282
DES VOEUX—DEUCHAR—DE VERE—DEVEREUX—DE VITRE.
With the exception of a brief attachment, during the summer of 1795, to the Salisbury 50, Capt. Wm. Mitchell, he then remained on half-pay until invested, 3 April, 1797, with the command, for the suppression of the mutiny at the Nore, of the 14-gun brig Eclipse; after which he further assumed command, on the Home and Lisbon stations – 19 Aug. following, of the 10-gun hired lugger Black Joke – 16 June, 1798, of the 14-gun brig Liberty (paid off 1 Oct. 1799) – and 16 Feb. 1801, of the 16-gun schooner Milbrook. In the latter vessel Lieut. De Starck captured, 15 Sept. 1801, the Baptista Spanish privateer of 8 guns; he also on one occasion repelled a night-attack made upon the Milbrook by some gun-boats near Gibraltar; and, in Oct. 1803, he exemplified characteristic zeal and energy, when in company with the Merlin sloop, in cutting off from Calais, and driving on shore, Les Sept Frères privateer of 2 guns.[1] Attaining the rank of Commander 1 May, 1804, Capt. De Starck was next appointed – on 18 June in the same year, to the Tartarus bomb, in which he served for about two months in the Downs – and on 10 May, 1806, to the Avon 18. For his exertions in soon after conducting the Neva, a Russian line-of-battle ship, to the Baltic, Capt. De Starck was presented by the Czar with a breakfast-service of plate and a purse of 100 guineas. In the course of the succeeding autumn he took out Mr. Erskine, H.M. Minister to the United States of America; on his passage whither he effected a very skilful escape from the French 74-gun ship Regulus. He returned to Spithead with the intercepted despatches of M. Villaumez in Jan. 1807; and was then superseded, having been promoted to Post-rank on 25 of the previous Sept. Since that period he has been unable to procure employment. His advancement to Flag-rank took place 23 Nov. 1841.
Rear-Admiral De Starck (who was for some time equerry to H.R.H. the late Duke of Sussex, and in that capacity officiated at the funeral of William IV.) is the original inventor of the method of projecting a rope by means of powder and shot, a description of which may be found in Sir Chas. Ekins’ ‘Naval Battles.’ He married, first, Miss Houghton of Bramerton, co. Norfolk; and, secondly, 30 Aug. 1817, Miss Kent, niece of the late Sir Thos. Kent, who was given away on the bridal day by the Duke of Sussex. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
DES VOEUX. (Lieutenant, 1846.)
Charles Frederick Des Voeux passed his examination 1 May, 1844; was employed for severa 1 months, as Mate, in the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings; and, since 4 March, 1845, has been engaged on a North-west Passage explorative mission, in the Erebus discovery ship, Capt. Sir John Franklin. His promotion to the rank of Lieutenant took place 9 Nov. 1846.
DEUCHAR. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 11; h-p., 32.)
Patrick Deuchar, born 24 May, 1785, is brother of Morgan David Deuchar, Esq., late 1st Foot; and uncle of Lieut. D. Green, of the same regiment. Several others of his relatives are also in the army.
This officer (who had previously served an apprenticeship of four years in a merchant-ship) entered the Navy, 10 Jan. 1804, as Ordinary, on board the Helder 36, Capt. Rich. Hawkins; and, on becoming Midshipman of the Swiftsure 74, Capts. Mark Robinson and Wm. Geo. Rutherford, accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain, and was afterwards present, independently of many boat affairs, in the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805. When next in the Seahorse 38, Capts. Robt. Corbett and John Stewart, we find him much employed in detached operations against the Spanish gun-boats and convoys off Cadiz; after which he served, in the Moselle 18, Capt. Alex. Gordon, at the attack on Rosetta in April, 1807; and, in the year following, was employed, as Master’s Mate of the Bustard 18, Capt. John Duff Markland, on the hazardous duty of landing papers on the coast ot France relative to the revolution in Spain. On accompanying Sir Rich. Strachan from the Venerable 74, in which ship he had had the misfortune to fracture his left leg, into the St. Domingo, Mr. Deuchar, in Aug. 1809, attended the expedition to the Walcheren; where he commanded a strong division of boats at the landing of the troops, and actively co-operated in the bombardment of Flushing. He subsequently served on the Baltic, Jamaica, and Lisbon stations, as a passed Midshipman of the Impétueux 74, Capts. John Lawford and David Milne, Thetis 38, Capt. Wm. Henry Byam, and Impétueux again, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Geo. Martin. From 29 March, 1813, to 17 Nov. 1814, during which period (on 29 Nov. 1813) he obtained his commission, Mr. Deuchar commanded a portion of the Cadiz flotilla; and in the end was intrusted with the duty of laying up all the gunboats and returning their stores. He has not been able to procure employment since the peace.
DE VERE. (Lieutenant, 1846.)
William Cecil De Vere passed his examination 22 April, 1843; and served for upwards of three years, as Mate, on board the Rodney 92, Capt. Robt. Maunsell, Stromboli steam-sloop, Capt. Hon. Edw. Plunkett, and Collingwood 80, flag-ship in the Pacific of Sir Geo. Eras. Seymour. He obtained his commission 15 Aug. 1846.
DEVEREUX. (Captain, 1845.)
The Honourable Walter Bourchier Devereux, born 3 Nov. 1810, is second surviving son of the late Viscount Hereford, by Frances Elizabeth, third daughter of the late Sir Geo. Cornwall, Bart.; and brother both of the present nobleman, and of the Hon. Humphrey Bohun Devereux, Lieut. B.A. One of his aunts is sister-in-law of Admiral Sir Geo. Cockburn, G.C.B.
This officer entered the Navy 5 Feb. 1824; was awarded, immediately after passing, a commission, 29 Nov. 1830; and from 3 Dec. 1832, until the attainment of his next step, 24 June, 1836, served in North America and the West Indies on board the Vernon 50, and President 52, flag-ships of Sir Geo. Cockburn. He was next appointed to the command, 6 Oct. 1841, of the Snake 16, on the Mediterranean station; and, on the paying off of that sloop, was advanced to Post-rank, 12 Dec. 1845. He has not since been afloat. Agents – Messrs. Goode and Lawrence.
DE VITRÉ. (Lieut., 1781. f-p., 14; h-p., 62.)
John Denis De Vitré was born 28 Oct. 1757, and died 29 Dec. 1846, at Lancaster.
This officer entered the Navy, in July, 1771, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Somerset 64, guard-ship at Plymouth, commanded by the late Sir Edw. Hughes; with whom (after an intermediate attachment to the Aldborough 20, Capt. Hawker, off Newfoundland) he proceeded to the East Indies, in 1774, as Midshipman of the Salisbury 50. On there removing to the Coventry 28, Capts. Benj. Marlow and Andrew Mitchell, he took part, as Master’s Mate, in a severe action of two hours, fought off Pondicherry, 10 Aug. 1778, between a British squadron under Sir Edw. Vernon and a superior French force under M. de Tronjolli, at the close of which the enemy made sail and escaped. In the course of the following year we further discover the Coventry sustaining, singly, a gallant conflict, which lasted four hours, with Hyder Ali’s powerful fleet; and, next, contributing to the reduction of Fort Arnold. On 3 March, 1781, Mr. De Vitré was promoted, from the Superb 74, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Hughes, to a Lieutenancy, in the Chaser 18, Capt. Thos. Parr; in which vessel, in Feb. 1782, he appears to have been taken captive, after a valiant resistance of several hours, by the Bellona, a French frigate of 36 guns. Being ultimately handed over to Hyder Ali, he endured
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1803, p. 1499.
