Channel, West Indies, and North Sea – 2 April, 1782, to the Britannia 100, bearing the flag of Hon. Sam. Barrington, whom he accompanied, under Lord Howe, to the relief of Gibraltar – 20 March, 1783, to the Carnatic 74, which ship, we believe, he never joined – in 1770, for a short time, to the Impregnable and Hero, both commanded by Capt. Pringle – 10 May, 1790, to the Royal George 100, flag-ship of Admiral Barrington in the Channel, where he remained until the following Dec. – and, in 1795, to the Transport service in the West Indies. At the ensuing reduction of Ste. Lucie he commanded a division of flat-bottomed boats employed in landing the troops, and was mentioned by Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian, the Commander-in-Chief, for his assiduity and exertions.[1] He was promoted, 6 Dec. 1796, to the command of the Racehorse sloop; was placed in charge, for about six weeks in 1797, of the Gallant gun-brig, for the purpose of acting against the mutineers of the Nore; and, in June, 1798, and in Nov. 1799, was appointed to the Pheasant and Termagant sloops, both on the North American station. In the latter vessel, on proceeding to the Mediterranean, he effected the capture, 1 and 4 Sept. 1800 of La Capricieuse French national polacre of 6 guns and 68 men, and General Holtz privateer, of 2 guns and 26 men. He also, in 1801, assisted in the operations against the French in Egypt, and was presented in consequence with the Turkish gold medal. He became Acting-Captain in June of the same year of the Hector 74; was confirmed to that ship 18 March, 1802; and, returning to England in May, 1803, was subsequently appointed – 4 June, 1804, to the Impress service at Dublin – in April, 1805, for nearly five years, to the Shannon district of Sea Fencibles – 17 May, 1813, to the Centurion 50, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Edw. Griffith in North America – 6 Aug. 1814, to the Maidstone 36, on the same station – 22 Aug. 1815, to the Leander 50, in which ship he continued, on Home service, until 1 May, 1816 – and, in 1827, to the chief command at the Cape of Good Hope, where with his broad pendant in the Maidstone 42, he remained for about two years. He was nominated a Colonel of Marines 22 July, 1830; and advanced to Flag-rank 10 Jan. 1837.
At the period of his death Rear-Admiral Skipsey had been longer in the Navy than any officer then existing. He was for upwards of 30 years in active service. He was married and has left issue.
SKIPWITH. (Commander, 1842.)
Grey Skipwith, born 10 April, 1811, is fourth son of Sir Gray Skipwith, Bart., of Prestwould, co. Lincoln, and of Newbold Hall, co. Warwick, by Harriett, third daughter of Gore Townshend, Esq., of Honington Hall, co. Warwick. One of his brothers, William, is a Captain in the Army; and another, Sidmouth Stowell, a Lieutenant R.N.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College in Jan. 1823; and embarked, 25 Jan. 1825, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Jasper 10, Capt. Chas. Howe Fremantle, stationed in the Channel. He served subsequently in the Mediterranean and at home as Midshipman in the Ariadne 26, Capt. Lord Adolphus FitzClarence, Chanticleer 10, Capt. Maxwell, and Challenger 28 and Pallas 42, both commanded by Lord A. FitzClarence; under whom we find him, from 1830 (in May of which year he passed his examination) until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 7 March, 1834, employed as Mate in the Royal George yacht and Onyx and Pantaloon tenders. His next appointments were – 16 May, 1834, and 10 May, 1837, to the Childers 16, Capt. Hon. Henry Keppel, and Rodney 92, Capt. Hyde Parker, both in the Mediterranean – 8 Aug. 1839, as First-Lieutenant (after 17 months of half-pay), to the Phoenix steamer, Capt. Robt. Spencer Robinson, on the same station, whence he returned in March, 1840 – and, 5 April, 1841, as Second, to the Cornwallis 72, flag-ship of Sir Wm. Parker in the East Indies. For his services on the coast of China (where he assisted at the taking of Chapoo, Woosung,[2] assisted also at the capture of Shanghae and Chin-Kiang-Foo, and was present at the signing of the treaty of Nanking), he was promoted 23 Dec. 1842, to the rank he now holds.[3] He left the Cornwallis in March, 1843; and, since 2 Dec. 1847, has been in command of the Hydra steam-sloop of 220 horsepower, on the S.E. coast of America.
SKIPWITH. (Lieutenant, 1846.)
Sidmouth Stowell Skipwith, born 29 March, 1825, is tenth and youngest son of Sir Gray Skipwith, Bart.; and brother of Commander Grey Skipwith, R.N.
This officer passed his examination 19 July, 1844; served as Mate (from 23 Dec. following until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 9 Nov. 1846) in the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capts. Sir Thos. Hastings and Henry Ducie Chads; and from 6 Jan. 1847 until paid off in 1848, was employed in the Channel and Mediterranean in the Trafalgar 120, Capts. John Neale Nott and Chas. Hope.
SKYNNER. (Retired Commander, 1838. f-p., 13; h-p., 38.)
John Skynner died in 1846.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1795, as A.B., on board the Bedford 74, Capt. Robt. Mann, attached to the fleet in the Mediterranean; where, and on the Lisbon and Home stations, he served, we believe, from the following Dec. until April, 1801, the greater part of the time as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Egmont 74, Capt. John Sutton. In that ship he was present at the evacuation of Corsica in 1796, and in the action off Cape St. Vincent 14 Feb. 1797. After he had been for 11 months employed in the Channel and Downs in the Ville de Paris 110, flag-ship of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, Isis 50, Capt. Thos. Masterman Hardy, and, as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Nemesis 28, Capt. Edw. W. C. R. Owen, he was confirmed to the latter rank, 8 March, 1802, in the Amazon 38, Capts. Sam. Sutton and Wm. Parker. In her he brought the Duke of Kent home from Gibraltar, and then returned to the Mediterranean; on which station he held command, from 19 June, 1804, until 14 Dec. 1807, of the Hirondelle gun-brig. He was placed on the list of Retired Commanders 10 April, 1838.
SLADE. (Commander, 1841.)
Adolphus Slade is fifth (and second surviving) son of General Sir John Slade, Bart., G.C.H., of Maunsell House, co. Somerset, Colonel of the 5th Dragoon Guards, and one of the Equerries to His Majesty the King of Hanover, by Anna Eliza, daughter of Jas. Dawson, Esq., Assistant-Barrister, co. Armagh. His eldest brother, John Henry, Lieutenant-Colonel in the 1st Dragoon Guards, died 30 Oct. 1843; and his second, Charles George, Major in the 3rd Light Dragoons, died on his passage home from India in Feb. 1838. A third brother, Marcus John, is Lieutenant-Colonel in the 30th Regt.; a fourth, Ernest-Augustus, is also an officer in the Army; and a fifth, Alfred Robert, Lieutenant R.N., died at sea. He is grandson of the late John Slade, Esq., of Maunsell House, one of the Commissioners of the Victualling Board; and cousin of the late Capt. Jas. Slade, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy 3 Aug. 1815; passed his examination in 1822; obtained his first commission 27 Nov. 1827; served in the Mediterranean, from 23 Jan. 1834 until 1837, as Additional-Lieutenant of the Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir Josias Rowley; attained his present rank 23 Nov. 1841; and from 2 July, 1846, until paid off at the close of 1847, commanded the Recruit 12, on particular service. In 1844 he was a student at the Royal Naval College.
