Smith, SIR WILLIAM SIDNEY

Smith, SIR WILLIAM SIDNEY, the hero of Acre, was born at Westminster, 21st July 1764, entered the navy at eleven, and received a lieutenancy for his courage at Cape St Vincent in 1780. After further service under Graves and Rodney, he rose to the rank of captain in 1782; gave advice to the king of Sweden in the war with Russia (1790-92), being knighted as a reward; was next sent on a mission to Constantinople, and aided Hood in burning the ships and the arsenal at Toulon in December 1793. He next watched the Channel for French privateers, but was taken prisoner in Havre-de-Grâce harbour in April 1796. He succeeded in making his escape in 1798, and in October was sent as plenipotentiary to Constantinople, whence he hastened to St Jean d'Acre on hearing that Bonaparte was about to attack. On the 16th March 1799 he captured the enemy's vessels, and he held the town heroically until Napoleon raised the siege, leaving his artillery behind, on the 20th May. For this he received the thanks of parliament and a pension of £1000. Sir Sidney Smith next aided Abercromby in Egypt, became rear-admiral of the blue in 1805, and successively guarded Sicily and Naples, destroyed the Turkish fleet in Abydos (1807), blockaded the Tagus, became vice-admiral of the blue in 1810, K.C.B. in 1815, and admiral in 1821. He died at Paris, 26th May 1840. See the Life by Barrow (1848).