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Gentleman's Magazine 1816 part 2 p.279
fourth mate of the York; in which voyage he made several
useful surveys on the West Coast of Sumatra. He returned to
England in October 1775; and, not fully determined to
continue the service, he resumed the command of his own
vessel, in which he was accustomed to make an annual voyage
to America; and the remainder of the year was employed in
the coal-trade. Being in London about this time, Mr. Sayer,
the chart-seller, understanding that he had made surveys of
the Sumatra Coast while in the York, wished to give them
publicity; and, in consequence of there being no accurate
chart of St. George's Channel, requested he would complete
the survey of the same; which he accomplished, after
indefatigable labour, in the course of the year 1777; and
its accuracy has been acknowledged by the most distinguished
naval characters.
- In the following year, he was very earnestly requested by
his former patron, Sir Richard Hotham, again to proceed to
Inidia, in a vessel built on the bottom of the Royal
Captain, wrecked off Pelowar in Dec. 1773. He sailed from
the Downs April 27th, 1778, in the Royal Admiral, as chief
mate; but the captain dying at Portsmouth, he was appointed
to the command, and made four voyages in her in a period of
ten years; during which time, he was but twenty months in
England. His time not particularly devoted to the duties of
the ship while in India, was employed in the usual manner;
and he completed a survey of the whole peninsula from Bombay
to Coringo. His astronomical knowledge, from the eclipse of
Jupiter's satellites, enabled him to ascertain the longitude
of Bombay with more accuracy than any former Geographer.
- He quitted the India Company's service in 1788, and made
surveys of the Western Islands of Scotland; and was
appointed in 1790, by the Trinity House, in a survey of
Hasbro' Gatt, for the purpose of placing the lights through
that intricate navigation
- in the year 1791, he was appointed an Elder Brother of
that corporation, and also F.R.S.: and few have had higher
pretensions to those honourable distinctions; for to him (as
may be collected from the preceding account) the science of
Navigation owes many valuable discoveries and improvements,
the result of much personal fatigue and expensive
experiment: the world in general is likewise much indebted
to him for many of the best Maps and Charts extant; and his
knowledge of Mathematicks and Astronomy ranked him in the
class, if not upon a level, with the first professors of
those sciences. Of his skill in Mechanism he has left a
monument in the machinery for the manufacture of cordage,
unrivaled in this or any other Country (if we except the
steam-engine, the work of his friend and contemporary Mr.
Watt of Birmingham). His improvement originated as follows:
In his first voyage to India, the York, in strong gales of
wind on the coast of Sumatra, having parted her cables, and
lost all her anchors but one, it forcibly struck his mind
that some improvement might be made in the manufacture of
cordage, to prevent a repetition of such accidents; and,
after experiencing great trouble, he invented a mode for the
equal distribution of the strains upon the yarns; he took
out a patent for the same, and erected machinery at
Maryport, where his endeavours were crowned with complete
success in the attainment of his object. The patent,
however, lay dormant for some time, the rope-makers being
averse to depart from their old manufacture; but, on being
joined by some respectable friends concerned in shipping,
the superiority of Capt. Huddart's patent being fully proved
by repeated trials, he commenced once more rope maker
(though with great aversion to entering into business).
Capt. Huddart retired to Highbury-terrace, in plentiful, if
not oppulent circumstances, honourably acquired, secure in
the esteem of those friends who were dear to him, and the
high respect of all who had the pleasure of his
acquaintance; and closed a life of unwearied utility, after
a lingering illness of many months, in Christian faith and
home, in the 75th year of his age. On the 27th of August,
his mortal remains were deposited in a vault under St.
Margaret's Church in the Strand.
- In his figure Capt. Huddart was tall and erect, his
features were regular, and his countenance strogly
indicative of those powers of mind for patient investigation
and rational conclusion which he so eminently possessed,
blended with an expression of placid benevolence equally
characteristic of that amiable simplicity which so strongly
endeared him to those who were capable of appreciating his
more scientific qualifications.
- Capt. Huddart married in 1752, and had five sons, one of
whom only survives, now residing in Highbury-place; he was
formerly a merchant of Leghorn, and some time Pro-Consul
there. William died in the command of the York, at Macao;
and Johnson in Italy, whitherhe went for the recovery of his
health; the other two died in their infancy.
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