A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Johnstone, William
JOHNSTONE. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 22; h-p., 14.)
William Johnstone was born in 1795, at Edinburgh.
This officer entered the Navy, 5 Nov. 1811, as Ordinary, on board the Nightingale 16, Capt. Christopher Nixon, in which vessel he served in the North Sea and Channel, latterly as Midshipman, until Aug. 1815. He was next, between Nov. 1815 and Sept. 1818, employed in the Newcastle 50, Capts. Sam. Roberts and Henry Meynell, fitting at Woolwich, and in the Cyrus 20, Capt. Wm. Fairbrother Carroll, on the coast of Ireland; after which (having passed his examination in March of the latter year) he served, from July, 1820, to Nov. 1823, part of the time as Admiralty-Midshipman, in the Martial 10, Lieut -Commander Robt. M‘Kirdy, Tees 26, Capt. Thos. Coe, and Liffey 50, Commodore Chas. Grant, on the Home and East India stations. He then officiated for about 18 months as Acting-Lieutenant and Lieutenant (commission dated 10 May, 1824) of the Satellite 18, and Asia 84, both commanded by Capt. Mark John Currie, with whom he returned to England. His succeeding appointments were – 24 Jan. 1827, to the Alert 18, Capts. Sam. Burgess and John Coghlan Fitzgerald, on the South American station – 13 Feb. 1832, as Senior, to the Conway 28, fitting for the Pacific, whence he returned home and was paid off in Oct. 1835 – and, 18 Oct. 1838, in a similar capacity, to the Ganges 84, Capt. Barrington Reynolds. He served in the latter ship, on the Mediterranean station (where he was present at the blockade of Alexandria), until advanced to his present rank 23 Nov. 1841; and has not been since employed.