DUPERRE, VICTOR GUY, a baron of the empire and a French admiral, was born at La Rochelle on the 20th of February 1775. He commenced his maritime career in the merchant navy, and went to India, but returned to France after a voyage of eighteen months; and war having broken out, he entered the republican service in 1795. During the next ten years he took part in many single ship-fights with the English, until he was p'romoted to the staff on board the Veteran, commanded by Prince Jerome Bonaparte, in 1804. In September 1806 he became Captain, and took the command of the Sirens frigate. In March 1808 whilst off the coast of Bretagne, in company with the Italienne, Duperr6 was chased by two ships and three frigates, and whilst making for the port of L'Orient, his passage was intercepted and he had to sustain for an hour and twenty minutes an unequal combat with two of the enemy's ships, keeping up a constant fire at once from both broadsides. Though repeatedly summoned to surrender, he contrived to bring off his frigate ; an act of skilful intrepidity which did not escape the notice of Napoleon, who promoted him to the rank of ship captain. He performed several brilliant exploits iu the Indian Ocean in 1808 and 1809, after which he became a baron of the empire and contre-amiral, August 20, 1810. In September 1823, be was appointed to command the French squadron lying before Cadiz, and contributed to the capture of that city. lu 1826 he became
commander in chief of the combined fleet in the Antilles.
In 1830 he was summoned to Paris in February by the government of Charles X. to be consulted respecting the meditated expedition against Algiers. In his reply, Duperr6 represented the undertaking as extremely perilous and uncertain, but in spite of his representations it was resolved upon, and the absolute command of the naval forces was confided to him. This fleet set sail on the 25th of May 1830. It consisted of 103 ships of war, and 572 vessels belonging to the merchant service, and other craft, the whole having on board 37,331 men and 4000 horses. After encountering many difficulties from the nature of the coast and contrary winds, Duperr6 appeared before the batteries of Algiers on the morning of the 13th of June. The signal share taken by Duperr6 in the siege and capture of this formidable fort, induced Charles X. to raise him to the peerage, July 14th, 1830, a few days before his own fall. This appointment was revoked by the government of July ; but on the 13th of August 1830 the same government made him an admiral, and restored his peerage. He became minister of the naval department November 22, 1834; and was afterwards recalled twice to the same office under different administrations. He resigned this office on account of declining health, February 7, 1843, and died November 2, 1846.