Pasco

JOHN PASCO

Pasco born on 20 December 1774, and entered the Royal Navy at age

of 9 and half, when served under Captain George Anson Byron on the 'Druid'.

He worked his way up through the ranks of Midshipman and Master's Mate, and

attained the rank of Lieutenant in 1795 - promoted by Sir John Laforey to

the 'Beaulieu' under Captain Francis Laforey. From 1796-99 he was in the

'Raisonnable' in the Channel, and at the Cape of Good Hope, and December

1799-October 1802 in hte 'Immortalité' with Captain Henry Hotham on coast of

France.

In April 1803 Pasco joined Admiral Nelson's flagship, the 'Victory', the

most senior of the 9 lieutenants appointed, However, it was Nelson's

practice to make the lieutenant first on his list for promotion do the duty

of Signal Lieutenant, and the most junior that of First Lieutenant - thus

Pasco made Signal Lieutenant, while (much to his chagrin) John Quilliam was

made First Lieutenant and then promoted to Post Captain after Trafalgar,

while Pasco suffered mortification of receiving only a Commander's

commission.

Pasco remained as flag-lieutenant of the 'Victory' during her whole

commission. In 1803 he went out to the Mediterranean, then took part in

18-month blockade of Toulon, followed by chase of the French fleet trying to

make break for the West Indies (March-Oct 1805), catching them up off Cadiz

for the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1803). At Trafalgar, Pasco achieved

immortality for transmitting the most famous signal in British history. In

his own words: "His Lordship came to me on the poop and at about a quarter

to noon said: 'I wish to say to the Fleet - ENGLAND CONFIDES THAT EVERY MAN

WILL DO HIS DUTY'; and he added: 'You must be quick, for I have one more to

make, which is for Close Action'. I replied: 'If your Lordship will permit

me to substitute EXPECTS for CONFIDES, the signal will soon be completed,

because the word EXPECTS is in the vocabulary, and CONFIDES must be spelt.'

His Lordship replied, in haste, and with seeming satisfaction: 'That will

do, Pasco, make it immediately!' When it had been answered by a few ships in

the Van, he ordered me to make the signal for Close Action and to keep it

up; accordingly, I hoisted No 16 at the top-gallant mast-head, and there it

remained until shot away."

Early in the battle, Pasco was v. severely wounded by grape-shot in his

right side and arm, and so missed witnessing much of the battle as had been

carried below. As result of his wound, Pasco received a grant from the

patriotic fund and was afterwards awarded a pension of £250 p.a. However,

although promoted to rank of Commander in December 1805, he remained

unemployed for next 3 yrs (loss of Nelson meant that he was forgotten),

until in early 1809 he was appointed as commander of the HMS 'Hindostan'

store-ship, under orders to convoy the storeship 'Dromedary' (under Captain

Pritchard) which was carrying Lieutenant-Colonel Lachlan Macquarie and his

73rd Regiment to Sydney to replace Governor William Bligh and the rebellious

New South Wales Corps. (See next section), arriving at Sydney late in 1809.

Afterwards, Pasco commanded the 'Tartarus' on the North American station,

and from 1811-15 was appointed Captain of the 'Rota' frigate on the Lisbon

station. After the peace (1815-18) he had command of the 'Lee', a small

frigate employed in the 'Channel' for the suppression of smuggling. In 1846

he commanded the 'Victory' at Portsmouth, and was promoted to Rear Admiral

of the Blue on 22 September 1847. He died at Stonehouse on 16 November 1853,

aged 79.