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CALDER, SIR ROBERT

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Originally appearing in Volume V04, Page 984 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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CALDER, See also:SIR See also:ROBERT , See also:Bart. (1745-1818), See also:British See also:admiral, was See also:born at See also:Elgin, in See also:Scotland, on the 2nd of See also:July 1745 (o.s.). He belonged to a very See also:ancient See also:family of Morayshire, and was the second son of Sir See also:Thomas Calder of Muirton. He was educated at the See also:grammar school of Elgin, and at the See also:age of fourteen entered the British See also:navy as See also:midshipman. In 1766 he was serving as See also:lieutenant of the " See also:Essex," under See also:Captain the Hon. See also:George Faulkner, in the See also:West Indies. Promotion came slowly, and it was not till 1782 that he attained the See also:rank of See also:post-captain. He acquitted himself honourably in the various services to which he was called, but for a See also:long See also:time had no opportunity of distinguishing himself. In 1796 he was named captain of the See also:fleet by Sir See also:John Jervis, and took See also:part in the See also:great See also:battle off Cape St See also:Vincent (See also:February 14, 1797). He was selected as See also:bearer of the despatches announcing the victory, and on that occasion was knighted by George III. He also received the thanks of See also:parliament, and in the following See also:year was created a See also:baronet. In 1799 he became See also:rear-admiral; and in i8or he was despatched with a small See also:squadron in pursuit of a See also:French force, under Admiral Gantheaume, conveying supplies to the French in See also:Egypt.

In this pursuit he was not successful, and returning See also:

home at the See also:peace he struck his See also:flag. When the See also:war again See also:broke out he was recalled to service, was promoted See also:vice-admiral in 1804, and was employed in the following year in the See also:blockade of the ports of See also:Ferrol and See also:Corunna, in which (amongst other ports) See also:ships were preparing for the invasion of See also:England by See also:Napoleon I. He held his position with a force greatly inferior to that of the enemy, and refused to be enticed out to See also:sea. On its becoming known that the first See also:movement directed by Napoleon was the raising of the blockade of Ferrol, Rear-Admiral See also:Stirling was ordered to join Sir R. Calder and cruise with him to intercept the fleets of See also:France and See also:Spain on their passage to See also:Brest. The approach of the enemy was concealed by a See also:fog; but on the 22nd of July 1805 their fleet came in sight. It still outnumbered the British force; but Sir Robert entered into See also:action. After a combat of four See also:hours, during which he captured two See also:Spanish ships, he gave orders to discontinue the action. He offered battle again on the two following days, but the See also:challenge was not accepted. The French admiral See also:Villeneuve, however, did not pursue his voyage, but took See also:refuge in Ferrol. In the See also:judgment of Napoleon, his See also:scheme of invasion was baffled by this See also:day's action; but much indignation was See also:felt in England at the failure of Calder to win a See also:complete victory. In consequence of the strong feeling against him at home he demanded a See also:court-See also:martial.

This was held on the 23rd of See also:

December, and resulted in a severe reprimand of the vice-admiral for not having done his utmost to renew the engagement, at the same time acquitting him of both cowardice and disaffection. False expectations had been raised in England by the See also:mutilation of his despatches, and of this he indignantly complained in his See also:defence. The See also:tide of feeling, however, turned again; and in 1815, by way of public testimony to his services, and of acquittal of the See also:charge made against him, he was apz.ointed See also:commander of See also:Portsmouth. He died at See also:Holt, near See also:Bishop's See also:Waltham, in See also:Hampshire, on the 31st of See also:August 1818. See See also:Naval See also:Chronicle, xvii. ; See also:James, Naval See also:History, iii. 356-379 (186o).

End of Article: CALDER, SIR ROBERT

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