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William Hoste served in the Royal Navy throughout the great war against Napoleon.
For the early part of his career he was a Midshipman under Nelson and present at many of his exploits. He was given command of his own frigate shortly before Trafalgar and spent much of the rest of his career in the Adriatic where he took over 200 merchantmen, captured shore installations and commanded a frigate squadron at Lissa which defeated a superior French force.