complished of about 30 of the enemy’s war-boats, the defences of the place, although of amazing strength, and resolutely defended by between 3000 and 4000 men, were stormed and carried with the most determined gallantry by not more than 220 of the British, conspicuous among whom was Lieut. Keele, who, with Capt. Borrowes of the 41st Regt., was the first on the occasion to enter a battery mounting 2 guns. His exertions throughout the whole of the affair were unremitting, and he elicited both the praise of his coadjutor and the acknowledgments of the Governor-General of India in Council. In Jan. 1825, shortly after his return from Martaban, we find him, with 48 officers and men under his command, accompanying Lieut.-Colonel Elrington to the attack of a strong hill-fort, situated on the left bank of the Pegu river, about eight miles from Rangoon, and the pagoda of Syriam, five miles in the interior. Previously to the immediate assault of the former, it was necessary for the party, soldiers and seamen, who had landed, to cross a deep unfordable nullah, the bridge over which had been removed purposely to check their progress. A new one being, however, soon constructed, under a galling fire, which killed and wounded 30 of the British, inclusive of 6 belonging to the Navy, the enemy were in an instant put to flight. In the successful attack made the next morning on the Syriam pagoda the sailors assisted in manning the scaling ladders, and Lieut. Keele was the first over the outer stockade. In the words, indeed, of Lieut.-Colonel Elrington, the naval part of this expedition he nobly conducted. The warmest thanks of Commodore Coe, the Commander-in-Chief on the station, were in consequence conveyed to him. On 6 Feb. 1825 he led one of three divisions of boats against Than-ta-bain, a large and imposing stockade, mounting 36 guns, and garrisoned by 2000 fighting men; and on that occasion he was again mentioned as being the first, with Lieut. Hall of the Alligator, to enter the enemy’s position. His characteristic gallantry again obtained the applause of the Supreme Government. In the course of the same month he destroyed several boats and fire-rafts up the Lyne river; and he was afterwards attached to the light division of the flotilla in the operations against Donoobew in March, 1825.[1] He ultimately, on his arrival at Portsmouth with Capt. Chads, as First-Lieutenant of the Alligator 28, about Jan. 1827, found that be had been advanced to the rank of Commander by commission dated 22 July, 1826. His subsequent appointments were – 26 March, 1836, to a three-years’ Inspectorship in the Coast Guard – and, 13 March, 1841, to the Rover 18, on the West India station, whither he sailed, after only 48 hours’ notice, in the Tweed 20. He was promoted, a few months after he had been paid off, to the rank of Captain, 19 July, 1843. He has not been since able to procure employment.
KEELING. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 32; h-p., 11.)
John James Keeling entered the Navy, in May, 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Montagu 74, Capt. Robt. Waller Otway. During the period he continued in that ship he was present as Midshipman in 1805 in Admiral Cornwallis’ attack on the French fleet close in with Brest Harbour, on which occasion the Montagu exchanged fire with L’Alexandre, a French 80-gun ship. He also assisted at the evacuation of Scylla in 1808, and co-operated with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia. After he had further served with Capt. Otway in the Malta 80, and with Rear- Admiral Hon. Robt. Stopford in the Spencer 74, he joined, in Jan. 1809, the Victorious 74, Capts. Graham Eden Hamond and John Talbot. In the course of the same year we find him accompanying the expedition to the Walcheren. He was next employed on boat-service in the Faro of Messina; and on 21 Feb. 1812, the Victorious being at the time in company with the Weasel 18, he shared, as Master’s Mate, and attracted the notice of Capt. Talbot by his conduct, in a most gallant conflict of four hours and a half, which terminated in the capture, with a loss to the former ship of 27 men killed and 99 wounded, and to the enemy of 400 killed and wounded, of the French 74 Rivoli, whose consorts, three brigs and two gun-boats, were at the same time defeated.[2] Being re-appointed to the {{sc|Victorious}, 10 Aug. 1812, Mr. Keeling (who had left her when promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 13 of the previous May) commanded her tender in the attacks upon Crany Island and New Hampton in 1813. From 4 Oct. 1814 until Feb. 1815, and from 27 Aug. in the latter year until he invalided 4 May, 1816, he presents himself to our notice as serving in the Channel and East Indies on board the Amaranthe 18, and Challenger 16, Capts. Rich. Augustus Yates and Henry Forbes. His appointments have since been – 7 July, 1826, to the Coast Guard – 29 Sept. 1832, to the command of the Shamrock Revenue-vessel – 24 Sept. 1835, a second time to the Coast Guard – 10 Oct. 1838, again to the Shamrock --and 20 June, 1843, once more to the Coast Guard, in which service he is at present employed.
Lieut. Keeling, we understand, enjoys a pension of 91l. 5s. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
KEITH. (Captain, 1828. f-p., 12; h-p., 22.)
The Honourable William Keith was born 16 Dec. 1799, and died 5 Jan. 1846, at Monkrigg, Haddington, N. B., aged 46. He was second and youngest son of William, sixth Earl of Kintore, by Maria, daughter of Sir Alex. Bannerman, Bart., of Kirkhill.
This officer entered the Navy, 14 Feb. 1812, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Invincible 74, Capt. Chas. Adam, and, besides assisting in boat and other operations on the coast of Spain, was present, in June, 1813, at the reduction, after a siege of five days, of the fort of St. Philippe, in the Col de Balaguer, near Tortosa, armed with 12 pieces of ordnance, including 2 10-inch mortars and 2 howitzers, with a garrison of 101 officers and men. After he had been for a short period Midshipman of the Dublin 74, flag-ship at Plymouth of Lord Keith, he became attached, in April, 1814, to the Royal Oak 74, bearing the flag of the late Sir Pulteney Malcolm, under whom he was employed in the expeditions against Baltimore and New Orleans. From Aug. 1815 until about the commencement of 1820, Mr. Keith further served on the Home and Newfoundland stations in the Tartarus, also the flagship of Sir Pulteney Malcolm, Madagascar and Maeander frigates, both commanded by Sir Jas. Alex. Gordon (under whom, in the Meander, he narrowly escaped being wrecked, off Orfordness, in Dec. 1816), and Egeria 26, Capts. Robt. Bowley and Henry Shiffner – of which latter ship he was created a Lieutenant 10 Nov. 1819. His next appointments were to the Blonde 42, and Dartmouth 42, Capts. Lord Byron and Thos. Fellowes. Under the former of those officers he accompanied from this country the remains of the late king and queen of the Sandwich Islands. He was promoted, 14 Aug. 1827, to the command of the Philomel 10, one of the vessels present, on 20 of the following Oct., at the battle of Navarin. Strange to record, however, he was not permitted to join her until after the action, being compelled on the occasion to perform Lieutenant’s duty on board the Dartmouth. He attained Post-rank 18 Aug. 1828, and remained from that period on half-pay.
Capt. Keith married, 24 June, 1830, Louisa, daughter of the late Wm. Grant, Esq., of Congalton, by whom he has left issue a son and daughter. Agents – Goode and Lawrence.
KELLETT. (Commander, 1839.)
Arthur Kellett is cousin of Capt. Henry Kellett, R.N., C.B.
This officer entered the Navy 24 June, 1811; passed his examination in 1819; and was made Lieutenant, 16 Dec. 1825, into the Esk 20, Capt.
