Royal Naval Biography/Alexander, Thomas
THOMAS ALEXANDER, Esq
Rear-Admiral of the Blue.
This officer was a Lieutenant in 1790; commanded the Hope sloop of war at the capture of a Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay in 1796[1]; and subsequently the Carysfort frigate in the East Indies, where he captured l’Alerte French corvette, of 16 guns. His post commission bears date Dec. 27, 1796. He was afterwards appointed in succession to the Sceptre, 64, Sphynx, a 20-gun ship, and Braave frigate.
On the 23d Aug. 1800, the Braave, in company with the Centurion, Daedalus, and Sybille, the whole under the orders of Captain H. L. Ball, entered Batavia Roads, captured five Dutch armed vessels, and destroyed two merchant ships, fourteen brigs, five sloops, and one ketch. Some time previous to this affair, Captain Alexander had intercepted la Surprise French vessel of war, bound to Europe with two Ambassadors from Tippoo Sultaun, whose treachery, while he was expressing a desire to receive an ambassador from Lord Mornington, the Governor-General, was fully established by the papers taken at Seringapatam.
Captain Alexander being obliged to resign the command of the Braave on account of ill health, came home a passenger in l’Imperieuse frigate, and arrived in England June 12, 1802. His next appointment appears to have been to the Renown, of 74 guns, which ship he left in the summer of 1808; and soon after joined the Colossus, of the same force, the command of which he retained until the peace. On the 19th Aug. 1815, he was appointed to the Vengeur, stationed as a guard-ship at Portsmouth; and on the 12th Aug. 1819, advanced to his present rank.