patronised by his nephew, Lord Hervey, under whom he served in various ships until the conclusion of the American war[1]. During the ensuing peace, he was successively received on board the Zebra and Falcon sloops, Captains Edward Pakenham and V. C. Berkeley, stationed in the West Indies; Unicorn 20, Captain Charles Stirling, for a passage home, after suffering shipwreck in the Cyrus transport; Leviathan 74, Captain Lord Mulgrave, fitting in expectation of a war with Spain, in 1790; and Assurance 44, Captain John Shortland, employed in conveying stores to Halifax.
The latter ship being paid off in 1792, and his noble patron then abroad, Mr. Harvey next entered on board a West Indiaman, from which he was impressed by the Vanguard 74, Captain John Stanhope, at the commencement of hostilities against France, in 1793. Having then passed his examination about three years, he was immediately rated master’s mate of that ship; and shortly afterwards recommended to the notice of Sir John Jervis, from whom he received his first commission, at the Leeward Islands, in 1794.
On this occasion, Mr. Harvey, who had been removed from the Vanguard to the Boyne, on promotion, was appointed to the Ceres 32; but that frigate having sailed for England, he received an order to join the Vengeance 74, pro tempore; from which ship he was landed with a party of seamen to co-operate with the British army in Guadaloupe, after the recapture of that island by the French forces under Victor Hugues[2].
Previous to his return home (in the Boyne), Lieutenant
- ↑ The above mentioned Earl of Bristol succeeded to that title on the death of his brother, Mar. 20, 1775. He commanded a small squadron before Brest, in 1758; and greatly distinguished himself, as captain of the Dragon 74, at the reduction of Belleisle, Martinique, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Havannah, in 1761 and 1762. In 1767, he brought a bill into the House of Commons, for the augmentation of the pay of naval Lieutenants, which was accordingly increased one shilling per diem. He was appointed a colonel of marines in 1762, a lord of the admiralty in 1771, and a flag officer in 1775. His nephew. Lord Hervey, commanded the Raisonable 64, at the relief of Gibraltar, in 1782.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part II. note at p. 841; and Vol. II. Part I. pp. 110–113.
