BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF THE LATE SIR FRANCIS GEARY, BART. ADMIRAL OF THE WHITE SQUADRON

Summary

“He was—but words are wanting to say what;

Say all that's good and brave, and he was that.”

lord lyttleton.

IN presenting a memoir of Admiral Sir Francis Geary—a distinguished officer of the old school—we are in hopes of gratifying many of the friends of that deceased Commander.

The father of Sir Francis was the descendant of an ancient family, which had been long settled near Aberystwyth, in the county of Cardigan. In the earlier part of his life, he resided at Cheddington, Bucks; but afterwards at Areall Magna, near Wellington, in Shropshire. Sir Francis was born in the year 1709; but whether at Cheddington, or at Areall Magna, we know not.

Mr. Charnock informs us, that, having made choice of a naval life, Mr. Geary was, in 1727, by an Admiralty order, entered as a Volunteer on board the Revenge, a 70 gun-ship, at that time commanded by Captain Conningsby Norbury. She was one of the fleet which, under the orders of Sir John Norris, was sent to the Baltic, for the purpose of overawing the Czarina, and preventing a rupture between the courts of Denmark and Sweden.—On his arrival off Copenhagen, Sir John was joined by a Danish squadron; but, as the death of the Czarina happened soon after, hostilities were prevented, the Russian fleet was laid up, and the English Commander returned home.