Hi
I'm trying to find out more about my great great great great grandfather Marcus Samuel Hill who was a captain in 1802, a Commander in 1799 and a Lieutenant in 1793 according to google, but I can't find any searchable archives. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to search for more information.

Tracing an officers career at this time should be reasonably straightforward, but it may mean a trip to the National Archives in south London.

Marcus Samuel Hill may be traced in outline from the published Navy Lists of the day.  These show:

Commissioned as a Lieutenant 17 July 1793
Promoted Commander 19 November 1799
Promoted Captain 14 January 1802

A check on other sources reveals his date of death - 2 July 1834.  

He sat his examination for Lieutenant in 1790 - his passing certificate, which also contains details of his parents, plus the list of ships he has already served on, may be found in the National Archives in reference ADM.107/14 on page 36.

Hopefully he will have completed the survey of officers services, called for in 1817.  This may be found with ADM.9 series.  There is a name index in ADM.10/2 to ADM.10/5 - find him here and this will give which ADM.9 book his service return is in.

I can say that searching the Navy Lists of the time, I can see that he served as Captain of the Sea Fencibles in Ireland, being stationed at Buncrana, and responsible for the coast between Malin Head and Hood Head, between 1804 and 1809.  He does not seem to have been employed by the Navy after 1810 (not unusual - indeed normal…)

If you want any more help, just ask

More on Hill …I have now found him, as a Lieutenant, commanding the LOUISA gunboat in 1798.  She was 95 ton barge purchased, along with several others, to serve as gunboats in the Thames estuary.  Armed with 3 guns she was based at Sheerness.