LEVEN AND MELVILLE, Earl of, formerly Viscount Balgonie. (Rear-Admiral, 1846.)
The Right Honourable David Earl of Leven and Melville, born 22 June, 1785, is eldest son (by Jane, daughter of John Thornton, Esq., of London) of the late Earl, whom he succeeded, as eighth Earl of Leven and seventh Earl of Melville, 22 Feb. 1820.
This officer attained the rank of Lieutenant 8 Aug. 1806; and, while attached to the Ville de Paris 110, bearing the flag of Lord Collingwood, was mentioned for his conduct in her boats with those of a squadron under Lieut. John Tailour, at the capture and destruction, on the night of 31 Oct. 1809, of the French armed store-ship Lamproie of 16 guns and 116 men, bombards Victoire and Grondeur, armed xebec Normande, and seven merchant-vessels, defended by numerous strong batteries in the Bay of Rosas, after a desperate struggle, and a loss to the British of 15 killed and 85 wounded.[1] Although not aware, we believe, of the circumstance, his Lordship had been awarded a second promotal commission on 16 of the preceding Sept. He was posted,after having for some time had command of the Delight sloop in the Mediterranean, 28 Feb. 1812; and advanced to his present rank 1 Oct. 1846.
The Earl married, 21 June, 1824, Elizabeth Anne, daughter of Sir Archd. Campbell, Bart., by whom he has issue three sons and four daughters.
LE VESCONTE. (Commander, 1828.)
Henry Le Vesconte is brother of Commander Philip Le Vesconte.
This officer entered the Navy, 5 June, 1790, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Cambridge 74, Capt. Boger, bearing the flag at Plymouth of Admiral Graves. He was discharged, in the following Jan.; but re-embarked, in March, 1793, on board the Duke 98, bearing the broad pendant in the West Indies of Commodore Geo. Murray, and between the close of that year and the receipt of his first commission, bearing date 27 Oct. 1800, was employed on the Home, North American, and Cape of Good Hope stations, in 12 different ships, in the capacities of Volunteer, Midshipman, and Acting-Lieutenant. Joining, then, the Jamaica 24, Capts. John Mackellar and Jonas Rose, he shared in that vessel in the action off Copenhagen 2 April, 1801; and on 21 of the following Aug. took command, in conjunction with Lieut. Jas. John Chas. Agassis, of the boats of a squadron, and gained the praise of Lord Nelson for his gallantry and zeal at the capture and destruction, with but slight loss to the British, of six flat-bottomed gun-vessels which had been driven on shore near St. Valery, and were protected by the fire of a body of military and five field-pieces.[2] He invalided from the Jamaica in Jan. 1804, and was subsequently appointed – 16 June following, to the Naiad 38, Capts. Jas. Wallis and Thos. Dundas, under the latter of whom he fought at Trafalgar, and on that occasion assisted in extricating the Belleisle 74. from a perilous position near the shoals, whither she was fast drifting – 5 July, 1808, after seven months of half-pay, to the Raven, sloop, Capt. Jas. Grant, on the Mediterranean station – 1 Feb. 1809, and 18 March aftd 1 Aug. 1811, to the Ville de Paris 110, and, as First-Lieuteiuint, to the Rodney and Milford 74’s, flag-ships in the Mediterranean of Admirals Lord Collingwood and Thos. Fras. Fremantle – 1 Feb. 1812, to the acting-command, for a few weeks, of the Epervier sloop, on the same station – and, afterwards, to the Queen 74, bearing the flag, also in the Mediterranean, of the late Sir Chas. Vinicombe Penrose. He attained his present rank 5 Jan. 1828; and has since been on half-pay.
Commander Le Vesconte is Senior of 1828. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
LE VESCONTE. (Lieutenant, 1841.)
Henry Thomas Dundas Le Vesconte entered the Navy 19 May, 1829; passed his examination in 1836; and, joining (as Mate of the Calliope) in the China war, assisted at the destruction of a 20-gun battery at the back of the island of Anunghoy, 23 Feb. 1841[3] – served in the boats, on 13 March, at the capture of several rafts and of the last fort protecting the approaches to Canton[4] – was similarly employed at the capture of that city on 18 of the same month[5] – and, during the second series of hostilities against it, was afresh engaged in the boats at the destruction, 26 May, of the whole line of defences, extending about two miles from the British factory. In consequence of these performances he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by commission dated 8 June, 1841.[6] His appointments have since been – 16 Oct. following, to the Hyacinth 18, Capt. Geo. Goldsmith, in the East Indies – 15 June, 1842, to the Clio 16, Capts. Edw. Norwich Troubridge and Jas. Fitzjames, under whom he was for upwards of two years employed on the same station and off the coast of Africa – 17 Dec. 1844, as Senior, to the Superb 74, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry, attached to the Channel squadron – and, 4 March, 1845, to the Erebus discovery-ship, Capt. Sir John Franklin, in which he is at present concerned in a renewed attempt to explore the North-west Passage through Lancaster Sound and Bering Strait. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
LE VESCONTE. (Commander, 1816. f-p., 21; h-p., 32.)
Philip Le Vesconte is son of Philip Le Vesconte, Esq., who lost a leg in Earl Howe’s action 1 June, 1794, and died Purser of the Royal William, flag-ship at Spithead, 25 May, 1807. He is brother of Commander Henry Le Vesconte, R.N.
This officer, entered the Navy, in 1794, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Saturn 74, Capt. Jas. Douglas, and on 13 July, 1795, was present as Midshipman in Hotham’s partial action with the French fleet off the Hyères Islands. He removed, in 1797, to the St. Alban’s 64, Capt. Fras. Pender, and, after serving for two years in that ship on the Channel and Halifax stations, joined the Lynx sloop, Capt. Alex. Skene, attached to the force in the North Sea. On being received into the Monarch 74, Capt. Jas. Robt. Mosse, Mr. Le Vesconte bore a part and was wounded in the battle of Copenhagen, 2 April, 1801;[7] in consequence whereof he was promoted, 23 May following, to a Lieutenancy in the Glatton 50, Capts. Wm. Birchall, Wm. Nowell, and John Ferris Devonshire, stationed in the Baltic, where he remained until April, 1802. His next appointment was, 6 Sept. 1803, to the Magnificent 74, Capt. Wm. Henry Jervis, in which ship, when forming part of the in-shore squadron off Brest, it was his misfortune to be wrecked, during a gale of wind, 25 .March, 1804. On being restored to liberty after seven years of captivity, we.find him joining, in the course of 1811, the Leopard 50, armée en flûte, Capt. Wm. Henry Dillon, and Elephant 74, Capt. Fras. Wm. Austen. With the latter officer he served in the North Sea and Baltic until May, 1814; in Aug. of which -year he obtained an appointment to the Queen 74, Capts. Lord John Colville and John Coode, flag-ship for some time of Rear-Admiral Chas. Vinicombe Penrose. He returned home from the Mediterranean in Dec. 1815; and has since been on half-pay. His promotion to the rank he now holds took place 7 Nov. 1816.
Commander Le Vesconte is at present Vice-Consul at L’Orient. He is married and has issue. Agents – Pettet and Newton.
LEVINGE. (Commander, 1845.)
Reginald Thomas John Levinge, born 20 Oct. 1813, is third son of Sir Rich. Levinge, Bart., of Knockdrin Castle, co. Westmeath, by Elizabeth
