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74

BENTHALL—BENTHAM—BERESFORD—BERINGTON.

sey – 18 Sept. following, to the Bann 20, Capt. Wm. Fisher, employed on the Coast of Africa, where he participated, 5 and 16 March, 1816, in the capture of the slavers Temerario and San Antonio with 505 slaves on board – and, on 28 Aug. in the latter year, to the Cherub 20, commanded also by Capt. Fisher, on the same station, whence he returned home and was paid off in Dec. 1818. Since 15 April, 1831, except from 20 June, 1836, to 18 June, 1839, when he held command of the Lively revenue-cutter, Lieut. Benson has been employed in the Coast Guard. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.



BENTHALL. (Lieutenant, 1845.)

Octavius Benthall died 21 April, 1846. He was drowned while attempting to cross the bar of Hokianga Bay, New Zealand, in the pinnace of H.M.S. Osprey.

This officer passed his examination 8 Sept. 1837; and served for some time as Mate, on the Mediterranean, Home, and Fast India stations, in the Magicienne 24, Capts. Fred. Thos. Michell and Rich. Laird Warren, Albion 90, Capt. Nicholas Lockyer, and Osprey 12, Capt. Fred. Patten. He obtained his commission 1 Sept. 1845; then became Additional Lieutenant of the Agincourt 72, bearing the flag of Sir Thos. John Cochrane; and ultimately perished, as above.



BENTHAM, K.St.M. and L. (Captain, 1816. f-p., 16; h-p., 36.)

George Bentham, born in June, 1787, is son of Lieut.-Gen. Wm. Bentham, R.A.

This officer entered the Navy, in 1795, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Pluto sloop, and, after an attachment of some months, in 1798, to the Alkmaar, Capt. Burden, became Midshipman, in 1799, of the Ruey 64, Capt. Hon. Alan Hyde Gardner, with whom, and Hon. Fras. Farington Gardner, he continued to serve, in the same ship, and in the Resolution 74, Galykheid 64, and Hero 74, until June, 1807. While in the latter ship, of which he was created a Lieutentant 24 Dec. 1805, Mr. Bentham officiated as Aide-de-Camp to his Captain in Sir Robt. Calder’s and Sir Rich. Strachan’s actions. On his return from a voyage to the West Indies, in June, 1807, he was appointed to the Téméraire 98, commanded in the Channel by Capt. Sir Chas. Hamilton, but in June, 1810, rejoined his patron, then Lord Gardner, as his Flag-Lieutenant, in the Bellerophon 74. On 19 June, 1809, we find his volunteered assistance materially contributing to the successful issue of an attempt made to storm a battery of four long 24-pounders and 103 men, on the coast of Finland – an exploit which received the due acknowledgments of the Admiralty.[1] While afterwards serving with Lord Gardner in the Roebuck 50, he was appointed by that nobleman to the command, 7 Oct. 1810, of the Briseis, of 10 guns and 75 men. For his gallantry on 14 of the same month, in capturing, after a chase of eight hours, and a desperate conflict of one, in which the enemy had 8 killed and 19 wounded, and the British 4 killed and 11 badly wounded, the French privateer Sans Souci of 14 guns and 55 men, Capt. Bentham’s promotion was confirmed by commission dated back to the day of the action.[2] His subsequent appointments were – 14 Dec. 1812, to the Urgent 12, on the Home station – 8 Oct. 1813, to the Carnation 18, in the West Indies, where his exertions in saving the Dockyard at Port Royal from destruction by fire obtained for him the strongest recommendations – 29 Nov. 1815, as Acting-Captain, to the North Star 28, on the same station – and 6 July, 1816, to the Heron 18. In consideration of his services in the latter vessel at the battle of Algiers, on which occasion he was stationed within a few yards of the Queen Charlotte, and was the Senior Commander present, Capt. Bentham was rewarded by advancement to Post-rank, 16 Sept. 1816.[3] He accepted the retirement 1 Oct. 1846.

As an acknowledgment for his having conveyed to Genoa, while in the Heron, the treasure reclaimed by the King of Sardinia from the Dey, Capt. Bentham was invested by that Sovereign with the Second Class of the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazare. He married, 7 June, 1827, Emma Pellew, daughter of the Rev. John Parker, and niece of Admiral Lord Exmouth. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.



BERESFORD. (Lieut., 1842. f-p., 15; h-p., 3.)

Henry Barré Beresford, born 5 July, 1816, is second son of the late Henry Barré Beresford, Esq., by Eliza, youngest daughter of John Baily, Esq., of the city of Bristol; next brother of the present John Barré Beresford, Esq., of Learmount, co. Londonderry; and grandnephew of the late, and cousin of the present, Marquis of Waterford.

This officer entered the Navy, in Aug. 1829, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Actaeon 26, Capt. Hon. Fred. Wm. Grey, in the Mediterranean; became Midshipman, in May, 1835, of the Sapphire 26, Capt. Rich. Freeman Rowley, on the same station; passed his examination 28 Dec. 1835; was soon afterwards appointed Mate of the Imogene 28, Capt. Henry Wm. Bruce, in South America; received the Turkish Medal for his services on the coast of Syria, while belonging to the Vanguard 80, Capt. Sir David Dunn, in 1840; and after officiating for some time as Senior Mate of the Formidable 84, Capt. Sir Chas. Sullivan, was advanced to the rank he now holds 6 Jime, 1842. Lieut. Beresford, whose next appointment was, 18 Oct. in the same year, to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings, has been employed, since 19 July, 1845, in the Calliope 26, Capt. Edw. Stanley, on the East India station.



BERINGTON. (Lieutenant, 1846.)

Rowland Berington passed his examination 22 Aug. 1843; and served as Mate on board the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capts. Sir Thos. Hastings and Henry Ducie Chads, and St. Vincent 120, bearing the broad pendant in the Channel of Sir Fras. Augustus Collier. His commission bears date 9 Nov. 1846. He is now serving in the Belleisle troopship, Capt. John Kingcome.



BERINGTON. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 9; h-p., 35.)

Samuel Berington was born 7 April, 1779. This officer entered the Navy, 25 Nov. 1803, as Midshipman, on board the Foudroyant 80, Capt. Peter Spicer, hearing the fliag in the Channel of Sir Thos. Graves. In March, 1805, he removed to the Growler gun-brig, Lieut.-Commanders James Rose, T. Nesbitt, and Rich. Grossman, employed for upwards of two years on the coast of France, where he was constantly engaged in the boats, and on one occasion received a gun-shot wound in the shoulder, which procured Mm a gratuity from the Patriotic Fund, but never any compensation from Government. He next, from Nov. 1807, until Jan. 1810, served, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the President 38, Capts. Adam MacKenzie and Chas. Marsh Schomberg, in South America; then rejoined for a short period, in the latter capacity, the Foudroyant, bearing the flag, on the same station, of Hon. Michael De Courcy; was appointed, 24 March following, Sub-Lieutenant of the Nancy 10, Lieut.-Commander Kelwick; and in June, 1811, invalided home on board the Tortoise store-ship, Master-Commander Thos. Cook. He joined, in Dec. 1814, the Namur 74, bearing the flag of Sir Chas. Rowley at Sheerness; and attained his present rank 23 Feb. 1815. Since 4 of the ensuing July, when he was placed on half-pay, he has not been employed.

Lieut. Berington married a daughter of M. T. Butcher, Esq., of the Victualling Office, Deptford, and sister of Sam. Jas. Butcher, Esq., Paymaster and Purser, R.N. (1809), now serving on board the Birkenhead steam-frigate, Capt. Aug. H. Ingram. Agent – W. H. B. Barwis.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1101.
  2. Vide Gaz. 1816, p. 1792.
  3. Vide Gaz. 1810, p. 1637.