HMS Bellerophon Admiral Sir Robert Lambert Baynes KCB (4 September 1796 – 7 September 1869) was a British Royal Navy admiral who as Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station prevented the 1859 Pig War from escalating to a major conflict between the United States and the United Kingdom.

[2] Baynes followed his father and joined the Royal Navy on 19 April 1810 at the age of 14 and was assigned to HMS Blake during the Napoleonic Wars.

On 8 July 1827, he was made the commanding officer of the sloop HMS Alacrity on the Mediterranean Station, but returned to Asia as second captain, which was the flagship of Vice Admiral Edward Codrington.

[3][4] Baynes was aboard Asia, the British flagship during the Battle of Navarino on 20 October 1827 during the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire.

[3] Baynes was reactivated and from 23 September 1847 to 7 November 1850, he commanded HMS Bellerophon a troopship that was assigned first to the Western Station, then the Mediterranean.

[7] Baynes was promoted to rear admiral on 7 February 1855 and he was the third in command in the Baltic Sea during the final year of the Crimean War in 1855.

Baynes arrived as the gold rush in the British Pacific Northwest was happening and the Royal Navy was expected to enforce the laws enacted by the Governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island, James Douglas.

Baynes refused and his patient handling of the situation led to joint-occupation of the island until a formal decision could be made.