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Lord George Graham (26 September 1715 – 2 January 1747) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Wars of the Quadruple Alliance and Austrian Succession. He embarked on a political career, and was a Member of Parliament. Graham was born into the nobility, the younger son of a duke, and embarked on a naval career early in his life. Rising through the ranks, he was given his first commands early in the War of the Austrian Succession, and served in the Mediterranean and in escorting convoys. He entered parliament through the influence of his father, and represented the Scottish constituency of Stirlingshire from 1741 until his death. He was a Whig and a political supporter of the Duke of Argyll. Turning down the command of a ship of the line in favour of a frigate, Graham won renown for a victory over several powerful privateers and their prizes. Rewarded with a larger ship, he also commissioned a painting from William Hogarth to commemorate the event, ''Captain Lord George Graham in his Cabin''. He continued in the navy, intercepting privateers and enemy ships, but was struck down with a severe illness, and despite moving ashore, died in 1747. ==Family and early life== Lord George Graham was born on 26 September 1715, the son of James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose, and his wife Christian, the daughter of David Carnegie, 3rd Earl of Northesk. He entered the navy at an early age and served at first as a midshipman from 1730, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1734.〔 He was given a command in 1739, when he was appointed to the fireship and sent out to the Mediterranean to join Sir Nicholas Haddock's fleet. He held the command until 15 March 1740, when he was promoted to captain. He was appointed to command the 40-gun in 1741 with orders to escort a convoy of merchants bound for Turkey.〔 He does not appear to have held the command long, for by late 1741 ''Lark'' was under the command of Captain Rupert Waring, escorting a convoy to the West Indies.〔 Graham combined his naval career with a political one, and using the influence of his father, was returned for Stirlingshire as an opposition Whig in 1741. He was one of a number of Scottish MPs who gathered together under John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll to oppose the administration, and were known as the Duke of Argyll's gang. As part of this faction Graham voted against the administration in 1742 and 1744.〔 He also spoke out against the decision to court-martial Admiral Thomas Mathews in the spring of 1745, defending him in a vigorous debate over his actions at the inconclusive Battle of Toulon.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Lord George Graham」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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