Belcher

Belcher, Sir Edward, navigator and explorer, was born in 1799, and entered the Royal Navy in 1812. He was present in the Superb at the bombardment of Algiers in 1816, and received his lieutenant's commission in 1818. In 1825-28 he accompanied Beechey to Behring Strait, and in 1829 became a commander. From 1836 to 1842 he was employed on surveying duties in the Sulphur, in which he made the voyage round the world, and also took part in the operations in China. In 1841 he attained post-rank, and in 1843, while he was surveying in the East Indies, he was knighted. In 1852-53 he commanded the Assistance in one of the Franklin search expeditions. He became a rear-admiral in 1861, and a vice-admiral in 1866, and died an admiral and K.C.B. in 1877. Among his works are Narrative of a Voyage Round the World, 1843; A Treatise on Nautical Surveying; The Voyage of the Samarang, 1848; The Last of the Arctic Voyages, 1855; and The Great Equatorial Current, 1871.