A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Russell, Francis John
RUSSELL. (Commander, 1837. f-p., 17; h-p., 8.)
The Right Honourable Lord Francis John Russell, born in Oct. 1808, is brother of Lord Edw. Russell, Captain R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 7 Feb. 1822, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Owen Glendower 42, Capt. Hon. Robt. Cavendish Spencer, stationed in the Channel; removed, in the following Sept., to the Northumberland 78, Capt. Thos. Jas. Maling, guard-ship in the river Medway; and, after serving in South America as Midshipman in the Tartar 42, Capt. Thos. Brown, and Cambridge 82, Capt. T. J. Maling, again in the Medway in the Prince Regent 120, flag-ship of Sir Robt. Moorsom, and as Mate in the Undaunted 46, Capt. Augustus Wm. Jas. Clifford, was promoted, 7 Aug. 1829, to the rank of Lieutenant, and re-appointed to the Undaunted, commanded subsequently by Capt. Edw. Harvey. While in that ship he escorted Lord Wm. Bentinck as Governor-General to India, was sent to the Western Islands for the purpose of affording security to British property, and was for three months employed in cruizing for the protection of the homeward-bound trade against piracy. He left the Undaunted in Feb. 1831, and was subsequently appointed – 5 May, 1831, to the Stag 46, Capt. Sir Edw. Thos. Troubridge, employed in watching the manoeuvres of the fleet which sailed from the Western Islands under the orders of Don Pedro and Admiral Sartorius for the invasion of Portugal and the placing of Donna Maria on the throne – 24 Sept. 1832, to the Larne 18, Capt. Wm. Sidney Smith, stationed in the North Sea, where he remained until April, 1833 – and, 30 Jan. 1834, to the Belvidera 42, Capt. Chas. Borough Strong, fitting for the West Indies. Shortly after the paying off of the latter ship he was advanced, 5 Dec. 1837, to the rank of Commander. He served next, from 27 July, 1838, until paid off in the summer of 1840, in the Harlequin 16, in the Mediterranean and on the west coast of Africa; and since 7 June, 1848, he has been in command of the Tweed 18, on the S.E. Coast of America. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.