371
FORDYCE—FOREMAN—FORREST.
killed and 16 wounded. Three days [errata 1] subsequently to the latter event the Africaine came to close action with the two French frigates Iphigénie and Astrée, carrying between them 86 guns and 618 men, and, after a brave but unequal contest of two hours and a half, in which she endured a loss of 49 men killed and 114 (including her Captain mortally, and Mr. Forder most severely) wounded, and occasioned the enemy one of 10 killed and 35 wounded, was compelled to strike her colours.[1] On the recapture of the Africaine, and as soon as he was at all able, Mr. Forder was invested with the command of the Egremont schooner, and employed in the operations against the Isle of France. He went on half-pay 29 Dec. 1810; and (with the exception of an attachment, from 19 May, 1812, to 5 Dec. 1813, to the Horatio 88, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart, on the North Sea station) was thenceforward, owing to the desperate effects of his wound, which ultimately, we believe, occasioned his death, compelled to abandon the active duties of his profession.
Lieut. Forder’s exertions at Cayenne in 1809 were acknowledged by the presentation of a sword from the King of Portugal; and his wound in the Africaine obtained him a pension of 91l. 5s., and a grant from the Patriotic Fund of 150l. He has left a family. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
FORDYCE. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 20; h-p., 14.)
Alexander Dingwall Fordyce was born 4 March, 1800, at Aberdeen.
This officer entered the Navy, 12 June, 1813, as a Volunteer, on board the Désirée 36, commanded by his relative Capt. Arth. Farquhar, with whom, the last two years as Midshipman of the Liverpool 40, he served until April, 1816. In the former ship he was actively employed at the blockade of the German rivers, and at the reduction of Cuxhaven and Gluckstadt, in Dec. 1813 and Jan. 1814; and when on his return to England in the Liverpool, after having for some time blockaded Ile Bourbon, he appears to have been nearly lost off Dover, in consequence of that frigate having taken the ground at the foot of Shakspeare’s Cliff, from which perilous position she was only extricated by cutting away all her masts and spars, and throwing overboard her guns, provisions, and stores. In April, 1816, within three years of his entrance into the service, Mr. Fordyce, much to his credit, passed his examination for navigation at the R.N. College, and was one of the very first who went through that ordeal. In August of the same year we find him serving at the bombardment of Algiers on board the Albion 74, Capt. John Coode; in which ship, and in the Rochfort 80, and Revenge 74, he continued to be honourably and responsibly employed in the Mediterranean, under the successive flags of Sir Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, Sir Thos. Fras. Fremantle, Sir Graham Moore, and Sir Harry Burrard Neale, until appointed, 14 Jan. 1826, Acting-Lieutenant of the Weasel 10, Capt. Rich. Beaumont – exactly five years and a half after he had passed his examination for seamanship. Mr. Fordyce, whoso confirmation to the latter vessel took place 18 May, 1826, was subsequently employed for many months among the Ionian Islands for the protection of British commerce during the period of the Greek revolution. Returning to England in March, 1827, he afterwards officiated, as First-Lieutenant, from 26 May, 1829, to 4 June, 1833, and from 22 Jan. 1839 to 6 March, 1841, of the Algerine 10, Capts. Chas. Talbot and Hon. John Fred. Fitzgerald De Ros, and Cleopatra 26, Capt. Stephen Lushington, on the Brazilian, and North America and West India stations. In common with the other officers and men employed, Mr. Fordyce received the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief for his exertions, while in the Algerine, in recovering the remnants of the treasure which had been lost at Cape Frio on board H.M.S. Thetis. During his attachment to the Cleopatra he acted for some time as Captain of that frigate. Since his attainment of his present rank, 3 Sept. 1841, Commander Fordyce has been on half-pay.
On leaving the Algerine, in June, 1833, this officer was presented by his Captain with a handsome sword, bearing an appropriate inscription, and, on the part of the Warrant Officers, Seamen, and Marines, with a silver snuff-box, “in grateful acknowledgment of his unwearied efforts to promote their happiness and comfort during a period of four years’ service.” He published, in Oct. 1837, a work entitled ‘Outlines of Naval Routine.’
FOREMAN. (Capt., 1841. f-p., 23; h-p., 10.)
John Samuel Foreman was born 27 Aug. 1798, and died in 1845.
This officer entered the Navy, 12 Aug. 1812, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Monmouth 64, bearing the flag in the Downs of Sir Thos. Foley, and, in 1813, became Midshipman of the Vigo 74, flag-ship of Sir Jas. Nicoll Morris on the Baltic station. From 1814 until May, 1827, he served on various stations, the last few years as Mate, in the Benbow 74, Capt. Rich. Harrison Pearson, Leonidas 38, Capt. Wm. King, Hebrus 36, Capt. Edm. Palmer, Perseus and Tamar frigates, both commanded by Capt. Thos. Rich. Toker, Bulwark 74, flag-ship of Sir John Gore, Superb 74, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy, Ocean 80, Capts. M‘Kenzie and Hardyman, and Warspite, Boadicea, and Java, all flag-ships of Rear-Admiral Wm. Hall Gage. He then became Acting-Lieutenant of the Atholl 28, Capt. Jas. Arth. Murray, and, being confirmed by commission, dated 6 Oct. 1827, was next appointed, 29 Nov. 1828, and 7 Dec. 1832, to the Champion 18, Capts. Geo. Scott and Fras. Vero Cotton, and Vernon 50, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Cockburn, both on the North America and West India station. On 26 Dec. 1833 he there obtained command of the Arachne 16, from which sloop he removed, 29 April, 1834, to the Wasp 16. Being paid off 27 April, 1837, Capt. Foreman, whose Post-commission bore date 23 Nov. 1841, remained thenceforward unemployed.
FOREMAN. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)
Richard Foreman entered the Navy, 13 Dec. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Minotaur 74, Capt. Chas. John Moore Mansfield, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Wm. Essington, whom he accompanied in the expedition to Copenhagen in Aug. 1807. On 1 Dec. following he became Midshipman of the Brunswick 74, Capt. Thos. Graves, in the Baltic, and he subsequently served, from 1809 until Jan. 1815, in the Owen Glendower 36, Capts. Wm. Selby and Edw. Henry A’Court, flag-ship afterwards of Sir Sam. Hood in the East Indies, Cornwallis 74, Capt. Stephen Thos. Digby, Slaney 20, and Tamar 24, both commanded by Capt. Chas. Sothehy, and Boyne 98, Capt. Fred. Lewis Maitland. He then officiated for upwards of two months as Acting-Lieutenant of the Insolent 14, Capt. Wm. Kelly, on the Irish station, and, after a further servitude of six months in the Mediterranean, as Master’s Mate of the Boyne, flag-ship of Lord Exmouth, was promoted to his present rank by commission dated 3 March, 1815.
For the last 25 years Lieut. Foreman has been confined in a lunatic asylum.
FORREST. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)
James Rocheid Forrest entered the Navy 1 Nov. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Cruizer 18, Capts. Pringle Stoddart, Geo. Chas. Mackenzie, Thos. Wells, and Thos. Rich. Toker, in which vessel he served, on the Baltic station, latterly as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, until Nov. 1813. He was employed during that period with the in-shore squadron at the siege of Copenhagen in 1807 – assisted in escorting numerous convoys through the Belt – received the thanks of Sir Jas. Saumarez, in common with others, for some offensive operations
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1811, p. 263.
