In June 1818, he returned to England, for the purpose of passing his examination; and in Oct. following, we find him on board the Iphigenia 42, Captain Hyde Parker, destined to Jamaica, where he was appointed an acting lieutenant of that ship, by Sir Home Popham, Mar. 11th, 1819. His commission appears to have been confirmed at home, on the 3d July, in the same year.
Mr. Vassall’s next appointment was, July 5th, 1820, to the Blossom 20, in which ship he served, under Captains Frederick E. V. Vernon (now Harcourt) and Archibald M‘Lean, on the St. Helena and South American stations, until July 1823, when he was obliged to return home, for the recovery of his health, which had been much impaired by two attacks of yellow fever. In July 1824, he joined the Prince Regent 120, flag-ship of Sir Robert Moorsom, in the river Medway; in July 1825, the Ranger 28, Captain Lord Henry Thynne, fitting out for the South American station; and in April 1827, the Ganges 84, bearing the flag of Sir Robert Waller Otway, by whom he was promoted to the command of the Eclair sloop, in the month of July following. His advancement to the rank of commander had then already taken place, by commission dated April 30th, 1827. After paying off the Eclair, in Sept. 1827, he remained on half-pay till Nov. 24th, 1831, when he was appointed to the Harrier, a new 18-gun corvette, of very superior construction, in which vessel he is at present serving on the East India station.
Commander Vassall’s only brother is a captain in H.M. 78th regiment, the Highland, or Rossshire, Buffs. His eldest sister, wife of the Rev. E. P. Henslowe, chaplain in the royal artillery, died at Tunbridge Wells, in Aug 1834; his youngest sister is married to the Hon. T. Le Marchant Saumarez, son of Admiral Lord De Saumarez, G.C.B.
