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95-602: Admiral George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney , KB ( bap. 13 February 1718 – 24 May 1792), was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence , particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782. It is often claimed that he was the commander to have pioneered the tactic of breaking the line . Rodney came from

190-499: A dowry for his daughter to marry the Earl of Oxford and noted he would have enough to pay off the young prospective bridegroom's debts. Other Royal Navy officers scathingly criticised Rodney for his actions. In particular, Viscount Samuel Hood suggested that Rodney should have sailed to intercept a French fleet under Rear Admiral Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse , travelling to Martinique. The French fleet instead turned north and headed for

285-512: A French merchant convoy heading for the Bay of Biscay . In total around 48 merchantmen were taken by the squadron, although Rodney ignored an order of Fox by pursuing several ships which had broken away from the rest in an attempt to escape managing to capture six of them. Afterwards Eagle rejoined the Western Squadron now under the command of Edward Hawke . On 14 October 1747 the ship took part in

380-533: A Spanish convoy of 22 vessels off Cape Finisterre on 8 January 1780. Eight days later at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent he defeated the Spanish Admiral Don Juan de Lángara , taking or destroying seven ships. He then brought some relief to Gibraltar by delivering reinforcements and supplies. On 17 April he fought an action off Martinique with the French Admiral Guichen which, owing to

475-501: A broad band with three narrower bands. In 2001 the number of stars on the shoulder board was increased to four, reflecting the equivalence to the OF-9 four-star ranks of other countries. Prior to 1864 the Royal Navy was divided into coloured squadrons which determined his career path. The command flags flown by an Admiral changed a number of times during this period, there was no Admiral of

570-549: A combination of weather and improved French defences he was unable to get his bomb-vessels into position, and the Admiralty accepted his judgement that a further attack was impossible. The invasion was ultimately cancelled because of French naval defeats at the Battle of Lagos and Battle of Quiberon Bay . From 1759 and 1761 Rodney concentrated on his blockade of the French coast, particularly around Le Havre. In July 1760, with another small squadron, he succeeded in taking many more of

665-565: A distinguished but poor background, and went to sea at the age of fourteen. His first major action was the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1747. He made a large amount of prize money during the 1740s, allowing him to purchase a large country estate and a seat in the House of Commons of Great Britain . During the Seven Years' War , Rodney was involved in a number of amphibious operations such as

760-504: A junior officer on board Sunderland . After serving aboard Sunderland , Rodney switched to Dreadnought where he served from 1734 to 1737 under Captain Henry Medley who acted as a mentor to him. Around this time he spent eighteen months stationed in Lisbon , a city he would later return to several times. He then changed ships several times, taking part in the navy's annual trip to protect

855-513: A large number of existing taverns renamed themselves "The Admiral Rodney" in admiration of the victory. Admiral Rodney's Pillar was constructed on the peak of Breidden Hill to commemorate his victories. Admiral (Royal Navy) Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy , which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9 , outranked only by the rank of admiral of the fleet . Royal Navy officers holding

950-477: A minor role in the taking of Louisburg , which laid the way open for a British campaign up the St Lawrence River the following year, and the fall of Quebec . In August 1758 Rodney sailed for home in charge of six warships and ten transports carrying the captured garrison of Louisbourg who were being taken to Britain as prisoners of war . On 19 May 1759 he became a rear admiral , and shortly afterwards he

1045-442: A naval officer, chiefly on account of the fishery interests. He was given command of Rainbow and had two smaller ships under his overall command. It was extremely difficult for naval officers to secure commands in peacetime, and Rodney's appointment suggests that he was well regarded by his superiors. Rodney's role as Governor was rather limited. Each summer a large British fishing fleet sailed for Newfoundland, where it took part in

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1140-762: A reputed $ 31,000 on the entire project. Bacon sourced the finest marble from Italy to create the Neo-classical sculpture of the Admiral, dressed in a Roman robe and breastplate. On its completion, the statue was fronted with cannons taken from the French flagship, Ville de Paris , in the battle. The truly huge monument, known as the Rodney Temple stands in Spanish Town, Jamaica , next to the Governor's House. In late 1782 and early 1783

1235-504: A secret with it being implied that Rodney's actual destination was Gibraltar . This soon became impossible to maintain as Rodney tried to acquire pilots who knew the Normandy coast. Rodney received his final orders on 26 June, and by 4 July he was off Le Havre. His force included six bomb-vessels which could fire at a very high trajectory. In what become known as the Raid on Le Havre , he bombarded

1330-473: A series of costly lawsuits for the rest of his life. Still, the wealth Rodney acquired on St. Eustatius exceeded his expectations. Rodney wrote to his family with promises of a new London home; to his daughter "the best harpsichord money can purchase". He confidently wrote of a marriage settlement for one of his sons and a soon-to-be purchased commission in the Foot Guards for another son. Rodney also wrote of

1425-576: Is general ; and in the Royal Air Force , it is air chief marshal . The title admiral was not used in Europe until the mid-13th century and did not reach England before the end of that century. Similarly, although some royal vessels are attested under King John , the English long depended upon levies of their subjects' vessels for any major naval expeditions. Nonetheless, historians have sometimes extended

1520-427: Is both blamed and defended for the subsequent disaster at Yorktown. His orders as naval commander in chief in the eastern Caribbean were not only to watch de Grasse but also to protect the valuable sugar trade. Rodney had received intelligence earlier that de Grasse would send part of his fleet before the start of the hurricane season to relieve the French squadron at Newport and to co-operate with Washington, returning in

1615-549: The British expedition to Cuba bringing the total number of ships of the line to 15 by the end of April 1762. However he was later criticised for moving his ships to protect Jamaica from attack by a large Franco-Spanish force that had gathered in the area, rather than waiting to support the expedition as he had been ordered. Following the Treaty of Paris in 1763, Admiral Rodney returned home having been during his absence made Vice-Admiral of

1710-621: The Chesapeake Bay of Virginia and Maryland . Rodney's delay at St. Eustatius was not the first time he had taken the opportunity to capture prizes over the immediate and expeditious fulfillment of his military duties. During the Seven Years' War Rodney had been ordered to Barbados to link up with Admiral Sir George Pocock and the Earl of Albemarle for an attack on Cuba. Instead, Rodney sent valuable ships off in search of prizes. In 1762, Rodney, after

1805-696: The Jamaica Station in 1771, he lost his Greenwich post, but a few months later received the office of Rear-Admiral of Great Britain . Until 1774, he held the Jamaica command, and during a period of quiet, was active in improving the naval yards on his station. Sir George struck his flag with a feeling of disappointment at not obtaining the governorship of Jamaica, and was shortly after forced to settle in Paris. Election expenses and losses at play in fashionable circles had shattered his fortune, and he could not secure payment of

1900-465: The Leeward Islands Station . Within the first three months of 1762, Monckton and he had reduced the important island of Martinique , while both Saint Lucia and Grenada had surrendered to his squadron. During the siege of Fort Royal (later Fort de France) his seamen and marines rendered splendid service on shore. Afterwards Rodney's squadron, amounting to eight ships of the line joined

1995-511: The Ohio Country . Despite this fighting formal war wasn't declared in Europe until 1756 and opened with a French attack on Minorca , the loss of which was blamed on Admiral John Byng who was court-martialled and executed. He was shot on the quarterdeck of Monarch , which until recently had been commanded by Rodney. Rodney excused himself from serving on the court martial by pleading illness. While Rodney disapproved of Byng's conduct, he thought

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2090-525: The Second Battle of Cape Finisterre , a victory off Ushant over the French fleet. The French were trying to escort an outgoing convoy from France to the West Indies and had eight large ships-of-the-line while the British had fourteen smaller ships. Rodney was at the rear of the British line, and Eagle was one of the last British ships to come into action engaging the French shortly after noon. Initially Eagle

2185-642: The Thames to Scotland. This was part of an effort by Edward   I to establish a permanent official staff, even if a permanent naval force was not yet considered necessary. Leybourne's immediate purview was subsequently divided into the roles of Admiral of the West and Admiral of the South while Botetourt's became the Admiral of the North ; the first and last merged as the Admiral of

2280-808: The Western Approaches , where on 24 May he took his first prize a 16-gun Spanish privateer , Eagle was sent to join the Western Squadron . The Western Squadron was a new strategy by Britain's naval planners to operate a more effective blockade system of France by stationing the Home Fleet in the Western Approaches, where they could guard both the English Channel and the French Atlantic coast. Eagle continued to take prizes while stationed with

2375-501: The 18th century, the original nine ranks began to be filled by more than one man per rank, although the rank of admiral of the red was always filled by only one man and was known as Admiral of the Fleet . After the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the rank of admiral of the red was introduced. The number of officers holding each rank steadily increased throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1769 there were 29 admirals of various grades; by

2470-522: The Admiralty on 19 May failed to catch the Jupiter so Rodney's fate was sealed. Rodney quietly quit his quarters on the Formidable and returned to England in more modest quarters on HMS  Montagu . Rodney was unquestionably a most able officer, but he was also vain, selfish and unscrupulous, both in seeking prize money, and in using his position to push the fortunes of his family, although such nepotism

2565-737: The Admiralty, in 1751. After his third and final trip to Newfoundland in the summer of 1751, Rodney sailed home via Spain and Portugal, escorting some merchantmen. Once home he fell ill, and was then unemployed for around ten months. During this time he oversaw the development of an estate at Old Alresford in Hampshire, which he had bought with the proceeds of his prize money. In 1753 he married his first wife, Jane Compton (1730–1757), sister of Charles Compton, 7th Earl of Northampton . He had initially been undecided whether to marry Jane or her younger sister Kitty whom he had met in Lisbon during his various visits to

2660-613: The Austrian Succession had broken out by this point, and in August 1742, Rodney had his first taste of action when he was ordered by Matthews to take a smaller vessel and launch a raid on Ventimiglia , where the Spanish army had stockpiled supplies and stores ready for a planned invasion of Britain's ally the Republic of Genoa , which he successfully accomplished. Shortly after this, he attained

2755-490: The Blue and having received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament. In the peace terms Martinique was returned to France. In 1764, Rodney was created a baronet , and the same year he married Henrietta, daughter of John Clies of Lisbon . From 1765 to 1770, he was governor of Greenwich Hospital , and on the dissolution of parliament in 1768 he successfully contested Northampton at a ruinous cost. When appointed Commander-in-Chief of

2850-644: The British fishing fleet off Newfoundland in 1738. He rose swiftly through the ranks of the navy helped by a combination of his own talents and the patronage of the Duke of Chandos . While serving on the Mediterranean station he was made lieutenant in Dolphin , his promotion dating 15 February 1739. He then served on Namur , the flagship of the Commander-in-Chief Sir Thomas Mathews . The War of

2945-415: The Fleet rather than Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey , who as senior active admiral nearing the age limit would customarily have received the promotion; John Baird became an Admiral; James Erskine a vice-admiral; and Harry Rawson a rear-admiral. Ironically, all these younger men would die at least a decade before de Horsey. In the time before squadron distinctions were removed or age limits instituted,

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3040-681: The House of Commons had voted him a pension of £2000 a year. From this time he led a quiet country life until his death in London. He was succeeded as 2nd Baron by his son, George (1753–1802). In 1782 Rodney was presented with the Freedom of the City of Cork , Ireland. The National Maritime Museum , Greenwich , London, holds the gold presentation box that the City of Cork gave him on 16 September 1782. Rodney died in 1792, and

3135-553: The North and West in 1364; and from 1408–1414 they were all reunited as the High Admiral of England, Ireland, and Aquitaine , the forerunner to the present Lord High Admiral . (During this process, the short-lived post of Admiral of the Narrow Seas was used in 1412 and 1413. It was subsequently revived from 1523 to 1688.) The first royal commission as Admiral to a naval officer was granted in 1303 to Gervase Alard . By 1344, it

3230-715: The Red rank until that post was introduced in 1805 prior to this the highest rank an admiral could attain to was Admiral of the White who then flew the Cross of St George . The next promotion step up from that was to Admiral of the Fleet. [REDACTED] Media related to Admirals of the United Kingdom at Wikimedia Commons Royal Yacht Some royal yachts have been small vessels only used for short trips on rivers or in calm waters, but others have been large seaworthy ships. Depending on how

3325-582: The Squadron being involved directly, or indirectly, in the capture of sixteen enemy ships. After taking one of the captured prizes to Kinsale in Ireland, Eagle was not present at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre when the Western Squadron commanded by Lord Anson won a significant victory over the French. While returning from Ireland, Eagle fell in with a small squadron under Commodore Thomas Fox which sighted

3420-580: The Tudor period with Henry VIII using a vessel in 1520 that was depicted as having cloth of gold sails. James I had Disdain , a ship in miniature (she was later recorded as being able to carry about 30 tons), built for his son Prince Henry. Disdain was significant in that she allowed for pleasure cruising and as a result can be seen as an early move away from royal ships as warships. The first ships to unquestionably qualify as royal yachts were those owned by Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland . The first

3515-594: The United Arab Emirates . Completed in 2006, she is the third largest yacht currently in service at 524 feet (160 m) long. She came to world media attention when she sailed out to welcome the retired ocean liner , Queen Elizabeth 2 to Dubai in November 2008. Another personal yacht of the Sheikh is the 40-metre (130 ft) Alloya , built by Sanlorenzo in 2013. The United Kingdom has had 83 royal yachts since

3610-468: The arrears due to him on his return. The story that he was offered a French command is fiction. In London, he suggested to Lord George Germain that George Washington could "certainly be bought – honours will do it". Rodney was appointed once more commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands Station late in 1779. His orders were to relieve Gibraltar on his way to the West Indies. He captured

3705-467: The attack on Martinique were to be a combination of troops from various locations including some sent out from Europe and reinforcements from New York City, who were available following the Conquest of Canada which had been completed in 1760. During 1761 Martinique was blockaded by Sir James Douglas to prevent reinforcements or supplies from reaching it. In 1762 he was formally appointed commander-in-chief of

3800-662: The birth of the United States of America . On his return to Britain, Rodney was made a peer and was awarded an annual pension of £2,000. He lived in retirement until his death in 1792. George Brydges Rodney was born either in Walton-on-Thames or in London, though the family seat was Rodney Stoke , Somerset. He was most likely born sometime in January 1718. He was baptised in St Giles-in-the-Fields on 13 February 1718. He

3895-751: The carelessness of some of Rodney's captains, was indecisive. Following the outbreak of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War between Britain and the Dutch Republic Rodney, acting under orders from London, captured the valuable Dutch island of St Eustatius on 3 February 1781. Rodney had already identified several individuals on the island who were aiding the Americans, such as "... Mr Smith at the House of Jones – they (the Jews of St. Eustatius, Caribbean Antilles) cannot be too soon taken care of – they are notorious in

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3990-403: The cause of America and France..." The island was also home to a Jewish community who were mainly merchants with significant international trading and maritime commercial ties. The Jews were estimated to have been at least 10% of the permanent population of St. Eustatius. Rodney immediately arrested and imprisoned 101 Jews in the warehouses of the lower city. He summarily deported 31 adult Jews to

4085-466: The city, where their father Charles Compton was consul. The marriage proved happy, and they had three children together before she died in January 1757. From 1753 Rodney commanded a series of Portsmouth guard ships without actually having to go to sea before the onset of the Seven Years' War . The first fighting broke out in North America in 1754, with competing British and French forces clashing in

4180-568: The close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1816 there were 190 admirals in service. Thereafter the number of admirals was reduced and in 1853 there were 79 admirals. Although admirals were promoted according to strict seniority, appointments to command were made at the discretion of the Board of Admiralty . As there were invariably more admirals in service than there were postings, many admirals remained unemployed, especially in peacetime. The organisation of

4275-414: The combined fleets of Hood and Graves were unable to relieve the British army of Charles Cornwallis , who was then establishing a base on the York River. This left Cornwallis no option but to surrender, resulting a year later in British recognition of American Independence. Although Rodney's actions at St. Eustatius and afterwards contributed to the British naval inferiority in the Battle of the Chesapeake ,

4370-410: The concept of yellow admirals (formally known as granting an officer the position of "Rear-Admiral without distinction of squadron"), being captains promoted to flag rank on the understanding that they would immediately retire on half-pay . This was the navy's first attempt at superannuating older officers. During the Interregnum , the rank of admiral was replaced by that of general at sea . In

4465-451: The concept of an English navy and its supposed admirals and lord high admirals back as far as Alfred the Great , counting several kings as themselves admirals, along with various dukes and earls who commanded fleets at prominent engagements such as Hubert de Burgh off Sandwich in 1217 . Other lists begin their count at King Henry   III 's appointment of Sir Richard de Lucy on 28 August 1223 or 29 August 1224. A similar commission

4560-408: The controversial 1781 capture of Sint Eustatius . Later that year he briefly returned home suffering from ill health. During his absence the British lost the crucial Battle of the Chesapeake leading to the surrender at Yorktown . To some, Rodney was a controversial figure, accused of an obsession with prize money. This was brought to a head in the wake of his taking of Saint Eustatius, for which he

4655-448: The death of James Hawkins-Whitshed resulted in ten men moving up to higher ranks. In 1996, the rank of admiral of the fleet was put in abeyance in peacetime, except for members of the Royal family but was resurrected on an honorary basis in 2014 for the appointment of Lord Boyce . Admirals of the fleet continue to hold their rank on the active list for life. The current ranks are rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral and admiral of

4750-405: The death sentence excessive and unsuccessfully worked for it to be commuted . Rodney had in 1755 and 1756, taken part in preventive cruises under Hawke and Edward Boscawen . In 1757, he took part in the expedition against Rochefort , commanding the 74-gun ship of the line Dublin . After an initial success, the expedition made no serious attempt on Rochefort and sailed for home. Next year, in

4845-457: The enemy's flat-bottomed boats and in blockading the coast as far as Dieppe . Rodney was elected MP for Penryn in 1761. Lord Anson then selected him to command the naval element of a planned amphibious attack on the lucrative and strategically important French colony of Martinique in the West Indies, promoting him over the heads of a number of more senior officers. A previous British attack on Martinique had failed in 1759. The land forces for

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4940-421: The existence of the German Empire , the Kaiser used these imperial yachts: The Kriegsmarine fleet tender Grille was built as a state yacht for Adolf Hitler . King Hussein of Jordan was aboard his royal yacht (name not reported) in the Gulf of Aqaba when on 7 June 1981 it was overflown by eight low-flying Israeli F-16s en route to attack the Osirak reactor in Iraq during Operation Opera . One of

5035-467: The fall of Martinique, quarreled with the army over prize money. During Rodney's command in Jamaica, 1771–1774, the Earl of Sandwich feared that Rodney might provoke a war with Spain to obtain prize money. Plundering the wealth of St. Eustatius and capturing many prizes over a number of months, Rodney further weakened his fleet by sending two ships-of-the-line to escort his treasure ships to England, though both were in need of major repair. Nevertheless, he

5130-492: The fall to the Caribbean. The other half of de Grasse's fleet, as usual, would escort the French merchantmen back across the Atlantic. Rodney accordingly made his dispositions in the light of this intelligence. Sixteen of his remaining twenty-one battleships would go with Hood to reinforce the squadron at New York under Sir Thomas Graves, while Rodney, who was in ill health, returned to England with three other battleships as merchant escorts, leaving two others in dock for repair. Hood

5225-402: The family was well-connected by marriage. It is sometimes claimed that Henry Rodney had served as commander of the Royal Yacht of George I and it was after him that George was named, but this had been discounted more recently. George was educated at Harrow School , and left as one of the last King's letter boys to join the Royal Navy , having been appointed, by warrant dated 21 June 1732,

5320-462: The fleet his deputy, the vice admiral , would be in the leading portion or van . Below him was another admiral at the rear of the fleet, called rear admiral . Promotion up the ladder was in accordance with seniority in the rank of post-captain , and rank was held for life, so the only way to be promoted was for the person above on the list to die or resign. In 1747 the Admiralty restored an element of merit selection to this process by introducing

5415-413: The fleet into coloured squadrons was finally abandoned in 1864. The Red Ensign was allocated to the Merchant Navy , the White Ensign became the flag of the Royal Navy, and the Blue Ensign was allocated to the naval reserve and naval auxiliary vessels. The 18th- and 19th-century Royal Navy also maintained a positional rank known as port admiral . A port admiral was typically a veteran captain who served as

5510-417: The fleet, also known as flag ranks because admirals, known as flag officers , are entitled to fly a personal flag . An admiral of the fleet flies a Union Flag at the masthead, while an admiral flies a St George's cross (red cross on white). Vice admirals and rear admirals fly a St George's cross with one or two red discs in the hoist, respectively. The rank of admiral itself is shown in its sleeve lace by

5605-426: The following major vessels from Muscat and Muttrah in Oman : The Imperial Ottoman Government used many yachts for its head of state. These include: The Republic of Turkey also has presidential yachts The Portuguese King Charles I used four successive royal yachts, all named Amélia , after his wife, Queen Amélie of Orleans . These yachts were, mainly, used by Charles I for his oceanographic missions. It

5700-473: The island of Saint Kitts . Rodney looted Jewish personal possessions and even tore out the linings of the clothes of his captives in search of hidden valuables; this alone yielded him 8,000 pounds. When Rodney realised that the Jews might be hiding additional treasure, he dug up their local cemetery. Even large quantities of non-military trading goods belonging to British merchants on the island were arbitrarily confiscated. This resulted in Rodney being entangled in

5795-572: The line he defeated the Comte de Grasse , who had thirty-three sail. The French inferiority in numbers was more than counterbalanced by the greater size and superior sailing qualities of their ships, yet four French ships of the line were captured (including the flagship ) as well as one destroyed after eleven hours' fighting. This important battle saved Jamaica and ruined French naval prestige, while it enabled Rodney to write: "Within two little years I have taken two Spanish, one French and one Dutch admirals." A long and wearisome controversy exists as to

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5890-403: The newly built Ludlow Castle which he used to blockade the Scottish coast during the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. Two of Rodney's midshipman aboard Ludlow Castle were Samuel Hood , later to become a distinguished sailor, and Rodney's younger brother James Rodney. In 1746 he obtained command of the 60-gun Eagle . After some time spent blockading French-occupied Ostend and cruising around

5985-411: The official ranks became admiral of the white and so forth, however each admiral's command flags were different and changed over time. The Royal Navy has had vice and rear admirals regularly appointed to the post since at least the 16th century. When in command of the fleet, the admiral would be in either the lead or the middle portion of the fleet. When the admiral commanded from the middle portion of

6080-448: The originator of the manoeuvre of "breaking the line" in this battle, but the merits of the victory have never seriously been affected by any difference of opinion on the question. A shift of wind broke the French line of battle, and the British ships took advantage of this by crossing in two places; many were taken prisoner including the Comte de Grasse. From 29 April to 10 July he sat with his fleet at Port Royal, Jamaica while his fleet

6175-441: The pilots described it as 'stunning white... incredible'. King Haakon VII received the royal yacht Norge as a gift from the people of Norway in 1947. The royal yacht is owned by the king but maintained and crewed by the Royal Norwegian Navy . Before this other naval ships had served as royal sea transport and the king used some smaller boats for short trips mostly on official occasions. The Oman Royal Yacht Squadron operates

6270-547: The pro-war party, who wished to carry on the fight. George III observed to the new Prime Minister Lord Shelburne that he "must see that the great success of Lord Rodney's engagement has so far roused the nation, that the peace which would have been acquiesced in three months ago would now be a matter for complaint". Rodney was preparing to sail to meet the enemy off Cape Haitien when HMS  Jupiter arrived from England, not only relieving him of duty, but also bringing his replacement: Admiral Hugh Pigot . This bizarre exchange

6365-402: The raids on Rochefort and Le Havre and the Siege of Louisbourg . He became well known for his role in the capture of Martinique in 1762. Following the Peace of Paris , Rodney's financial situation stagnated. He spent large sums of money pursuing his political ambitions. By 1774 he had run up large debts and was forced to flee Britain to avoid his creditors. He was in a French jail when war

6460-400: The rank of post-captain , having been appointed by Matthews to Plymouth on 9 November. He picked up several British merchantmen in Lisbon to escort them home, but lost contact with them in heavy storms. Once he reached Britain his promotion was confirmed, making him one of the youngest Captains in the navy. After serving in home waters learning about convoy protection he was appointed to

6555-421: The ranks of rear admiral , vice admiral and admiral of the fleet are sometimes considered generically to be admirals. The rank of admiral is currently the highest rank to which a serving officer in the Royal Navy can be promoted, admiral of the fleet being in abeyance except for honorary promotions of retired officers and members of the royal family. The equivalent rank in the British Army and Royal Marines

6650-453: The real reason for the disaster at Yorktown was the inability of Britain to match the resources of the other naval powers of Europe. After a few months in England, restoring his health and defending himself in Parliament, Sir George returned to his command in February 1782, and a running engagement with the French fleet on 9 April led up to his crowning victory at the Battle of the Saintes off Dominica, when on 12 April with thirty-five sail of

6745-453: The restoration of Charles II of England in 1660. Charles II himself had 25 royal yachts, while five were simultaneously in service in 1831. Since the decommissioning of Britannia in 1997 the British monarchy no longer has a royal yacht. The Principality of Monaco owned the princely yacht Deo Juvante II between 1956–1958. This Camper and Nicholsons yacht was a wedding gift from Aristotle Onassis to Prince Rainer and Grace Kelly and

6840-584: The result that there are only three royal yachts left in use in Europe . For the most part royal yachts have been superseded by the use of warships in this role, as royal yachts are often seen as a hard-to-justify expenditure. In addition most monarchies with a railway system employ a special set of ceremonial royal carriages . Most monarchies are also granted access to government owned aircraft for transportation. The Danish royal family have had several royal yachts. Two of them have been named Dannebrog . During

6935-405: The salary as Rear-Admiral of Great Britain. In February 1778, having just been promoted Admiral of the White, he used every possible exertion to obtain a command to free himself from his money difficulties. By May, he had, through the splendid generosity of his Parisian friend Marshal Biron , effected the latter task, and accordingly he returned to London with his children. The debt was repaid out of

7030-735: The same ship, he was ordered to serve under Boscawen as part of an attempt to capture the strategic French fortress of Louisbourg in North America. He was given the task of carrying Major General Jeffery Amherst , the expedition's commander to Louisbourg. On the way Rodney captured a French East Indiamen , and took it into Vigo . This action saw the beginning of criticism of Rodney that he was obsessed with prize money ahead of strategic importance, with some claiming he spent two weeks or more in Vigo making sure of his prize money instead of carrying Amherst to Louisbourg. This appears to be untrue, as Rodney sailed within four days from Vigo. Rodney and his ship played

7125-471: The shore commander of a British naval port and was in charge of supplying, refitting, and maintaining the ships docked at harbour. The problem of promoting strictly by seniority was well illustrated by the case of Provo Wallis who served (including time being carried on the books while still a child) for 96 years. When he died in 1892 four admirals under him could immediately be promoted. By request of Queen Victoria , John Edmund Commerell became Admiral of

7220-646: The term is defined royal yachts date back to the days of antiquity with royal barges on the Nile in ancient Egypt. Later the Vikings produced royal vessels. They followed the pattern of longships although highly decorated and fitted with purple sails (purple sails remained standard for royal vessels the next 400 years). In England, Henry V sold off the royal yachts to clear the Crown's debts. The next royal vessels in England were built in

7315-534: The town for two days and nights, and inflicted great loss of war-material on the enemy. The bomb ships fired continuously for fifty two hours, starting large fires. Rodney then withdrew to Spithead , leaving several ships to blockade the mouth of the Seine. Although the attack hadn't significantly affected French plans, it proved a morale boost in Britain. In August Rodney was again sent to Le Havre with similar orders but through

7410-459: The valuable cod trade. The fleet then returned home during the winter. Rodney oversaw three such trips to Newfoundland between 1749 and 1751. Around this time Rodney began to harbour political ambitions and gained the support of the powerful Duke of Bedford and Lord Sandwich . He stood unsuccessfully in a 1750 by-election in Launceston . He was elected MP for Saltash , a safe seat controlled by

7505-501: Was buried in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Old Alresford , in Hampshire, which adjoins his family seat. There is a memorial to him within St Paul's Cathedral . In February 1783, the government of Jamaica commissioned John Bacon , a renowned British sculptor, to create a statue of Admiral Lord Rodney, as an expression of their appreciation. The Assembly spent $ 5,200 on the statue alone and

7600-671: Was common (not to say normal) at the time. He made his son a post-captain at fifteen, and his assiduous self-interest alienated his fellow officers and the Board of Admiralty alike. Naval historian Nicholas A. M. Rodger describes Rodney as possessing weaknesses with respect to patronage "which destroyed the basis of trust upon which alone an officer can command." It must be remembered that he was then prematurely old and racked by disease. Rodney arrived home in August to receive unbounded honour from his country. He had already been created Baron Rodney of Rodney Stoke, Somerset, by patent of 19 June 1782, and

7695-485: Was declared in 1778. Thanks to a French benefactor, Rodney was able to secure his release and return to Britain where he was appointed to a new command. Rodney successfully relieved Gibraltar during the Great Siege and defeated a Spanish fleet during the 1780 Battle of Cape St. Vincent , known as the "Moonlight Battle" because it took place at night. He then was posted to the Jamaica Station , where he became involved in

7790-487: Was engaged with two French ships, but one moved away. Rodney engaged the 70-gun Neptune for two hours until his steering wheel was struck by a lucky shot, and his ship became unmanageable. Rodney later complained that Thomas Fox in Kent had failed to support him, and testified at Fox's court martial . The British took six of the eight French ships, but were unable to prevent most of the merchant convoy escaping, although much of it

7885-455: Was gift from the Dutch but later yachts were commissioned and built in England. This established a tradition of royal yachts in Britain that was later copied by other royal families of Europe. Through the 19th century royal yachts got larger as they became a symbol of national wealth. World War I brought this trend to an end and the royal families that survived found it harder to justify the cost with

7980-514: Was given command of a small squadron . The admiralty had received intelligence that the French had gathered at Le Havre , at the mouth of the River Seine , a large number of flat-bottomed boats and stores which were being collected there for an invasion of the British Isles . After drawing up plans for an attack on Le Havre, Lord Anson briefed Rodney in person. The operation was intended to be

8075-548: Was given to Sir Thomas Moulton in 1264, who held the formal title of Keeper of the Sea and the Sea Ports. On 8 March 1287, Sir William de Leybourne was specifically commissioned as the Admiral of the Seas of England ( Latin : Admirallus Maris Angliae ) and, in 1294, captain of all sailors and mariners of the king's dominions. Sir John de Botetourt served under him as warden at sea from

8170-565: Was heavily criticised in Britain. Orders for his recall had been sent when Rodney won a decisive victory at the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782, ending the French threat to Jamaica . Rodney accompanied the future King William IV on his visit (April 1783) to Cuba. There the prince conferred with Captain General Luis de Unzaga to reach the preliminaries of peace conditions that would later recognize

8265-705: Was in the Amélia IV that King Manuel II and the Portuguese royal family left the country for the exile, after the republican revolution of 5 October 1910. In the republican regime the Amélia IV was renamed NRP 5 de Outubro and operated by the Portuguese Navy . Imperial yachts employed by the Tsar of Russia : Dubai is the personal yacht of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of

8360-512: Was largely the result of changing politics in Britain: Rodney was a Tory placed in charge of the fleet by a Tory government... but the Whigs were now in power. That said, at 64 years of age, he was perhaps due for retirement. However, Pigot and the command to retire was dispatched on 15 May, three days before the news of the victory at the Battle of the Saintes reached the Admiralty. A cutter sent by

8455-463: Was later taken in the West Indies. The two Battles of Cape Finisterre had proved a vindication of the Western Squadron strategy. Rodney later often referred to "the good old discipline" of the Western Squadron, using it as an example for his own views on discipline. For the remainder of the war Rodney took part in further cruises, and took several more prizes. Following the Congress of Breda , an agreement

8550-424: Was only used as a rank at sea for a captain in charge of one or more fleets. In Elizabethan times the fleet grew large enough to be organised into squadrons . The squadron's admiral flew a red ensign , the vice admirals white , and the rear admirals blue on the aft mast of his ship. As the squadrons grew, each was eventually commanded by an admiral (with vice admirals and rear admirals commanding sections) and

8645-424: Was repaired after the battle. In a 15 April letter to Lord George Germain , who unknown to Rodney had recently lost his position, he wrote "Permit me most sincerely to congratulate you on the most important victory I believe ever gained against our perfidious enemies, the French". The news of Rodney's victories reached England on 18 May 1782 via HMS Andromache and boosted national morale in Britain and strengthened

8740-446: Was signed at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ending the war. Rodney took his ship back to Plymouth where it was decommissioned on 13 August 1748. Rodney's total share of prize money during his time with Eagle was £15,000 giving him financial security for the first time in his life. On 9 May 1749 he was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of Newfoundland , with the rank of Commodore , it being usual at that time to appoint

8835-654: Was the third of four surviving children of Henry Rodney and Mary (Newton) Rodney, daughter of Sir Henry Newton . His father had served in Spain under the Earl of Peterborough during the War of the Spanish Succession , and on leaving the army served as captain in a marine corps which was disbanded in 1713. A major investment in the South Sea Company ruined Henry Rodney and impoverished the family. In spite of their lack of money,

8930-456: Was used on their honeymoon. The yacht, now called M/Y Grace , is now owned and operated by Quasar Expeditions. Yugoslavia had some royal yachts before World War II (most notably, one was a sister ship of Ilinden which sank in Lake Ohrid in 2009 ). Zanzibar had only one naval ship in 1896, the royal yacht HHS  Glasgow . It was sunk by the British during the shortest war in history,

9025-427: Was well satisfied with these arrangements, informing a colleague that his fleet was "fully equal to defeat any designs of the enemy." What Rodney and Hood could not know was that at the last moment de Grasse decided to take his entire fleet to North America, leaving the French merchantmen to the protection of the Spanish. The result was a decisive French superiority in battleships during the subsequent naval campaign, when

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