signals in 1798, based on his 1777 work and incorporating revisions he had made in 1780, 1787 and 1794. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 14 February 1799, two years to the day after the Battle of Cape St Vincent, a Vice-Admiral on 24 April 1804 and a full Admiral on 31 July 1810. He is credited with having made the earliest suggestion for naval aircraft, when he proposed that balloons be flown from shipboard to observe the French invasion forces at Brest in 1803, and in 1830 he published his largely autobiographical work Observations on Naval Tactics. He had married Charlotte Johnstone on 10 September 1800, the couple eventually having three sons and four daughters. She was the daughter of Charles Johnstone of Ludlow, brother of Sir Richard Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 1st Baronet, of Hackness Hall. Their father Col John Johnstone was the second son of Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Baronet of Westerhall. His mother was Charlotte, Marchioness of Annandale. He was nominated a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 16 May 1820 at the accession of King George IV. His posthumous reputation is suggested, not by his rocky relationship with Jarvis but, by the words of a simple sailor who served under him at the Battle of Cape St Vincent: “ Not a man on board but would have bled for Sir C. H. Knowles. He was as good a captain as I ever sailed with..” Admiral Charles Henry Knowles died on 28 November 1831 at the age of 77. He was succeeded as baronet by his son Francis Charles Knowles. See also Knowles Baronets Notes References 1754 births 1831 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of Great Britain Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Royal Navy admirals Royal Navy personnel of the American Revolutionary War Royal Navy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars British naval commanders of the Napoleonic Wars People from Kingston, Jamaica People educated at Eton College British military writers People from Winkfield Charles 2nd