Robert Beatson
Encyclopedia
Robert Beatson, LL.D. was a Scottish compiler and miscellaneous writer.
in Fifeshire. He was educated for the military profession, and on one of his title-pages describes himself as 'late of his majesty's corps of Royal Engineers'. It was probably as a subaltern in this corps that he accompanied the unsuccessful expedition against Rochefort
in 1757, and was present with the force which, reaching the West Indies early in 1759, failed in the attack on Martinique
, but succeeded in capturing Guadaloupe. He is represented in 1766 as retiring on half-pay, and as failing, in spite of repeated applications, to secure active employment during the American War of Independence.
Afterwards he seems to have farmed in Scotland. He became an honorary member of the Board of Agriculture, of the Royal Highland Society of Scotland, and of the London Society of Arts. He died at Edinburgh on 24 January 1818. One obituary notice describes him as "late barrack-master at Aberdeen". It is uncertain whether Edinburgh or Aberdeen university conferred on him his degree of LL.D.
's Georgical Essays (York, 1804) Beatson contributed practical papers (in one of them he speaks of having recently made an agricultural tour in many parts of England) on farm-buildings, farmhouses, barns, and stables.
In 1786 he published in three parts his 'Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain and Ireland, or a complete register of the hereditary honours, public offices, and persons in office from the earliest periods to the present time'. It was dedicated to the author's friend Adam Smith
. In 1788 it reached a second edition, in two volumes, containing nearly twice as much matter as the first, and a third edition in 1806. In 1790 appeared, in three volumes, Beatson's Naval and Military Memoirs of Great Britain, from the year 1727 to the present time, in which the naval element predominates. It has lists of the ships in the squadrons and fleets of France and Spain as well as of Great Britain during the period dealt with, and also despatches, state papers, and geographical descriptions of the places referred to in the text. In 1807 appeared three volumes of A Chronological Register of both Houses of Parliament from the Union in 1708 to the Third Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Besides lists of peers qualified to sit in each parliament, bounties and boroughs alphabetically arranged are given in chronological order, with the names of their members in every House of Commons during the period, and notes on the changes, with their causes, in the representation of each constituency. Election petitions and the decisions on them are given with a statement of the elective authority, and of the nature of the electoral franchise in each constituency.
Beatson was also the author of a pamphlet on the indecisive engagement fought off Ushant
by the fleets under Admiral Keppel
and Count d'Orvilliers: A New and Distinct View of the memorable Action of the 27th July 1778, in which the Aspersions cast on the Flag Officers are shown to be totally unfounded.
Life
He was born in 1742 at DysartDysart
Dysart is a former town and royal burgh located on the south-east coast between Kirkcaldy and West Wemyss in Fife. The town is now considered to be a suburb of Kirkcaldy. Dysart was once part of a wider estate owned by the St Clair or Sinclair family...
in Fifeshire. He was educated for the military profession, and on one of his title-pages describes himself as 'late of his majesty's corps of Royal Engineers'. It was probably as a subaltern in this corps that he accompanied the unsuccessful expedition against Rochefort
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime
Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...
in 1757, and was present with the force which, reaching the West Indies early in 1759, failed in the attack on Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
, but succeeded in capturing Guadaloupe. He is represented in 1766 as retiring on half-pay, and as failing, in spite of repeated applications, to secure active employment during the American War of Independence.
Afterwards he seems to have farmed in Scotland. He became an honorary member of the Board of Agriculture, of the Royal Highland Society of Scotland, and of the London Society of Arts. He died at Edinburgh on 24 January 1818. One obituary notice describes him as "late barrack-master at Aberdeen". It is uncertain whether Edinburgh or Aberdeen university conferred on him his degree of LL.D.
Works
He drew up a General View of the Agriculture of the County of Fife, with observations on the means of its improvement, which was published in 1794, and in which he styles himself "Robert Beatson, Esquire, of Pitterdie". In this report he advocated long leases and the encouragement of small holdings. In 1798 he published An Essay on the Comparative Advantages of Vertical and Horizontal Windmills, containing a description of an horizontal windmill and watermill upon a new construction. For the wheel of this he took out a patent, and a model of it was exhibited in London. To the fifth volume of Alexander HunterAlexander Hunter
-Life:Born at Edinburgh in 1729 , he was eldest son of a prosperous druggist. He was sent to the grammar school at ten, and at fifteen to the university, where he remained until he was twenty-one, having devoted the last three years to medicine...
's Georgical Essays (York, 1804) Beatson contributed practical papers (in one of them he speaks of having recently made an agricultural tour in many parts of England) on farm-buildings, farmhouses, barns, and stables.
In 1786 he published in three parts his 'Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain and Ireland, or a complete register of the hereditary honours, public offices, and persons in office from the earliest periods to the present time'. It was dedicated to the author's friend Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
. In 1788 it reached a second edition, in two volumes, containing nearly twice as much matter as the first, and a third edition in 1806. In 1790 appeared, in three volumes, Beatson's Naval and Military Memoirs of Great Britain, from the year 1727 to the present time, in which the naval element predominates. It has lists of the ships in the squadrons and fleets of France and Spain as well as of Great Britain during the period dealt with, and also despatches, state papers, and geographical descriptions of the places referred to in the text. In 1807 appeared three volumes of A Chronological Register of both Houses of Parliament from the Union in 1708 to the Third Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Besides lists of peers qualified to sit in each parliament, bounties and boroughs alphabetically arranged are given in chronological order, with the names of their members in every House of Commons during the period, and notes on the changes, with their causes, in the representation of each constituency. Election petitions and the decisions on them are given with a statement of the elective authority, and of the nature of the electoral franchise in each constituency.
Beatson was also the author of a pamphlet on the indecisive engagement fought off Ushant
Ushant
Ushant is an island at the south-western end of the English Channel which marks the north-westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and is in the traditional region of Bro-Leon. Administratively, Ushant is a commune in the Finistère department...
by the fleets under Admiral Keppel
Admiral Keppel
Admiral Keppel may refer to:* Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel , British; also politician* Colin Richard Keppel , British* Henry Keppel , British...
and Count d'Orvilliers: A New and Distinct View of the memorable Action of the 27th July 1778, in which the Aspersions cast on the Flag Officers are shown to be totally unfounded.