Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/450

 Mr. Vivion, a most promising young officer, son of the gentleman who has for some time past headed the list of Pursers, R.N.  . (p. 430.) The Dutch brigs Echo and De Gier each mounted 20 guns; they were driven on shore by the Pegasus only.  . (p. 440.) The following document, with which we have been favored since the sheet containing Sir Joseph’s memoir was printed, will serve as an elucidation of the lines addressed to that worthy officer on his retirement from the Admiralty.

The Editor, in alluding to a circumstance of so much importance to the Navy generally, but more especially to the destitute widows and children of naval officers, as the abrogation of the well-intentioned though severe regulation, which denied relief to any widow who had not been married twelve months previous to her husband’s demise, feels much pleasure in doing justice to Mr., formerly of the Naval Victualling department, at North Yarmouth, by stating, that but for his assiduity and disinterested exertions, aided by the kind influence of Sir Richard Strachan and Sir Joseph Yorke, the rule formerly laid down by the Guardians of the Widows’ Charity would still have remained in force.

“The Memorial of Susan Storck, widow of the late Robert Henry Storck, a Lieutenant in His Majesty’s Navy.

“Most humbly sheweth,

“That your Memorialist, in consequence of the sudden death of her husband, on the 4th December, 1816, is left entirely destitute, he having been in a state of insolvency previous to his death.

“By the Regulations of Widows’ Pensions (to prevent abuses), no widow is entitled thereto unless she has been married one year previous to the death of her husband. Your Memorialist has the misfortune to stand in this predicament, having been married only seven months before her husband’s decease; yet she trusts to the gracious clemency of your Royal Highness (as no abuse of the bounty can, it is presumed, be supposed to exist in this case), in consideration of her husband having served in the memorable actions of Copenhagen and Trafalgar; and also of her brother having served many years in His Majesty’s Navy, (the one, Samuel French, thirteen years, eleven of which he was Master of H.M’s. Ships Vincego, Valorous, and Renown, and who died in consequence of severe cold taken in actual service; the other, Aldred French, was taken prisoner in H.M.S. Vincego, Captain Wright, and suffered imprisonment in France for ten years and a half), and having an aged and infirm mother totally unable to render her the least assistance, from her own very limited means, hopes, from the distressed situation in which she is left, that her very hard case will merit the favorable consideration of your Royal Highness, so that she may receive the pension allowed to the Widow of a Lieutenant in the Navy,