The son of Captain Robert Harland (see BHC2748), he entered the navy in 1729. His early service was spent in the Mediterranean. He commanded the ‘Tilbury’ at the Second Battle of Finisterre in 1747, and in the following year while commanding the ‘Nottingham’, assisted by the ‘Portland’ he captured the ‘Magnanine’ after a two hour duel. His last service afloat was as second in command to Keppel at the Battle of Ushant, 27 July 1778. After siding with Keppel at the time of his and Palliser’s courts martial he resigned his command, and had no further command under Lord Sandwich’s administration. In 1782 he was appointed to the Board of Admiralty under Keppel, became an Admiral of the Blue, but left the Admiralty with Keppel in January 1783.

He wears a white garment with stripes of red and gold with a belt around his waist, and a green hat with gold decoration – probably a dress he affected while in the Mediterranean. The portrait is attributed to the German born artist Dirck (or Dietrich) Heins (later John Theodore Heins) (1697-1756) who settled in Norwich. Heins’ painting style, however, may be rather tighter and more detailed than that seen in this portrait.