James Horsburgh
Encyclopedia
James Horsburgh was a Scottish
hydrographer. He worked for East India Company
, who map
ped many seaway
s around Singapore
in the late 18th century and early 19th century.
Born at Elie, Fife
, he went to sea at the age of 16 and was captured and imprisoned by the French
at Dunkirk. After his release, he made voyages to the West Indies and Calcutta. In May 1786, on a voyage on the ship Atlas from Batavia
to Ceylon as first mate, he was shipwreck
ed on the island of Diego Garcia
. This disaster influenced him in his decision to produce accurate maps after he found his way back to India
and on board another ship employed in the trade to China
.
James Horsburgh was the author of the long-titled Directions for Sailing to and from the East Indies, China, New Holland, Cape of Good Hope, and the interjacent Ports, compiled chiefly from original Journals and Observations made during 21 years' experience in navigating those Seas.
Horsburgh's Directory was the standard work for oriental navigation in the first half of the 19th century, until Robert Moresby
's survey of the treacherous coral groups of the central Indian Ocean, when for the first time in history accurate maps of the areas that were in the way of the main trade routes, the Maldives
, Chagos and Laccadives, were published. In March, 1806 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Robert Moresby, during his survey of the Maldives in 1834, named a small atoll south of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll
after James Horsburgh as a homage to his valuable previous hydrographic work.
Another place named after Horsburg is Horsburgh Island
in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
.
Horsburgh Lighthouse
, currently disputed territory between Singapore
and Malaysia, is also named after him.
Horsburgh was the first to document what is now Spratly Island
, naming it Storm Island. However, Richard Spratly
's sighting eventually become the vernacular and led to the naming of the entire region as the Spratly Islands
.
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...
hydrographer. He worked for East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, who map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
ped many seaway
Seaway
Seaway is a Canadian drama series that aired on CBC from 1965 to 1966. The series was a Seaway Films production in collaboration with the UK's ATV, with production money provided by the CBC...
s around Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in the late 18th century and early 19th century.
Born at Elie, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, he went to sea at the age of 16 and was captured and imprisoned by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at Dunkirk. After his release, he made voyages to the West Indies and Calcutta. In May 1786, on a voyage on the ship Atlas from Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
to Ceylon as first mate, he was shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
ed on the island of Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
. This disaster influenced him in his decision to produce accurate maps after he found his way back to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and on board another ship employed in the trade to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
James Horsburgh was the author of the long-titled Directions for Sailing to and from the East Indies, China, New Holland, Cape of Good Hope, and the interjacent Ports, compiled chiefly from original Journals and Observations made during 21 years' experience in navigating those Seas.
Horsburgh's Directory was the standard work for oriental navigation in the first half of the 19th century, until Robert Moresby
Robert Moresby
Robert Moresby was a distinguished captain of the British Royal Navy. He was also an excellent hydrographer, maritime surveyor and draughtsman....
's survey of the treacherous coral groups of the central Indian Ocean, when for the first time in history accurate maps of the areas that were in the way of the main trade routes, the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, Chagos and Laccadives, were published. In March, 1806 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Robert Moresby, during his survey of the Maldives in 1834, named a small atoll south of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll
Goidhoo (Baa Atoll)
Goidhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll, code letter "Baa".-Historical facts:In the 19th century, a female African slave who had been bought by the king on his Hajj trip to Mecca was formally released from slavery and was settled in Goidhu island. A house and a...
after James Horsburgh as a homage to his valuable previous hydrographic work.
Another place named after Horsburg is Horsburgh Island
Horsburgh Island
Horsburgh Island is one of the Cocos Islands. Its area is 1,04 square kilometers. There is a small lagoon in the interior of the island to the northeast.-History:...
in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
The Territory of the Cocos Islands, also called Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, is a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Christmas Island and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka....
.
Horsburgh Lighthouse
Horsburgh lighthouse
The Horsburgh Lighthouse is a lighthouse which marks the eastern entrance to the Straits of Singapore. It is situated on Pedra Branca island...
, currently disputed territory between Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Malaysia, is also named after him.
Horsburgh was the first to document what is now Spratly Island
Spratly Island
Spratly Island may refer to:* Spratly Islands, a chain of islands, reefs and shoals in South China Sea that is disputed by the Philippines, People's Republic of China, Republic of China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei....
, naming it Storm Island. However, Richard Spratly
Richard Spratly
Captain Richard Spratly was master of the British whaler, the Cyrus South Seaman. from at least 1836 until 1844. He is notable for being the namesake of Spratly Island and the group of islands and reefs in the area known as the Spratly Islands.-Early life:...
's sighting eventually become the vernacular and led to the naming of the entire region as the Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands
The Spratly Islands are a group of more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls, cays and islands in the South China Sea. The archipelago lies off the coasts of the Philippines and Malaysia , about one third of the way from there to southern Vietnam. They comprise less than four square kilometers of land...
.
External links
- Electric Scotland, a major educational resource on Scottish History.
- Hydro International, a siginifcant article on his life
See also
- Atolls of the MaldivesAtolls of the MaldivesThe Maldives are formed by a number of natural atolls plus atolls in the form of a few islands and isolated reefs today which form a pattern stretching from 7 degrees 10' North to 0 degrees 45' South....
- CartographyCartographyCartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
- FehenduFehendhoo (Baa Atoll)Fehendhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll, code letter "Baa".-Horsburgh Atoll :This island lies in a small separate atoll along with Goidhu Island and Fulhadhu...
- FulhaduFulhadhoo (Baa Atoll)Fulhadhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll, code letter "Baa". It is 31.5 ha in area.-Horsburgh Atoll :...
- Horsburgh AtollGoidhoo (Baa Atoll)Goidhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll, code letter "Baa".-Historical facts:In the 19th century, a female African slave who had been bought by the king on his Hajj trip to Mecca was formally released from slavery and was settled in Goidhu island. A house and a...
- HydrographyHydrographyHydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
- Robert MoresbyRobert MoresbyRobert Moresby was a distinguished captain of the British Royal Navy. He was also an excellent hydrographer, maritime surveyor and draughtsman....