Royal Naval Biography/Ross, John
JOHN ROSS, Esq.
A Knight of the Royal Swedish Military Order of the Sword; and a Member of the London Astronomical Society.
[Post-Captain of 1818.]
This officer was made lieutenant, Mar. 13, 1805; advanced to the rank of commander, Feb. 1, 1812; and appointed to the Briseis brig of 10 guns, on the Baltic station, Mar. 21, in the same year. In the night of June 28th following, his lieutenant, Thomas Jones, with a midshipman and 18 men, most gallantly attacked and recaptured an English merchant ship, lying in Pillau roads, armed, in expectation of such an attempt, with six guns and four swivels, defended by a party of French troops on her deck, and surrounded by small craft in the act of receiving her cargo. In this dashing affair, the British had one man killed, and the midshipman, one sailor, and one marine wounded. In October, the Briseis captured le Petit Poucet, French privateer, of 4 guns and 23 men; and drove on shore three other vessels of the same description.
Captain Ross’s subsequent appointments were, June 7, 1814, to the Actaeon of 16 guns; Aug. 22, 1815, to the Driver ship-sloop; and, Jan. 4, 1818, to the Isabella, then fitting for the purpose of exploring Baffin’s Bay, and inquiring into the probability of ejecting a NorthWest passage to China. On his return home, he published an account of that “Voyage of Discovery,” in two volumes 8vo. with map and plates. Since then he has laid before the public another work, entitled,
“A Treatise on Navigation by Steam: comprising a History of the Steam Engine, and an Essay towards a System of the Naval Tactics peculiar to Steam Navigation, as applicable to Commerce and Maritime Warfare; including a comparison of its Advantages as related to other systems in the circumstances of speed, safety, and economy, but more particularly is that of The National Defence.”