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ASHE—ASHLEY—ASHTON—ASKEW—ATHERTON—ATHILL. served, nearly the whole time as Midshipman, until Jan. 1814, and was for some time employed in a gun-boat at the defence of Cadiz. After a further attachment of 21 months to the 36, Capt. Hon. Josceline Percy, on the South America station, he was promoted to the rank he now holds by commission dated 18 Feb. 1815. He obtained an appointment in the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, 27 Sept. 1328; and since 24 March, 1831, has been employed in the Coast Guard service. – Hallett and Robinson.

 ASHE. 

entered the Navy 20 March, 1830; passed his examination 21 May, 1836; served for three years in the Mediterranean as Mate of the 18, Capt. John Wm. Dalling; and obtained his commission 25 May, 1842. He joined, 15 Feb. 1843, the gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings; and since 16 May in the same year has been employed in the Pacific on board the 42, Capt. John Alex. Duntze. – Hallett and Bobinson.

 ASHLEY. 

entered the Navy, 27 June, 1793, as A.B., on board the 74, Capt. Hon. Thos. Pakenham, whom he followed, after participating in the action of 1 June, 1794, into the 80. From April, 1797, until May, 1802, he served as Master’s Mate and Acting-Master of the brig, Capts. Jas. O’Bryen and Jas. Coutts Crawford, on the Home station; where, after an interval of three years and a half, he joined, in Nov. 1805, the 74, Capt. Geo. Dundas, of which ship, when subsequently in the West Indies, he was created Acting-Lieutenant, 28 June, 1806. On being confirmed, 28 Aug. 1807, he removed to the, Capt. Robt. Forbes, with whom he continued to be employed, in the same vessel, the 20, and  36, on the Home and Africa stations, until Jan. 1814. He then returned to England as Acting-Captain of the 36, in charge of a Brazilian convoy; and since 28 Oct. in the same year has been on half-pay. His assumption of the rank he now holds took place 11 Jan. 1844.

 ASHTON. 

entered the Navy, 14 April, 1809, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the 74, Capt. Thos. Byam Martin, stationed on the Baltic. On joining the 38, Capt. Sir Geo. Ralph Collier, he served in the boats of that frigate, under Lieut. Hon. Jas. Arbuthnot, at the cutting out of a brig under a heavy fire from the batteries of St. Gildas and St. Jacques, on the coast of France, 5 Sept. 1810; after which, while actively co-operating with the patriots on the north coast of Spain, he assisted at the capture of the towns of Bermeo and Deba in 1811. When next with Capt. John Chambers White, in the 74, Mr. Ashton witnessed the destruction, in April, 1814, of the French 74-gun ship Regulus, three brigs of war, and several smaller vessels, in the neighbourhood of Bordeaux. We subsequently find him employed in the 44, Capt. Thos. Forrest; and, again with Sir G. R. Collier, in the 50, en the Madeira and Halifax stations. Since his promotion, which took place, 20 Sept. 1815, he has, with the exception of a brief attachment in the early part of 1816, to the 16, Capt. John Baldwin, been unemployed. – Fred. Dufaur.

 ASKEW. 

, born 23 May, 1782, is third surviving son of the late John Askew, Esq., of Pallinsburn, co. Northumberland, by Bridget, daughter and heiress of John Watson, Esq., of Goswick, co. Durham; and brother of the present Lieut.-Gen. Sir Hen. Askew, K.C.B., of Pallinsburn, as also of Rich. Craster Askew, Esq., Recorder of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

This officer entered the Navy, 21 Feb. 1798, as Second-cl. Vol., on board the 28, Capt. Chas. White, and shortly afterwards accompanied a squadron under Sir Home Popham, having for its object the destruction of the locks and sluice-gates of the Bruges canal. While next attached, during a period of six years, to the 38, Capts. Edw. Riou, Sam. Sutton, and Wm. Parker, he took part in the battle of Copenhagen, 2 April, 1801; assisted at the capture of two privateers, carrying between them 40 guns and 256 men; and, in 1805, accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies and back in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain. On 4 Feb. in the latter year he appears to have been on board a prize forming part of a convoy under the protection of the and, when those vessels were captured after a brave resistance by two of the enemy’s frigates. Being made Lieutenant, 27 Nov. following, into the 64, flag-ship in the Downs of Vioe-Admiral John Holloway, he next joined in that capacity, 4 Dec. 1805, the  64, Capt. Jas. Macnamara, and, 30 Dec. 1806, the 36, Capts. Jas. Walker, Thos. Manby, and Jas. Giles Vashon. During his continuance in the last-mentioned ship, of which he ultimately became Acting-Captain, Mr. Askew proceeded to Davis Strait in supposed pursuit of two French frigates, and on his return to Europe, after a fruitless exposure of several weeks to many severe hardships, and a prolonged stay on the coast of Labrador, attended the expedition to Flushing in 1809. Being promoted, when subsequently in the West Indies, to the rank of Commander, 26 Nov. 1811, Capt. Askew next served, from 7 June, 1814, to 9 Oct. 1815, in the 12, on the Irish station. His last appointment was, 22 May, 1821, to the 20, fitting for the Mediterranean, where he remained, until posted, 19 July, 1822. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.

Capt. Askew married, 13 Feb. 1828, Sarah, third daughter of the late Patrick Dickson, of White Cross, co. Berwick, and has issue. – Hallett and Robinson.

 ATHERTON. 

is son of John Joseph Atherton, Esq., of Walton Hall, Lancashire, a Lieut.-Colonel in the Army, by Marianne, sister of Capt. Robt. Mitford, R.N.

This officer obtained his commission 5 Oct. 1824; and served, from 18 March, 1836, until July, 1838, on board the 84, commanded in the Mediterranean by Capt. Wm. Fisher. He has not since been employed. – Goode and Lawrence.

 ATHILL. 

entered the Navy, 1 Sept. 1804, as a Supernumerary, on board the 74, Capt. Benj. Hallowell, for the purpose of joining the 100, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Bickerton, on the Mediterranean station, where he afterwards became attached to the 98, Capt. Fras. Pender, and again to the, commanded as before. While in the latter ship, in which he served for six years, he attended the expedition of 1807 to Egypt, and, on the night of 31 Oct. 1809, was employed in her boats with those of a squadron under Lieut. John Tailour, at the capture and destruction, after a fearful struggle, and a loss to the British of 15 men killed and 55 wounded, of the armed store-ship Lamproie, of 16 guns and 116 men, bombards Victoire and Grandeur, and armed xebec Normande, with a convoy of seven merchantmen, defended by numerous strong batteries, in the bay of Rosas. Mr. Athill, who attained the rank of Lieutenant while serving in the 74, Capt. John Chambers White, 31 Jan. 1812, was subsequently employed in the  80, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Hallowell, from Oct. 1812, to Dec.