Rear-Admiral Sir William Whetstone (died 1711) was a Royal Navy officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession.

[1] William entered navy service, being appointed on 30 July 1689 to command the hired ship Europa, and he spent the next two years conveying supplies to Ireland.

He returned to active duty in 1693, at first as the part owner of the privateer Delavall, and later receiving a commission to command HMS Norfolk which was then being built at Southampton.

The command of HMS Yarmouth followed, lasting from 19 May 1700 to 4 June 1701, when Whetstone was promoted to commodore and was moved to the York at the head of the squadron dispatched to Jamaica.

He arrived in the West Indies in May, joining the fleet at Port Royal under the command of Vice-Admiral John Benbow.

Two rowboats with marines and sailors landed on Arecibo's beach, but were repulsed by 30 militiamen led by Antonio de los Reyes Correa.

[citation needed] Benbow then ordered the trial by court martial of several of his captains for cowardice and disobedience they had shown during the action.

Whetstone went on to engage and destroy a number of privateers off San Domingo but an attempt on the French colony at Placentia had to be abandoned because of the weather, the island's defences, and sickness in the fleet.

This was a measure designed to show both approval of his conduct whilst holding acting rank, and at the same time to separate him from charges arising against Graydon.

Whetstone continued to persist though, and in 1706, he and Governor Handyside attempted to persuade the Spanish colonies at Cuba and Cartagena to declare in favour of Charles.

[1] Whetstone was given command of a squadron in May 1707, and ordered to operate off Dunkirk against Claude de Forbin, a dangerous corsair.

Though the orders were at fault for being insufficient in their scope, and Whetstone had fulfilled them in full, the Muscovy Company was outraged.