Sir William Hotham GCB (12 February 1772 – 31 May 1848) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Born into a military family Hotham joined the navy as a captain's servant and able seaman, rising through the ranks with service in the Caribbean and Newfoundland.

He saw action with his uncle Lord Hotham's fleet at the Battle of Hyères Islands in 1795, after which he returned home, taking command of the 50-gun HMS Adamant shortly before the mutiny at the Nore.

Despite their severe disadvantage in numbers, Hotham and Admiral Duncan were able to trick the Dutch to stay in port through use of false signals.

[1][2] He was the second son of General George Hotham, and his wife Diana, the youngest daughter of baronet Sir Warton Pennyman-Warton.

[3] His service on Ardent was short-lived, on 20 September he joined the 32-gun HMS Solebay as a midshipman, serving under Captain John Holloway, and went out to the Leeward Islands.

[2][3] The younger Hotham received his commission as a lieutenant on 27 October 1790 while serving with his uncle, and remained in Princess Royal until 26 January 1791, when he joined the 20-gun HMS Alligator under Captain Isaac Coffin.

After a short period spent ashore, he was appointed on 18 February 1792 to serve aboard the 32-gun HMS Winchelsea under Captain Richard Fisher.

[3] Transferring to Captain Augustus Montgomery's 36-gun HMS Inconstant on 11 October, Hotham went out to the Mediterranean to join Lord Hood's fleet.

[3] On 13 January the following year Hotham became lieutenant aboard Hood's flagship, the 100-gun HMS Victory, and took part in the evacuation of the French port of Toulon.

[3][5] Hotham continued to serve in the Mediterranean, taking part in the Naval Battle of Hyères Islands with his uncle's fleet on 13 July 1795.

[4] Adamant was then attached to Sir Richard Strachan's squadron patrolling off Le Havre, after which she and Hotham were sent to the Cape of Good Hope, where he remained for the next three years.

[2] On 11 December 1799 Hotham was sailing off Port Louis, Mauritius, in company with Captain John Osborn's 74-gun HMS Tremendous when they encountered the 44-gun French frigate Preneuse, under the command of Jean-Marthe-Adrien l'Hermite.

[10] Hotham remained off South Africa and in the Indian Ocean until being recalled to Britain as an escort for a convoy in September 1801, returning on 14 December 1801.