M. Harte

From WikiPOBia

M. Harte was the senior Royal Navy Captain at Port Mahon in 1800-1801, during Jack Aubrey’s command of HMS Sophie. Harte was personally hostile to Aubrey, at least in part because Aubrey was carrying on a romantic liaison with Molly Harte, the Captain’s wife. Subsequently, Harte was promoted to Rear Admiral and commanded the squadron based at the Downs in the English channel where he proved a continual thorn in Jack Aubrey’s side while he commanded the sloop HMS Polychrest, at one time ordering Aubrey and his sloop on a nearly suicidal attack on the French port of Chaulieu. Harte later became a member of the Admiralty Board where he did his best to act against Aubrey’s interests.

Harte, appointed as second-in-command to Admiral Sir John Thornton of the Mediterranean Fleet, conceived a strong dislike of Commander William Babbington because of that officer’s passion for Fanny Harte, his daughter, whom Harte wished to marry off to the influential Admiralty official Andrew Wray. Harte attempted to ensnare Babbington in a fatal trap at the Muslim port of Medina, but Babbington’s quick thinking saved him. Subsequently, Harte was ordered back to England aboard HMS Pollux, but the Pollux was attacked by a powerful French squadron at Zambra and blew up, killing Harte.