Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/970

956  32; and towards the close of the same year sailed from Cork in company with the 44 and a fleet of merchantmen bound to the West Indies. On 17 Dec, having fallen in with La Sirène, a, heavy French frigate, La Bergère corvette, and the Calcutta, an extra East-Indiaman, which the enemy had just captured,, while the was engaged in recapturing and retaining possession of the Indiaman, went in pursuit of the men-of-war, with whom, although they contrived in the end to make off, she maintained for 35 minutes a very spirited action. Capt. Raper returned home from the West Indies about Sept. 1802, and was lastly, from 26 Nov. 1810 until 25 Feb. 1813, employed on the Lisbon and Baltic stations in the 74. In a document lodged by him some years afterwards at the Admiralty we find the following observations in reference to the latter appointment:– “I must beg leave to remark that the command of the, a full-manned 74 of the first class, was given me in consideration of my not being appointed to a station in which it was the intention of their Lordships to have placed me: I mean the rank of Vice-Admiral in the Portuguese service; and I cannot but lament that, notwithstanding this flattering testimony of their favourable sentiments towards me, my earnest and repeated applications for employment, ever since the was paid off, have failed in obtaining from their Lordships that continuance of their patronage which their previous good opinion gave me such well-grounded reason to expect.” He became a Rear-Admiral 12 Aug. 1819; a Vice-Admiral 22 July, 1830; and a full Admiral 23 Nov. 1841.

Admiral Raper, in 1828, published a work highly commended for the ability and thorough knowledge of the subject displayed in it, entitled ‘A New System of Signals, by which Colours may be wholly dispensed with; illustrated by Figures and a Series of Evolutions, &c.’ He married, in 1798, a Miss Craig, by whom he has left issue. – Hallett and Robinson.

 RAPER. 

entered the Navy 17 Nov. 1811; and was made Lieutenant, 17 May, 1823, into the 42, Capt. Augustus Wm. Jas. Clifford, on the Mediterranean station; where he removed, 29 July following, to the 18, Capt. Edw. Hinton Scott. He has been on half-pay since 1825.

In 1834 the Lieutenant, who has been for many years Secretary to the Royal Astronomical Society, gave to the world his ‘Remarks on Mr. Robert Steele’s Report to the Chamber of Commerce of Greenock on the Bill then before Parliament for the Measurement of Tonnage.’ He afterwards published ‘Rules for finding Distances and Heights at Sea;’ and in 1843 appeared, also from his pen, ‘The Practice of Navigation and Nautical Astronomy.’ – Hallett and Robinson.

 RATSEY. 

is brother of ; and first-cousin of.

This officer (who had studied at the Royal Naval College and been allotted three years’ service) embarked, 1 July, 1793, as a Volunteer, on board the sloop, Capts. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge and Scory Barker. After having been for about two years employed on the Channel and Newfoundland stations, he became Midshipman of the 74, Capt. Jas. Gambier; prior to following whom as Master’s Mate into the 98 (commanded subsequently by Sir John Orde), he fought in Lord Howe’s action 1 June, 1794. He was made Lieutenant 9 April, 1795, into the 24, Capts. Thos. Twysden and Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett, on the Channel station; and afterwards appointed – 20 Jan. 1796, to the 32, Capts. T. Twysden and Henry Jenkins, employed in the North Sea and West Indies – 24 Sept. 1798, to the 74, Capt. Albemarle Bertie, lying at Woolwich – 24 June, 1799, to the  38, Capt. T. Twysden, on the Cork station, whence he invalided in 1800 – 30 April and 9 July, 1802, to the  98 and  50, flag-ships of Admirals Gambier and Thornbrough in the Channel, at Newfoundland, and in the North Sea – and, 26 May, 1804, to the  74, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Pellew, with whom he sailed for the East Indies. On his arrival he was nominated, 14 March, 1805, Acting-Captain of the 38, and next, 25 April in the same year, Acting-Commander of the  18. In the latter vessel, on 2 Aug. following, Capt. Ratsey (who was not confirmed to her until 4 Feb. 1806) fought, in company with the 38, a severe action of two hours and a half with the French 36-gun frigate  and several batteries at the entrance of the Straits of St. Bernardino, Philippine Islands. The on the occasion was much cut up in her masts, sails, and rigging, and sustained a loss of 2 men wounded. Before leaving her Capt. Ratsey had the good fortune to prevent some British supercargoes from being captured by the Ladrones on their passage from Macao to Canton. On 5 Sept. 1806 he was made Post into the 38. He came home in Oct. 1807; and has since been on half-pay. He attained Flag-rank 23 Nov. 1841.

The Rear-Admiral is married and has issue.

 RATSEY. 

is brother of.

This officer entered the Navy, 19 Dec. 1797, as A.B., on board the, Lieut.-Commander Stephen Donovan, stationed off Jersey. From March, 1799, until Feb. 1800, he was employed as Midshipman at the Rendezvous for Seamen at Cowes. During the next eight months he served as before with Lieut. Donovan on board a vessel named the ; and from Oct. 1800 until Feb. 1805 we find him stationed in the West Indies and at Home, in the 74, Capts. Hon. Robt. Stopford and John Nash, 98, flag-ship of Sir Robt. Calder, and and  gun-brigs, Lieut.-Commanders John Row Morris and Edm. Wallington. On 1 March, 1805, he was nominated Sub-Lieutenant of the, Lieut.-Commander Mayson Wright, lying in the Downs; he was promoted to the rank of full Lieutenant 22 Jan. 1806; and he was subsequently appointed – 17 Feb. 1806, to the 18, Capt. Sam. Jackson, also in the Downs – 27 Oct. following, to the 50, Capt. Thos. Seccombe, in the Mediterranean – next, to the bomb, Capts. Robt. Elliot and Robt. Hall, 38, Capt. Jas. Brisbane (part of the force employed in the reduction of Zante, Cephalonia, and Sta. Maura), 36, Capts. Walter Bathurst and John Hollinworth, and 38, Capt. Henry Harvey, all on the station last named – 12 March, 1812, to the  74, Capt. Sir Archibald Collingwood Dickson, lying at Portsmouth – 22 Oct. 1813, to the command of the  gun-brig, in the Baltic – 8 March, 1814, to the  20, Capt. Geo. Gustavus Lennock, under whom, during a servitude of 18 months, he assisted at the capture of the Sine-quâ-non American privateer of 7 guns and 81 men, and took part in a smart action fought off Teneriffe with two other American vessels, the Grampus and Terpsichore – and, 3 May, 1823, as First-Lieutenant, for a few months, to the 18, Capt. Wm. Hamley, on the Cork station. He accepted his present rank 27 July, 1847.

Commander Ratsey was left a widower in 1842. – Messrs. Stilwell.

 RATSEY. 

is first-cousin of.

This officer entered the Navy, 1 July, 1790, as A.B., on board the, flag-ship of