A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Otter, Henry Charles
OTTER. (Commander, 1844.)
Henry Charles Otter entered the Navy 12 Jan. 1822; passed his examination in 1828; obtained his first commission 5 Dec. 1831; was employed at Sheerness, from 15 Aug. 1833 until the close of 1835, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant, in the Ocean 80 and Howe 120, Capts. Sam. Chambers, Edw. Barnard, and Alex. Ellice; assumed command, 5 March, 1844, of the Sparrow surveying-vessel, on the coast of Scotland; acquired his present rank 26 Aug. following; and, since 1 Jan. 1847, at which period he left the Sparrow, has been in command, on the same station, of the Avon steam surveying-vessel, of 160-horse power.
When a Midshipman, Commander Otter’s heroic exertions saved the lives of a boat’s crew; and in 1845 he again displayed the intrepid humanity of his disposition by jumping overboard from the Sparrow for the purpose of affording assistance to some of his crew who had been capsized.