A Centenarian Admiral.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 139, 13 June 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

A Centenarian Admiral.

Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Provo William Parry Wallis, G.C.8., recently completed his hundredbh year. He is understood to be in fairly good health at his residence, Funtington House, Chichester. Sir Provo was born on April Ist, 1791, ab Halifax, Nova Scotia, and entered bhe navy ab bhe age of 13. In his first year of service he was in H.M.s. Cieopabra when thab vessel was captured after a long and severe action, by the French frigate Ville de Milan. He became lieutenant in ISOS, when he was seventeen and a half years old, and was appointed to H.M.s. Curieux. While belonging to her he cut out a vessel in St. Ann's Bay, Guadaloupe, when he was one-and-twenty, and in the Curieux he Was wrecked on the enemy's coast. Transferred bo bhe Gloire, he was presenb ab bhe desbrucbion of bhe two 44-gun French frigates at Ause ia Barque, and the batteries under which they lay ; and he wasatthesurrender of Guadaloupe,f or which he received a medal. But his most memorable achievement was in connection with the encounter between the Shannon and the Chesapeake. After a duel of the fiercest description the stars and stripes were hauled down, and the Chesapeake surrendered. The captain of the Shannon was dangerously wounded, and the firsb lieutenant was killed, so the command of the frigate fell to Lieutenant Wallis, on whom devolved the responsibiilty for bringing the half-crippled vessel safely to port. Ab this bime he was scarcely burned 22. Nevertheless, bhe Admiralby promoted him bo bhe rank of commander, and a special lebber of thanks was sent to him. Six years later, at the age of 28, he became post-cap-tain. Sir Provo was wearing the uniform of an officer in the navy a year before the ever-memorable battle of Trafalgar, though he did nob have the honour of serving under bhe immorbal Nelson. In comparison with Sir Provo, the oldest of our flag-officers seem mere youths. Ho was over 15 when Sir Alexander Milne, over 18 when Sir Henry Keppel, and was already a commander when Sir Thomas Symonds wa» born. He served George 111. for 16 years.