Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/647

Rh rank of Lieutenant took place 11 Sept. 1793, was intrusted, during the investment of Toulon, with the command of a floating battery, in which, rendering intermediately the most important services, he remained until that implement of destruction was nearly knocked to pieces, and he himself severely wounded. He was then sent to direct a battery on shore. His appointments, subsequently to the evacuation of Toulon, appear to have been – in Jan. 1794, to the 28 – in April following and Jan. 1796, to the  98, and  100, bearing each the flag of Sir Hyde Parker, under whom he took part in Hotham’s partial actions in 1795 – 30 Aug. 1796, as First, to the  74, Capt. Jas. Douglas – in Jan. 1797, to the 32, Capt. John Loring, for passage to the West Indies – in April following,, again as Senior, to the  98, bearing the flag on that station of his friend Sir H. Parker – and in the course of 1798 (so great was the confidence reposed in him by the latter officer) to the acting-command of the  16,  18,  32,  18,  44, and  18. From the last-mentioned vessel (to which he had been confirmed by commission dated 18 Aug. 1798) Capt. Laroche was promoted, 11 Nov. 1799, to the acting-captaincy of the 64, on the Jamaica station, where, on 29 Jan. 1800, he was officially posted into the  32. He returned to England in June, 1801, and was afterwards appointed – 25 Aug. 1804, to the 64, flag-ship at Leith of Rear-Admiral Jas. Vashon – 24 Mov. in the same year (during the temporary absence of Capt. Robt. Dudley Oliver), to the 38, in which ship, while commanding a squadron of observation off Havre de Grace, he received the thanks of Lord Keith for effecting the capture of two privateers, each of 17 guns, which had hitherto, to the great prejudice of trade, baffled the vigilance of the British cruizers – 1 March, 1805, for a very short period, to the  74, in which ship he proceeded to join Sir Robt. Calder off Ferrol – and, 27 Dec. following, to the 38. In that frigate, an old one of very inferior pretensions, whose long 18-pounders had been exchanged, for a battery of long 12-pounders, Capt. Laroche was at first employed in cruizing among the Channel islands and on the north-west coast of France. It being afterwards understood that the enemy had fitted out at Cherbourg and equipped for sea a frigate, La Manche, rated at 40, and a brig-corvette, Le Cigne, mounting 16 guns, our officer was deputed, on 30 April, 1807, to keep a rigid blockade on that dangerous and intricate port. Such were the energy and perseverance he evinced in the execution of this onerous and responsible duty, that he frustrated every attempt on the part of the French to escape, nor woudd they ever allow him to entice them out of the reach of their batteries. Nevertheless, on returning to Spithead in July, to, the officers applied for a court-martial on their Captain, on the ground that he had not done his utmost to bring the enemy to action, particularly on 15 May and 22 June. In regard to the former of those days, 15 May, it was assorted that La Manche, with the brig and five launches, had been discovered standing out and steering towards the. Although, however, Capt. Laroche protested that he never saw the vessels, – notwithstanding, too, that the ship at the time was enveloped in fog, and in spite of very conflicting evidence on the side of his accusers – the court was of opinion that the charge had been in part proved, and in consequence sentenced him to be dismissed from the command of his ship. Now, as far as concerns the charge we have here detailed, it very fortunately happens that we have it in our power to refute the whole of it on the authority of two official documents which have passed through our hands, the first, bearing date Cherbourg, 23 March, 1841, signed by M. Kedon, surveyor of the port, and authenticated both by the Rear-Admiral Superintendent, Martineng, and the French Minister of Marine, Admiral Duperré, declaring the fact that the frigate La Manche (so far from making towards the ) was Jying in the roads of Cherbourg on 15 May, 1807, and did not sail until 15 of the following Nov.; and the second (dated Cherbourg, 21 July, 1842, and authenticated by the signature of M. Parsenof, then Rear-Admiral Superintendent) proving, from further research into the archives of the port, that not only was the French frigate in the roads on the day in question, but that a man was actually sent on shore to the hospital, and that several embarkations and debarkations took place. It thus is manifest that, unless Capt. Laroche had had the rashness to enter Cherbourg, it was perfectly impossible for him to have come to an engagement. The light now therefore thrown on the testimony by which the gallant officer was convicted of the first part of the charge brought against him gives so very doubtful an appearance to all the consecutive evidence, that, had the fact been earlier known, he would neither, we may presume, have been suffered to pass the remainder of his days in inactivity, nor have been deprived of his flag.

In 1841 (prior, unfortunately, to the arrival of the documents above quoted) Capt. Laroche’s case was brought before Parliament by the then Member for Hertford; but so strong were the objections entertained by Ministers to any control being exercised in the House over the decisions of courts-martial, especially after such a lapse of time, that the motion was withdrawn. Capt. Laroche served as an Esquire at the installation of Sir Thos. Graves, 16 May, 1803. While afloat, we may add, he made capture of a more than ordinary number of privateers and other vessels. – Messrs. Stilwell.

 LASCELLES. 

, born 25 Aug. 1798, is son of the late Colonel, and grandson of the late General, Lascelles.

This officer entered the Navy, in July, 1811, as a Volunteer, on board the 44, Capt. Henry Edw. Reginald Baker, stationed off Jersey. He afterwards followed the same Captain, as Midshipman, into the 74, in which ship, and in the  110, and  20, Capts. Jeffry Raigersfeld and Wm. Elliott, he continued employed, as Midshipman, until the spring of 1816. He then served for nearly three years and a half in the West Indies, latterly as Mate, in the 36, also commanded by Capt. Elliott; and he afterwards joined – 8 Sept. 1819, the Coast Blockade, as Midshipman of the  40, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch – 8 April, 1822, the 100, flag-ship of Sir Alex. Cochrane at Plymouth – 23 May, 1824, as Acting-Lieutenant (a rank he held for more than three years), the 46, Capt. Wm. Bowen Mends, in South America – and, 12 July and 13 Aug. 1827, as Admiralty-Mate, the 84, flagship of Sir Edw. Codrington, and 10, Capt. Bruce, both in the Mediterranean. He was confirmed a Lieutenant, 19 April, 1828, in the 10, also on that station, but was superseded, at his own request, in the following Sept., and has not been since employed.

Since he has been on half-pay, Lieut. Lascelles has for upwards of three years had command of a steam-packet.

 LASCELLES. 

, born 22 March, 1787, at Northallerton, co. York, is second surviving son of the Rev. Lascelles Sturdy Lascelles, by Jane, eldest daughter of Simon Butterwick, Esq., of Thirsk, in that county. His father was the sole heir and representative of the late Colonel Thos. Lascelles, Chief Engineer of Great Britain.

This officer entered the Navy, in April, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the 32, Capt. Thos. Le Marchant Gosselin, and, after being for some time in attendance on George III. off Weymouth accompanied the same Captain to the West Indies