The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-07 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH, TEURSDAY.—Lieutenant William Prin-
gle Green (1806) died a few days slime at his residence
.in Mile-end.eterrace,. Landport, aged 61. This gallant
officer entered the service in the year 1797 as midship-
man, on board the Cleopatra, Captain Penrose, one of
the western squadron (the only ship at Portsmouth that
put to sea and did not mutiny) ; and, after a service of
ten months, joined La Topaze, and served on board her
three years and a half. In the year 1800, when on the
West India station in the latter ship, disease carried off
his patron, Captain Church, 13 other officers, and more
than 100 seamen and marines. La Topaze, during the
above time, was warmly engaged with a Spanish ship-
of-the-line off the Havannah, and also with the batteries
in Gibraltar-bay ; and Mr. Green was in boats which
performed some active service in cutting-out vessels.
When his late Royal Highness the Duke of Kent took
his passage to England from Halifax, Nova Seotia; in
La Topaze, Mr. Green was in attendance upon him as
naval aidede-camp, having been appointed to that duty
at the express solicitation of his Royal Highness, to
whom Mr. Green and his family were intimately known.
After the death of Captain Church, Mr. Green joined
the Circe, at Jamaica, and from that ship was trans-
ferred, on promotion, to the Sanspareil, bearing the
flag of Admiral Montagu. Peace now taking place,
a regulation was made precluding midshipmen from
passing their examination for the rank of lieutenant
on foreign stations, whereby Mr. Green, as he could
not obtain leave to repair to England for that pur-
pose, owing to the deficiency of officers of his
class, from the tsnusual mortality which had prevailed
in the fleet, lost his promotion. In 1803 Mr. Green fol-
lowed his Captain (Caton) into the Trent, and after
three years' service in the West Indies came home in
her. War having been declared some weeks before his
arrival, he was draughted, with part of the crew into the
Conqueror, 74, when the urgency of the service again
prevented his obtaining leave to pass his examination,
whereby he lost more than three years' rank, besides all
the chances which the possession of that rank would
hare afforded him in war. The Conqueror was one of
the fleet which, under Nelson, pursued the enemy in the
four quarters of the globe, and ultimately fought the
combined fleets off Trafalgar, in which action the Con-
queror captured the Buuntaure, on board of which was
the French Commander-in. Chief, and Mr. Green was in
'the command of boats which were twice sunk in the at-
tempt to take that precious prize in tow. For his ser-
vices on that day Mr. Green was selected by his Captain
(Israel Pellew) as having merited the rank of Lieute-
nant, which he received, and was appointed to the For-
midable, one of the Channel fleet, and for some time
the flag-ship- of Lord St. Vincent, the Commander-
in-Chief. In 1807 Lieutenant Green was appointed,
at the intercession of the Duke of Kent, to the Decade
frigate, a Second Lieutenant, and soon after to the
Eurydice frigate, as First Lieutenant, having then
been eleven years afloat in active service. The Eury-
dice was employed, during the American embargo, in
the year 1808, as a ship o observation on the Ameri-
can lines adjoining Nova Scotia ; and Lieutenant
Green having, whilst on this service, and previously,
when in the Conqueror, in the Mediterranean,
attentively observed the construction and equipment
of the American navy, made notes of them, and sub-
mitted them to Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, the
Commander-in-Chief at Halifax, suggesting the expe-
diency of some change in the mode of construction and
armament, and in the discipline of the crews of the Bri-
tish ships, in order that they might cope with the
enemy on eqaal terms. In 1811 Lieutenant Green,
again through the kindness of the Duke of Kent, was
appointed to the command of the brig Resolute, 11,
when he put in practice his node of training the crew,
to the entire satisfaction of the Admiralty, who ordered
the experiment, and devoted the Resolute for the pur-
poses of the trial, whereby her commander lost the
chance of distinguishing himself and of prize-money, in
consideration of which the Admiral held out to him the
most favourable prospects of the favour of the Board of
Admiralty. While in the Resolute, he trained all the
men under his command to the sword and gun exercise,
rendering them efficient for war service, and suggested
to the Admiralty the advantage to the service of training
men to arms on board guard and receiving ships after the
plan he had adopted, which was universally adopted in
the service. Lieut. Green afterwards made several very
valuable suggestions, for which he repeatedly re-
' ceived the thanks of the Admiralty, and invented
several improved kinds of fitting, &c., which are still
in use in the navy. On paying off the Re•
solute, in 1815, the Duke of Kent applied
for Lieutenant Green's promotion, when Lord Melville,
then First Lord of the Admiralty, replied, "Owing to
the navy being reduced to a peace establishment, pro-
motion is for the present at an end." The public im-
portance attached to Lieutenant Green's plan for lower-
ing and fidding topmasts is shown in the endeavours
which were made by Sir Robert Seppings, then Surveyor
of the Navy, to improve on it, and in the award of the
Navy Board of 5,0001. to Mr. Botch for an imitation
submitted long after Lieutenant, Green's model had been
before that Board, and which, had this prior claim re-
ceived attention, would in justice have obtained such
reward for him; his prior right was distinctly acknow-
ledged by the Solicitor to the Admiralty, Lieutenant
Green having regularly entered his caveat at the office
of patents. He also invented a tiller for a disabled
rudder, which was tried and apted in the navy. %die
1829 (having in the interval entirely employed his
time to improvements connected with the navy) the
deceased was appointed to a Falmouth packet as a re-
ward for his services, with an assurance from the Ad-'
miralty that it was a life appointment, in consideration
of which he resigned his claims to promotion and a
lucrative situation in a mercantile firm. At the end

of two years and ten months, however, his vessel
requiring repair, she was paid off, and although others
in a similar situation were re-appointed, the deceased
was neglected, and no further notice taken of him, not-
withstanding the assurance of the Admiralty that his ap-
pointment was for life. From this time until 1842 Lieu-

tenant Green remained unnoticed; at that date an ap-
pointment as Lieutenant of the Victory was given him,-
and he was quartered in the Blanche frigate, in this
harbour. At the expiration of twelve months, however,
from some cause unexplained, the gallant deceased was
deprived of his appointment, and from that time until
his death he remained unrewarded and neglected, but
still devoting his time to the maturing of inventions for
the improvement of that service in which he had been
so ill-treated. He died at the age of 61, more from the
want of the common necessaries of life than from decay
of nature, and has left a widow and seven daughters, to
exist (if they can) upon the pitiful pension of a lieute-
nant (501. per annum)—a lieutenant 41 years. The
eldest son of the gallant deceased is a medical student,
not passed the hospitals, his late father's means not
having permitted him to devote the money necessary for
that purpose; the second son is Mr. John Green, of the
Victory, clerk, not passed for the rank of paymaster and
purser; and the youngest son, Mr. Gilbert Elliot Green,
is a master's assistant of the Hibernia, 100, flag-ship of
Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker in the Mediterranean. We
hope the publication of these facts Kill be the means of
obtaining from the Government some remuneration to
the widow and family adequate to services rendered to
hi country by the gallant deceased.—Tines.
„ .

The Sphynx stetina, sloop, Commander Crbgg, arrived
this morning from Woolwich to receive advance wages
and wait further orders. She came into harbour.

The Nautilti, 10, Lieutenant-Commander M`Donnella
sailed this morning for Lisbon with dispatches.
The Resistance troopship, Captain Patey, came into
harbour this morning to be paid off, all standing, and
recommissioned. She was inspected by the Commander.
in-Chief this inoridng.
The Mariner transport, Lieutenant Still, agent, sailed
last night for Bermuda, with convicts.

The Sappho, 16, was dismasted yesterday, prepara-
tory to being ducked for repair.
The Aid navy lighter arrived this morning with stores
for Plymouth.
WooLwicll, Nov. s.—The Geyser steam-vessel, Com-
mander Brown, went down the river to-day to try her
engines, after being refitted for service.
The Grappler steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Hawker, is expected to leave Woolwich on Tuesday
next, her services being required immediately. A num-
ber of men are employed upon her to get her ready, and
so many others have been required to finish the vessels
already in an advanced state, that the launch of tho
Niger steam-vessel has been postponed until workmen
can be spared to make her ready for launchinig.
The Belvidere was towed to Deptford yesterday.
The fEolus, 42-gun frigate, was towed up the river
to-day from Sheerness to Deptford, to receive stores on
board.