The New International Encyclopædia/Parker, William

PARKER, Sir William (1781-1866). An English admiral, born at Almington Hall, Staffordshire. He went to sea when twelve years old on the Orion, which shared in Lord Howe's victorious engagement with the French fleet in 1794. As commander of the Amazon he was engaged in arduous service on the Portuguese and Spanish coasts and made a notable capture of the French frigate Belle Poule (1806). He was made a rear-admiral in 1830, and was knighted in 1834 for his services aboard the flagship Asia during the three preceding years. He remained in England as an Admiralty lord until 1841. when he was made vice-admiral in command in the East Indies, and his prompt action in capturing the ports and blockading the mouth of the Grand Canal brought the Chinese war to an end. In 1845-52 he was commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, and in 1857 he retired. He was created admiral of the fleet in 1863.