Who is Captain the Honorable Edward Fairfax Vere from Great Short Works of Herman Melville and what is their importance?

Vere is captain of Bellipotent and therefore the ultimate judge over all matters concerning the ship and crew while on independent service at sea. He is described as a bachelor of forty, capable, modest, and of an aristocratic bearing. The narrator describes him as sterling but not brilliant, and within the Royal Navy he is usually referred to as Starry Vere. Vere is quite intellectual and spends nearly all of his free time aboard ship reading. He is something of a Luddite and prefers the old ways to new-fangled ideas and devices. Slightly pedantic, in personal qualities he is somewhat dry, reserved, and bookish. Vere has spent his life in the service, has an exceptional amount of command experience—both in and out of combat—and has been present at several historic naval engagements. His minor officers respect him and his men generally approve of his actions.