Sir Richard Onslow, Bart. is the second son of Richard, brother to Arthur Onslow, Esq. a gentleman of considerable celebrity in the annals of the British Parliament. He in some measure may be considered as possessing an hereditary claim to consequence in his profession; for his mother was the daughter of Charles Walton, Esq. and niece to the well-known Admiral Sir George Walton.

Mr. Onslow commenced his Naval Career at a very early period of life. His first appointment, as Lieutenant, bears the date of December 17, 1758. On the 11th of February, 1761, he was advanced to the rank of Commander in, we believe, the Martin Sloop; and on the 14th of April, 1762, he was made Post in the Humber, a forty-gun Ship.

Shortly after Captain Onslow's appointment to the Humber, he sailed in that Ship, to convoy the outward-bound Baltic Fleet. On his return to England, in the month of September, with a similar charge, the Humber unfortunately ran upon the south end of the Haysborough Sands, and was entirely lost. Several of the Convoy had the misfortune to ground also; but their Crews and Cargo were saved, as was the whole Crew of the Humber, one Man only excepted.

As a matter of course, Captain Onslow's conduct was regularly investigated before a Court Martial, which acquitted him in the most honourable manner.