These are to certify, that Lieutenant William Shepheard served on board H.M. ship Spartan, under my command, from Jan. 13th, 1818, to Jan. 31st, 1821, during the whole of which time his conduct was such as to merit my warmest approbation: his unwearied zeal for the service was only equalled by his abilities as an officer and a seaman; and I can safely say, that in all these essential points, I never met his superior, or one who is more calculated to be a credit to that service to which he is so warmly attached.
“This is to certify, that Mr. W. Shepheard served as first lieutenant of H.M.S. Samarang for three years, under my command; and I feel in justice bound to bear testimony to the admirable manner in which he has discharged every part of his duty; no service is too diHicult and irksome, or too trifling, to secure his ready and cordial assistance in its execution; and the ability and seamanlike manner in which he carries it into effect, is equalled only by his indefatigable zeal. I have often had occasion to notice the great temper and judgment he shews in those important parts of a first lieutenant’s duty, connected with the treatment and management of the ship’s company. I can truly assert, that in Mr. Shepheard is united, with the strictest propriety of conduct, the most intimate acquaintance with all parts of his duty, and the greatest devotion to the service.
A few days previous to the date of this latter certificate, the captain of the Donegal 78, wrote to Lieutenant Shepheard as follows:
“Dear Sir,– As I find the Samarang is to be immediately paid off, I lose no time in mentioning to you, that the senior lieutenancy of this ship is vacant, and it would give me pleasure to see it filled by an officer of your high character and qualifications.
About the same time, Lieutenant Shepheard received similar invitations from other captains; “but,” said he, when addressing Sir James Graham, “your memorialist owes it to himself to decline those offers, and to throw himself upon your equitable administration of the patronage of the First Lord of the Admiralty, in the confident hope that you will be pleased to give him such employment as will hold out a fair prospect of his advancement to the rank of commander.”
