Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Elliot, George
ELLIOT, Sir GEORGE (1784–1863), admiral, second son of Gilbert Elliot, first earl of Minto [q. v.], was born on 1 Aug. 1784, and entered the navy in 1794 on board the St. George with Captain Foley, whom he successively followed to the Britannia, Goliath, and Elephant. He was thus, as a youngster, present in both of Hotham's actions off Toulon, in the battle of Cape St. Vincent, and in that of the Nile [see Foley, Sir Thomas]. He was promoted to be lieutenant on 12 Aug. 1800, and in 1801 served in the San Josef and St. George, under Lord Nelson's flag, though not having any immediate part in the battle of Copenhagen. In April 1802 he was promoted to be commander, and in May 1803 went out to the Mediterranean as a volunteer with Nelson in the Victory. On 10 July Nelson appointed him to the Termagant sloop, and on 1 Aug. posted him to the Maidstone frigate, though owing to some irregularity the commission was not confirmed till 2 Jan. 1804 (Nelson Despatches, v. 150, 184). He was shortly afterwards attached to the squadron off Cadiz, under Sir Richard Strachan, at which time Nelson, in writing to Lord Minto, said: 'I assure you, on my word of honour, that George Elliot is at this moment one of the very best officers in our service, and his ship is in high order' (ib. v. 365). During the war Elliot continued actively employed on the home station, in the Mediterranean and the East Indies; at the reduction of Java in August 1811, and in the suppression of the Borneo pirates in June 1813. From 1827 to 1830 he commanded the Victory guardship at Portsmouth, and in September 1830 was nominated a C.B., and on 10 Jan. 1837 was advanced to flag rank. He was secretary of the admiralty from December 1834 to April 1835, and one of the lords commissioners from that time till, in September 1837, he was appointed to the command-in-chief at the Cape of Good Hope. This he held till February 1840, when he was sent on to China, to be at once commander-in-chief and joint plenipotentiary with Captain Charles Elliot [q. v.] His health, however, gave way, and in November he was compelled to invalid. He had no further service, but became, in course of seniority, vice-admiral on 13 May 1847, and admiral on 5 March 1853; in November 1862 he was made a K.C.B. He had long been in delicate health, and after a protracted illness, died in London on 24 June 1863.
He married, in 1810, Eliza Cecilia, daughter of Mr. James Ness of Osgodvie in Yorkshire, and had a numerous family; his eldest son is the present Admiral Sir George Elliot, K.C.B.
[O'Byrne's Nav. Biog. Dict.; Times, 25 June 1863; Nicolas's Nelson Despatches, freq. (see Index at end of vol. vii.)]