| Citation | Hydrographer of the Admiralty. Distinguished for his knowledge of Hydrography, Nautical Astronomy, Meteorology, and allied sciences. Eminent as a Nautical Surveyor and Navigator; having been engaged as a Surveying Officer (three years) in the West Indies [Caribbean], Bay of Fundy, and coast of Labrador. In Command of Surveys, 1872-1884 (HM Ships 'Shearwater,' 'Fawn,' 'Sylvia'), in the Mediterranean, including the Dardanelles and Sea of Marmora, Red Sea, East Coast of Africa, Zanzibar coast, and Rodriguez Island, the entrance to the Rio de la Plata, and in the ship channels of the Straits of Magellan. Whilst so employed conducted experiments in proof of the existence of an under-current in the Dardanelles counter to the surface current; a question of much interest as bearing on ocean circulation. Conveyed, in 1874, the British Transit of Venus party to Rodriguez Island, and took charge of and successfully observed the Transit at the local station. Again, in 1882, aided by telescopes obtained from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, successfully observed the Transit of Venus at Peckett harbour, in Straits of Magellan. On this servive, as also in that of 1874, advantageously employed the chronometers of his ship in measuring Meridian Distances, of great value, to stations, the longitudes of which had long been closely determined by means of the electric telegraph from Greenwich. Author of a work on 'Hydrographical Surveying.' |