In this authoritative biography, Sir Clements Robert Markham tells the story of Robert Fairfax, Vice-Admiral of the Blue and a key figure in early 18th-century British naval history. Born into a distinguished Yorkshire family, Fairfax rose through the ranks of the Royal Navy during an era of expanding maritime power and near-constant war with European rivals. Markham chronicles Fairfax's service in pivotal naval engagements, his leadership during the War of the Spanish Succession, and his principled stance against corruption within the Admiralty. More than just a military life, the biography also explores Fairfax's role as a civic leader, alderman of York, and Member of Parliament, portraying him as a gentleman who combined public duty with personal integrity. Drawing on private letters, Admiralty papers, and municipal records, Markham reconstructs Fairfax's world with scholarly precision and literary grace. The result is a vivid portrait of a man who helped shape Britain's naval ascendancy while maintaining the moral clarity that made him admired by peers and subordinates alike. For students of naval history, early modern politics, and the evolution of British maritime power, this biography offers a compelling window into the age of sail and empire.