He entered the Royal Navy as a master, serving aboard the 38-gun HMS Artois under Captain John MacBride.

After the outbreak of war with France in 1793, Admiral Lord Howe asked Bowen to be master of his flagship, the 100-gun HMS Queen Charlotte.

'What is that to you, sir?’ replied the admiral, sharply; 'starboard!’ 'Starboard!’ cried Bowen, muttering by no means inaudibly, 'Damned if I care, if you don't.

On 5 May she encountered Captain Sir Sidney Smith, who was in an open boat in the Channel, having escaped via Le Havre from the Temple prison in Paris.

The four Spanish frigates - Flora, Casilda, Proserpine, and Pomona - had been on their way from Barcelona to Mahon with the payroll of eight million reales for the troops there when they encountered sloop-of-war Peterel and captured her on 12 November.

Argo was ordered to pursue the sloop and on 13 November she retook Peterel and her 72-man Spanish prize crew under the command of Don Antonio Franco Gandrada, Second Captain of Flora.

On 6 February 1799, Argo and Leviathan surprised two Spanish frigates at anchor near the south point of the Bahia de Alcudia on Majorca.

In May Argo sailed to Algiers to arrange with the Dey for a supply of fresh provisions for the British forces in Minorca.

After her capture, Infanta Amelia took Earl St Vincent, who had been aboard Argo after resigning his command of the Mediterranean station, to Portsmouth, arriving there on 18 August.

On 21 October, after a 15-hour chase, Argo captured the Spanish letter of marque San Fernando, which was pierced for 22 guns but carried twelve long 6-pounders.

San Fernando was five days out of Santander and sailing to Vera Cruz with a cargo of iron bars and bale goods that belonged to the Royal Philippine Company.

Bowen also reported, but without giving further details, that during the same cruise he had captured four merchant vessels, two of which he sent in to port as prizes and two of which he sank.

The two sent in were the French brig Maria Louisa, in ballast, and the Spanish barque Vincento, carrying iron ore.

They arrived in Portsmouth on 28 June and then sailed again on a "secret mission" to Madeira, which was occupied by the British at the request of the Portuguese.

When French Marshall Soult perceived that the British had left the ridge he posted six guns on the heights above the southern end of the bay and by midday they were able fire upon the outlying ships.

Finally, on 18 January, the British rearguard embarked, the small Spanish garrison under General Alcedo faithfully holding the citadel until the fleet was well out to sea James Bowen served on the Navy Board from 25 February 1816 until 25 August 1825, when he retired with the rank of rear-admiral.

In 1860, Bowen Island near Vancouver was renamed after him, by Captain George Henry Richards, in recognition of his part in the June 1794 battle.