Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Richard Saunders Dundas
(1802-1861)
10 October 1860

Volume 2, page 33, sitting number 1429.

Born on 11 April 1802, the Honourable Richard Saunders Dundas was the second son of Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville, who twice served as the First Lord of the Admiralty.

Following his education at Harrow, he joined the Royal Navy in 1817 and was trained at the Royal Navy College in Portsmouth. His first posting was aboard the frigate HMS Ganymede in the Mediterranean Fleet. Promoted to lieutenant on 16 June 1821 and to commander on 23 June 1823, he was given command of the sloop HMS Sparrowhawk on the North America and West Indies Station in June 1823. As a captain, he saw action during the First Opium War at the capture of the Bogue forts. He was next appointed to the command of the Fleet in the Baltic Sea and led the naval support during the latter stages of the Crimean War. Having been appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1841, he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 5 February 1856. He capped his career with two terms of office as First Naval Lord, the second term running from June 1859 until his death.

He died, aged 59, of a heart attack on 3 June 1861 at his residence in Spring Gardens beside Trafalgar Square in London, leaving an estate valued at £16,000. He never married.

Viscount Palmerston, who was Prime Minister at the time of his death, paid tribute to him in Parliament. According to Hansard, he described him as ‘a most distinguished officer, who was for forty-five years in the service of his country, and who equally distinguished himself in every sphere in which he was called upon to act. He was eminent for the good discipline and order of the ships which he commanded, he was distinguished by the gallantry and good judgment with which he conducted every naval operation in which he was engaged, he was most valuable as a public servant in the direction of naval affairs at the Admiralty. Whether at the Council Board or on the quarter deck his merits were equally eminent, and his services were equally valuable to the country.’