Macartney proceeded on his embassy to China, and returned from thence to England Sept. 6, 1794, after an absence of two years. The Lion was at that time commanded by the late Admiral Sir Erasmus Gower, Knt.[1] We next find Lord Mark serving as a Lieutenant on board the Sans Pareil, of 80 guns, in the action off l’Orient, June 23, 1795; on which occasion, as already stated at p. 246, three French line-of-battle ships fell into the hands of the British. He afterwards commanded the Fortune sloop of war, mounting 12 guns, on the Mediterranean station, under the orders of Sir John Jervis, by whom he was promoted, Feb. 18, 1797, to be Captain of the San Ysidro, 74, one of the prizes taken four days before in the memorable battle off Cape St. Vincent. His Lordship’s subsequent appointments were, March 7, 1797, the day on which he was confirmed in his post rank, to the Danae; Oct. 17th following, to the Cormorant, of 20 guns; and on the renewal of hostilities in 1803, to the Fisgard frigate. The Cormorant formed part of the squadron under Commodore Duckworth, at the reduction of Minorca, in Nov. 1798; and on the 19th March in the following year, captured the Spanish brig of war El Vincelo, of 26 guns and 144 men. In the Fisgard Lord Mark cruised with considerable activity and success on the coasts of Spain and Portugal. He was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral July 19, 1821.
His Lordship married, July 18, 1799, Charlotte, youngest daughter of the last Marquis of Antrim, and sister of the present Countess.
Residence.– Holmwood, near Henley on Thames.
- ↑ Sir Erasmus Gower died May 31, 1814, in the 72d year of his age, after a faithful and honorable servitude in the navy of near 60 years, during which he was esteemed, in all his professional stations, for his amiable and eminent qualifications. A memoir of Sir E., with some interesting particulars relative to Lord Macartney’s embassy, will be found in the Naval Chronicle, vols. iv. & xxx.
