Lieutenant Francis Hay Chapman entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet in June 1857 and quickly gained distinction for his gallant attempt to rescue a Seaman who had fallen overboard from H.M.S. Boscawen off the Cape of Good Hope in January 1859. Next appointed to H.M.S. Pearl, he served as an A.D.C. to Captain Borlase, R.N., and was present at the landing of the Army at Petango, in addition to commanding a Rocket Boat in the attack on the Taku Forts in 1860. By now a Midshipman, Chapman went on to distinguish himself in further operations against Chinese rebels and pirates throughout 1861, not least that May when he commanded a cutter, and afterwards a Beach Incendiary Party, at the attack on the pirate stronghold at Namoa. In the following month he commanded a cutter in a number of successful attacks on pirate junks and a Company of Pearl's Naval Brigade at the capture of several Chinese rebel stockades and entrenched villages - at Kah-ding he took charge of two guns.

Advanced to Sub-Lieutenant in June 1863 and to Lieutenant in January 1866, Chapman was aboard H.M.S. Griffin when she was wrecked off the West Coast of Africa. Next appointed to H.M.S. Nymphe, he was present in the operations off Abyssinia and, as her First Lieutenant, was instrumental in the capture of 29 Arab Dhows. During the Persian Gulf Expedition of 1869-70, he was once more under fire, assisting in the blockading of Bahrein while boats from the Nymphe and Daphne attacked Maherag Fort. But this was to be his last stint of active service, four more seagoing appointments proving uneventful, and he retired in March 1888.