Sir William Martin , 4th Baronet Admiral Sir William Fanshawe Martin , 4th Baronet GCB ( 5 December 1801 – 24 March 1895 ) , was a Royal Navy officer . As a commander , he provided valuable support to British merchants at Callao in Peru in the early 1820s during the Peruvian War of Independence . He became First Naval Lord in the Second Derby ministry in March 1858 and in that capacity acted as a strong advocate for the procurement of Britain ' s first ironclad warship . He went on to be Commander - in - Chief , Mediterranean Fleet and in that role provided important assistance during the Italian disturbances in 1860 and 1861 , reformed the system of discipline in his fleet and developed a comprehensive system of manoeuvres for steam ships . Naval career . Born the eldest son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas Martin ( a former Controller of the Navy ) and Catherine Martin ( daughter of Captain Robert Fanshawe RN ) , Martin joined the Royal Navy in June 1813 . He had two brothers , one of whom became Admiral Sir Henry Martin . He joined the fifth - rate HMS " Alceste " on the East Indies Station in January 1816 after which he transferred to the yacht HMS " Prince Regent " in 1820 and then to the fifth - rate HMS " Glasgow " in the Mediterranean Fleet . Promoted to lieutenant on 15 December 1820 , he joined the fifth - rate HMS " Forte " and then the fifth - rate HMS " Aurora " on the South America Station . Promoted to commander on 8 February 1823 , he was given command of the sloop HMS " Fly " on the South America Station and , in her , provided valuable support to British merchants at Callao in Peru during the Peruvian War of Independence . Promoted to captain on 5 June 1824 , Martin took command of the sixth - rate HMS " Samarang " in the Mediterranean Fleet in November 1826 and then went onto half - pay in 1831 . He took command of the first - rate HMS " Queen " at Sheerness in July 1844 and then the first - rate HMS " Trafalgar " at Sheerness in January 1845 and finally the first - rate HMS " Prince Regent " in the Channel Squadron in December 1847 . He went on to be commodore commanding the Channel Squadron with his broad pennant in HMS " Prince Regent " in December 1849 and , having been promoted to rear - admiral on 28 May 1853 , he became Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard , hoisting his flag in the first - rate HMS " St Vincent " in November 1853 . Promoted to vice - admiral on 13 February 1858 , Martin became First Naval Lord in the Second Derby ministry in March 1858 . In that capacity he acted as a strong advocate for the procurement of Britain ' s first ironclad warship . Martin went on to become Commander - in - Chief , Mediterranean Fleet , hoisting his flag in the first - rate HMS " Marlborough " , in April 1860 . In that role he provided important assistance during the Italian disturbances in 1860 and 1861 , reformed the system of discipline in his fleet and developed a comprehensive system of manoeuvres for steam ships . Having been appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 28 June 1861 and promoted to full admiral on 14 November 1863 , he succeeded to the baronetcy on 4 December 1863 : this had been conferred on his grandfather , but passed to Martin upon the death of his cousin , Sir Henry , the 3rd Baronet . He went on to be Commander - in - Chief , Plymouth in October 1866 and was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 24 May 1873 . He died at his home at Upton Grey near Winchfield on 24 March 1895 . Family . Martin married to Hon . Anne Best , daughter of Lord Wynford , on 24 July 1826 . Following the death of his first wife in 1836 , he married Sophia , daughter of Richard Hurt , on 21 May 1838 . Martin left , besides daughters , one son , Sir Richard Byam Martin , who succeeded as the 5th Baronet .