A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Masters, James
MASTERS. (Retired Commander, 1841. f-p., 15; h-p., 33.)
James Masters entered the Navy, 23 Aug. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Defiance 74, Capt. Thos. Revell Shivers, attached to the Channel fleet; with which he continued to serve, as Midshipman of the Windsor Castle 98, flag-ship of Sir Andw. Mitchell, and Malta 84, Capt. Albemarle Bertie, until April, 1802; when he again joined Sir A. Mitchell in the Cambrian 40, at Newfoundland. In the following Dec. he removed to the Leander 50, Capts. Jas. Oughton, John Talbot, Alex. Skene, and Henry Whitby; and while in that ship, under Capt. Talbot, be assisted at the taking, 23 Feb. 1805, of La Ville de Milan French frigate of 46 guns, and the simultaneous recapture of her prize, the Cleopatra 32. He was confirmed a Lieutenant, after having acted for four months as such, in the Halifax sloop, Capt. Jas. Townshend, 22 Sept. 1806; and was subsequently appointed – 19 Nov. 1808, to the Bellona 74, Capt. John Erskine Douglas, employed on the Home station, where, in April, 1809, he witnessed the destruction of the shipping in Aix Roads – and, 21 Nov. 1810 and 14 April, 1813, as Senior, to the Lavinia and Niobe frigates, Capts. Geo. Digby and Wm. Augustas Montagu. In those vessels he served in the Mediterranean and off Cadiz and Lisbon until June, 1814. He accepted his present rank 29 Jan. 1841.