The name of Sir Frederick Lewis Maitland has found a permanent place in history as that of the captor of Napoleon. Apart from the rare piece of good fortune which befell him in the Basque Roads in July 1815, his distinguished career of public service entitles him to an honourable place in the records of the British Navy. He was the third son of Captain the Hon. Frederick Lewis Maitland, R.N., and was born at Rankeilour in Fife on September 7, 1777. His father, Captain Maitland, was the sixth son of Charles, sixth Earl of Lauderdale, grand-nephew of Charles II.'s famous minister, and was godson to Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of George II. He held various naval commands with distinction, served under Rodney in 1782, and between 1763 and 1775 commanded the royal yacht. He died in 1786, having been promoted rear-admiral just before his death. Maitland's mother, Margaret Dick, was the heiress of the family of Makgill of Rankeilour. The estates of that family were ultimately inherited by her eldest son, Charles Maitland. Young Maitland entered his father's profession at a very early age. He served as a midshipman, first under Captain George Duff in the _Martin_ sloop-of-war, and afterwards with the Hon. Robert Forbes in the _Southampton_ frigate, in which he was present at Lord Howe's great victory off Ushant on June 1, 1794,--the "glorious First of June." On April 5, 1795, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and appointed to the _Andromeda_, of 32 guns. From the _Andromeda_ he was removed to the _Venerable_, the flagship of Admiral Duncan in the North Sea. In April 1797 he went out to the Mediterranean to join Lord St Vincent. St Vincent had been a friend of his father's, and had promised to promote him as opportunity should occur. The flagship had her full complement of officers, so Maitland was appointed first lieutenant of the _Kingfisher_, a brig mounting 18 six-pounders and commanded by the Hon. Charles Herbert Pierrepont, afterwards Earl Manvers. In her he was present at the capture of four French privateers. With one of these, the _Betsey_, of 16 guns, a severe action was fought. When the prize-money for her capture was distributed, the crew of the _Kingfisher_ subscribed L50 to present Maitland with a sword in recognition of his conduct. Pierrepont was promoted to post rank in December 1798, and appointed to the _Spartiate_, one of Nelson's prizes taken at the Nile. A few days after his departure the _Kingfisher_, under Maitland's command, was leaving the Tagus, when she grounded on Lisbon bar and became a total wreck. Maitland was tried by court-martial at Gibraltar, and acquitted of all blame in connection with her loss. Immediately after his trial he was appointed flag-lieutenant to Lord St Vincent.