RODNEY, GEORGE BRYDGES RODNEY, BARON (1718-1792), English admiral, second son of Henry Rodney of Walton-on-Thames, was born in February 1718. George was sent to Harrow, being appointed, on leaving, by warrant dated June 21, .5732, a volunteer on board the "Sunderland." While serving on the Mediterranean station he was made lieutenant (1739) on the "Dolphin." In 1742 he attained the rank of post captain, having been appointed to the "Plymouth." After serving ' in home waters, he obtained command of the "Eagle" (6o), and in this ship took part in Hawke's victory off Ushant (Oct. 1747) over the French fleet. On that day Rodney gained his i first laurels for gallantry, under a chief to whom he was in a measure indebted for subsequent success. In 1749 he was ap pointed governor and commander-in-chief of Newfoundland, with the rank of commodore, it being usual at that time to appoint a naval officer, chiefly on account of the fishery interests. He was elected M.P. for Saltash in 1751, and married his first wife, Jane Compton (173o-1757), sister of the 7th earl of Northamp ton, in 1753. During the Seven Years' War Rodney rendered im portant services. In 5757 he had a share in the expedition against Rochefort, commanding the "Dublin" (74). Next year, in the same ship, he served under Boscawen at the taking of Louisburg (Cape Breton). In 1759 and again in 1760 he inflicted great loss on the French transports collected on the Normandy coast for an attack on Great Britain. Elected M.P. for Penryn in 1761, he was in October of that year appointed commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands station, and within the first three months of 1762 had reduced the important island of Martinique, while both St. Lucia and Grenada had surrendered to his squadron. At the peace of 1763 Admiral Rodney returned home, having been during his absence made vice-admiral of the Blue and having received the thanks of both houses of parliament.
In 1764 Rodney was created a baronet, and the same year he married Henrietta, daughter of John Clies of Lisbon. From 1765 to 1770 he was governor of Greenwich Hospital. In 1771 he was appointed rear-admiral of Great Britain, and in 1778 admiral of the White. From 1771 to 1774 he held the Jamaica command, and during a period of quiet was active in improving the naval yards on his station. Election expenses and losses at play in fashionable circles had shattered his fortune ; he could not secure payment of the salary as rear-admiral of Great Britain; and he lived for some time in Paris until the generosity of a friend enabled him to meet his debts.
Sir George was appointed once more commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands late in 1779. His orders were to relieve
Gibraltar on his way to the West Indies. He captured a Spanish convoy off Cape Finisterre on Jan. 8, 178o, and eight days later defeated the Spanish admiral Don Juan de Langara off Cape St. Vincent, taking or destroying seven ships. On April 17 an action, which, owing to the carelessness of some of Rodney's captains, was indecisive, was fought off Martinique with the French ad miral Guichen. Rodney, acting under orders, captured the valu able Dutch island of St. Eustatius on Feb. 3, 1781. It had been a great entrepot of neutral trade, and was full of booty, which Rodney confiscated. As large quantities belonged to English mer chants, he was entangled in a series of costly lawsuits.
After a few months in England, recruiting his health and defending himself in parliament, Rodney returned to his com mand in Feb. 1782, and a running engagement with the French fleet on April 9 led up to his crowning victory off Dominica, when with thirty-five sail of the line he defeated the comte de Grasse, who had thirty-three sail (April 12). The French inferiority in numbers was more than counterbalanced by the greater size and superior sailing qualities of their ships, yet five were taken and one sunk, after eleven hours' fighting. This important battle saved Jamaica and ruined French naval prestige, while it enabled Rodney to write : "Within two little years I have taken two Spanish, one French and one Dutch admiral." On his return to England Rodney received a barony and a pension of £2,000 a year. From this time he led a quiet country life till his death (May 24, 1792), in London.
Rodney was unquestionably a most able officer, but he was also vain, selfish and unscrupulous, both in seeking prize money, and in using his position to push the fortunes of his family. He made his son a post-captain at fifteen. He was accused by his second-in-command, Hood, of sacrificing the interest of the service to his own profit, and of showing want of energy in pursuit of the French on April 12, 1782. It must be remembered that he was then prematurely old and racked by disease.
See General Mundy, Life and Correspondence of Admiral Lord Rodney (2 vols., 1830) ; David Hannay, Life of Rodney; Rodney letters in 9th Report of Hist. mss. Corn., pt. iii.; "Memoirs," in Naval Chronicle, i. 353-393 ; and Charnock, Biographia Navalis, v. 204-228. Lord Rodney published in his lifetime (probably 1789) Letters to His Majesty's Ministers, etc., relative to St. Eustatius, etc., of which there is a copy in the British Museum. Most of these letters are printed in Mundy's Life, vol. ii., though with many variant readings.