# Royal Naval Biography/De Starck, Mauritius Adolphus Newton

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MAURITIUS ADOLPHUS NEWTON DE STARCK, Esq. Equerry to His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex. [Post-Captain of 1806.]
Is a son of the late Charles Sigismond, Baron de Starck (an officer in the Imperial Austrian army, previous to his settling ​in England, in 1753), by Martha, sister to the late Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle, Bart., to the late Dr. Ogle, Dean of Winchester, and to Mrs. Grey, of Southwick, grand-mother of the present Earl Grey.
This officer entered the royal navy as a Midshipman on board the Barfleur 98, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Barrington, in June 1780; from which ship he was removed into the Ambuscade of 32 guns, commanded by the Hon. Captain Conway (afterwards Lord Hugh Seymour), under whom he served in that frigate, and the Latona 38, until the peace of 1783. An account of the Latona’s proceedings whilst assisting at the relief of Gibraltar, 1782, is given in the Nav. Chron. Vol. II. p. 360 et seq. A brief sketch of her gallant Captain’s services will be found at p. 157 et seq. of this volume.
We next find Mr. de Starck placed under the care of Captain the Hon. James Luttrell, then commanding the Ganges 74. On leaving that ship he proceeded to the coast of Africa, in the Grampus 50, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Edward Thompson; and on his return from thence he appears to have joined the Irresistible 74, Commodore Sir Andrew Snape Hamond, Bart., in which ship he continued until 1786; when he removed into the Pearl 32, commanded by the Hon. Seymour Finch, with whom he remained until that frigate was put out of commission. During the Spanish armament, Mr. de Starck served, in the Canada 74, under Lord Hugh Seymour, by whose recommendation he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, Nov. 22, 1790.
With the exception of his receiving an appointment to the Salisbury 50, and being obliged to quit that ship through ill health, we now lose sight of Lieutenant de Starck till 1797, when, having volunteered his services to assist in suppressing the disgraceful mutiny at the Nore, he was appointed to command the Eclipse gun-brig, armed for that purpose with long Dutch 24-pounders and heavy carronades, and manned with volunteers, part of whom were soldiers.
​During the ensuing seven years, Lieutenant de Starck successively commanded the Suwarow armed lugger, Liberty brig, and Milbrook schooner; in which latter vessel he was frequently engaged with the enemy, both on the coasts of France and Spain. In Sept. 1801, he captured the Baptista Spanish privateer, of 8 guns, with a cargo of prize butter; and shortly afterwards repelled a night attack made upon the Milbrook by some gun-boats, near Gibraltar, one of which opened her fire before she was discovered, but sheered off, on receiving a broadside, which was supposed to have proved fatal to her, as she disappeared in an instant, although then nearly alongside of the British schooner.
In Aug. 1802, Lieutenant de Starck paid off the Milbrook, but re-commissioned her for Channel service, on receiving a promise of early promotion from Earl St. Vincent, to whom our present most gracious monarch had condescended to write a letter in his favor, at the recommendation of H.R.H. the Duke of Sussex, with whose friendship and patronage he has been honored for many years.
Lieutenant de Starck’s zealous and energetic conduct on all occasions is noticed in a letter from Rear-Admiral Robert Montague to Lord Keith, dated Oct. 29, 1803, of which the following is a copy:
“My Lord,– Herewith I enclose a letter from Captain Brenton, of H.M. sloop Merlin, stating the destruction of the French lugger privateer les Sept Freres. The conduct of Lieutenant (Henry Clement) Thompson, and the people serving under him, merits approbation; and Lieutenant de Starck, of the Milbrook, appears to have exemplified the zeal and energy which invariably attach to his character. The Milbrook was struck several times by shot, but not damaged, and will proceed upon service this evening. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“Robert Montagu.”
Extract from Captain E. P. Brenton’s letter, dated off Dunkirk, Oct. 28, 1803.
“To the judicious and seamanlike conduct of Lieutenant de Starck, I am not only indebted for cutting off the enemy’s retreat into Calais, but also ​for bringing all the boats on board in safety after the service was performed the lugger went on shore about half a mile to the westward of Gravelines; Lieutenant de Starck anchored the Milbrook within musket-shot of her, and in the evening a heavy fire was opened upon him from the shore with some field-pieces, which, however, did no sort of damage, and I am happy to say, that on our side not a man was hurt.”
The subject of this memoir obtained the rank of Commander May 1, 1804 ; and his commission was one of the last signed by Earl St. Vincent, as First Lord of the Admiralty.
On this occasion, Captain de Starck was appointed to the Hound sloop of war, then at Jamaica; but the late Viscount Melville permitted him to exchange into the Tartarus bomb, on the Downs station, which vessel he continued to command until she was ordered to undergo repair, and a change of equipment, when he was superseded at his own request.
During Lord Howick’s naval administration. Captain de Starck obtained the command of a very fine brig ; the Avon, mounting sixteen 32-pounder carronades and two long sixes. In that vessel he was employed on Channel service until ordered to accompany the Neva, a Russian man of war, from Spithead to the Baltic.
The Neva had recently returned from a voyage of discovery, and hostilities had then commenced between Alexander and Napoleon; consequently it was not considered prudent for her to proceed to Russia without the escort of a British vessel. For the performance of this friendly office, the Czar presented Captain de Starck with a breakfast service of plate, and a purse of 100 guineas.
On her return from the Baltic, the Avon was selected to carry out Mr. (now Lord) Erskine, H.M. Minister to the United States of America, on which service she proceeded in the autumn of 1806, contending with contrary winds nearly the whole of her voyage to Chesapeake bay.
When in lat. 39° 20' N. and long. 35° 49' W., Captain de Starck fell in with the Regulus French 74, by which ship he was chased for eight hours, right before the wind; his pursuer within gun-shot, and repeatedly firing upon him. Fortunately, a violent squall suddenly came on, of which he ​promptly availed himself by hauling up several points, unperceived by the enemy, who ran so far to leeward before the weather cleared up that she was then scarcely visible.
Having thus skilfully escaped from further annoyance. Captain de Starck pursued his voyage with all possible expedition, and landed Mr. Erskine at Annapolis Royal, on the 30th October. Returning from thence, he fell in with an English 74, the Captain of which ship sent him to Bermuda, with instructions to place himself under the orders of Vice-Admiral Berkeley, commander-in-chief on the Halifax station, by whose directions he was shortly after ordered to carry home the intercepted despatches of Mons. Villaumez, which had been taken out of an American vessel examined by the Avon, on her passage from the Chesapeake.
Captain de Starck arrived at Spithead on the 14th Jan. I8O7; and was soon afterwards superseded, in consequence of his having been promoted to post rank on the 25th Sept. preceding. A change of ministry taking place about the same period, he was doomed to the mortification of continuing on shore during the remainder of the war, notwithstanding an appointment to a frigate had actually been promised him as a reward for his adroit conduct in escaping from the Regulus, whereby his Majesty’s representative was secured from any indignity with which an implacable enemy might have felt disposed to treat him.
The highly respectable gentleman whose services we have been describing, was the original inventor of the now well-known method of projecting a rope by means of powder and shot, the practicability of which contrivance he proved by repeated experiments made on the river Thames, in 1789. A description of Captain de Starck’s apparatus, and a plate shewing the manner in which he used it, will be found in the valuable work published by Rear-Admiral Ekins, on the subject of “Naval Battles.”
​Captain de Starck is likewise the author of a monody on the late Lord Nelson, which was publicly recited on the stage of the Richmond theatre, Dec. 3, 1805, and very much applauded, the news of the great victory off Trafalgar, and of the hero’s death, having only arrived a few days before. Thia little poem concludes with the following patriotic invocation and very just prediction:–
“Then, O my countrymen! whose griefs deplore “Your dear, illustrious Nelson, now no more ; “Cherish the precept his example gave,– “Let honor prompt, and virtue make you brave; “And when your country’s wrongs your swords demand, “Serve with a willing heart and ready hand: “Oh! give your utmost aid – your latest breath, “And, true ‘to England’s glory, smile in death.’ “So shall renown adorn your storied page, “And humbled France no more your arms engage; “And golden eras iron years subdue, “The world breathe peace, and owe that peace to you.”
The subject of this memoir married, 1st, Miss Houghton, of Bramerton, co. Norfolk; in right of whom, during her life, he was possessed of a considerable estate in that county: 2ndly, Aug. 30, 1807, Miss Kent, niece to the late Sir Thomas Kent, which lady had the honor to be given away by his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, by whom Captain de Starck has recently been appointed one of H.R.H.’s equerries, a distinction the more flattering as it was conferred by that illustrious personage without any solicitation on the part of our gallant and deserving officer.
Agents.– Messrs. Clementson.
* ↑ Baron de Starck died in 1776.
* ↑ See Vol. I., pp. 390 and 391.
* ↑ See Vol. II. Part I, p. 59.
* ↑ The Milbrook was a very fine vessel, mounting 16 18-pounder carronades.
* ↑ The Regulus was one of the French squadron mentioned at p. 68 et seq. of this volume; and when met by Captain de Starck she was returning home from the coast of America.
* ↑ See also our memoir of Captain Henry Hope, C.B.
* ↑ See Orme’s Graphic History of the Life, Exploits, and Death of Nelson, p. 66 et seq.
Addendum.
​Captain de Starck, the gallant and worthy officer whose services, &c. have been recorded at p. 178, et seq. of Supplement Part I., is the inventor of an “Applicative Compass for taking Bearings on a Chart,” of which the following mention is made in “Nicholson’s Philosophical Journal,” vol. xii. p. 224:
“This instrument, seen in Fig. 6, Plate xi., consists of an inner and an outer brass concentric circle; the latter of which, when in use is to be applied to a chart, so that its cardinal points may agree with those of the draft, and its central (metallic) point be directly over the ship’s place. The inner circle is to be set to the variation; and the thread from the centre beings laid, will shew either bearings by compass, or true bearing’s, according to the circle upon which they are read. It is obvious also, that the instrument may be used in delineating, plotting, and for various other useful purposes.”