George John Spencer Spencer, 2d Earl 1758-1834, British public official. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1780 but in 1783 inherited the earldom. In 1794, William Pitt appointed him first lord of the admiralty. In his term of office the navy achieved the victories of St. Vincent and Camperdown, and Spencer was responsible for the selection of Horatio Nelson to command the fleet that won the famous battle of Aboukir (1798). He left office in 1801 but later served (1806-7) as home secretary. Afterward he devoted himself to literary and scientific pursuits. His son John Charles Spencer,...
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