# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Nias, Joseph

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​NIAS. (Captain, 1835. f-p., 25; h-p., 15.)
Joseph Nias, C.B entered the Navy 19 Not. 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Nautilus sloop, Capt. Matthew Smith, with whom he continued employed, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Comus 22 and Nymphen 36, on the Lisbon, Mediterranean, North Sea, and Channel stations, until Aug. 1815. Between Oct. in the latter year and Jan. 1818 he served at Plymouth and Portsmouth as Master’s Mate and Admiralty-Midshipman in the Ramillies 74, Malta 80, and Rivoli 74, Capts. Chas. Ogle and Aiskew Paffard Hollis, also in the Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Thornbrough, and in the Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander. He then joined the Alexander brig, in which vessel, commanded by the present Sir Edw. Wm, Parry, he accompanied an expedition sent under the orders of Capt. John Ross to ascertain the existence of a North-West Passage. In Feb. 1819, three months after his return to England, he was again placed under the orders of Capt. Parry, in the Hecla bomb, and in the following May sailed on another mission to the frozen regions, where he penetrated to long. 113° 54' 43" W., within the Arctic Circle, and became thereby entitled to a portion of a Parliamentary reward of 5000l. On his arrival home he was presented with a commission dated 26 Dec. 1820. Being next, 1 Jan. following, appointed to the Fury bomb, also commanded by Capt. Parry, he sailed with that enterprising officer, 8 May, 1821, on a third voyage of discovery to the Polar Sea, whence he returned in Nov. 1823. On 6 Jan. 1826 we find him appointed First of the Asia 84, flagship of Sir Edw. Codrington in the Mediterranean; and on 11 Nov. 1827, as a reward for his conduct at the battle of Navarin, promoted to the rank of Commander; in which capacity he was further, from 8 Jan. 1828 until 1830, employed in the Mediterranean on board the Alacrity 10. He attained Post-rank 8 July, 1835, but he did not succeed in again procuring employment until 24 May, 1838, when he received instructions to commission the Herald 26 for service in the East Indies. While in that ship, in which he continued a period of five years, Capt. Nias bore a very distinguished part, and was warmly mentioned for the able conduct he displayed, during the campaign in China, particularly in the action with the Bogue forts, 26 Feb. 1841, in the attack made the next day upon the enemy’s camp, fort, and ship Cambridge bearing the Chinese Admiral’s flag, at their position below Whampoa Reach, where 98 guns were in the whole destroyed, and in the operations of the ensuing March against Canton. As a reward for his services, he was nominated a C.B. 29 June, 1841. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
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