Basil Hall
Encyclopedia
Basil Hall, FRS was a British
naval officer from Scotland
, a traveller, and an author. He was the second son of Sir James Hall, 4th Baronet, an eminent man of science
.
, Haddingtonshire (now East Lothian
), Basil Hall was born in Edinburgh
, Scotland, UK. He was educated at the Royal High School
and joined the Royal Navy
in 1802, being commissioned a Lieutenant
in 1808, and later rising to the rank of Captain.
Hall commanded many vessels involved in exploration and scientific and diplomatic missions. While serving aboard HMS Endymion
, Hall witnessed Sir John Moore being carried dying from the Battle of Corunna
. It was also aboard the Endymion that Hall met William Howe DeLancey
, who later married Hall's sister Magdalene. DeLancey was struck by a cannonball at the Battle of Waterloo
, and it was for her brother that Magdalene wrote A Week at Waterloo in 1815, a poignant narrative describing how she nursed her husband in his final days.
In 1810 he voyaged to Rockall
aboard the Endymion
and in 1811 was part of the very first landing party upon it. His hazardous exploits in returning with this party were described in Fragments of Voyages and Travels.
Hall explored Java
in 1813 and in 1817 interviewed Napoleon (who had been an acquaintance of his father) on St. Helena.
From the beginning of his naval career he had been encouraged by his father to keep a journal, which later became the source for a series of books and publications describing his travels. These included Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West Coast of Corea and the Great Loo-Choo Island in the Japan Sea (1818), which was one of the first descriptions of Korea
by a European, and Extracts from a Journal Written on the Coasts of Chile, Peru and Mexico (1823).
Hall's journals also provide one of the few accounts of the wreck of the Arniston
in 1815, which gave its name to the seaside town of Arniston
, South Africa
. As a captain, he was very critical of the fact that this ship did not have a marine chronometer
with which to calculate longitude
, and attributed the great loss of life directly to this false economy
.
Following his retirement from the navy in 1823, Hall was married on 1 March 1825 to Margaret Congalton (d. 1876), the youngest daughter of Sir John Hunter, Consul-General in Spain by his spouse Elizabeth Barbara, sister to Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet
.
In 1826, when Sir Walter Scott was sunk in depression following his wife's death and financial ruin, Hall who organised a trip to Naples for Scott, managing to persuade the government to place a ship at his disposal.
In 1829 Hall published Travels in North America which caused some offence due to his criticisms of American society. His best known work was The Fragments of Voyages and Travels (9 volumes, 1831–1840), originally released as three yearly series of eight volumes each.ES 2006. He also contributed to the Encyclopaedia Britannica and wrote scientific papers on subjects as varied as trade winds, the geology of Table Mountain
and a comet he observed in Chile
.
Suffering from mental illness, Hall was detained in the Royal Hospital Haslar
at Portsmouth (England), where he died.
In addition to a son, their daughter Eliza married Admiral William Charles Chamberlain
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
naval officer from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, a traveller, and an author. He was the second son of Sir James Hall, 4th Baronet, an eminent man of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
.
Biography
Although his family home was at DunglassDunglass
Dunglass is a location in East Lothian, Scotland, lying east of the Lammermuir Hills on the North Sea coast. It has a 15th century Dunglass Collegiate Church, now in the care of Historic Scotland...
, Haddingtonshire (now East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
), Basil Hall was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland, UK. He was educated at the Royal High School
Royal High School (Edinburgh)
The Royal High School of Edinburgh is a co-educational state school administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. The school was founded in 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland, and has, throughout its history, been high achieving, consistently attaining well above average exam results...
and joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1802, being commissioned a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1808, and later rising to the rank of Captain.
Hall commanded many vessels involved in exploration and scientific and diplomatic missions. While serving aboard HMS Endymion
HMS Endymion (1797)
HMS Endymion was a 40-gun fifth rate that served in the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812 and during the First Opium War. She was built to the lines of the French prize captured in 1794...
, Hall witnessed Sir John Moore being carried dying from the Battle of Corunna
Battle of Corunna
The Battle of Corunna refers to a battle of the Peninsular War. On January 16, 1809, a French army under Marshal Soult attacked the British under Sir John Moore...
. It was also aboard the Endymion that Hall met William Howe DeLancey
William Howe DeLancey
Colonel Sir William Howe DeLancey KCB was an officer in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He died of wounds he received during the Battle of Waterloo.-Early life:Born in New York City...
, who later married Hall's sister Magdalene. DeLancey was struck by a cannonball at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, and it was for her brother that Magdalene wrote A Week at Waterloo in 1815, a poignant narrative describing how she nursed her husband in his final days.
Rockall
Rockall is an extremely small, uninhabited, remote rocky islet in the North Atlantic Ocean. It gives its name to one of the sea areas named in the shipping forecast provided by the British Meteorological Office....
aboard the Endymion
HMS Endymion (1797)
HMS Endymion was a 40-gun fifth rate that served in the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812 and during the First Opium War. She was built to the lines of the French prize captured in 1794...
and in 1811 was part of the very first landing party upon it. His hazardous exploits in returning with this party were described in Fragments of Voyages and Travels.
Hall explored Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
in 1813 and in 1817 interviewed Napoleon (who had been an acquaintance of his father) on St. Helena.
From the beginning of his naval career he had been encouraged by his father to keep a journal, which later became the source for a series of books and publications describing his travels. These included Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West Coast of Corea and the Great Loo-Choo Island in the Japan Sea (1818), which was one of the first descriptions of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
by a European, and Extracts from a Journal Written on the Coasts of Chile, Peru and Mexico (1823).
Hall's journals also provide one of the few accounts of the wreck of the Arniston
Arniston (ship)
The Arniston was an East Indiaman ship that was wrecked on 30 May 1815 during a storm at Waenhuiskrans, near Cape Agulhas, South Africa with the loss of 372 lives and only 6 survivors...
in 1815, which gave its name to the seaside town of Arniston
Arniston, Western Cape
Arniston is a small seaside settlement in the Overberg region on the Cape South coast, close to Cape Agulhas, the southern-most tip of Africa. Prior to the loss of the Arniston, it was known as Waenhuiskrans, an Afrikaans name meaning literally "Wagon house cliff", after a local sea cave large...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. As a captain, he was very critical of the fact that this ship did not have a marine chronometer
Marine chronometer
A marine chronometer is a clock that is precise and accurate enough to be used as a portable time standard; it can therefore be used to determine longitude by means of celestial navigation...
with which to calculate longitude
History of longitude
The history of longitude is a record of the effort, by navigators and scientists over several centuries, to discover a means of determining longitude....
, and attributed the great loss of life directly to this false economy
False economy
A false economy is an action that saves money at the beginning but which, over a longer period of time, results in more money being wasted than being saved...
.
Following his retirement from the navy in 1823, Hall was married on 1 March 1825 to Margaret Congalton (d. 1876), the youngest daughter of Sir John Hunter, Consul-General in Spain by his spouse Elizabeth Barbara, sister to Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet
Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet
Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet of Edinburgh was Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh....
.
In 1826, when Sir Walter Scott was sunk in depression following his wife's death and financial ruin, Hall who organised a trip to Naples for Scott, managing to persuade the government to place a ship at his disposal.
In 1829 Hall published Travels in North America which caused some offence due to his criticisms of American society. His best known work was The Fragments of Voyages and Travels (9 volumes, 1831–1840), originally released as three yearly series of eight volumes each.ES 2006. He also contributed to the Encyclopaedia Britannica and wrote scientific papers on subjects as varied as trade winds, the geology of Table Mountain
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
and a comet he observed in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Suffering from mental illness, Hall was detained in the Royal Hospital Haslar
Royal Hospital Haslar
The Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport, Hampshire, England was one of several hospitals serving the Portsmouth Urban Area. The Royal Hospital Haslar officially closed as the last military hospital in the UK in 2007...
at Portsmouth (England), where he died.
In addition to a son, their daughter Eliza married Admiral William Charles Chamberlain
William Charles Chamberlain
William Charles Chamberlain was a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy, and sometime Superintendent at the dockyard, HMNB Devonport....
.
External links
- Works by Basil Hall at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
(scanned books original editions color illustrated) (plain text and HTML)