circumstances, and went to sea at an early age. According to one account,
he served in Hawke's ship, but, wherever his training was received, it had
made him a first-rate seaman. In 1747, he entered the Company's marine
service, being then about twenty-six years of age.

In 1751, he sailed from England in command of the _Guardian_ sloop, one of
the two men-of-war built by the Directors for the protection of Bombay
trade. His services against the coast pirates, during the next two years,
procured his advancement to the post of Commodore at Bombay, and it was
soon remarked that the sailing of the _Protector_, on which his flag was
now hoisted, had greatly improved by the changes he had made. By his
capture of Severndroog, now to be related, he became famous. He played his
part at the capture of Gheriah, and, in the following year, when the news
of the disaster at Calcutta became known in Bombay, he was sent down in
the _Revenge_, with four hundred men, to join the force sent up from
Madras under Watson and Clive. Off Calicut he encountered the French ship
_Indien_, carrying twenty-four guns and over two hundred men, and captured
her. He afterwards joined the board of Directors, was created a baronet,
had a seat in Parliament, and, in time, became chairman of the Company.
Sterne, in the last year of his life, formed a close friendship with Mr.
and Mrs. James, and, a few days before he died, recommended his daughter
Lydia to their care.

On the 22nd March, 1755, James sailed from Bombay in the _Protector_,
forty guns, having with him the _Swallow_, sixteen guns, the _Viper_
bombketch, and the _Triumph_ prahm. The following day, he sighted an
Angrian squadron of seven grabs and eleven gallivats, which he chased for
a couple of hours without success. Two days later, he was joined off Chaul
by the Peishwa's fleet, consisting of seven grabs, two batellas, and about
forty gallivats. To James's annoyance, he found his allies in no hurry to