300
DOUGLAS.
Walcheren. Having returned to the West Indies, he was there promoted to the command, 26 Nov. 1811, of the Polyphemus 64, which ship he brought home and paid off 16 Nov. 1812. From that period Capt. Douglas was unable to re-procure employment until 19 Jan. 1836, when he commissioned the Melville 74, and hoisted the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Halkett, Commander-in-Chief in North America and the West Indies, on whose promotion to the rank of full Admiral he returned to England in Aug. 1837. On 30 March, 1838, he was next appointed Commodore of the second class on the Jamaica station, with his broad pendant in the Magnificent 74. In Nov. following he was nominated Commodore of the first class; and being sent in command of a large squadron to the Gulf of Mexico, for the purpose of mediating between the French and Mexican governments, had the fortune to effect an amicable adjustment of their differences, for which service he was rewarded with the approbation of the Admiralty. He afterwards, during the intervals occasioned by the premature deaths of Vice-Admirals Sir Chas. Paget and Sir Thos. Harvey, officiated, from 29 Jan. to 24 May, 1839, and from 28 May to 1 Oct. 1841, as Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West India station. In acknowledgment of his services Commodore Douglas — who also received an address from the merchants and a vote of thanks from the House of Assembly at Kingston, besides a letter in his favour to Lord Stanley from Sir Chas. Metcalfe, the Governor-in-Chief — was allowed to return to Spithead with his red pendant flying, which he ultimately hauled down on 7 Nov. 1841. He has not since been afloat.[1]
He married Lydia, eldest daughter of Vice-Admiral Sylverius Moriarty, by whom he has issue, with four daughters, two sons, of whom the eldest, William Manners Wellington, is a Commander R.N. His eldest daughter is wife of Capt. Wm. Campbell Onslow, Superintendent of Coorg, in the East Indies; his second, of Robt. Pollock, Esq., second son of the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer; and his third, of Alex. Henry Gordon, Esq., of the Indian Navy. Agents — Pettet and Newton.
DOUGLAS. (Commander, 1814. f-p., 20; h-p., 33.)
Pringle Home Douglas was born 18 Sept. 1784. This officer entered the Navy, 7 Jan. 1794, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Africa 64, Capt. Roddam Home, employed on the Halifax and Jamaica stations. In March, 1797, he became attached, with Capt. Home, as Midshipman, to the Caesar 80, flag-ship afterwards of Sir Jas. Saumarez, by whom, for his conduct as Master’s Mate at the battle of Algeciras, 6 July, 1801, on which occasion he received a slight wound, he was promoted, on the night of the action, to a Lieutenancy in the Audacious 74, Capt. Shuldham Peard. On next returning from Minorca, whither he had been immediately sent with despatches in ,a row-boat privateer, Mr. Douglas, then in the Sir Thomas Pasley hired brig, of 16 guns and 54 men, Lieut.-Commander Wm. Wooldridge, assisted, on 21 July, in beating off, after a close and severe contest of an hour and a quarter, a Spanish man-of-war xebec of 22 guns. We subsequently find him contributing to the capture, we believe, of the Virgen del Rosaria, carrying 10 heavy guns and 94 men — a vessel that was boarded and carried, at the close of an animated action of an hour, and of a sanguinary hand-to-hand struggle of about 15 minutes, during which the British lost 3 men killed and 8 wounded, and the enemy 21 killed and 13 wounded. Mr. Douglas, whose appointment to the Audacious was confirmed by commission dated 9 Oct. 1801, afterwards served, during the whole of the late war (except from 13 April, 1805, to 8 Aug. 1806, when he appears to have been employed in the Mediterranean under Capt. Chas. Ogle of the Unite 36), on board the Majestic, Saturn, and Royal Oak 74's, commanded on the Home station by Lord Amelius Beauclerk. While in the latter ship he officiated, in 1809, as Senior Lieutenant of the advanced division of gun-boats at Walcheren, and took part in much active boat service in Basque Roads and off L’Orient. After discharging the duties for 18 months of Flag-Lieutenant to Lord Amelius Beauclerk, who had been promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, he was advanced, on that officer striking his flag, to the rank of Commander, 28 May, 1814. He has since been on half-pay.
He married, 20 March, 1817, Miss Salisbury, and has issue a son and two daughters.
DOUGLAS. (Commander, 1823. f-p., 21; h-p., 27.)
Richard Douglas entered the Navy, 14 Aug. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Royal George 100, Capt. Wm. Domett, bearing the flag in the Channel of Lord Bridport, in which ship he continued until shortly after his attainment of the rating of Midshipman, 1 Oct. 1800. In July, 1803, he re-embarked on board the Ville de Paris 110, Capt. Tristram Robt. Ricketts, flag-ship subsequently of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis; on removing from which to the Achille 74, Capt. Rich. King, he appears to have been wounded at the battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805, and to have been with a squadron under Sir Sam. Hood at the capture of four French frigates off Rochefort, 25 Sept. 1806. In Jan. 1809, Mr. Douglas joined the Neptune 98, bearing the flag in the West Indies of Sir Alex. Cochrane; after serving under whom at the reduction of Martinique, he was appointed, 15 March following, Acting-Lieutenant of the Surinam brig, Capt. John Lake. He was next transferred, in a similar capacity, to the Intrepid 64, Capt. Geo. Andrews; and, being confirmed on 18 Sept. in the same year, was afterwards appointed, on the Home station — 30 June, 1810, to the Coquette, Capts. Robt. Forbes and Geo. Hewson — 3 Dec. 1811, to the Bellona 74, Capts. John Erskine Douglas and Geo. M‘Kinley — and 21 Nov. 1814, and 7 Dec. 1815, to the Namur and Bulwark 74’s, flag-ships of Sir Chas. Rowley, in which he successively served until 21 Oct. 1817. His next appointments were — 20 Nov. 1820, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary Lieutenant of the Severn 40, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch; and, 22 Jan. 1822, to the Coast Guard. Acquiring the rank he now holds 5 Sept. 1823, Commander Douglas, in 1831-2, again served in the Coast Guard, and from 26 Aug. 1840, until the autumn of 1843, commanded the Poictiers 72, guard-ship at Chatham. He has not been since employed.
He married, 22 Sept. 1830, Jemima, daughter of Wm. Winchester, Esq., of Stoke, niece of Alderman Winchester, M.P., of Hawkhurst, and sister-in-law of Commander Wm. Walker, R.N., by whom he has issue.
DOUGLAS. (Lieutenant, 1845.)
Stephen Francis Douglas passed his examination 1 Sept. 1841; and served as Mate, on the East India, and Mediterranean stations, in the Belleisle troop-ship, Capt. John Kingcome, and Cornwallis 72, and Hibernia 104, flag-ships of Sir Wm. Parker. He obtained his commission 30 Sept. 1845; and still serves in the Hibernia, in the capacity of Additional-Lieutenant.
DOUGLAS. (Lieutenant, 1846.)
William Grant Douglas, born 25 Feb. 1824, is second son of the Hon. and Rev. Chas. Douglas, of Earlsgift, co. Tyrone (brother of the present Earl of Morton), by Isabella, daughter of Arthur, second Earl of Arran; and nephew of Commander Hon. Arthur Jas. Douglas, R.N.
This officer passed his examination 7 May, 1845; and until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 7 Oct. 1846, served at Portsmouth as Mate of the Excellent gunnery-ship, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings, and Victoria and Albert steam-yacht, Capt.
- ↑ Capt. Douglas’ services in the West Indies extend over a period of more than 13 years and a half.
