# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/De Starck, Mauritius Adolphus Newton

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​DE STARCK. (Rear-Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p., 18; h-p., 49.)
Mauritius Adolphus Newton De Starck is son of the late Chas. Sigismond, Baron De Starck (an officer in the Imperial Austrian army, previous to his settling in England in 1753), by Martha, sister of Admiral the late Sir Chaloner Ogle, Bart., and great-aunt of the late Earl Grey.
This officer entered the Navy in June, 1780, as part of the Admiral’s retinue, on board the Barfleur 98, Capt. Benj. Hill, bearing the flag in the Channel of the Hon. Sam. Barrington. In Sept. following he removed, as Midshipman, to the Ambuscade 32, commanded by the late Lord Hugh Seymour, then the Hon. Capt. Conway; with whom, on being transferred to the Latona 38, he served at the relief of Gibraltar in 1782. Between April, 1783, and the receipt of his first commission, bearing date 20 Nov. 1790, we next find Mr. De Starck employed, on the Home, African, and Mediterranean stations, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate of the Ganges 74, Capt. Hon. Jas. Luttrell, Grampus and Irresistible, bearing the broad pendants respectively of Commodores Edw. Thompson and Sir Andw. Snape Hamond, Pearl 32, Capt. Hon. Seymour Finch, and Canada 74, Hon. Capt. Conway. ​With the exception of a brief attachment, during the summer of 1795, to the Salisbury 50, Capt. Wm. Mitchell, he then remained on half-pay until invested, 3 April, 1797, with the command, for the suppression of the mutiny at the Nore, of the 14-gun brig Eclipse; after which he further assumed command, on the Home and Lisbon stations – 19 Aug. following, of the 10-gun hired lugger Black Joke – 16 June, 1798, of the 14-gun brig Liberty (paid off 1 Oct. 1799) – and 16 Feb. 1801, of the 16-gun schooner Milbrook. In the latter vessel Lieut. De Starck captured, 15 Sept. 1801, the Baptista Spanish privateer of 8 guns; he also on one occasion repelled a night-attack made upon the Milbrook by some gun-boats near Gibraltar; and, in Oct. 1803, he exemplified characteristic zeal and energy, when in company with the Merlin sloop, in cutting off from Calais, and driving on shore, Les Sept Frères privateer of 2 guns. Attaining the rank of Commander 1 May, 1804, Capt. De Starck was next appointed – on 18 June in the same year, to the Tartarus bomb, in which he served for about two months in the Downs – and on 10 May, 1806, to the Avon 18. For his exertions in soon after conducting the Neva, a Russian line-of-battle ship, to the Baltic, Capt. De Starck was presented by the Czar with a breakfast-service of plate and a purse of 100 guineas. In the course of the succeeding autumn he took out Mr. Erskine, H.M. Minister to the United States of America; on his passage whither he effected a very skilful escape from the French 74-gun ship Regulus. He returned to Spithead with the intercepted despatches of M. Villaumez in Jan. 1807; and was then superseded, having been promoted to Post-rank on 25 of the previous Sept. Since that period he has been unable to procure employment. His advancement to Flag-rank took place 23 Nov. 1841.
Rear-Admiral De Starck (who was for some time equerry to H.R.H. the late Duke of Sussex, and in that capacity officiated at the funeral of William IV.) is the original inventor of the method of projecting a rope by means of powder and shot, a description of which may be found in Sir Chas. Ekins’ ‘Naval Battles.’ He married, first, Miss Houghton of Bramerton, co. Norfolk; and, secondly, 30 Aug. 1817, Miss Kent, niece of the late Sir Thos. Kent, who was given away on the bridal day by the Duke of Sussex. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.