A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bailey, William (a)
BAILEY. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 8; h-p., 33.)
William Bailey (a) was born, towards the close of the last century, at Berkeley, co. Gloucester. This officer entered the Navy, 21 Jan. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Lion 64, in which ship he continued to serve for upwards of seven years, the greater part of the time as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, under the successive command of Capts. Robt. Rolles and Henry Heathcote, and of Rear-Admirals Hon. Robt. Stopford and Chas. Tyler. During that period he escorted various convoys to and from the East Indies and China; was frequently employed, during several months of dispute with the natives of the latter country, in landing and re-embarking troops, and was twice engaged in boat actions with a very superior force of piratical armed vessels; accompanied from England to Persia, in 1810, their Excellencies Sir Gore Ouseley and Mirza Abul Hassan, the Persian Ambassador; and, while co-operating in the reduction of Java, served with a division of boats under Capt. Robt. Maunsell, at the capture of a large sloop-rigged gun-boat, mounting 4 heavy guns and 2 brass swivels, a Malay-rigged gun-boat, carrying 1 twelve-pounder carronade, and a despatch-boat, near Samarang, on the night of 10 Sept. 1811. In April, 1814, having invalided home from the East Indies on board the Racehorse 18, Capt. Jas. De Rippe, Mr. Bailey joined the Royal Sovereign yacht, Capts. John Poo Beresford and Sir Edw. Berry; and while in that vessel, after escorting Louis XVIII. to Calais, and the Allied Sovereigns to Dover, was in attendance on the latter during the grand naval review at Spithead. Since the receipt of his commission, which bears date 27 June, 1814, Lieut. Bailey has not been able to procure employment.