by John Marshall

“ The Shearwater was paid off at Portsmouth, in the beginning of 1822; and in June following, Captain Roberts received an appointment to the Thracian 18, fitting out for the Jamaica station, where his boats, under the command of Lieutenant Amos Plymsell, assisted those of the Tyne 28, Captain John Edward Walcott, in capturing the Spanish piratical schooner Zaragozana, mounting one long 18-pounder, four 9-pounders, and eight swivels, with a crew of from 70 to 80 men, of whom 24 were soon afterwards sentenced to death, and executed. ”

“ Mr. Roberts next joined the Endymion frigate, Captain the Hon. Thomas Bladen Capel, and continued in her until Sir John Gore assumed the command of the Tonnant 80, in Sept. 1810, when he again became one of his midshipmen. From the latter ship, he was promoted into the Armada 74, Captain Charles Grant, on the Mediterranean station, March 0, 1812. Me afterwards successively served in the Repulse 74, Captain Richard Hussey Moubray, employed off Toulon; l’Impérieuse frigate, Captain the Hon. Henry Duncan, on the coast of Italy; and Revenge, as flag-lieutenant to Sir John Gore, in the Adriatic. ”

“ William [errata 1] Roberts, D.D. Vice-Provost of Eton College, and Rector of Worplesdon, co. Surrey, by a daughter of the late Colonel John Gore, Lieutenant-Governor of the Tower of London, and sister to Vice-Admiral Sir John Gore, K.C.B [1] .
This officer was born in 1792; and entered the navy, as midshipman on board the Medusa frigate, commanded by his maternal uncle, under whom he served, in that ship and the Revenge 74, from Dec. 1804 until Aug. 1808. During this period he visited the Cape Verd Islands, Calcutta, St Helena, and Cadiz ”