CORNWALLIS, SIR WILLIAM British admiral, was the brother of the
ist Marquess Cornwallis, gover nor-general of India. He was born
on Feb. 20, 1744, entered the navy as a boy of 1, and had
reached post-rank when he was 2 2. In 1779 he commanded the
"Lion" in the fleet of Admiral Byron. The "Lion" was very
roughly handled in the battle off Grenada on July 6, 1779, and
had to make her way alone to Jamaica. In March 178o he fought an
action in company with two other vessels against a much superior
French force off Monti Cristi, and had another encounter with
them near Bermuda in June. The force he engaged was the fleet
carrying the troops of Rochambeau to North America, and was too
strong for his squadron of two small liners, two 50-gun ships
and a frigate. After taking part in the second relief of
Gibraltar, he returned to North America, and served with Hood in
the actions at the Basse Terre of St. Kitts, and with Rodney in
the battle of Dominica on April 12, 1782. Some very rough verses
which he wrote on the act