Adolphus Frederic St. Clair

Captain Adolphus Frederic St. Clair, R.N. (27 December, 1847 – 6 May, 1895) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

St. Clair was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 20 September, 1870.

St. Clair was promoted to the rank of Commander on 7 September, 1876.

St. Clair was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1885.

St. Clair was appointed in command of the corvette H.M.S. Champion in the Pacfiic in December, 1888. His ship touched ground off Tierra del Fuego on 11 May 1889, earning St. Clair received a gentle suggestion that he should have employed a boat for soundings and communication with the shore. Better times awaited him when war broke out in Chile. On 15 September 1891, he obtained the release of the British barque St. Mary's Bay, which had been seized by Chilean authorities outside their territorial waters. He received the Admiralty's appreciation for his tact and judgment throughout the Chilean Revolution.

After paying off Champion in December, 1891, St. Clair returned home, arriving 20 January, 1892. In July, he was appointed in command of the second class protected cruiser Mersey for the annual manoeuvres.

St. Clair was appointed in command of the ancient Achilles, then Anson and finally the battleship Empress of India in rapid succession in 1893. He remained in the Empress until being appointed to Edinburgh for the Coast Guard in April, 1895. However, St. Clair died in London on 6 May.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia
• "Obituary." The Times (London, England), Wednesday, May 08, 1895; pg. 11; Issue 34571.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Armand T. Powlett	Captain of H.M.S. Champion 4 Dec, 1888	Succeeded by Eustace Rooke
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Empress of India 26 Jun, 1893	Succeeded by Charles J. Barlow