button to main menu  Gents Mag 1816 part 2 p.279
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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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