Only son of the late Colonel Charles Handfield, of Hermitage, near Lucan, Dublin, twenty-four years commissary-general of Ireland, whose father, Lieut -Colonel John Handfield, commanded the 40th regiment of foot at the siege of Louisbourg, in 1758.

This officer passed his examination, at Portsmouth, in Mar. 1811; obtained his first commission in Aug. following; served as lieutenant under Captains Clotworthy Upton and the Hon. Fleetwood B. R Pellew, in the Junon and Revolutionnaire frigates, on the Halifax and Mediterranean stations; and was promoted to the commaand of tue Jaseur sloop, in South America, Aug. 1826. He is now Inspecting commander of the coast guard, at Dundalk, in Ireland.