The New International Encyclopædia/Shovell, Clowdisley

SHOV′ELL, Sir Clowdisley (1650-1707). A distinguished English admiral, born in Cocksthorpe, in Norfolk. He entered the navy in 1664, and served against the Dutch and the Barbary pirates. In 1689 he commanded the Edgar in the battle of Bantry Bay, was soon after knighted, and was put in command of a squadron in the Irish Sea. In the following year he was promoted to be rear-admiral of the blue. Two years afterwards he commanded the red squadron in the battle of Barfleur, and by breaking the French line greatly contributed to the English victory. In 1704 he participated with the fleet under Sir George Brooke in the capture of Gibraltar and in the action off Malaga. In the same year he was made rear-admiral of England. In the following year he was appointed admiral, and was made joint commander with the Earl of Peterborough of the expedition which captured Barcelona. In 1707 he coöperated with the Duke of Savoy in the attack on Toulon, and, although the town was not taken, Shovell destroyed a great number of French vessels. On the way Back to England his flagship was wrecked on one of the Scilly Islands. He was cast ashore in a helpless condition and was murdered by a woman who coveted an emerald ring on one of his fingers. His body was taken to England and buried in Westminster Abbey. Consult Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History (6 vols., London and Boston,' 1896-1901).