William Young (1751–1821)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Young GCB (16 August 1751 – 25 October 1821) was an officer of the Royal Navy
who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars
.
Young was born into a naval family, with his father, James Young, and his half-brother, James Young
also serving in the navy and rising to flag rank. William Young served on a variety of ships and rose to his own commands during the American War of Independence. Using his connections to continue in service during the years of peace, he was almost immediately given command of a ship on the outbreak of the wars with the France and served initially in the Mediterranean during the siege of Toulon, at the reduction of Corsica
, and at the battles of Genoa
and Hyères Islands
. Promoted to flag rank soon after these events, he returned to England and joined the Board of Admiralty.
He rose through the ranks during his time in office, serving in his official capacity during the Spithead and Nore mutinies
, as commander at Plymouth
, and as senior officer during the court martial of Lord Gambier
after the Battle of the Basque Roads
. He returned to an active command at sea in 1811 with responsibility for blockading the Dutch coast until the end of the war. He received further promotions, and reached the rank of Admiral of the Red
, with the position of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
before his death in 1821.
, also embarked on a naval career and became a rear-admiral of the blue. William Young entered the navy in April 1761, joining the 50-gun under Captain Mark Milbanke
as captain's servant. He joined the 8-gun in December 1762, but rejoined Guernsey in October 1764. The Guernsey was by now under Commodore
Hugh Palliser
. Young took and passed his lieutenant's examination on 10 January 1769, and received his promotion on 12 November 1770 with a posting to the 16-gun , which was then at Plymouth
.
He joined the 64-gun , which was then in the Mediterranean as the flagship
of Sir Peter Denis
, as her fourth lieutenant. He served aboard her for several years, until becoming third lieutenant of the 50-gun on 23 January 1775. The Portland was at the time his father's flagship, at the Leeward Islands
. Service in the American War of Independence created opportunities for aspiring young officers, and he received his first command, that of the sloop , on 10 May 1777. The post was confirmed on 23 September 1778, and the same day he was again promoted and made captain of the 24-gun . He moved to take over the 32-gun on 15 April 1782, and remained with her until the end of the war. He remained on active service during the peace, surviving the drawdown of the navy to be given command the 36-gun in October 1787. He then briefly commanded the 36-gun from 10 May until November 1790.
, where he took part in the occupation and siege of Toulon
. With the fall of the city to the republicans, Hood decided to establish a base at Corsica
. He sent a squadron under Commodore Robert Linzee
, and consisting of three ships of the line and two frigates, with troops under Major-General
David Dundas
, to Mortella Bay. The troops were landed on 7 February 1794, and on 9 February Fortitude and Juno were sent to bombard a tower, just south of Pointe de la Mortella. Capturing the tower was necessary to secure the bay, but it proved highly resistant to bombardment, and despite only being armed with one 24-pounder gun, inflicted heavy damage on the British ships. After two hours of bombardment Fortitude had been nearly set on fire by hot shot, and was forced to retreat with six men killed and fifty-six wounded.
Young continued to serve with Hood's forces, and was active in the sieges of Bastia
and Calvi, being awarded the honorary rank of colonel of marines on 4 July 1794. He was present with the fleet at the Battle of Genoa
on 14 March 1795 and the Battle of Hyères Islands
on 13 July 1795 under Vice-Admiral Sir William Hotham
. He had been advanced to the rank of rear admiral on of the white on 1 June 1795, and returned to England in autumn that year escorting a convoy. He joined the Board of Admiralty on 20 November, serving as one of the Lords Commissioners until 19 February 1801. He visited Spithead
in April 1797, during the mutiny there
, as part of the committee of conciliation sent by the board. Though professionally Young maintained the official line on the events, privately he appears to have been somewhat sympathetic to the seamen's complaints, and in a letter to Captain Charles Morice Pole remarked that ‘a sad want of energy and of particular attention to duty which the government of large bodies of men requires especially in these times and an absent or indifferent man can produce incalculable mischief’. Consequently during his tenure at the Admiralty he tried to improve conditions and tighten discipline.
late in 1797. He was promoted to vice-admiral of the blue on 14 February 1799, the second anniversary of Sir John Jervis's
victory at the Battle of St Vincent, and was further advanced to vice-admiral of the white on 1 January 1801. He was promoted to vice-admiral of the red on 23 April 1804, and on 18 May was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
. His time at Plymouth was marked with conflict with a junior officer, Lord Cochrane
, who accused Young of excessive greed in the matter of prize money, but this was a common dispute between officers, and Young followed common naval practice in his orders. He was advanced to admiral of the blue on 9 November 1805, but had been suffering ill health and fatigue during his posting and stepped down from his post in 1807. He declined the offer to lead the expedition to the Baltic in 1807, and instead the position was given to Sir James Gambier
. He continued in his post as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth for several more years.
. Gambier's principle critic was Lord Cochrane, who went on to accuse Young of undue bias in Gambier's favour, but Cochrane had already clashed with Young over the matter of prize money, and had accused Young of inefficiency in outfitting ships during his time at Plymouth when Cochrane was MP
for Westminster
. Young did object to Cochrane's discursive answers during the court martial, but does not seem to have been any more hostile than the other members of the board.
Young was advanced to admiral of the white on 31 July 1810 and in spring 1811 was given the command of the fleet in the North Sea
. His task was to blockade the Dutch fleet, and he hoisted his flag aboard the 83-gun on his arrival at the Downs
on 26 April. The fleet was in good order to carry out the blockade, though afflicted by shortages of men. Young had the support of the first lord of the Admiralty, Charles Philip Yorke
, though the blockade proved an arduous task, consisted of constant cruises, with shortages of ships, men and supplies, and the problems of bad weather. He hoped to lure the French fleet out of Flushing
, but the French declined to come out. He hoped to be given command of the Channel Fleet
, but when the appointment was given to Lord Keith in February 1812, Young felt he had been undermined, and resigned. Yorke persuaded him to return to his command, which he held until the end of the war. He was invested a Knight Companion of the Bath
on 28 July 1814, and with the reconstruction of the order the following year, became a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815.
on 14 May 1814. He was made Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
on 18 July 1819 after the death of Sir William Cornwallis
, but by now was troubled by his failing health, and spent November 1818 at Bath. He died, aged 71, at his house in Queen Anne Street, London, on 25 October 1821 after a short illness.
described Young during his time at the Admiralty as being ‘diligent in application, clear in method and generally informed’. Young's biographer, P. K. Crimmin described his command of the Dutch blockade as being 'well performed and praiseworthy', while describing him as a 'conventional upholder and representative of the existing naval social order, though aware of the need for some reform and having some sympathy with seamen's grievances.' His opposition to Cochrane's radicalism and insubordinate attitude to superior officers led to him being harshly criticised by Cochrane's admirers, such as Captain Frederick Marryat
, who included him in his novel Frank Mildmay as 'Sir Hurricane Humbug'. Sir William Hotham instead declared that his manners 'tho' rather formal and cold, were those of a perfect gentleman, while he had the most punctilious sense of integrity'.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
Young was born into a naval family, with his father, James Young, and his half-brother, James Young
James Young (1762–1833)
James Young was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of vice-admiral of the white.Young was born in 1762, the son of a naval officer...
also serving in the navy and rising to flag rank. William Young served on a variety of ships and rose to his own commands during the American War of Independence. Using his connections to continue in service during the years of peace, he was almost immediately given command of a ship on the outbreak of the wars with the France and served initially in the Mediterranean during the siege of Toulon, at the reduction of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, and at the battles of Genoa
Naval Battle of Genoa (1795)
The Naval Battle of Genoa was fought on 14 March 1795 off the coast of Genoa, a port city in north-western Italy, between French warships under Rear-Admiral Pierre Martin and British and Neapolitan warships under Vice Admiral William Hotham...
and Hyères Islands
Naval Battle of Hyères Islands
The Naval Battle of Hyères Islands was fought on 13 July 1795 off the Hyères Islands, a group of islands off the French Mediterranean coast, about 25 km east of Toulon. The battle was fought between the van of a British fleet chasing the French squadron, and the French rear...
. Promoted to flag rank soon after these events, he returned to England and joined the Board of Admiralty.
He rose through the ranks during his time in office, serving in his official capacity during the Spithead and Nore mutinies
Spithead and Nore mutinies
The Spithead and Nore mutinies were two major mutinies by sailors of the Royal Navy in 1797. There were also discontent and minor incidents on ships in other locations in the same year. They were not violent insurrections, being more in the nature of strikes, demanding better pay and conditions...
, as commander at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, and as senior officer during the court martial of Lord Gambier
James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier
Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier GCB was an admiral of the Royal Navy, who served as Governor of Newfoundland, and as a Lord of the Admiralty, but who gained notoriety for his actions at the Battle of the Basque Roads.-Early career:Gambier was born in New Providence, The...
after the Battle of the Basque Roads
Battle of the Basque Roads
The Battle of the Basque Roads, also Battle of Aix Roads was a naval battle during the Napoleonic Wars off the Island of Aix...
. He returned to an active command at sea in 1811 with responsibility for blockading the Dutch coast until the end of the war. He received further promotions, and reached the rank of Admiral of the Red
Admiral (United Kingdom)
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...
, with the position of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
The Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom is an honorary office generally held by a senior Royal Navy admiral. Despite the title, the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom is usually a full admiral. He is the official deputy to the Lord High Admiral, an honorary office vested in the Sovereign from...
before his death in 1821.
Family and early life
Young was born on 16 August 1751, the eldest of five children of James Young, himself a distinguished naval officer who rose to the rank of admiral, and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth died sometime before 1762, and his father married Sophia Vasmer, having at least two children. The eldest son by his second marriage, JamesJames Young (1762–1833)
James Young was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of vice-admiral of the white.Young was born in 1762, the son of a naval officer...
, also embarked on a naval career and became a rear-admiral of the blue. William Young entered the navy in April 1761, joining the 50-gun under Captain Mark Milbanke
Mark Milbanke
Admiral Mark Milbanke was a British naval officer and colonial governor.-Military career:Born the son of Sir Ralph Milbanke Bt, Mark Milbanke graduated from the Royal Naval Academy, Portsmouth in 1740. He was made Lieutenant in 1744 and in 1746 was given command of HMS Serpent.In 1789, Milbanke...
as captain's servant. He joined the 8-gun in December 1762, but rejoined Guernsey in October 1764. The Guernsey was by now under Commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
Hugh Palliser
Hugh Palliser
Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, 1st Baronet was an officer of the British Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...
. Young took and passed his lieutenant's examination on 10 January 1769, and received his promotion on 12 November 1770 with a posting to the 16-gun , which was then at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
.
He joined the 64-gun , which was then in the Mediterranean as the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Sir Peter Denis
Sir Peter Denis, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir Peter Denis, 1st Baronet was an English naval officer and Member of Parliament.-Life:The son of a Huguenot refugee, Denis joined the navy as a young man and was a midshipman in HMS Centurion under the command of Commodore George Anson at the start of his famous circumnavigation . He...
, as her fourth lieutenant. He served aboard her for several years, until becoming third lieutenant of the 50-gun on 23 January 1775. The Portland was at the time his father's flagship, at the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
. Service in the American War of Independence created opportunities for aspiring young officers, and he received his first command, that of the sloop , on 10 May 1777. The post was confirmed on 23 September 1778, and the same day he was again promoted and made captain of the 24-gun . He moved to take over the 32-gun on 15 April 1782, and remained with her until the end of the war. He remained on active service during the peace, surviving the drawdown of the navy to be given command the 36-gun in October 1787. He then briefly commanded the 36-gun from 10 May until November 1790.
French Revolutionary Wars
As war with Revolutionary France approached, the navy expanded, and on 31 January 1793 Young was given command of the 74-gun . He took Fortitude out to the Mediterranean to join the fleet under Lord HoodSamuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
, where he took part in the occupation and siege of Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
. With the fall of the city to the republicans, Hood decided to establish a base at Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. He sent a squadron under Commodore Robert Linzee
Robert Linzee
Robert Linzee was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary War, and the Napoleonic War....
, and consisting of three ships of the line and two frigates, with troops under Major-General
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
David Dundas
Sir David Dundas, 1st Baronet
General Sir David Dundas, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British general who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces from 1809 to 1811.-Military service:...
, to Mortella Bay. The troops were landed on 7 February 1794, and on 9 February Fortitude and Juno were sent to bombard a tower, just south of Pointe de la Mortella. Capturing the tower was necessary to secure the bay, but it proved highly resistant to bombardment, and despite only being armed with one 24-pounder gun, inflicted heavy damage on the British ships. After two hours of bombardment Fortitude had been nearly set on fire by hot shot, and was forced to retreat with six men killed and fifty-six wounded.
Flag rank and the Board of Admiralty
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
and Calvi, being awarded the honorary rank of colonel of marines on 4 July 1794. He was present with the fleet at the Battle of Genoa
Naval Battle of Genoa (1795)
The Naval Battle of Genoa was fought on 14 March 1795 off the coast of Genoa, a port city in north-western Italy, between French warships under Rear-Admiral Pierre Martin and British and Neapolitan warships under Vice Admiral William Hotham...
on 14 March 1795 and the Battle of Hyères Islands
Naval Battle of Hyères Islands
The Naval Battle of Hyères Islands was fought on 13 July 1795 off the Hyères Islands, a group of islands off the French Mediterranean coast, about 25 km east of Toulon. The battle was fought between the van of a British fleet chasing the French squadron, and the French rear...
on 13 July 1795 under Vice-Admiral Sir William Hotham
William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham
Admiral William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was the son of Sir Beaumont Hotham , a lineal descendant of Sir John Hotham....
. He had been advanced to the rank of rear admiral on of the white on 1 June 1795, and returned to England in autumn that year escorting a convoy. He joined the Board of Admiralty on 20 November, serving as one of the Lords Commissioners until 19 February 1801. He visited Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
in April 1797, during the mutiny there
Spithead and Nore mutinies
The Spithead and Nore mutinies were two major mutinies by sailors of the Royal Navy in 1797. There were also discontent and minor incidents on ships in other locations in the same year. They were not violent insurrections, being more in the nature of strikes, demanding better pay and conditions...
, as part of the committee of conciliation sent by the board. Though professionally Young maintained the official line on the events, privately he appears to have been somewhat sympathetic to the seamen's complaints, and in a letter to Captain Charles Morice Pole remarked that ‘a sad want of energy and of particular attention to duty which the government of large bodies of men requires especially in these times and an absent or indifferent man can produce incalculable mischief’. Consequently during his tenure at the Admiralty he tried to improve conditions and tighten discipline.
Command at Plymouth
Young attended the thanksgiving service for the recent naval victories at St Paul's CathedralSt Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
late in 1797. He was promoted to vice-admiral of the blue on 14 February 1799, the second anniversary of Sir John Jervis's
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
victory at the Battle of St Vincent, and was further advanced to vice-admiral of the white on 1 January 1801. He was promoted to vice-admiral of the red on 23 April 1804, and on 18 May was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
. His time at Plymouth was marked with conflict with a junior officer, Lord Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
, who accused Young of excessive greed in the matter of prize money, but this was a common dispute between officers, and Young followed common naval practice in his orders. He was advanced to admiral of the blue on 9 November 1805, but had been suffering ill health and fatigue during his posting and stepped down from his post in 1807. He declined the offer to lead the expedition to the Baltic in 1807, and instead the position was given to Sir James Gambier
James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier
Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier GCB was an admiral of the Royal Navy, who served as Governor of Newfoundland, and as a Lord of the Admiralty, but who gained notoriety for his actions at the Battle of the Basque Roads.-Early career:Gambier was born in New Providence, The...
. He continued in his post as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth for several more years.
Gambier's court martial
Young was later appointed the senior admiral at the board of the court martial held against Gambier in July 1809, to investigate Gambier's actions at the Battle of the Basque RoadsBattle of the Basque Roads
The Battle of the Basque Roads, also Battle of Aix Roads was a naval battle during the Napoleonic Wars off the Island of Aix...
. Gambier's principle critic was Lord Cochrane, who went on to accuse Young of undue bias in Gambier's favour, but Cochrane had already clashed with Young over the matter of prize money, and had accused Young of inefficiency in outfitting ships during his time at Plymouth when Cochrane was MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Westminster
Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)
Westminster was a parliamentary constituency in the Parliament of England to 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain 1707-1800 and the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. It returned two members to 1885 and one thereafter....
. Young did object to Cochrane's discursive answers during the court martial, but does not seem to have been any more hostile than the other members of the board.
Young was advanced to admiral of the white on 31 July 1810 and in spring 1811 was given the command of the fleet in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. His task was to blockade the Dutch fleet, and he hoisted his flag aboard the 83-gun on his arrival at the Downs
The Downs
The Downs are a roadstead or area of sea in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast, between the North and the South Foreland in southern England. In 1639 the Battle of the Downs took place here, when the Dutch navy destroyed a Spanish fleet which had sought refuge...
on 26 April. The fleet was in good order to carry out the blockade, though afflicted by shortages of men. Young had the support of the first lord of the Admiralty, Charles Philip Yorke
Charles Philip Yorke
Charles Philip Yorke PC, FRS, FSA , was a British politician. He notably served as Home Secretary from 1803 to 1804.-Background:...
, though the blockade proved an arduous task, consisted of constant cruises, with shortages of ships, men and supplies, and the problems of bad weather. He hoped to lure the French fleet out of Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
, but the French declined to come out. He hoped to be given command of the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
, but when the appointment was given to Lord Keith in February 1812, Young felt he had been undermined, and resigned. Yorke persuaded him to return to his command, which he held until the end of the war. He was invested a Knight Companion of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
on 28 July 1814, and with the reconstruction of the order the following year, became a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815.
Later years
Young became deputy present of the Naval Charitable Society, and Rear-Admiral of the United KingdomRear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
The Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom is a now honorary office generally held by a senior Royal Navy admiral. Despite the title, the Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom is usually a full admiral...
on 14 May 1814. He was made Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
The Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom is an honorary office generally held by a senior Royal Navy admiral. Despite the title, the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom is usually a full admiral. He is the official deputy to the Lord High Admiral, an honorary office vested in the Sovereign from...
on 18 July 1819 after the death of Sir William Cornwallis
William Cornwallis
Admiral the Honourable Sir William Cornwallis GCB was a Royal Navy officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was the brother of Charles Cornwallis, the 1st Marquess Cornwallis, governor-general of India...
, but by now was troubled by his failing health, and spent November 1818 at Bath. He died, aged 71, at his house in Queen Anne Street, London, on 25 October 1821 after a short illness.
Assessment
Admiral Sir William HothamWilliam Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham
Admiral William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was the son of Sir Beaumont Hotham , a lineal descendant of Sir John Hotham....
described Young during his time at the Admiralty as being ‘diligent in application, clear in method and generally informed’. Young's biographer, P. K. Crimmin described his command of the Dutch blockade as being 'well performed and praiseworthy', while describing him as a 'conventional upholder and representative of the existing naval social order, though aware of the need for some reform and having some sympathy with seamen's grievances.' His opposition to Cochrane's radicalism and insubordinate attitude to superior officers led to him being harshly criticised by Cochrane's admirers, such as Captain Frederick Marryat
Frederick Marryat
Captain Frederick Marryat was an English Royal Navy officer, novelist, and a contemporary and acquaintance of Charles Dickens, noted today as an early pioneer of the sea story...
, who included him in his novel Frank Mildmay as 'Sir Hurricane Humbug'. Sir William Hotham instead declared that his manners 'tho' rather formal and cold, were those of a perfect gentleman, while he had the most punctilious sense of integrity'.