A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Katon, James Edward
KATON. (Commander, 1845. h-p., 21; h-p., 3.)
James Edward Katon, born 18 Nov. 1810, is only son of the late Vice-Admiral Jas. Katon.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College 5 Nov. 1823; and embarked, 25 Sept. 1825, as Midshipman, on board the Pyramus 42, Capts. Robt. Gambier and Geo. Rose Sartorius. In that ship, after accompanying Mr. Morier, the British Commissioner, to Mexico, and serving for some time under the flag of Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy on the Home station, he was employed in conveying troops to Malta, Gibraltar, and also to Lisbon, where we find him present at the period of Don Miguel’s first occupation of the throne. Joining next, in 1828, the Pallas 42, Capts. Chas. Howe Fremantle, Adolphus FitzClarence, Manley Hall Dixon, and Wm. Walpole, he continued attached to her on various stations until June 1834 – the last four years in the capacity of Mate. He accordingly assisted, under Capt. FitzClarence, in escorting Lord Dalhousie and the Bishop of Calcutta from Portsmouth to Bengal, General Viscount Combermere from India home, and Colonel Fox from Halifax. After a further servitude of nearly two years and a half in the Ocean 80, and Howe 120, flag-ships of Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming at Sheerness (where he had command for some time of a dockyard lighter), he was presented with a commission dated 15 Feb. 1837. His succeeding appointments were – 4 April, 1837, to the Castor 36, Capt. Edw. Collier, in the Mediterranean – 11 May, 1839, to the Britannia 120, as Flag-Lieutenant to Hon. C. E. Fleeming at Portsmouth – 1 Feb. 1840, to the Cambridge 78, Capt. Edw. Barnard, under whom he participated in the operations on the coast of Syria, and was present at the blockade of Alexandria – and, 20 Aug. 1841, to the Illustrious 72, bearing the flag in North America and the West Indies of Sir Chas. Adam, to whom he became Signal-Lieutenant 17 June, 1842. He was promoted to the rank of Commander on being paid off, 31 May, 1845, and has not been since afloat. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.