was stationed off Rochefort, he had sole charge of the signal department, and acquitted himself of his duties in a manner that called forth the commendation of Vice-Admiral Collingwood. On 17 May, 1805, being then at Gibraltar, he followed Rear-Admiral John Knight (whose flag had been latterly flying on board the Queen), as Acting-Lieutenant, into the Guerrier 80, to which ship he was confirmed 17 July following. His succeeding appointments were – 19 Aug. 1805, again to the Queen, successive flag-ship in the Mediterranean of Admirals Knight and Lord Collingwood, under the former of whom he offciated as Flag-Lieutenant – 14 Aug. 1806, to the Beagle sloop, Capt. Fras. Newcombe, stationed at first in the Mediterranean, and afterwards in the Channel – and, 29 May, 1809, as First, to the Persian 18, Capts. Sam. Martin Colquitt and Chas. Bertram. He was on board the Queen when she fired a few shot into the Algeciras 74, the last of the French ships, defeated at Trafalgar, that made her escape into Cadiz, where he afterwards, on his removal to the Beagle, assisted in the boats, although at the time on crutches from the effects of a severe injury on the instep of the left foot, in compelling the enemy to abandon an English merchant-ship laden with naval stores and on shore. While cruizing in the same vessel in the Channel Mr. Price contributed to the capture, 2 Oct. 1808 and 24 Jan. and 18 Feb. 1809, of the privateers Hazard of 14 guns and 49 men, Vengeur of 16 guns and 48 men, and Fortune of 14 guns and 58 men. He frequently, also, landed between Boulogne and Cape Gris-nez for the purpose of distributing inflammatory proclamations; and in April, 1809, he took part in Lord Cochrane’s celebrated attack upon the French shipping in Aix Roads. At the close of the contest, the Ville de Varsovie 80 and Calcutta 56 having been taken possession of, the Beagle ran in under the stern of the Aquilon 74, and obliged her too to surrender. Mr. Price, by Capt. Newcombe’s direction, took possession, and conveyed her Captain a prisoner on board L’Impérieuse, Lord Cochrane’s ship. This took place on the 12th; and on the 18th the Beagle was for five hours in action, at the mouth of the Charente, and under a fire of shells from Ile d’Aix, with L’Ocean 120, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Willaumez, a two-decker, and a frigate, at the close whereof she had only three barrels of powder left, besides the cartridges which were filled. In the Persian Mr. Price proved instrumental to the capture of two luggers and a cutter; he was in attendance in her on the Princess Charlotte during the summer months of 1810 and 1811; and when Cadiz was first attacked by the French he assisted in conveying reinforcements from Gibraltar to that place. In the summer of 1812 we find him employed in occasionally blockading a Danish squadron in the ports of Norway, and on one occasion storming a signal-station on the coast of Jutland. Prior to her departure from the Baltic the Persian succeeded in intercepting two vessels bound to America with munitions of war. She was ultimately wrecked on the Silver Keys to the northward of St. Domingo 16 June, 1813 – a catastrophe in reference to which Capt. Bertram afterwards, in a letter addressed to Lord Melville, thus expressed himself:– “I take the liberty of addressing your Lordship in behalf of Lieut. J. H. Price, a most meritorious officer. He served with me three years, and I always found him to be a most correct, zealous officer, a perfect gentleman, and always first to step forward whenever His Majesty’s service was in question. The unfortunate wreck of the Persian must be in your Lordship’s recollection, when 125 men in the boats for three nights and days suffered the greatest hardships and privations. Lieut. Price was on a raft with part of the crew, and to him, my Lord, I must justly attribute the preservation of that part of the crew to His Majesty’s service, by his exemplary conduct and coolness in preventing the men from becoming outrageous through despair, the night being dark and tempestuous, and the raft amid breakers. I hope, my Lord, in consideration of Lieut. Price’s long and meritorious services on many occasions, and in consideration of the severe loss he sustained by the wreck of the Persian (having lost every individual thing he had), your Lordship will be induced to consider him worthy of being a candidate, whenever a promotion takes place.” On the fourth day the crew all assembled under Old Cape, whence they proceeded westward to Porto Plata, and there landed. No vessels being found in the harbour capable of receiving them, Mr. Price was sent in a small boat with a Midshipman and two Spaniards to endeavour to remedy the want at Turk’s Island. Owing to stress of weather he was driven to leeward and wrecked on the Caicos Islands, and it was not until the tenth day that he was enabled to return with two vessels to Porto Plata. In one of these, as did Capt. Bertram in the other, he proceeded with one-half of the crew to St. Thomas’s. By the time they had arrived the Surgeon and Gunner, together with a Midshipman and 36 of the people, had fallen victims to the yellow-fever, and the remainder had been dreadfully affected by it. Lieut. Price accepted his present rank 17 Jan. 1838.
In compliment to his services the Commander has been presented with the freedom of the city of Hereford.
PRICE. (Lieutenant, 1836.)
John Price, born 5 April, 1802, is son of Joseph Price, Esq., a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for co. Monmouth.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 Jan. 1815, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Cornwallis 74, Capt. John Bayley, bearing the flag of Sir Geo. Burlton in the East Indies, where he continued employed with the same officer in the Wellesley 74, with Capt. John Clavell in the Orlando 36, and with Capt. Fras. Augustus Collier in the Liverpool 50, and Ganges 84. In the Liverpool, in 1819, he accompanied an expedition sent against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, and assisted at the bombardment and destruction of Ras-el-Khyma, their principal stronghold. After a servitude of four years in the Mediterranean on board the Tribune 42, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, and Weazle 10 and Medina 20, both commanded by Capt. Timothy Curtis, he was promoted, 25 Nov. 1826, to the rank of Lieutenant. His subsequent appointments were to the Parthian 10, Capt. Hon. Geo. Fred. Hotham, also in the Mediterranean, whence he invalided in Feb. 1828 – 9 June, 1830, to the Wolf 18, Capt. Wm. Hamley, fitting for the East Indies – and 8 May, 1837, and 22 June, 1838, to the Scout 18 and Parthian 18, Capts. Robt. Craigie and Wm. Langford Castle, both on the coast of Africa. In 1832 he commanded the boats of the Wolf at the capture of the fort of Quedah, on the coast of Malacca. On 4 April in the same year he was dismissed the Navy by sentence of court-martial; but on 27 May, 1836, he was restored by Order in Council. In the boats of the Scout he made prize of three vessels, carrying between them 1346 slaves; and in those of the Pylades he took one with 235 negroes on board. For the gallant conduct he displayed Mr. Price had the satisfaction of receiving a letter of thanks from Rear-Admiral Patrick Campbell, the Commander-in-Chief, and another from the Secretary of the Admiralty. He has been on half-pay since the commencement of 1839.
PRICE. (Lieutenant, 1842.)
John Adolphus Pope Price entered the Navy 24 Dec. 1830; passed his examination 6 May, 1835; and at the period of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 18 Oct. 1842, had been serving as Mate in the Mediterranean on board the Thunderer 84, Capt. Daniel Pring. His next appointment was, 13 March, 1843, to the Hecla steam-sloop of 240 horse-power, Capts. John Duffill and Chas. Starmer, under whom he was again employed in the Mediterranean until nominated, 1 July, 1847, Flag-Lieutenant in the Ceylon to Sir Lucius Curtis, Admiral-Superintendent at Malta.
