360 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Church, sometime possessed by Mr. James Hill, grocer, where he realised a
considerable fortune. For some time he resided in the house in Princes Street,
afterwards occupied by Mr. Fortune, and long known as Fortune’s Tontine,
and subsequently at No. 85 Princes Street.
No. CXLV.
THE RIGHT HON. LORD VISCOUNT DUNCAN.
ADBM, LORD VISCOUNT DUNCAN, one of the most celebrated names in
the annals of the British navy, was born at Dundee on the 1st July 1731. He
was the younger son of Alexander Duncan, Esq. of Lundie and Seaside, in the
county of Forfar, by Helen, a daughter of John Haldane, Esq. of Gleneagles
and Aberuthven.
He entered the navy at the age of sixteen, as midshipman in the Slmreham
frigate, in which he served for three years, under the command of his maternal
relative, Captain Robert Haldane. From thence he was transferred to the
CentuTion, which then carried the broad pennant of Commodore Keppel.
While on the Mediterranean station he had the good fortune, by his intrepidity,
steadiness, and seamanship, to attract the notice of the Commodore; and
in 1755, when Keppel was selected to command the .transport ships destined
for North America, he placed the name of Duncan at the head of those he had
the privilege of recommending for promotion. He was consequently raised to
the rank of Lieutenant, in which capacity he was present at the attack on the
French settlement of Goree, on the coast of Africa, where he was wounded,
and distinguished himself so much by his bravery, that, before the return of
the expedition, he was promoted to be first Lieutenant of Keppel’s own ship,
the Torbay. Shortly after he was raised to the rank of Commander.
In 1760 Duncan was appointed Captain of the Valiant, of seventy-four
guns, on board which Keppel hoisted his flag as commander of the fleet destined
for Belleisle, where the newly promoted Captain had the honour of taking
possession of the Spanish ships when the town surrendered. In the same
ship he was present, in 1762, at the reduction of the Havannah.
In 1773 Captain Duncan had the singular fortune of sitting on the courtmartial
held on his friend and patron Admiral Keppel, who was not only
honourably acquitted, but immediately afterwards received the thanks of both
Houses of Parliament.
Having obtained the command of the Monarch seventy-four, the Captain’s
next expedition was with the squadron sent, under Sir George Rodney, to the
relief of Gibraltar, in which they succeeded, and also had the good fortune to
capture a fleet of fifteen Spanish merchantmen, with their convoy. Immediately