Royal Naval Biography/Douglas, James
JAMES DOUGLAS, Esq
Senior Admiral of the White.
This officer is the second son of the late Sir James Douglas, of Springwood Park, Roxburghshire, N.B. Baronet[1], by his first wife, Helen, daughter of Thomas Brisbane, Esq. and is descended from Andrew Douglas, of Friarshaw, who married Jane Home, of the family of the Earls of Marchmont.
After passing through the intervening ranks of Midshipman, Lieutenant, and Commander, he was advanced to that of Post-Captain, Oct. 20, 1780; and in the same year, commanded the Venus frigate, at the Leeward Islands; from which vessel he was afterwards removed into the Alcmene, of 32 guns.
On the breaking out of the war with the French republic, Captain Douglas was appointed to the Saturn, a 74-gun ship, in which he proceeded to the Mediterranean, and was with Admiral Hotham when that officer encountered the enemy’s fleet, July 13, 1795[2]. He returned to England in company with a squadron under the orders of Rear-Admiral Mann, and was subsequently stationed in the Channel. Our officer was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, Feb. 14, 1799; Vice-Admiral, Nov. 9, 1805; and Admiral, July 31, 1810.
Mrs. Douglas died May 2, 1819.
- ↑ Sir James Douglas was knighted for bringing home the news of the surrender of Quebec in 1759; he commanded a squadron at the Leeward Islands in 1761; took Dominica, and had a broad pendant at the siege of Martinique, in the same year. He was created a Baronet, June 10, 1786, died in 1787, and was succeeded by his eldest son, George, the present Baronet, who married a daughter of the third Earl of Glasgow.
- ↑ See Admiral Sir John Sutton.