Bridport Alexander Arthur Hood

Bridport, Alexander Arthur Hood, first Viscount, one of the most distinguished of British naval officers, was born in 1727, and having entered the navy at an early age, became a lieutenant in 1746, and commander and captain in 1756. In 1757, with the Antelope, 50, he fought and drove ashore the Aquilon, 48; in 1759, in the Minerva, 32, he was present at Sir Edward Hawke's crushing defeat of De Couflans; and in 1761, in the same ship, he re-took the Warwick, 60, in a manner which gained him the highest credit. In 1778 he commanded the Robust, 74, in Keppel's unsatisfactory action with d'Orvilliers, off Ushant, and again by his gallantry brought himself into prominent notice. In 1780 he was promoted to be rear-admiral, and two years later he commanded a division of Lord Howe's fleet for the relief of Gibraltar. In 1783 he was second in command at Portsmouth, in 1788 he entered Parliament for Bridgwater, and was made a K.B., and having in 1787 been promoted to vice-admiral, he was second in command in the Channel under Lord Howe at the outbreak of war in 1793. In the following year he became admiral, and, with his flag on the Royal George, was second in command in the great victory of the glorious First of June, 1794. His ship had 20 men killed and 72 wounded. For this service he was made an Irish peer by the title of Baron Bridport. In 1795, holding this time an independent command, he defeated the French off Groix on June 22nd, and took the Formidable, Alexandre, and Tigre. In 1796 Lord Bridport was made vice-admiral of England and an English peer, and from 1797 to 1800 he held chief command in the Channel. In 1799 he was made lieutenant-general, and in 1801 general of marines, and in the last-mentioned year he was also raised to the rank of a Viscount. He died in 1814, without issue, although he had been twice married. He was elder brother of Samuel, first Viscount Hood (q.v.).