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32-777: Vice-Admiral Savage Mostyn ( c.  1713 – 16 September 1757) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War . He embarked on a political career, and was a Member of Parliament , Comptroller of the Navy , and one of the Lords of the Admiralty . Mostyn was born into a well connected family. He went to sea and quickly rose through

64-449: A personal flag . A vice-admiral flies a St George's cross defaced with a red disc in the hoist. The rank of vice-admiral itself is shown in its sleeve lace by a broad band with two narrower bands. Since 2001, it has been designated a three-star rank , when the number of stars on the shoulder board were increased to three. Ushant Neighbouring islets include Keller Island ( Île de Keller ) and Kadoran ( Île Cadoran ) to

96-590: A Vice-Admiral changed a number of times during this period. In the Royal Navy, the rank of vice-admiral should be distinguished from the office of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom , which is an Admiralty position usually held by a retired full admiral, and that of Vice-Admiral of the Coast , a now obsolete office dealing with naval administration in each of the maritime counties. Vice-admirals are entitled to fly

128-601: A few places. Apart from Ushant, these are in remote islands and mountains of Britain and Scandinavia and some places around the Baltic Sea . It is one of the smallest breeds of domestic sheep . It is usually black or dark brown (a few are white), and it is now kept elsewhere in the world as a heritage breed . The isolation of the island has helped the conservation of the European dark bee ( Apis mellifera mellifera ), unaffected by pollution, pesticides and Varroa parasites. In

160-918: A force of British Commandos and US Army Rangers of the 29th Provisional Rangers successfully attacked a German radar installation on the island. In March 1978, the oil tanker Amoco Cadiz ran aground at Portsall about 19 miles (31 km) from the island, leading to major pollution of the Brittany coast. According to a repetitive old Breton proverb, "Qui voit Molène voit sa peine / Qui voit Ouessant voit son sang / Qui voit Sein voit sa fin / Qui voit Groix voit sa croix." ("Who sees Molène sees his pains (or penalty) / who sees Ushant sees his blood / who sees Sein sees his end / who sees Groix sees his cross"). This proverb underlines local points, which are often deadly to navigate with many rocks, and tidal streams of more than ten knots . A standard start and finish line for traditional all-oceans circumnavigations

192-525: A year after the verdict he was jeered out of Portsmouth Dockyard by workmen and sailors calling out 'All's well! there's no Frenchman in the way!’ Despite these proceedings, Mostyn remained in command of Hampton Court , and joined William Martin 's squadron later in 1745. He enjoyed some considerable success against enemy cruisers and privateers, capturing Diane on 4 May 1745, and the 32-gun Lis in December that year. He captured several more privateers over

224-449: Is between Ushant and Lizard Point . There is a single school on the island, attended by the majority of the island's youth: L'École D'Ouessant, south-east of the main town. It was founded in 1865 by Scottish refugees fleeing English persecution. It is the only large workplace on the island, and a major employer. The sole village on the island is Lambaol (Lampaul), which has the mayoral office, school and post office. People also live in

256-642: The Herefordshire constituency of Weobley . He used the position to support the government, and held the seat until his death. He was appointed Comptroller of the Navy on 22 March 1749, having to manage the repair of old ships and the construction of new ones during the peace, when the dockyard workforces were being reduced. He is sometimes credited with the introduction of standardised uniforms for naval officers during his time as Comptroller, though an order in council establishing uniform clothing exists dating from 10 February 1747. Mostyn returned to active service with

288-556: The NATO rank code OF-8 . It is immediately superior to the rear admiral rank and is subordinate to the full admiral rank. The equivalent rank in the British Army and Royal Marines is lieutenant-general ; and in the Royal Air Force , it is air marshal . The Royal Navy has had vice-admirals since at least the 16th century. When the fleet was deployed, the vice-admiral would be in

320-508: The fireship HMS  Duke , on 3 July 1739. Duke was attached to Rear-Admiral Nicholas Haddock 's fleet off Cadiz , and having impressed Haddock, Mostyn was given command of the 24-gun HMS  Seaford on 17 December 1739. The Admiralty confirmed him in his rank on 6 March 1740. He went on to serve on several ships in quick succession during 1740, taking command of the 24-gun HMS  Winchelsea in April, and later that year moving to

352-519: The 60-gun HMS  Deptford . With Deptford Mostyn went out to the West Indies with Sir Chaloner Ogle 's fleet, and later served under Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon , during the attempts to capture Cartagena in March and April 1741. Mostyn took command of the 70-gun HMS  Suffolk in December 1743 and joined Sir John Norris's fleet. He was present with Norris off Dungeness on 24 February 1744, when

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384-430: The Admiralty between April and June 1757, under the brief administration of his cousin, and died shortly afterwards, on 16 September 1757. He was unmarried, and left £60,000 to his nephew, Roger Mostyn . a. Lis was taken into the Royal Navy as the 26-gun sixth rate HMS  Lys . Vice Admiral (Royal Navy) A vice-admiral ( VAdm ) is a flag officer rank of the Royal Navy and equates to

416-783: The British intercepted a French fleet under the Comte de Rocquefeuil which was carrying troops for a planned invasion of Britain . Norris chased the French fleet away, until they were scattered by a storm. Mostyn took command of the 70-gun HMS  Hampton Court in April 1744 and was assigned to Sir John Balchen's fleet. By early 1745 Mostyn was cruising off Ushant with three other ships, HMS  Captain , HMS  Dreadnought and HMS  Sunderland . On 6 January they fell in with three French ships; Neptune , Fleuron and Mars , and chased them. Neptune and Fleuron were 74-gun ships, while Mars

448-680: The British system of the Shipping Forecast . In 2007, Ushant hosted a Scottish book festival and subsequently created their own tartan registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans ; and in August 2010, the islanders were reported to be seeking to establish cultural links with a Scottish island . Rob Gibson , Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Highlands and Islands welcomed

480-756: The Conduct of Captain Mostyn . It was anonymous, though the author was probably Admiral Vernon. The author criticised the findings of the court, accusing them of having been led and coached by Mostyn's powerful cousin the Earl of Winchilsea, and of whitewashing Mostyn's negligent conduct during the chase. Mostyn's supporters quickly published a response, A Vindication of the Conduct of Captain M-N , attributing blame solely to Hampton Court ' s tendency to roll in heavy swell. Despite this response, public opinion remained against Mostyn and nearly

512-633: The English Channel and is in the Celtic Sea . The island is a rocky landmass at most eight by three kilometres (five by two miles), covering 15 km ( 5 + 3 ⁄ 4  sq mi). Ushant is famous for its maritime past, both as a fishing community and as a key landmark in the Channel approaches. It is named in the refrain of the sea shanty " Spanish Ladies ": We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors, We'll rant and we'll roar across

544-554: The French vessels sat higher in the water and could have used theirs. Without Dreadnought to support him, Mostyn argued that he could have been overwhelmed, had he risked an attack. The Admiralty accepted the explanation, and the matter might have passed, had Mostyn not written to the Navy Board to request his masts be replaced with smaller ones. The Board declined the request, replying that 'as there has never been any Complaint, of her before, that She will do very well.' Mostyn read into

576-404: The hope that Dreadnought would catch up, Mostyn abandoned the chase, fearing that he was too close to the French shore, and that he would be overwhelmed by the combined firepower of his opponents if he attacked alone. After his return to port, Mostyn justified his actions, claiming that the choppy, squally weather caused his ship to heel over so far as to render his lower gunports inoperable, while

608-482: The leading portion or van , acting as the deputy to the admiral. The rank of Vice-Admiral evolved from that of Lieutenant of the Admiralty (1546–1564) that being an officer who acted as secretary to the Lord Admiral of England and lapsed in 1876 but was revived in 1901 by King Edward VII . Prior to 1864 the Royal Navy was divided into coloured squadrons which determined his career path . The command flags flown by

640-690: The next few years, Dauphin on 27 January 1746, and the 20-gun Comte de Lowendahl in the Western Channel on 4 March 1747. He was with a squadron when they fell in with a convoy being escorted by Comte Dubois de la Motte on 20 June 1747, and took 48 merchants as prizes. Several more privateers were taken during 1747, Triomphant on 23 June, Grand San Juan on 7 December, and the 20-gun Thétis on 9 December. Hampton Court cruised with Sir Peter Warren 's fleet in 1748. Mostyn entered politics in 1747, with his election in July that year as Member of Parliament for

672-636: The north. The 200-meter (660 ft) channel between Ushant and Keller is called the Toull C'heller . Ushant marks the southern limit of the Celtic Sea and the southern end to the western English Channel , the northern end being the Isles of Scilly , southwest of Land's End in Cornwall , England . According to definitions of the International Hydrographic Organization the island lies outside

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704-452: The outbreak of the French and Indian War , receiving a promotion to rear-admiral on 4 February 1755. He went out to North America in summer that year as second in command of the fleet under Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen , and spent 1756 as second in command of the western squadron, serving successively under Edward Hawke , Boscawen, and Sir Charles Knowles . He became one of the junior lords of

736-516: The outlying hamlets of Feuteun Vélen, Frugullou, Pen ar Lan, and Porsguen. Ushant's climate is oceanic ( Cfb ) under the Köppen climate classification : temperate, fully humid, temperate summer, with generally cool, rainy winters and temperate, drier summers. The Creac'h lighthouse ( Phare du Creach ) is reputedly the most powerful in Europe. Ouessant is the French system name for Plymouth in

768-550: The ranks to command his own ships. By the outbreak of the War of the Austrian Succession he was a captain, and served with several of the leading naval officers of the day in operations off the British coast, and in the Caribbean. While sailing off the French coast in 1744, Mostyn became involved in an incident which almost blighted his career. His squadron chased down several French ships, with Mostyn being close to engaging them, but considering

800-417: The reply an imputation that he was inventing a cause for his recent failure that did not exist. He immediately petitioned for a court-martial to examine his conduct, to which the Admiralty acquiesced. Mostyn was duly acquitted, the court determining that he had done 'his duty as an experienced good Officer, and as a Man of Courage and Conduct.' Shortly afterwards a pamphlet appeared, entitled An Enquiry into

832-503: The rest of France, it has been substituted by Apis mellifera ligustica . As a side effect, populations of the bee louse, Braula coeca , that has elsewhere perished through pesticides can still be found among the island's bee population. The association Conservatoire de l'Abeille Noire Bretonne is attempting to conserve and increase the numbers of the European dark bee, intending to reintroduce it in Western France. Ushant and

864-457: The risks of attacking while unsupported too great, he drew away and allowed the French to escape. His actions were approved of by the Admiralty , but sensitive to criticism, Mostyn demanded a court martial, which acquitted him of blame. Public opinion was against him however, especially when it was learnt that Mostyn's powerful relations may have had a hand in influencing the court. His naval career

896-435: The salt seas, Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England, From Ushant to Scilly 'tis thirty-five leagues. Several naval battles have been fought near Ushant between the British and French navies. On 23 July 1815 the captive Emperor Napoleon – aboard HMS  Bellerophon towards his final exile – spent several hours on deck watching Ushant, the last part of France he would see. During World War II,

928-594: The suggestion. Ushant is connected to the French mainland by air and sea. Passenger ferries of the Penn Ar Bed company operate from Brest and Le Conquet year-round, and also from Camaret in summer, stopping at the island of Molène en route. The airline Finistair operates flights on Cessna 208 planes from Brest Bretagne Airport . Ouessant sheep form a rare breed, originating here. These are northern European short-tailed sheep , ubiquitous in northern Europe up to Roman times , but which now survives only in

960-431: Was a smaller vessel, a former English privateer . Mars broke away from the other two French ships, and was pursued by Captain , which captured the French ship that evening. Sunderland lost her fore-topmast and fell behind, leaving Hampton Court and Dreadnought to pursue the remaining two French ships alone. Mostyn soon closed on the French, but Dreadnought still lagged behind. After waiting another day and night in

992-525: Was born circa 1713, a younger son of Sir Roger Mostyn, 3rd Baronet , and his wife Lady Essex Finch, the daughter of Daniel Finch, 7th Earl of Winchilsea . He entered Westminster School at the age of eleven in June 1725. He was appointed a lieutenant of the 60-gun HMS  Pembroke on 2 March 1734. He went on to serve aboard the 100-gun HMS  Britannia during her time as the flagship of Sir John Norris , before being advanced to his own command, that of

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1024-515: Was largely unaffected however, and he served in several cruising squadrons and captured a number of privateers . He entered politics in 1747, representing the constituency of Weobley until his death, and was involved in the administration of the navy as Comptroller, and as a Lord of the Admiralty. He was advanced to flag rank and served in a junior role in commanding several of the fleets of the Seven Years' War, until his death in 1757. Savage Mostyn

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