ST. VINCENT, JOHN JERVIS, EARL OF British admiral, was the second son of Swynfen Jervis, solicitor to the admiralty, and treasurer of Greenwich hospital. He was born at Meaford, Staffordshire, on Jan. 9, 1735, and entered the navy on Jan. 4, 1749. He became lieutenant on Feb. 19, 1755, and served in that rank till 1759, taking part in the conquest of Quebec. He was made commander of the "Scorpion" sloop in 1759, and post-captain in 1760. During the peace he commanded the "Alarm" (32) in the Mediterranean, and when he was put on half pay he travelled in Europe, taking professional notes everywhere. While the War of American Independence lasted, he commanded the "Fourroyant" (8o) in the Channel, taking part in the battle of Ushant (1778) (see KEP PEL, VISCOUNT) and in the various reliefs of Gibraltar. His most signal service was the capture (April 19, 1782) of the French "Pegase" (74) after a long chase. In 1783 he entered parliament as member for Launceston, and in the general election of as member for Yarmouth. In politics he was a strong Whig. On Sept. 24, 1787, he attained flag rank, and was promoted vice admiral in 1793. From 1793 till 1795 he was in the West Indies co-operating with the army in the conquest of the French islands. On his return he was promoted admiral. In November 1795 he took command in the Mediterranean, where he maintained the blockade of Toulon, and aided the allies of Great Britain in Italy.
But in 1796 the occupation of Italy by the French armies closed all the ports to his ships, and Malta was not yet in the possession of Great Britain. Then the addition of the Spanish fleet to the French altered the balance of strength in the Mediter ranean. The Spaniards were very inefficient, and Jervis would have held his ground, if one of his subordinates had not taken the extraordinary course of returning to England, because he thought that the dangerous state of the country required that all its forces should be concentrated at home. He was therefore
obliged to act on the instructions sent to him and to retire to the Atlantic, withdrawing the garrisons from Corsica and other places. His headquarters were now on the coast of Portugal, and his chief duty was to watch the Spanish fleet at Cadiz. On Feb. 1797, he gained a most complete victory against heavy odds. (See ST. VINCENT, BATTLE OF.) The determination to fight, and the admirable discipline of his squadron, which was very largely the fruit of his own care in preparation, supply the best proof that he was a commander of a high order. For this victory, which came at a very critical time, he was made an earl and was granted a pension of £3,000. His qualities as a disciplinarian were soon to be put to a severe test. In 1797 the grievances of the sailors, which were of old standing, and had led to many mutinies of single ships, came to a head in the great general mutinies at Spithead and the Nore. Similar movements took place on the coast of Ireland and at the Cape of Good Hope. (See NAVY AND NAVIES : History.) The spirit spread to the fleet under St. Vincent, and there was an undoubted danger that some outbreak would take place in his command. The peril was averted by his foresight and severity. He had always taken great care of the health of his men, and was as strict with the officers as with sailors. It must in justice be added that he was peculiarly fitted for the work. He carried his strictness with his officers to an extent which aroused the actual hatred of many among them, and exasperated Sir John Orde (1751-1824) into challenging him to fight a duel. Yet he cannot be denied the honour of having raised the discipline of the navy to a higher level than it had reached before; he was always ready to promote good officers, and the efficiency of the squadron with which Nelson won the battle of the Nile was largely due to him. His health broke down under the strain of long cruising, and in June 1799 he resigned his command.