George Clinton (British politician)
| George Clinton | |
|---|---|
| Born | c.1686 Stourton Parva, Lincolnshire |
| Died | 10 July 1761 (aged 74–75) |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Great Britain
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
|
| Years of service | 1708–1761 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Commands held | |
| Battles/wars | |
Admiral of the Fleet The Hon. George Clinton (c.1686 – 10 July 1761) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. Benefiting from the patronage of Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle he served as a naval captain during the 1720s and 1730s.
Clinton went on to be Governor of the Colony of Newfoundland, Commodore and Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet and then Governor of the Province of New York where he had to deal with the threat of a French attack during King George's War. He could not cope with the liberal politicians of the New York assembly who were led by James De Lancey and resigned in 1753.
Clinton also served as Member of Parliament for Saltash, a rotten borough in Cornwall, from March 1757 until his death in July 1761.
Born the second son of Francis Clinton, 6th Earl of Lincoln and Susan Clinton (née Penninston), Clinton joined the Royal Navy in 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Clinton enjoyed the patronage of Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who was his sister-in-law's brother, and, having been promoted to captain on 16 June 1716, he was given command of the fifth-rate HMS Speedwell. He transferred to the command of the fourth-rate HMS Monck in 1720 and served in the Baltic Sea under Admiral Sir John Norris: the ship was lost during the return journey to England but Clinton was acquitted at the subsequent court-martial. He was given command of the fourth-rate HMS Nottingham in 1721 and sailed to the Baltic Sea to carry out patrols before returning home again in 1722.
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