Mariot Arbuthnot

Mariot Arbuthnot
Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot
Born	1711 Weymouth
Died	31 January 1794 (aged 82–83) London
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Rank	Admiral
Battles/wars	Battle of Cape Henry
Relations	Dr John Arbuthnot

Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot (1711 – 31 January 1794) was a British admiral, who commanded the Royal Navy's North American station during the American War for Independence.

A native of Weymouth, England, Arbuthnot was the son of Robert Arbuthnot and Sarah, née Bury. Robert's father was the son of the Rev. Robert Arbuthnot, minister of Crichton & Cranston. Mariot Arbuthnot entered the Royal Navy in the late 1720s, became a lieutenant in 1739, and commander in 1746. In 1746 he was commander of the sloop HMS Jamaica, which captured two French privateers while employed as a cruiser in the channel. He was appointed post captain in 1747. On 22 June 1747 he became captain of the frigate HMS Surprize. Shortly afterwards he became captain of the Triton.

In 1757 he became chief officer of the Garland. In 1759, during the Seven Years' War, he commanded the Portland, one of the ships employed under Commodore Robert Duff in the blockade of Quiberon Bay, and was present at the total defeat of the French on 20 November. Towards the end of the war he commanded HMS Oxford. In 1770 he was made captain of HMS Terrible.

From 1775 to 1778, he was naval commissioner resident at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, 1776-78. He was replaced in this role by Richard Hughes. It may have been about then that an armed schooner was named Arbuthnot after him. On 19 March 1779, he was made Vice Admiral of the Blue, and on 2 May 1779 took command of HMS Europa. That same year he took up his appointment as commander-in-chief on the North American Station. Soon after arriving at his destination, he was blockaded in New York City harbour by the French fleet under Count d'Estaing.