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  officer, whose ancestors appear to have settled at Leatherhead, in Surrey, about the close of the sixteenth century, is the fifth son of the late Richard Dacres, Esq. Secretary to the garrison of Gibraltar, by Mary, daughter of William Bateman, Esq. of Bury St. Edmund’s, in the county of Suffolk, and a brother of the late Vice-Admiral Dacres.

He was born in Sept. 1761, entered the naval service in 1775, and served as a Midshipman on board the Renown of 50 guns, at the evacuation of Boston, and the reduction of New York, Rhode Island , and on various other services. Mr. Dacres remained in the Renown until 1778, when he returned to England and joined the Apollo frigate, commanded by Captain Philemon Pownall. He was consequently in the action between that ship and l’Oiseau French frigate, Jan. 31, 1779; which terminated in the capture of the enemy. On this occasion the Apollo had 6 men killed and 22, including her Commander and his two Lieutenants, wounded. The enemy’s loss was never ascertained.

Our officer was afterwards removed into the Victory, a first rate, bearing the flag of Sir Charles Hardy, Commander-in-Chief of the Channel fleet; by whom he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and appointed to the Amazon frigate, commanded by the Hon. W. C. Finch, with whom he proceeded to the West Indies in the spring of 1780.

During the memorable hurricane which visited the West India islands on the 10th and 11th Oct. in that year, the Amazon had a narrow escape from destruction. The particulars of her situation are thus related in Captain Finch’s official letter on that subject:–

“The morning of the commencement of the gale, the Amazon stood under her storm stay-sails; it was but for a short time the canvas held; after that the ship behaved perfectly well. About seven at night the gale increased to a degree that can be better conceived from the consequences, than any description I can give. There was an evident necessity of doing something to relieve the ship; but I was unwilling to cut away the lower masts till the last extremity, and accordingly ordered the people to cut away the main-top-mast; my orders were attempted to be put into execution with the utmost alacrity; but before it could be accomplished, I