Rear-Admiral Arthur William Carter was born in Warwick in November 1856 and entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet aboard H.M.S. Britannia in January 1870. Advanced to Midshipman in December of the following year, to Sub-Lieutenant in June 1875 and to Lieutenant in December 1879, he joined H.M.S. Alexandra in January 1884. Loaned to H.M.S. Monarch between January and May 1885, he served with the Nile Flotilla, and following further seagoing experience in H.M. Ships Inflexible and Orlando, was promoted to Commander in January 1894. His next appointment, aboard H.M.S. Calliope, found him witnessing the terrible hurricane that hit Apia, Samoa in March 1899, a 'disaster unprecedented since the introduction of steam', and one which resulted in his favourable mention in his Captain's report (P.R.O. ADM196/19/366 refers).

The Calliope was a metal-hulled Corvette and was fully rigged for sail in addition to steam. Due to unrest in the area, she was present off Samoa in early 1899, and had anchored in Apia as the weather began to deteriorate in February. When the hurricane struck, floods from the river affected the anchorage and ships started dragging their anchors. Captain Kane of the Calliope displayed fine seamanship when, despite the harbour being crowded with vessels, he managed to make a run for the open sea, a decision which undoubtedly saved the ship. Such was the ferocity of the hurricane that it took the Calliope three days to retrace her course back to Apia, by which stage the anchorage was littered with wrecks.

Promoted to Captain in June of the same year Carter commanded H.M.S. Glory from 1901-04, prior to his retirement from seagoing duties. His final advancement was to Rear-Admiral in November 1908 and he died in February 1931.