A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hosken, James
HOSKEN. (Lieut., 1828. f-p., 24; h-p., 15.)
James Hosken entered the Navy 23 Feb. 1808; passed his examination in 1816; and, between that period and 1824, was employed on the West India and Home stations, in the Pique 36, Capts. Fanshawe, John M‘Kellar, and Jas. Haldane Tait, Wolf sloop, Capt. Bernard Yeoman, and Bulwark 74, Capt. Dundas. On 9 Aug. 1828, as a reward for four years of very active servitude, as Mate of the Scout Revenue-outter, Lieut.-Commanders Cook and Fitzmaurice, he was promoted to his present rank. He was then, until paid off in May, 1830, employed on the Mediterranean station in the Aetna bomb, Capt. Stephen Lushington; and he afterwards, until put out of commission in Oct. 1832, had charge of the Princess Elizabeth and Tyrian packets, in the West Indies and South America. He has since been on half-pay.
On leaving the Tyrian, Lieut. Hosken took command of a merchant-ship; and, in July, 1836, he assumed that of the celebrated steamer the Great Western, in which he made 33 voyages, or 66 passages to and from New York. In Jan. 1844 he was appointed to that leviathan of the deep the Great Britain steam-ship.