303
DOWSE—DOYLE—DRAFFEN.
at the blockade, in the spring of 1800, of the important fortress of Savona, which he ultimately compelled to surrender.[1] He also, after the battle of Marengo, destroyed all the fortifications in the Gulf of Spezia, landed the Duke of Savoy and family at Naples, and preserved the valuable gallery of Florence from falling into the hands of the enemy, by conveying it in safety to Sicily. For these services Capt. Downman was presented with a diamond ring both by the Duchess of Savoy and by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. We afterwards find him, in July, 1801, escorting three Swiss regiments and the corps of Lamenstein to Egypt, where he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Turkish Order of the Crescent; and then employed in enforcing the neutrality of Tripoli and Dearn. Among the numerous prizes made by Capt. Downman during his command of the Santa Dorothea, we may enumerate the capture of the San Leon, Spanish man-of-war brig, of 16 guns and 88 men[2] – of three vessels from Egypt, having on board General Desaix and the Staff of Buonaparte – of other craft, cut out, with the loss of 12 men, from the batteries of Bordiguera and Hospitallier – and of the Bulldog (formerly British) of 16 guns, brought out from Gallipoli. From April, 1801, to Aug. 1802, and from Dec. 1803 to Nov. 1805, he was subsequently employed as Flag-Captain to Sir Jas. Saumarez in the Caesar 80, and Diomede 50, on the Lisbon and Guernsey stations. He then joined the Diadem 64, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Home Popham; and, after witnessing the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope, brought home the despatches announcing that event. Being immediately ordered to the Rio de la Plata, he there resumed command of his former ship, the Diomede, in which, subsequently to the fall of Monte Video, he returned to England with the present Lord Beresford, and was paid off, in June, 1807. From 8 Sept. following, until appointed, 14 Jan. 1811, to the Princess Caroline 74, Capt. Downman next superintended the prison-ships at Portsmouth. After assisting at the destruction, on 25 March in the latter year, of the French 40-gun frigate Amazone, near Cape Barfieur, he convoyed a fleet of Indiamen to Madeira, on his return from which place he was sent to cruize in the North Sea, where we find him, early in 1814, landing the Marines of the ship at Scheveling for the support of the Prince of Orange. He made a further voyage to Spitzbergen, and was put out of commission 22 Sept. 1814. His last appointment appears to have been, on 2 Dec. 1824, to the Windsor Castle 74, at Portsmouth, where he remained until the receipt of his Flag 27 May, 1825. He acquired his present rank 10 Jan. 1837.
Vice-Admiral Downman married, 23 June, 1803, a daughter of Peter Palmer, Esq., of Portsmouth. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
DOWSE. (Commander, 1846. f-p.,23; h-p., 14.)
Richard Dowse entered the Navy, 20 July, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Aigle 36, Capts. Geo. Wolfe and Sir John Louis, under the latter of whom, besides assisting in several boat affairs, he was present at the capture and destruction of a convoy of 20 sail, at Porto Maurizio, in the Mediterranean, 11 April, 1814. Between Sept. 1815, and Nov. 1818, we find him ofiiciating, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, on the North Sea and West India stations, of the Florida 20, and Scamander 36, both commanded by Capt. Wm. Elliott. Until Sept. 1825, he next served, on the East India, Home, and West India stations, in the Dauntless 26, Capts. Hon. Valentine Gardner and John Norman Campbell, Eden 26, Capt. Fras. Erskine Loch, Ramillies and Ganges, ships of the line, commanded by Capt. Edw. Brace, and Isis 50, bearing the flag of Sir Lawrence Wm. Halsted – by whom he appears to have been detached in command, from Nov. 1824, to May, 1825, of the Assiduous schooner, employed in the suppression of piracy. In Sept. 1825, Mr. Dowse rejoined Capt. Elliott, as Acting-Lieutenant, on board the Lively 46, to which frigate he was confirmed 16 Dec. following. He was placed on half-pay on his return from the coast of Africa, in Dec. 1826; and was afterwards appointed – in Nov. 1832, to the Comus 18, Capt. Wm. Price Hamilton, at Plymouth – in the course of 1834, to the Vernon and President, flagships in North America and the West Indies of Sir Geo. Cockburn, and again to the Comus – 5 Nov. 1835, as Senior Lieutenant, to the Snake 16, Capt. Rich. Laird Warren – 18 March, 1836, to the Coast Guard, in Suffolk – and, 1 Oct. 1840, to the Howe 120, Capts. Sir Watkin Owen Pell, Robt. Smart, and Thos. Forrest, flag-ship for some time of Sir Fras. Mason, which he paid off; as First-Lieutenant, in July, 1843. He has not since been afloat. He acquired his present rank 9 Nov. 1846.
Commander Dowse is at present employed, we believe, as Stipendiary Magistrate at the Mauritius. Agents – Messrs. Chard.
DOYLE. (Lieutenant, 1846.)
Arthur Doyle passed his examination 9 Jan. 1835; became Mate, towards the close of 1841, of the Hazard 18, Capt. Chas. Bell, on the East India station; and from 22 Sept. 1843, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 1 July, 1846, served on the coast of Africa in the Star 6, Capt. Robt. John Wallace Dunlop. He has been since employed as Additional of the Action 26, Capt. Geo. Mansel, on the station last mentioned.
DOYLE. (Commander, 1845.)
Charles Francis Doyle died in 1846, from the effects of injuries received in battle. This officer entered the Navy 29 Aug. 1823; passed his examination 14 Feb. 1831 : and obtained his first commission 23 Nov. 1841. He was afterwards appointed on the South American station – 2 Dec. 1841, to the Ardent steamer, Capt. John Russell – and, 23 July, 1844, as First-Lieutenant, to the Philomel steam surveying-vessel, Capt. Bartholomew Jas. Sulivan. On 20 Nov. 1845, he lost an arm, and was especially mentioned for his exemplary gallantry during the battle of the Parana; on which occasion the combined squadrons of England and France effected the destruction, after a hard day’s fighting, of four heavy batteries belonging to General Rosas at Punta Obligado, also of a schooner of war mounting 6 guns, and of 24 vessels chained across the river. Mr. Doyle’s conduct and suffering were rewarded with a Commander’s commission dated back to the 18th of the same month.[3] Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
DRAFFEN. (Lieut., 1810. f-p., 16; h-p., 31.)
Frederick Draffen entered the’ Navy, 6 Jan. 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Excellent 74, Capts. Hon. Robt. Stopford, Robt. Tucker, and John Nash, of which vessel, when in the West Indies, he became Midshipman, 30 March, 1801. In May, 1803, he rejoined Capt. Stopford on board the Spencer 74, employed off Ferrol and Corunna; and on being next transferred to the Santa Margaritta 36, Capts. Wilson Rathbone and John Johnstone, he took a warm part, as Master’s Mate, in Sir Rich. Strachan’s action with the four line-of-battle ships escaped from the battle of Trafalgar, 4 Nov. 1805. After serving for some time as Acting-Lieutenant of the same frigate, of the Brisk 18, Capt. John Coode, and of the Fortunée 36, Capt. Henry Vansittart, on the Irish station, Mr. Draffen was at length confirmed by commission dated 7 March, 1809, and appointed to the Quebec 32, Capt. Hon. Geo. Poulett, whom he accompanied on a voyage to Greenland. Leaving that ship, however, on 27 of the following Nov., he next, after an interval of 12 months, joined the Blossom 18, Capt. Fras. Beaufort, commanded subsequently by Capt. Stewart, in which sloop, after cruizing in the Bay of Biscay where he assisted at the capture, 15 Jan. 1811, of the Caesar French privateer of 4 guns and 59 men,
