A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Shute, Henry George
SHUTE. (Commander, 1841.)
Henry George Shute was born 20 Dec. 1808.
This officer entered the Navy, 13 Nov. 1823, on board the Alacrity 10, Capt. Hon. Chas. Philip Yorke (now Earl of Hardwicke), stationed in the Mediterranean, where he assisted in the boats at the capture, on different occasions, of not less than 23 piratical vessel. On the paying off of the Alacrity in 1827, he joined first the Hyperion 42, and next the Alligator 28; in which latter ship, commanded by his former Captain, Yorke, he was for 18 months again employed in the Mediterranean. Having passed his examination in 1829, he became, in 1830, Mate of the Aetna, Capt. Edw. Belcher, under whom we find him for some time constantly engaged in the boats in surveying different rivers on the coast of Africa to the northward of Sierra Leone. The Aetna was put out of commission in the summer of 1833, and in 1834 Mr. Shute, after he had been for about a year in the Portuguese service,[1] joined the Racer 16, Capt. Jas. Hope, on the North America and West India station. About the end of 1837 he took a passage in the Melville 72, flag-ship of the Hon. Geo. Elliot, for the purpose of reaching the Scout 18, Capt. Robt. Craigie, then on the coast of Africa. Being awarded a commission dated 28 June, 1838, he was reappointed 19 July following to the Melville, in the capacity of Additional-Lieutenant. In June, 1839, he returned to England in the Pylades 18, Capt. Wm. Langford Castle; and, on 3 Jan. 1840, he was appointed, a second time as Additional-Lieutenant, to the Wellesley 72, Capt. Thos. Maitland, at that time in the East Indies. On his arrival in China in the Blenheim 72, Capt. Sir Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, he was appointed Second of the Modeste 18, Capt, Harry Eyres; and for his services in that sloop during the operations connected with the first and second capture of Canton,[2] he was particularly recommended and was in consequence promoted to the rank of Commander 8 June, 1841. Prior to the receipt of his commission he appears to have assisted as Senior of the same vessel at the taking of Amoy, Chusan, Chinghae, and Ningpo, and to have returned home as First of the Larne 18, Capt. Patrick John Blake. He has been employed, since _30 June, 1847, as an Inspecting Commander in the Coast Guard. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
- ↑ Mr. Shute joined the Portuguese Navy as Lieutenant under Admiral Sartorius, and after the action with the Miguelite squadron was created a Knight of the Tower and Sword, and promoted to the command of the Villa Flor brig of 16 guns. While in that vessel he was frequently engaged with the batteries to the northward of Oporto, and was made the bearer of despatches to Admiral Napier, by whom he was nominated second Captain of the Donna Maria frigate. In her he shared in the victory gained by Don Pedro’s fleet off Cape St. Vincent. For his conduct on that occasion he was a second time presented with the Order of the Tower and Sword, and appointed to the command of the Eliza corvette of 26 guns. He contributed subsequently to the reduction of the fortified towns of Caminha and Viana, and was in command of the boats of the squadron at Valentia.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1841, pp. 1503-5, 2505, 2510.