Beechey

Beechey, Frederick William, naval officer and Arctic explorer, was born in 1796, and having entered the Royal Navy in 1806, took part, in 1811, in Schomberg's action off Madagascar, and became a lieutenant in 1815. He was then serving with the expedition against New Orleans. In 1818, in the Trent, he accompanied Franklin, and in 1819, in the Hecla, he accompanied Parry, to the Arctic regions. He was next engaged upon inland surveys in Northern Africa, and was made a commander in 1822. In 1825-28 he commanded the Blossom, and attempted to discover a north-west passage. Incidentally, during this long voyage, he made numerous discoveries in the Pacific, his course lying round Cape Horn and through Behring Strait. While absent he was, in 1827, advanced to post-rank. As captain of the Sulphur he surveyed much of the South American coast in 1835-36. He attained the rank of rear-admiral in 1854, and died in 1856. Admiral Beechey was the author of Proceedings of the Expedition to Explore the Northern Coast of Africa, 1823; of A Voyaye of Discorery towards the North Pole, 1843; and of a Voyaye to the Pacific and Behring Strait.