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Sir William Hotham GCB (12 February 1772 – 31 May 1848) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Born into a military family Hotham joined the navy as a captain's servant and able seaman, rising through the ranks with service in the Caribbean and Newfoundland. A lieutenant by the outbreak of war with revolutionary France in 1793, Hotham served initially in the Mediterranean, and had been promoted to his first command by 1794. He saw action with his uncle Lord Hotham's fleet at the Battle of Hyères Islands in 1795, after which he returned home, taking command of the 50-gun shortly before the mutiny at the Nore. His ship and Admiral Adam Duncan's flagship were the only two deckers to remain loyal, and the only two ships left to enforce the blockade of the Dutch coast. Despite their severe disadvantage in numbers, Hotham and Admiral Duncan were able to trick the Dutch to stay in port through use of false signals. After this, Hotham continued to serve with Duncan in the North Sea, and took part in his victory at the Battle of Camperdown in October 1797. After further service in the English Channel Hotham went out to the Cape of Good Hope, taking part in the blockade of the French possessions in the Indian Ocean, and in 1799 helping to destroy the French frigate ''Preneuse''. Taking command of shortly after the end of the temporary Peace of Amiens, Hotham served in the Channel until ill health forced him to resign his command and go ashore. Though he briefly commanded a unit of Sea Fencibles, and later the yacht , no seagoing command could be found for him. He spent the rest of the wars ashore, being promoted through the ranks, and being appointed first a Knight Commander and then a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. William Hotham died in 1848 at the age of 76. ==Family and early life== Hotham was born into a military family on 12 February 1772, with strong connections to the nobility. He was the second son of General George Hotham, and his wife Diana, the youngest daughter of baronet Sir Warton Pennyman-Warton.〔〔 His uncle was Admiral Lord Hotham, while his first cousin, Henry Hotham, became a vice-admiral.〔 He was educated at Westminster School, with his name being entered on the books of the yacht HMY ''William & Mary'' on 21 December 1779.〔 He later attended the Royal Naval Academy, and by January 1786 was aboard the 50-gun as a captain's servant and ordinary seaman.〔 ''Grampus''s commander, Captain Edward Thompson, was commodore in charge on the African coasts, and Hotham went out to the Guinea coast with him.〔 Hotham was back in Portsmouth by the middle of the year, where he transferred to the 64-gun on 17 June 1786, joining her as an able seaman.〔 His service on ''Ardent'' was short-lived, on 20 September he joined the 32-gun as a midshipman, serving under Captain John Holloway, and went out to the Leeward Islands.〔 He was re-rated at his former rank of able seaman on 30 September 1788 during his service in the Caribbean, but on 11 September 1789 the following year, he was back as a midshipman, serving aboard the yacht ''Royal Charlotte'', under Sir Hyde Parker.〔 Hotham's next ship was the 38-gun , which he joined 20 January 1790, serving under Captain Alexander Hood in the English Channel.〔 He transferred again on 2 June 1790, back under his old captain John Holloway, now commanding the 90-gun as flag captain to Hotham's uncle, Rear-Admiral William Hotham.〔〔 The younger Hotham received his commission as a lieutenant on 27 October 1790 while serving with his uncle, and remained in ''Princess Royal'' until 26 January 1791, when he joined the 20-gun under Captain Isaac Coffin.〔 Coffin and Hotham went out to Halifax, where Hotham served until his return on 20 October. After a short period spent ashore, he was appointed on 18 February 1792 to serve aboard the 32-gun under Captain Richard Fisher.〔 The ''Winchelsea'' returned Hotham to Halifax, followed by service in the Leeward Islands.〔〔 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「William Hotham (Royal Navy officer, born 1772)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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