A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lewis, William (a)
LEWIS. (Retired Commander, 1837.)
William Lewis (b) entered the Navy, in the summer of 1796, as A.B., on board the Overyssel 64, commanded in the Downs by Capt. Wm. Bowen, with whom, until the peace of Amiens, he further served, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Ville de Paris 110, Blenheim and Prince George 98’s, flag-ships of Sir Wm. Parker, and Caroline frigate, on the Lisbon and Mediterranean stations. After an employment of exactly two years, at home and on the north coast of Spain, in El Corso, Lieut.-Commander Joshua Kneeshaw, Illustrious 74, Capt. Sir Chas. Hamilton, and Northumberland 74, flag-ship of Hon. Alex. Inglis Cochrane, he was made Lieutenant, 23 March, 1805, into the St. George 98, Capts. Hon. Michael De Courcy and Thos. Bertie, with whom he was employed, it appears, in the Channel until Jan. 1808. From the following May until Jan. 1815 he officiated as Agent for Transports Afloat on the Lisbon Embassy station; and he afterwards discharged the duties of Agent at Cork. In 1809 Mr. Lewis assisted in fitting out the fire-ships intended for the destruction of the French squadron in Basque Roads. He accepted the rank of Commander 23 Oct. 1837. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.