; h-p., 35.)
Thomas Crane was born, 15 March, 1775, at Peel, Isle of Man.
This officer – who had previously served his time in the merchant-service – entered the Navy, 18 April, 1793, as A.B., on board the Tartar 28, Capt. Thos. Fras. Fremantle; and, proceeding to the Mediterranean, was present at the investment of Toulon in Aug. following, and at the capture, in 1794, of Bastia, and of the French frigate La Sybille. Being subsequently transferred with Capt. Fremantle to the Inconstant 36, he took part in Vice-Admiral Hotham’s first partial rencounter with the French fleet; on which occasion, 13 March, 1795, the Inconstant sustained a loss of 3 men killed and 14 wounded, in a very spirited action with the 80-gun ship Ca Ira. From Sept. 1797, until April, 1802, Mr. Crane next served with the Channel fleet, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Neptune 98, commanded during that period by various officers; after which he joined, in March, 1804, the Glatton 50, flag-ship at Leith of Rear-Admiral Jas. Vashon, and in the following Aug., as Acting-Lieutenant, the Blessing armed ship, Capt. John Baker. He was confirmed, 18 Sept. 1806, to a Lieutenancy in the Revenge 74, Capts. Sir John Gore and Hon. Chas. Paget; and in the course of 1809 was present, as Second Lieutenant, at the destruction of the French shipping in Basque Roads, and in the operations against Walcheren. His last appointments were, 12 Jan. 1811, and 5 Sept. 1812, to the Crescent 38, Capt. John Quilliam, and Superb 74, Capt. Hon. C. Paget; in the former of which ships he suf-
