British army officer.

Ensign in the British army (1744); rose steadily to the rank of general. Invented the carronade, a new type of ship gun (1759). Governor of Guadeloupe (1760) and of Grenada and several other British territories in the West Indies (1763-70). When Tobago was ceded to France, Melville was sent to Paris to negotiate concessions for the island’s British residents (1782). Traveled widely in Europe, studied botany and archaeology, and was elected to several learned societies.

Son of Rev. Andrew Melville of Fifeshire. Educated at Edinburgh and Glasgow.