George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington

George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB, PC ( born January 27, 1663 Wrotham, Kent; † January 17, 1733 in London) was a British admiral and naval hero.

Life

Byng joined with 10 years in the Royal Navy. Five years later he was already lieutenant. In 1688 he was one of the fleet which was to prevent the landing of the Prince of Orange. He led the fleet to defect to this, which contributed significantly to the success of the Glorious Revolution.

In the War of Spanish Succession Byng was given command of a ship, with which he participated in 1702 in the conquest and destruction of the French fleet in Vigo. In 1703 he was appointed Rear Admiral. The following year he took part in the capture of Gibraltar and the Battle of Vélez -Málaga, after which he was knighted.

In 1706 he became vice admiral and shocked Barcelona. 1708 Admiral Byng was the Blue Flag and captured with a fleet the Balearic island of Menorca. He defeated the projected incidence of James Francis Edward Stuart ( the Old Pretender ) in Scotland, in 1709 and 1710 Lord of the Admiralty Admiral of the White Flag.

For Plymouth, he was already since 1705 a member of the House, in 1717 he was raised to the baronet. In the same year he defeated an attack of King Charles XII. to England and a little later ( 1718-1720 ) in the War of the Quadruple Alliance actions of Cardinal Alberoni in Sicily against the Kingdom of Naples. On August 11, 1718, he defeated it in the Battle of Cape Passaro, the Spanish fleet under Admiral Castañeta, which was almost completely conquered. The King of Spain, he forced him to accept the default of the Quadruple Alliance peace terms.

After his return to England in 1721 he King George I transferred the honorary position of Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom. In addition, he was admitted to the Privy Council and elevated to Viscount Torrington, Baron Byng and. On the accession of George II was Byng First Lord of the Admiralty. In this post, he improved the lot of sailors built a Seeoffizierswitwenkasse and supported the Greenwich Hospital. He also founded the Royal Naval College in Portsmouth.

George Byng died on 17 January 1733 in London. He had a total of 15 children, eleven sons. Its the third oldest son of John Byng was also admiral and was summarily shot after a up to now judged controversial court martial proceedings.