by John Marshall

“ It was this unfortunate nobleman who commanded the Advice of 46 guns, in an action which is thus described by Campbell: “On the 27th June, 1711, an English man-of-war, called the Advice, commanded by Kenneth, Lord Duffus, was attacked in Yarmouth roads, by several French privateers. His Lordship engaged them with great bravery, and did not give up his ship, which was a fourth rate, of 46 guns, till all his sails were torn to pieces, not a brace or bowling left, shrouds cut away, two-thirds of his men killed and wounded, and his lordship had five balls in his body. ”

“ George Mackay, of Skibo, N.B. Member of Parliament for Sutherlandshire, by Anne, grand-daughter of Kenneth Sutherland, third Lord Duffus, who was attainted in 1715; and sister of James, the present Baron Duffus, who was restored to that title by Act of Parliament, which received the Royal Assent, May 26, 1826 [1] .
In the course of our researches, we have frequently found a Mackay serving with distinction in the field; but the first of this family that ever joined the royal navy is the officer whose services we shall presently notice. ”

“ Captain Mackay’s subsequent appointments were to the Druid frigate. Inflexible 64, Volage 26, Malacca 42, and Minden of 74 guns. In the former ship he was employed on the Irish station; in the Volage he conveyed Sir Evan Nepean, Bart, to his government at Bombay, and was afterwards actively employed under the orders of Sir Samuel Hood, in the Eastern Archipelago and China seas, where the duties which he had to perform were of a very arduous nature. The Malacca formed part of the squadron under Captain George Sayer, during the operations against the Sultan of Sambas, in 1813 [6] ”