Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Farquhar, Arthur
FARQUHAR, Sir ARTHUR (1772–1843), rear-admiral, a younger son of Robert Farquhar of Newhall, Kincardineshire, entered the navy in 1787 on board the Lowestoft, and, after serving in several other ships, mostly on the home station, and having passed his examination, entered on board an East India Company's ship. He had scarcely, however, arrived in India when news of the war with France led him to enter on board the Hobart sloop, whence he was removed to the flagship, and in April 1798 was promoted to be lieutenant. On his return to England as first lieutenant of the Heroine, he was employed in various ships on the home, Mediterranean, Baltic, and North Sea stations, until promoted to be commander on 29 April 1802. In January 1804 he was appointed to the Acheron bomb, and on 4 Feb. 1805 being, in company with the Arrow sloop, in charge of convoy, was captured by two large French frigates, after a defence that was rightly pronounced by the court-martial (28 March 1805) to be ‘highly meritorious and deserving imitation’ [see Vincent, Richard Budd]. Farquhar was most honourably acquitted, and the president of the court, Sir Richard Bickerton, as he returned his sword, expressed a hope that he might soon be called on to serve in a ship in which he might meet his captor on more equal terms: ‘the result of the contest,’ he added, ‘may be more lucrative to you, but it cannot be more honourable.’ A few days later, 8 April, Farquhar was advanced to post rank; he afterwards was presented with a sword, value 100l., by the Patriotic Fund, and by the merchants of Malta with a piece of plate and complimentary letter, 19 Sept. 1808. From 1806 to 1809 he commanded the Ariadne of 20 guns in the Baltic and North Sea, during which time he captured several privateers, French and Danish. From 1809 to 1814 he commanded the Désirée frigate in the North Sea, captured many privateers, gunboats, and armed vessels, and was senior naval officer in the operations in the Weser, the Ems, and the Elbe in 1813, culminating in the capture of Glückstadt on 5 Jan. 1814. For these important services Farquhar was made a knight of the Sword of Sweden, and also of the Hanoverian Guelphic order. In 1815 he was made a C.B., and in September 1817 received the freedom of Aberdeen. From May 1814 to April 1816 he commanded the Liverpool of 40 guns at the Cape of Good Hope, and from 1830 to 1833 the Blanche in the West Indies, with a broad pennant, and for his services there during a revolt of the negroes received a vote of thanks from the House of Assembly of Jamaica, a sword valued at 150l., and a piece of plate from the merchants. On his return home he was knighted, and was made K.C.H. in 1832. He became rear-admiral in 1837, and died at his residence in Aberdeenshire 2 Oct. 1843.
[Marshall's Roy. Nav. Biog. iv. (vol. ii. pt. ii.) 929; Gent. Mag. 1843, vol. cxxii. pt. ii. p. 544.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.121
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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