James Wishart

Admiral Sir James Wishart
by Michael Dahl
Born	1659
Died	1723
Nationality	British
Known for	Admiral and M.P.
Political party	Tory

Admiral Sir James Wishart (1659–1723) was a British Admiral and Member of Parliament (MP) for Portsmouth Wishart served at the Battle of Cadiz and the Battle of Vigo Bay in 1702 and at the Capture of Gibraltar.

Wishart was born to the minister in Kinneil, Linlithgow in 1659. He was not the eldest son and he joined the Dutch navy and reputedly commanded a Dutch vessel. His elder brother George became a baronet and a lieutenant colonel. whilst his brother William Wishart became a Principal of Edinburgh University. Wishart returned to Great Britain with William of Orange and he was rewarded, as he became a captain of HMS Pearl in 1689 and later he moved to HMS Mary Galley.

Wishart captained HMS Swiftsure and became a favourite of Sir James Rooke after becoming his flag captain in 1695 on the recently renamed HMS Queen. He served at the Battle of Cadiz and the Battle of Vigo Bay in 1702 when there was a raid on Spanish silver.

In 1703-4 Wishart was with Sir George Rooke at the Capture of Gibraltar. By 1704 Rooke was threatening to resign when he found out that William Whetstone who lacked Wishart's seniority had been promoted to rear-admiral of the blue in preference to his captain. Rooke suspected that Wishart had been passed over either to slight him or because of Wishart's Scottish ancestry. Rooke noted that Wishart had recently moved to Yorkshire with his wife as way of mitigation of Jacobite leanings. Rooke's protest resulted in Wishart also being promoted to rear-admiral of the blue and it was backdated to the same date as his competitor was promoted.

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