Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/863

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PAGE—PAGET.
849

enemy, off Cuddalore, 20 June, 1783. He then in succession joined, in the capacity last mentioned, the Worcester 64, and Lizard 18, Capts. Chas. Hughes and Donald Campbell; and on his return to England, as only Lieutenant, in the Eurydice 24, Capt. Geo. Wm. Augustus Courtenay, was presented, about July, 1785, with a commission bearing date 20 Nov. 1784. His next appointments were – 19 Oct. 1786 and 26 June, 1790, to the Astrea 32, and Monarch 74, both commanded by Capt. Peter Rainier on the Jamaica and Channel stations – 23 Dec. 1790, to the Minerva 38, Capt. Robt. Manners Sutton, fitting for the East Indies – in Aug. 1791, to the Crown 64, Commodore Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, with whom he returned to England in July, 1792 – and, 9 Jan. 1793, as First, to the Suffolk 74. On again visiting the East Indies in the latter ship, with a large convoy, under the broad pendant of Commodore Peter Rainier, he was nominated by that officer, after having for a time acted as his Flag-Captain, to the command, in Sept. 1795, of the Hobart 18 – an appointment which the Admiralty confirmed by a commission bearing date 12 April, 1796. Previously to joining that vessel Capt. Page had assisted at the reduction of the Dutch settlements in the island of Ceylon. He subsequently united with a detachment of troops under the Hon. Capt. Monson in taking possession of the Dutch factory of Molletive;[1] and in Jan. 1796, he accompanied an expedition against the Moluccas. Owing to his great knowledge of the Indian Seas he was selected to conduct the fleet through the difficult passa-ges leading to those islands; but being sent back to Madras with important despatches previously to their capture, he was prevented from sharing in the large sums of prize-money arising therefrom. For his services in Dec. 1796, in escorting a valuable convoy of China traders from Prince of Wales Island to Bombay, he deceived the thanks both of the government and merchants, together with a present from the latter of 500 guineas. On 27 Feb. 17S7, he was nominated Acting-Captain of the Orpheus 32; and in the following Aug., having been advanced by the Admiralty to Post-rank on 22 of the preceding Dec, he returned to England. He was subsequently appointed – 21 Jan. 1800, to the Inflexible 64, armée en flûte – 9 Nov. 1802 (after nine months of half-pay) to the Caroline 36 – 26 Feb. 1805, to the Trident 64, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Rainier in the East Indies – 10 May, 1809, to the Sea Fencibles at Harwich, where he remained until the corps was disbanded in 1810 – and 21 Aug. 1812, to the Puissant 74, stationed as a guardship at Spithead. In the Inflexible, Capt. Page was twice sent with troops to the Mediterranean. On the first occasion he was for a short time employed at the blockade of Genoa; whence he was unfortunately sent, the day before its surrender, on special service to Leghorn, and was thereby again deprived of a share in the spoils. During the period of his second sojourn he assisted at the debarkation of the army in Aboukir Bay, 8 March, 1801, and was then attached to the blockading force before Alexandria. On the surrender of Cairo he was ordered to convey the French troops to Marseilles; but not being able to return prior to the close of the campaign he was a third time prevented from participating in the profits of victory. He was, however, presented with the Turkish gold medal. On his return to England he brought with him Sir Eyre Coote, second in command of the British army, and the 3rd Regiment of Guards. Being sent on the renewal of hostilities to India, Capt. Page, then in the Caroline, contrived during his passage to capture several French vessels and to detain two others belonging to the Batavian republic. On board one of these, the De Haasje brig-of-war,[2] were found despatches from Buonaparte, containing information which led to the detention of some Dutch ships at St. Helena, and prevented the English merchantmen going there from being allowed to depart without convoy. On reaching his destination, Capt. Page’s local knowledge of the Bay of Bengal, where he found himself senior officer, enabled him to convoy the Company’s ships in safety for several months. On 5 Jan. and 4 Feb. 1801, he had the good fortune to make prize of two privateers, Les Frères Unis of 16 guns (mounting 8) and 134 men, and Le Général de Caen of 22 guns and 200 men; the capture of which vessels immediately on their arrival from France, and before they had committed any depredations on our commerce, was considered of such importance, that the merchants of Bombay and Madras each voted him the sum of 500 guineas. Capt. Page, after this, received instructions from Admiral Rainier to take under his orders the Grampus 50, Dédaigneuse 38, and Dasher 18, for the purpose of protecting a valuable convoy to and from China, it being anticipated that the French Admiral Linois, in the Marengo of 80 guns, with several frigates, would have made an attack upon them, as he had previously done on the East India fleet under Commodore Dance. On the paying-off of the Trident in Oct. 1805, Capt. Page, who had conducted home in that ship a convoy of 44 vessels, was again presented, by the Court of Directors, with the sum of 500 guineas. He left the Puissant in Sept. 1815, and did not afterwards go afloat. He became a Rear-Admiral 12 Aug. 1819; a Vice-Admiral 22 July, 1830; and a full Admiral 23 Nov. 1841.

Admiral Page married Elizabeth, only child of John Herbert, Esq., of Totness, Devon, and was left a widower, without cliildren, in 1834. Agents – Goode and Lawrence.



PAGE. (Lieutenant, 1845.)

Henry Hotham M‘Roden Page entered the Navy in 1830; passed his examination 6 March, 1839; and was for several years employed on the coast of Africa, as Mate, in the Acorn 16, Capt. John Adams, Prompt schooner, and Ferret 6 the latter commanded by Capt. Josiah Oake. He obtained his commission 1 Dec. 1845; and, since 27 of the same month, has been serving on the Channel and Lisbon stations in the Canopus 84, Capt. Fairfax Moresby.



PAGET. (Captain, 1829. f-p., 16; h-p., 10.)

Charles Henry Paget was born in 1806, and died 26 May, 1845, at Portsmouth. He was eldest son of the late Hon. Sir Chas. Paget, Kt., G.C.H.,[3] by Elizabeth Araminta, daughter and co-heir of Henry Monk, Esq.; brother of Lieut. Brownlow Henry Paget, R.N. (1838), who died in South America in 1843, on board the Champion 18; and nephew of the Marquis of Anglesey.

This officer entered the Navy 6 May, 1819; passed his examination in 1825; obtained his first commission, while serving in the Royal George yacht, 3 Jan. 1826; became Flag-Lieutenant, in the Ganges 84, to Rear-Admiral Robt. Waller Otway, on the South American station, 20 Feb. following; acquired the rank of Commander 21 Feb. 1828; and on 12 of the ensuing Aug. was appointed to the Procris 10, at Cork. He attained Post-rank 28 Oct. 1829; and was afterwards employed, from 3 June, 1831, until

  1. Vide Gaz. 1796, p. 310.
  2. Taken 2 Aug. 1803. Vide Gaz. 1803, p. 1554.
  3. The Hon. Sir Chas. Paget was born 7 Oct. 1778. He commanded the Martin sloop in the action off Camperdown 11 Oct. 1797; and on 17 of the same month was advanced to Post-rank. He afterwards commanded the Brilliant, Hydra Endymion, and Egyptienne frigates, Revenge and Superb 74’s, and Prince Regent and Royal George yachts. In the Brilliant he accompanied Sir John Borlase Warren in the expedition to Ferrol in 1800; he contrived, in the Endymion, to effect a large number of captures; and in the Superb, during the war with the United States, he commanded a squadron at the blockade of New London. He received the honour of Knighthood and the insignia of a K.C.H. in Oct. 1819; became a Rear-Admiral in April, 1623 and a Vice-Admiral in Jan. 1837; was nominated a G.C.H. in March, 1832; and was for many years M.P. for Carnarvon. In 1822 he had been appointed Groom of the Bedchamber to George IV. He commanded in chief at Cork in 1829;; and from 11 Feb. 1837 until the period of his death, which took place 27 Jan. 1839, he held the supreme direction of Naval affairs in North America and the West Indies.