George Cranfield Berkeley Admiral Sir George Cranfield Berkeley GCB ( 10 August 1753 – 25 February 1818 ) , often known as George Berkeley , was a highly experienced , popular , yet controversial naval officer and politician in late eighteenth and early nineteenth century Britain . Serving on several ships , Cranfield - Berkeley saw action at all three Battles of Ushant , commanded fleets in the West Indies and off Ireland and governed the supply routes to Portugal and Spain which kept Wellington ' s armies in the field during the Peninsula War . He also enjoyed an extensive political career , reforming military practices in Britain and participating in several prominent scandals including feuds with Charles James Fox and Hugh Palliser . Early career . George Cranfield - Berkeley was born in 1753 , the third son of Augustus Berkeley , 4th Earl of Berkeley and his courtier wife Elizabeth Drax . His father died when George was only two and the title Earl of Berkeley passed to his elder brother Frederick . George was privately educated until nine , when he attended Eton College , gaining a formal education until 1766 when he was attached to the royal yacht " Mary " commanded by a relative Augustus Keppel . " Mary " conveyed Princess Caroline Matilda to Denmark , where she was married to Christian VII of Denmark . Berkeley acted as page at her wedding . In 1767 , Berkeley was attached to the squadron under Hugh Palliser based at Newfoundland . Berkeley was there mentored by Joseph Gilbert ( who later accompanied James Cook ) and John Cartwright ( later a prominent political reformer ) . With these men , Berkeley participated in a survey of Newfoundland , learning seamanship , surveying and numerous other skills in the two - year commission . In 1769 , Berkeley was transferred to the Mediterranean and served in the frigate HMS " Alarm " under John Jervis . For the next five years , Berkeley spent time in the Mediterranean and at home , making lieutenant in 1772 but failing to be elected as MP for Cricklade and then Gloucestershire after a bitter and enormously expensive contest . American Revolutionary War . Following the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War , Berkeley served on HMS " Victory " , in which he commanded a gundeck at the First Battle of Ushant . Berkeley became a prominent opponent of Sir Hugh Palliser after the battle , at which Palliser was accused of refusing to obey the orders of his commanding officer , Augustus Keppel . This opposition did not prevent Berkeley gaining his first independent command the same year , when he took over the 8 - gun HMS " Pluto " . The next year he moved to the similarly tiny HMS " Firebrand " and impressed his commanding officer Lord Shuldham . Shuldham ' s recommendation for promotion was turned down however due to his previous involvement in the Palliser affair . In 1780 , Berkeley was appointed to HMS " Fairy " , a 14 - gun brig under his cousin George Keppel and together they captured the American ship " Mercury " , taking prisoner Henry Laurens who was on a secret mission to loan money from the Dutch government . The information procured from Laurens led to a British declaration of war against the Netherlands . As another consequence , Berkeley was promoted to captain by Admiral Richard Edwards and commanded " Fairy " during the relief of the Great Siege of Gibraltar and further operations against American shipping from Newfoundland . In 1781 , Berkeley was given command of the frigate HMS " Recovery " which was placed in the squadron of Samuel Barrington . At the Second Battle of Ushant in 1782 , Berkeley ' s ship was engaged in the decimation of a French convoy and its escorts . As a reward , Berkeley was given the captured ship of the line HMS " Pegase " . Whilst aboard her he was approached by a young William Cobbet who wanted to volunteer for the navy . Berkeley dissuaded Cobbet , who later credited Berkeley with saving him from " most toilsome and perilous profession in the world " . In April 1783 , Berkeley finally gained a seat in parliament , at the constituency of Gloucestershire . Berkeley would remain MP for the town for the next 27 years and took the position seriously , becoming a very important independent MP . He even attempted to bring William Pitt the Younger and Charles James Fox into an alliance , although the collapse of the scheme ended with a feud between him and Fox . The following year , 1784 after the peace , Berkeley married Emilia Charlotte Lennox , daughter of Lord George Lennox . The marriage was a love match and Berkeley ' s sister commented that they were " a pattern of domestic happiness scarcely to be equaled " . The couple had three daughters and two sons and remained an unusually tight - knit family , Berkeley using his extensive personal wealth to bring his family with him on long voyages and overseas postings . In 1786 Berkeley commanded HMS " Magnificent " and remained with her for three years until 1789 when he became surveyor - general of the ordnance . He left the post after the French Revolutionary Wars broke out in 1793 , taking over HMS " Marlborough " . French Revolutionary Wars . Berkeley was still in command of " Marlborough " when she fought under Lord Howe at the Glorious First of June , fighting as part of Admiral Thomas Pasley ' s van division there and at the preceding Atlantic campaign of May 1794 . At the First of June , " Marlborough " was dismasted in close combat with several French ships and Berkeley badly wounded in the head and thigh , having to retire below after a period to staunch the bleeding . He had a long convalescence after the action but was amongst the captains selected for the gold medal commemorating the action , only awarded to those felt to have played a significant part in the victory . Returning to service in 1795 , Berkeley commanded HMS " Formidable " off Brest , Cadiz , Ireland and the Texel , coming ashore in 1798 to command the Sussex sea fencibles . In 1799 , Berkeley was promoted rear - admiral and attached to the Channel Fleet , but the gout which had forced his first retirement returned , and Berkeley was forced to take permanent shore leave in 1800 . In 1801 , Berkeley increased his political interests to compensate for the loss of his naval career . Napoleonic Wars . Berkeley continued building his political status during the Peace of Amiens and by Berkeley had been appointed inspector of sea fencibles , a job he undertook with vigour , conducting a fourteen - month survey of Britain ' s coastal defences , which greatly improved the island ' s defences . In 1806 , after a shift in political power , Berkeley fell out of favour somewhat and was dispatched to the North American Station . From there , Berkeley ordered the attack by HMS " Leopard " on the American frigate USS " Chesapeake " in retaliation for American recruitment of British deserters . This action , known as the Chesapeake - Leopard Affair , helped precipitate the War of 1812 . Having embarrassed the British government with this action , Berkeley was recalled home . However , public opinion supported his orders , so Berkeley was moved to command in Lisbon in the hope he could organise the chaotic supply system for Wellington ' s army in the Peninsula War . Berkeley recognised that only a dedicated and organised convoy system could keep the supply of men , food and material regular and consequently set one up . Simultaneously , he reequipped and galvanised the remnants of the Spanish Navy , rescuing several ships from capture by the French as well as used frigates to supply partisan units all along the coast of Portugal and Northern Spain . By 1810 , Wellington could truthfully say of Berkeley that " His activity is unbounded , the whole range of the business of the Country in which he is stationed , civil , military , political , commercial , even ecclesiastical I believe as well as naval are objects of his attention " . He was promoted to full admiral and made Lord High Admiral of the Portuguese Navy by the Portuguese Regent in Brazil . By 1810 he had used sailors to man coastal defences all over Spain , freeing soldiers for Wellington and also formed a squadron of river gunboats to harry French units from major rivers like the Tagus . Berkely retired from the post in 1812 , again laid low by health . He and Wellington remained good friends for the rest of their lives , and Wellington later stated that Berkeley was the best naval commander he had ever cooperated with . Berkeley ' s final voyage was to return to Britain aboard HMS " Barfleur " . Later rewards included being made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1813 which was converted to a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1815 . He was reportedly disappointed not to have been given a peerage for his long and excellent service . Retirement and family . Berkeley retired to a house in South Audley Street , London , where his gout continued to plague him with severe pain for the rest of his life . He spent some time during this period conversing with lifelong friend Edward Jenner , whose vaccine for smallpox Berkeley had persuaded the government to investigate , particularly with regard for the health of the navy . He was confined to bed as a result of chronic gout , and died in February 1818 at the age of 64 , survived by his family . His eldest son Sir George Berkeley was a general and father of the 7th Earl of Berkeley while his younger son Grenville Berkeley was a politician . His third daughter Mary Caroline ( d . 1873 ) married Henry Fitzroy , 5th Duke of Grafton .