Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 43.djvu/448

 Papers, new ser. vol. xii. (by Captain Sir Henry Tyler, R.E.) and in Porter's History of the Corps of Royal Engineers, vol. ii.] 

PASLEY, THOMAS (1734–1808), admiral, fifth son of James Pasley of Craig, Dumfriesshire, by Magdalen, daughter of Robert Elliot, elder brother of Sir Gilbert Elliot, the first baronet, was born at Craig on 2 March 1734. He entered the navy in 1751, on board the Garland. In 1753 he went out to the West Indies in the Weasel sloop, and in her and afterwards in the Dreadnought he remained on the Jamaica station for four years, coming home in the Bideford frigate, and passing his examination on 1 Aug. 1757 (Passing Certificate). He was then promoted to be lieutenant of the Dunkirk, one of the fleet under Hawke in the abortive expedition against Rochefort. He was afterwards moved into the Roman Emperor fireship, and again to the Hussar with Captain John Elliot [q. v.] whom he followed to the Æolus, and took part in the capture of the Mignonne on 19 March 1759, and of Thurot's squadron on 28 Feb. 1760. In 1762 Pasley was promoted to command the Albany sloop employed in the protection of the coasting trade. From her he was moved to the Weasel and sent out to the coast of Guinea, where a deadly sickness so reduced his ship's company that he was obliged, though in time of peace, to press men from the merchantmen on the coast, in order to take the ship to England. He was sent out again with a new crew and better fortune. On his return he was appointed to the Pomona and sent to the Clyde to raise men, consequent on the dispute with Spain about the Falkland Islands. In 1771 he was posted to the Seahorse in the West Indies. In 1776 he commanded the Glasgow, again in the West Indies, and afterwards the Sibyl on the Newfoundland and Lisbon stations. In 1780 he commissioned the Jupiter, one of the squadron under the command of Commodore George Johnstone [q. v.] in 1781, taking part in the action in Port Praya on 16 April, and the burning of the Dutch East Indiamen in Saldanha Bay. In the following year he took Admiral Hugh Pigot [q. v.] out to the West Indies, remaining under his command till the peace. In 1788 he was commander-in-chief in the Medway with a broad pennant in the Vengeance, then in the Scipio, and afterwards in the Bellerophon, in which he joined the Channel fleet during the Spanish armament of 1790. In 1793 he was again in the Bellerophon, with a broad pennant, in the Channel fleet under Lord Howe. Being promoted to the rank of rear-admiral on 12 April 1794, he continued with his flag in the Bellerophon, and in her bore a very distinguished part in the battle of 1 June 1794, when he lost a leg, in consideration of which he was granted a pension of 1,000l., and on 26 July 1794 was created a baronet. On 1 June 1795 he was advanced to be vice-admiral of the white. In 1798 he was commander-in-chief at the Nore, and in 1799 at Plymouth. On 1 Jan. 1801 he became admiral; but he had no further service, and died on 29 Nov. 1808. His portrait, by Sir W. Beechey, has been engraved. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Heywood, deemster of the Isle of Man, and had issue two daughters, of whom the elder, Maria, married Captain John Sabine of the guards; to their son Thomas Sabine Pasley [q. v.] the baronetcy descended by special provision.

[Naval Chronicle, with a portrait after Abbot, iv. 349; Ralfe's Naval Biogr. i. 425.]

PASLEY, THOMAS SABINE (1804–1884), admiral, born 26 Dec. 1804, was the only son of Major John Sabine of the grenadier guards, brother of Sir Edward Sabine [q. v.] and of Maria, eldest daughter of Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley [q. v.] On the latter's death, 29 Nov. 1808, he succeeded to the baronetcy, and in the following year assumed the surname and arms of Pasley. He entered the Royal Naval College in August 1817, and in December 1818 joined the Rochefort of 80 guns going out to the Mediterranean as flagship of Sir Thomas Francis Fremantle [q. v.] and afterwards of Sir Graham Moore [q. v.] In October 1823 he joined the Redpole brig, and a few months later the Arachne. On 16 March 1824 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and in April was appointed to the Tweed, going out to the Brazilian station. He afterwards served in the West Indies, and in the Mediterranean as flag-lieutenant to Sir Pulteney Malcolm [q. v.] On 17 Sept. 1828 he was promoted to the rank of commander; and having commanded the Cameleon and Procris brigs, and (as acting-captain) the Rattlesnake and the Blonde frigates, was confirmed as a captain on 24 May 1831. From February 1843 to January 1846 he commanded the Curaçoa on the Brazilian station; from 1849 to 1854 was superintendent of Pembroke Dockyard; from November 1854 till 31 Jan. 1856, when he was promoted to be rear-admiral, he commanded the Agamemnon, flagship of Sir Edmund Lyons [q. v.] in the Black Sea. From December 1857 to December 1862 he was superintendent of Devonport Dockyard; was promoted to be vice-admiral on 23 March 1863, and admiral on 20 November 1866. From 1866 to 1869 he was commander-in-chief at Portsmouth; and on 24 May 1873