A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Oliver, William Browne
OLIVER. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 26; h-p., 7.)
William Browne Oliver, born 12 March, 1802, is son of Commander Jas. Oliver, R.N.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College 1 Aug. 1814, and embarked, 21 June, 1817, as a Volunteer, on board the Tamar 26, Capts. Thos. Rich. Toker and Hon. John Gordon, attached to the force at Newfoundland. In Dec. 1819 he removed, as Midshipman, to the Redpole 10, Capts. Wm. Devereux Evance, Patrick Duff, Henry Hay, and Rich. Anderson, employed at first in the Channel and then in the Mediterranean; whence, in the summer of 1822, he returned to England in the Larne 20, Capt. Robt. Tait. After a servitude of four years in South America as a passed Midshipman and Mate in the Tartar 42, Capt. Thos. Brown, and Diamond 46, Capt. Lord Napier, he joined, in Dec. 1826, the Pyramus 42, Capt. Geo. Rose Sartorius, on the Channel station; and he was next, in Jan. 1828, appointed to the Terror bomb, Capt. David Hope. For his exertions in saving that vessel when shortly afterwards cast away on the coast of Portugal, and the great assistance he afforded throughout the laborious operations which took place before she was rendered fit to return to England, he was sent in the following summer to the Mediterranean on promotion in the Meteor bomb, also commanded by Capt. Hope (whose Memoir see). He was there made Lieutenant, 25 Aug. 1829, into the Erebus bomb, Capt. Philip Broke; and he was subsequently appointed – in July, 1830, as a Student, to the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth, where he remained one year – 11 Oct. 1832, to the Serpent 16, Capts. John Chas. Symonds, Mark Halpen Sweny, and Evan Nepean, of which sloop, stationed for upwards of three years in the West Indies, he was for a long time First-Lieutenant and twice Acting-Commander – and 3 April, 1837, to the command (as a reward for meritorious conduct) of the Fair Rosamond schooner of 2 guns, fitting for the coast of Africa. In the latter vessel, in which he continued until 1 Oct. 1840, Lieut. Oliver, who went through scenes of great mortality, was most active in his efforts in the cause of freedom, and captured not less than nine slavers. He was in consequence advanced to his present rank 23 Nov. 1841. Since 18 July, 1845, he has been employed as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard. We may add that he has thoroughly qualified himself in the art of steam navigation.