succeeded in reaching through a series of the most skilful manoeuvres. Being at length officially promoted, by commission dated 21 March, 1812, Mr. Belsey next joined, for short periods, the Bold 10, Echo 18, and Bermuda 10, Capts. John Skekel, Thos. Perceval, and Wm. Wolrige, on the Channel and Lisbon stations, from the latter of which vessels he invalided 6 April, 1815. He subsequently held a command in the Coast Guard, from 4 Dec. 1827, until 6 July, 1833; and, while so employed, succeeded in effecting two seizures, and was on one occasion nearly drowned by the capsizing of a boat. He has since been on half-pay.
Lieut. Belsey married, 15 Nov. 1813, Mary Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Capt. Cooke, by whom he has issue nine children. He resided, with permission, from 1816 to 1820, in the Telegraph House near Barham; and, since 1837, has been dwelling in the Semaphore House, at Chatsford Head, Winchester. Agents – Goode and Lawrence.
BELSON. (Retired Commander, 1845. f-p., 21; h-p., 26.)
Henry Fage Belson entered the Navy, 18 Dec. 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ruby 64, Capt. Solomon Ferris, lying in the Downs; accompanied that officer, the year following, into the Thunderer 74; and, after serving for a few months in the Leander 50, bearing the flag of Sir Andrew Mitchell in North America, there attained the rating of Midshipman, 1 Dec. 1802, in the Lily 16, Capt. Wm. Compton. He afterwards became successively attached to the Driver sloop, Cambrian 40, Capts. John Poo Beresford, John Nairne, and Peter Puget (in which ship he assisted at the capture, June and 3 July, 1805, of the privateers Maria, of guns and 60 men, and Matilda, of 20 guns and 95 men), and Theseus 74, Capt. J. P. Beresford, employed in the Channel and off Ferrol. He was made Lieutenant, 7 March, 1808, into the Vulture sloop, Capts. Joseph Pearce and Martin White, on the Jersey station, and subsequently received the following appointments : – 31 Dec. 1808, to the Diomede 50, flag-ship off Guernsey of Rear-Admiral D’Auvergne, Duke de Bouillon, in which he afterwards proceeded to the East Indies – 15 April, 1812, as First, to the Briton 38, Capt. Sir Thos. Staines, serving in the Channel and off Bordeaux – 14 Jan. 1814, to the Ulysses 44, Capt. Thos. Browne, fitting at Plymouth – 11 Feb. 1814, to the Sybille 44, Capt. Thos. Forrest, from which frigate, after cruizing off Madeira, and proceeding to Greenland in search of the American Commodore, John Rodgers, he was paid off, 18 April, 1815 – 29 Oct. 1819, again as Senior Lieutenant, to the Phaeton 46, Capt. Aug. Wm. Montagu, on the Halifax station, which ship was placed out of commission 23 Sept. 1822 – and, 17 Dec. 1825, in the same capacity, to the Prince Regent 120, flag-ship at the Nore of Sir Robt. Moorsom. He was superseded in 1827; subsequently commanded, from 30 Aug. 1830, to April, 1833, the Confiance steam-vessel 2, on the Falmouth station; and, on 18 Jan. 1845, was placed on the list of Retired Commanders.
BENDYSHE. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 11; h-p., 31.)
John Bendyshe, born 10 April, 1791, is son and successor of the late Rich. Bendyshe, Esq., of Barrington, co. Cambridge, by Jane, daughter of John Jervis, Esq., of Darlaston, co. Stafford. One of his brothers, Richard, died an officer in the 1st Foot Guards; and the other, Robert, a Lieutenant, R.N., was lost in the Blenheim, with Sir Thos. Troubridge, in 1807. The family is directly traceable to the twelfth century, at which period it became possessed of a considerable lordship in Radwinter.
This officer entered the Navy, 8 Jan. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Queen 98, Capt. Manley Dixon, flag-ship subsequently of Sir John Knight in the Channel, and of Lord Collingwood in the Mediterranean. He removed, as Midshipman, in April, 1806, to the Seahorse 38, Capt. John Stewart, on the latter station, where, and again in the Channel, as also at Newfoundland, he next served, with Sir John Duckworth and Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn, in the Royal George 100, San Josef 110, Hibernia 110, Armide 38, and Antelope 50. After suffering shipwreck in the Avenger 16, Capt. Urry Johnson (to a Lieutenancy in which vessel he had been promoted on 11 Nov. 1811), Mr. Bendyshe successively joined – 24 Oct. 1812, the Hazard sloop, Capt. John Cookesley, also on the Newfoundland station – 22 Aug. 1814, as Senior, the Belle Poule troop-ship, Capt. Fras. Baker, under whom he attended the expedition to New Orleans – and, 15 Dec. 1818 (after an interval of three years), in a similar capacity, the Wye 26, Capt. Geo. Wickens Willes, on the Leith station. He was superseded from the latter vessel, at his own request, 29 Nov. 1819, and has not since been employed. Lieut. Bendyshe is a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for the co. of Cambridge, for which he has also served as High-Sheriff.
He married, first, 10 May, 1820, Catherine, eldest daughter of Geo. Matcham, Esq., of Ashford Lodge, co. Sussex, by Catherine, sister of the immortal Nelson, by whom, who died in 1831, he had issue four sons and four daughters; and secondly, 21 Oct. 1833, Anna Maria, third daughter of Sir Chas. Watson, Bart., of Wratting Park, co. Cambridge. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
BENETT. (Commander, 1814. f-p., 10; h-p., 36.)
Charles Cowper Benett, a lineal descendant of John Benett, Sheriff of Wilts in 51 Henry III., is great-grandson of his Grace Dr. Wm. Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury; and eldest son of the Rev. John Benett, LL.D., Rector of Donhead St. Andrew, co. Wilts, and of Ower Moigne, co. Dorset, by Frances, sister of Sir Thos. Turton, Bart. Mr. Wm. Wake Benett, a brother of Commander Benett, also in the R.N., was killed in action.
This officer entered the Navy, in Oct. 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Pelican sloop, Capt. Geo. M‘Kinley, whom he accompanied, 20 Dec. 1801, as Midshipman, into the Abergavenny 54, and next into the Ganges 74, on the Jamaica station, where he continued to serve, until the autumn of 1806, in the Hercule 74, Capt. Solomon Ferris, Cumberland 74, Capt. Fred. Cottrill, and Theseus 74, and Surveillante frigate, both commanded by Capt. John Bligh. Under that officer, at the commencement of 1804, he assisted in the attack on the island of Curaçoa, and in the course of some very successful cruizing participated in the capture of several privateers and, we believe, of 40 sail of merchantmen, besides witnessing the reduction of the Spanish island of St. Andreas. After an attachment of some weeks to the Magnificent 74, Capt. Geo. Eyre, lying at Deptford, Mr. Benett served for 17 months with Sir Sam. Hood in the Centaur 74, and attended during that period the expedition to Copenhagen under Lord Gambier. Acquiring the rank of Lieutenant, 11 April, 1808, he further joined – 3 June, 1808, the Vanguard 74, Capt. Thos. Baker, with whom he served in the Baltic until Aug. 1809 – and, 9 July and 19 Oct. 1812, the Cornwall 74, Capt. John Broughton, and Impregnable 98, flag-ship of Admiral Wm. Young, both on the Mediterranean station. Since his promotion to his present rank, which took place 15 June, 1814, Commander Benett has been on half-pay.
He married, in 1810, Sarah, daughter of Wm. Burlton, Esq., of Donhead St. Andrew. His eldest son, Wm. Morgan, married, 17 April, 1843, Barbara Sarah, youngest daughter of the late Commander Waring, R.N.
BENN. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 31.)
Thomas Benn entered the Navy, 29 March, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Defiance 74, Capt. Philip Chas. Durham, and on 22 July following was present in Sir Robt. Calder’s action with the combined squadrons of France and Spain. He shortly afterwards removed into the Kent 74, Capt. Henry Garrett, and in April, 1806, became Midshipman
