During the ensuing three years he was engaged in a variety of active and important services on the north coast of Spain, the detail of which will be found in Vol. II. Part II. pp. 521–532. He passed his examination for lieutenant in Mar. 1812; and for his services, particularly at the siege of St. Sebastian, where he appears to have been employed on shore in the breaching batteries, was rewarded with a commission dated Dec. 24th, 1813. He subsequently served on board the Tartar frigate, bearing the broad pendant of Sir George R. Collier, on the African station. He obtained his present rank in Jan. 1822; and was appointed an inspecting commander of the coast guard service, June 6th, 1833.
GEORGE BAKER, Esq.
[Commander.]
Second son of Sir Robert Baker, Knt., Treasurer to the county of Middlesex, and late chief magistrate of Bow Street, by Harriet, daughter of Anthony Aufrere, Esq., of Hoveton Hall, Norfolk, whose ancestor, a French marquis, came over with his family to England at the revocation of the edict of Nantes.
This officer was born at London, May 3d, 1795. He entered the royal navy as midshipman on board the Amazon frigate. Captain (now Sir William) Parker, Aug. 23d, 1808; subsequently served under the late Sir Henry Hotham, in the Northumberland 74; and was present at the destruction of two large French frigates and a national brig, near l’Orient, May 22d, 1812[1]. He afterwards successively joined the Pembroke 74, Ville de Paris 110, and Superb 74; the former ship commanded by the late Sir James Brisbane, and the two latter bearing the flags of Sir Harry Neale, and Sir Henry Hotham. Previous to the receipt of his first commission, which appears to have been antedated, in order to give him rank as lieutenant from Mar. 7th, 1815, he had acted as such under Captains the Hon.
