William Houston Stewart Admiral Sir William Houston Stewart GCB ( 7 September 1822 – 13 November 1901 ) was a British naval officer who was Controller of the Royal Navy from 1872 to 1881 . Personal life . William Houston Stewart was born on 7 September 1822 at Kirkmichael House , Ayrshire . He was the son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Houston Stewart ( 1791 – 1875 ) , and Martha ( d . 1870 ) , youngest daughter of Sir William Miller , Bart ( 1785 – 1846 ) . William Houston Stewart is sometimes referred to as William Houston Shaw - Stewart ; his paternal grandfather was Sir Michael Shaw - Stewart , Bt ( 1766 – 1825 ) . On 20 February 1850 , he married Catherine Elizabeth Coote ( 1829 – 1867 ) , only daughter of Eyre Coote ( 1806 – 1834 ) of West Park , Hampshire . Catherine died on 23 November 1867 . His remarried on 11 January 1872 , this time to Blanche Caroline ( 1845 – 1927 ) , the third child of Admiral Hon . Keith Stewart ( 1814 – 1879 ) , and Mary Caroline Stewart ( née Fitzroy ) ( 1823 – 95 ) . They had one daughter : Blanche Nita Mary Stewart ( d . 1947 ) . Early career . Stewart entered the Navy on 29 April 1835 . He served as lieutenant on 28 - gun frigate " Volage " from 29 June 1843 until March 1843 , though officially he was not promoted to Lieutenant until 26 September 1842 . " Volage " was commanded by Captain William Dickson , and was on the North America and West Indies station . In March 1843 he was appointed lieutenant in the 74 - gun two - decker " Illustrious " , commanded by Captain John Elphinstone Erskine , flagship of Vice - Admiral Charles Adam , on the North America and West Indies station . In 1844 , he was appointed lieutenant in the 16 - gun brig - sloop " Ringdove " , serving on the west coast of Africa station . The captain of " Ringdove " , Commander Sir William Daniell , died in command at Sierra Leone on 12 September 1845 . ( The previous commander of " Ringdove " was Commander Keith Stewart , whose daughter Blanche was later to become William Stewart ' s second wife . ) William Stewart ' s next appointment was as lieutenant in the 50 - gun razee frigate " Grampus " , which was commissioned at Woolwich by Captain Henry Byam Martin , and then went out to the Pacific station . Stewart served in " Grampus " until 1847 , when he studied steam engineering at Woolwich . On 18 May 1848 , he was promoted to commander . On 5 August 1851 , Commander Stewart commissioned the 6 - gun paddle - sloop " Virago " at Woolwich . " Virago " served on the Pacific station . On 4 December 1851 , " Virago " put into the Chilean port of Punta Arenas in the Strait of Magellan . This city was " a penitentiary colony for relapsing criminals and relegated military " . When " Virago " arrived , the port was in the hands of a group of mutinous prisoners " headed by one Cambiaso , second lieutenant of the troops stationed there ; who . . . had committed some offence and been imprisoned a short time before . " Cambiaso had captured two merchant vessels : the barque " Florida " of New Orleans and the brig " Eliza Cornish " of Liverpool . The officers of the " Virago " came on shore , visited the barracks , and the " Florida " , and then left the harbour without having their suspicions excited . When " Virago " arrived Cambiaso had considered trying to capture her , but was deterred because of " the order and discipline on board , the well manned guns , the well drilled marines " , and " of the capability of even the smallest midshipman to take command of the crew in case of the absence of the superior officers " . Early in January 1852 , intelligence of the mutiny was transmitted to the Chilean government at Valparaíso . " The Chilean authorities despatched two Chilean men - of - war [ " Indefatigable " and " Meteoro " ] , and some Chilean troops under Don Santiago Jorge Bynon . The troops were put on board the Chilean men - of - war ; the latter on board the " Virago " , on the same service . The English steamer proceeded immediately to the Straits , and it was to be hoped that her officers would learn a lesson from experience , and prove themselves more sharp sighted than they had done a month before , in their former visit to the colony . " The mutineers and their prisoners sailed from Punta Arenas on the " Florida " and the " Eliza Cornish " . " Virago " searched for , and recaptured the " Eliza Cornish " at sea and rescued some colonists who had been abandoned on Wood ' s Bay . Meanwhile , Cambiaso and his men on board the " Florida " had been overpowered by some of her original crew . When " Virago " and the Chilean ships encountered the " Florida " , at a place called Ancud , the " Florida " was back in friendly hands . " Virago " ' s crew lent assistance to " Florida " , took the prisoners and treasure on board . After the incident , there was some dispute about treasure recaptured by the " Virago " ; an American called Charles H . Brown from the " Florida " tried to claim it was his , and wrote a book to back up his claims . On 5 April 1853 , Commander Edward Marshall took over command of " Virago " . Crimean War service . On 9 July 1854 , Stewart was promoted to captain . He was then appointed captain of the 4 - gun 2nd - class paddle - frigate " Firebrand " , replacing Captain Hyde Parker . During this time " Firebrand " ' was serving in the Black Sea during the Crimean War . On 29 August , Stewart was superseded by Captain William Moorsom . On 2 February 1855 , he was appointed captain of the 6 - gun 2nd - class paddle - frigate " Dragon " ; his predecessor , Captain James Willcox , had only commanded her for 11 days . Under Stewart , " Dragon " served in the Baltic Fleet in the second year of the Crimean War . After the Crimean War . From 4 May 1857 to 3 May 1860 , Stewart was captain of the " Impregnable " , the harbour flagship of Vice - Admiral Barrington Reynolds , Devonport . " Impregnable " was a 47 - year old 98 - gun sail three - decker , which had been modernised in 1825 - 26 , but had been a harbour flagship since 1839 . On 3 May 1860 , he became captain of the modern 131 - gun steam three - decker " Marlborough " , flagship of Vice - Admiral William Fanshawe Martin , C - in - C of the Mediterranean Fleet . Vice - Admiral Robert Smart superseded Vice - Admiral Martin on 20 April 1863 . Stewart was superseded by Captain Charles Fellowes in June 1863 . Stewart was then Superintendent of Chatham dockyard from 19 November 1863 to 30 November 1868 ; for part of this time , from 3 January 1866 , he flew his flag in " Wellesley " , guard ship of ordinary , Chatham . On 1 April 1870 Stewart was promoted to rear admiral . From 13 July 1870 to 21 November 1871 Stewart was Superintendent of Devonport dockyard . The from 20 November 1871 to 28 April 1872 he was 28 April 1872 he was Superintendent of Portsmouth dockyard . Controller . Rear Admiral Stewart was appointed Controller of the Navy on 29 April 1872 , and held this post until 1 December 1881 . During this time he was promoted to vice admiral ( 12 November 1876 ) and then admiral ( 23 November 1881 ) . He was awarded the K . C . B . ( Knight Commander of the Bath ) on 2 June 1877 . End of His Career . Admiral Stewart ' s last post was Commander - in - Chief , Plymouth , which he held from 1 December 1881 to 1 December 1884 . He retired on 30 March 1885 . He was awarded the G . C . B . ( Knight Grand Cross of the Bath ) on 21 June 1887 , and died in London on 13 November 1901 . Legacy . Houston Stewart Channel , in the Queen Charlotte Islands , is named for William Houston Stewart .