George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB PC (1668 – 17 January 1733) was a British Admiral and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His career included service as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George II.
Byng was born at Wrotham, Kent, England. At the age of 10 (1678) he entered the Royal Navy as a King's Letter Boy. He left the navy for a brief time to join an army garrison stationed at Tangier, but in 1683...
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George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB PC (1668 – 17 January 1733) was a British Admiral and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His career included service as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George II.
Byng was born at Wrotham, Kent, England. At the age of 10 (1678) he entered the Royal Navy as a King's Letter Boy. He left the navy for a brief time to join an army garrison stationed at Tangier, but in 1683 Byng rejoined the navy as a lieutenant, and shipped for the East Indies. In 1688 he was instrumental in instigating the British navy to switch allegiance to William III, Prince of Orange. This naval force took part in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and William was installed as King of England, thus insuring Byng's rapid rise in rank and fortune.
In 1702 Byng was given command of a vessel, the Nassau, and took part in the capture and burning of the French Fleet at Vigo. The next year Byng was promoted to Rear-Admiral. In 1704 he was in the...
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