Charles Wager


Sir Charles Wager
Portrait of Wager by Godfrey Kneller
Born(1666-02-24)24 February 1666
Died24 May 1743(1743-05-24) (aged 77)
Stanley House, Chelsea, London
AllegianceEngland
Great Britain
BranchRoyal Navy
Service years1689–1743
RankAdmiral of the White
CommandsSamuel and Henry
Newcastle
Woolwich
Greenwich
Medway
Hampton Court
Jamaica Station
Baltic Fleet
ConflictsWar of the Spanish Succession
Anglo-Spanish War

Admiral of the White Sir Charles Wager, PC (24 February 1666 – 24 May 1743) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who served as Senior Naval Lord from 1730 to 1733 and then as First Lord of the Admiralty from 1733 to 1742. Despite heroic active service and steadfast administration and diplomatic service, Wager was criticized for his failure to deal with an acute manning problem.