that after witnessing the surprising precision with which the captains of the guns fired, he called a boy, and directed him to fire when the sights were in one with the object – the boy levelled the gun and shot away the flag-staff, notwithstanding the vessel had considerable motion. When practising on board the Sparrow, three successive shot passed through the aperture made by the first shot in the centre of a target. In stating these facts to your lordships, I merely wish to attach this invention to the naval service.
This officer’s eldest brother, Lieutenant Samuel Tayler, of the 13th light dragoons, was killed in Portugal; another, Major Thomas Tayler, of the Bengal 9th native infantry, died in the East Indies. His sister is the widow of the Rev. Bowen Thickens, of Broughton Hall, near Lechdale, Gloucestershire.
Agents.– Messrs. Maude and Co.
JOHN FORDYCE MAPLES, Esq.
A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath.
[Post-Captain of 1813.]
Entered the navy, as a midshipman on board the Triumph 74, commanded by the late Admiral Philip Affleck, Oct. 5, 1782; and subsequently had the honor of serving with Prince William Henry (now Duke of Clarence) in the Hebe frigate, bearing the broad pendant of the Hon. J. Leveson Gower[1]. He afterwards joined the Blonde 32, Captain William Affleck; and removed from her to the Centurion 50, flag-ship of his early patron, on the Jamaica station, in 1791[2].
On the 16th April, 1793, Mr. Maples, then master’s-mate of the Penelope 32, Captain Bartholomew S. Rowley, assisted at the capture of le Goelan French corvette, and in Sept. following, he was present at the occupation of Jeremie, St. Domingo, by the naval and military forces under Commodore Ford and Lieutenant-Colonel Whitelocke; also at the capture of about 2000 tons of shipping laden with colonial pro-
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. pp. 7 and 167.
- ↑ See id. Part II. note † at p. 568.
