A Naval Biographical Dictionary/McFarland, James
M‘FARLAND. (Retired Captain, 1840. f-p., 28; h-p., 38.)
James M‘Farland entered the Navy, 2 Dec. 1781, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Union 98, Capt. John Dalrymple, attached to the Channel fleet; and in the following Aug. became Midshipman of the Harpy fire-ship, Capt. Sir Jas. Barclay. After a short servitude in the Diligente, flag-ship at Spithead of Sir Thos. Pye, he joined, in Aug. 1783, the Salisbury 50, bearing the flag of Admiral Campbell at Newfoundland, where he continued until Dec. 1785. He served during the remainder of the peace on the Home station in the Druid 36, Capt. Joseph Ellison, Powerful and Orion 74’s, both commanded by Capt, Andw. Sutherland, Windsor Castle and London 98’s, flag-ships of Rear-Admirals Herbert Sawyer and Sam. Cranston Goodall, and Alcide and Hector 74’s, Capts. Sir Andw. Snape Douglas and Geo. Montagu. In March, 1793, Mr. M‘Farland joined the Queen Charlotte 100, bearing the flag in the Channel of Earl Howe; for his conduct as Acting-Lieutenant of which ship on the memorable 1 June, 1794, he obtained a commission dated 23 of that month. Continuing in her under the orders of Sir A. S. Douglas until July, 1797, he was in consequence present in the action fought by Lord Bridport with the French fleet off the Ile de Groix. We afterwards find him appointed in succession to the Monarch 74, Prince 98, and Lancaster 64, flag-ships at Home and at the Cape of Good Hope of Rear-Admiral Sir Roger Curtis. On 12 Sept. 1800, at which period he was Senior of the Lancaster, he received a compound fracture of the right arm, and was officially commended for his conduct at the cutting-out, by the boats of that vessel and the Adamant 50, of a ship lying under the fire of two heavy batteries at Port Louis in the Isle of France. He was confirmed in the rank of Commander, after having had charge for 13 months of the Penguin sloop at the Cape, 18 June, 1803; and was lastly, from the following July until March, 1810, employed in the Sea Fencible service. He accepted the rank of Captain 10 Sept. 1840.