John Washington

John Washington (1 January 1800 – 16 September 1863) was an officer of the Royal Navy, Hydrographer of the Navy, and a founding member of the Royal Geographical Society of London. Early career Washington joined the Royal Navy in May 1812, and served aboard with Sir George Cockburn's fleet in Chesapeake Bay, seeing much action in the War of 1812. From October 1813, he was aboard , which was sent to cruise off Greenland in 1814. On this voyage he learnt much about astromomical and magnetic observations from the Master of the ship, William Bain (Later Sir William). He joined the Royal Naval Academy in November 1814, and graduated in May 1816. He then served for three years aboard on the North American Station, and afterwards as midshipman aboard and on the South American Station. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 January 1821, while based at Valparaíso. He obtained permission to return to England by his own route, and took the track later followed by Darwin riding over the Andes to Mendoza and then across the pampas to Buenos Aires. He was appointed to in February 1823, serving in the West Indies, after which he spent two years on half-pay. He spent this time travelling in France, Spain, and Italy, and improving his knowledge of the languages of these countries. In May 1827, he was appointed to serve on in the Mediterranean, and in December, was moved to , returning to Britain in early 1828. During the winter of 1829-1830 he was exploring and making astronomical observations in Morocco, publishing an account of his travels in 1831. From 1830 to 1833, he was flag lieutenant to Sir John Beresford, Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, and on 14 August 1833, Washington was promoted to the rank of commander. He was one of the original members of the Royal Geographical Society and served as its secretary from 1836 to 1841. In 1838 he published an account of Mohammedu-Siseï, a Mandingo from The Gambia, who had been enslaved, freed, and served as a soldier in the West Indian Regiment. Washington met him in London, and his account describes aspects of Islamic religion and culture in the West Indies. Surveying Washington's surveying career began in March 1841 with his first command, the paddle steamer . He took over the North Sea survey after the death of William Hewett, whose ship HMS Fairy was lost with all hands in a storm in 1840.