A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pearse, William Alfred Rumbulow
PEARSE. (Lieutenant, 1841.)
William Alfred Rumbulow Pearse passed his examination 2 May, 1839; and was afterwards, until paid off at the commencement of 1843, employed as Mate and Acting-Lieutenant in the Modeste 18, Capts. Harry Eyres and Rundle Surges Watson. In the former capacity he assisted, during the war in China, in boarding, 27 Feb. 1841, the ship Cambridge, bearing the Chinese Admiral’s flag, at the enemy’s position below Whampoa Reach, where he also landed and contributed to the destruction, in the whole, of 98 guns.[1] On 13 of the following month he served in the boats at the capture of several rafts and of the last fort protecting the approaches to Canton; and on 18 he was similarly employed at the capture of the city itself,[2] During the series of operations against it we find him commanding the Modeste’s cutter, under the present Sir Edw. Belcher, in an affair up a creek on the western side, where 28 vessels were destroyed.[3] In a day or two afterwards he had the misfortune to be wounded.[4] In Aug. and Oct. he co-operated in the reduction of Amoy and Chinghae. As Acting-Lieutenant, Mr. Pearse, on 10 March, 1842, succeeded with two boats in towing four fire-rafts clear of the shipping off Ningpo.[5] On 15 and 16 of the same month he was employed on shore under Capt. Thos. Bourchier in an attack on the enemy’s camp at Tsekee.[6] On the paying off of the Modeste as above, he was confirmed a Lieutenant by commission bearing date 8 June, 1841. His appointments have since been – 28 May, 1843, to the Cyclops steamer, Capt. Horatio Thos. Austin, under whom he was employed for about six months on particular service – 9 Sept. 1844, as Senior, to the Osprey 12, Capt. Fred. Patten, fitting at Portsmouth, where he was shortly afterwards superseded – 19 May, 1845, as Additional, to the Penelope steam-frigate, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Wm. Jones on the coast of Africa – 20 Feb. 1846, to the Raleigh 50, in which ship, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Thos. Herbert, he sailed for the south-east coast of America, and there became First-Lieutenant – and 8 June, 1847, to the command, which he still retains, of the Lizard steam-vessel, of 150 horse-power, on the latter station.