Sir Horatio Austin | |
|---|---|
 Austin in 1860 | |
| Birth name | Horatio Thomas Austin |
| Born | (1800-03-10)10 March 1800 England, United Kingdom |
| Died | 16 November 1865(1865-11-16) (aged 65) London, United Kingdom |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Service years | 1813–1864 |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral |
| Wars | Egyptian–Ottoman War |
| Awards |
|
| Spouse | Ann Eliza |
Sir Horatio Thomas AustinKCB (10 March 1800 – 16 November 1865) was a BritishRoyal Navy officer and explorer.
Austin was born in England on 18 March 1800, the son of an official in the Chatham Dockyard.[1] In 1828,HMS Chanticleer was dispatched on a scientific expedition in the Pacific Ocean under the command of CaptainHenry Foster, with Austin as his first lieutenant. Foster explored the South Atlantic, and especially theSouth Shetland Islands.
Foster drowned in 1831, in theChagres River in Panama. After Foster's loss, the ship's command fell to Austin. On the expedition, the ship circumnavigated along theSouthern Hemisphere and visited theRiver Plate,Isla de los Estados andSouth Georgia, before returning toFalmouth in 1830. During the early 1840s he commanded the steam paddle wheel frigateCyclops.
Following the 1849 failure of SirJames Clark Ross's attempt to locateFranklin's lost expedition, Austin led an expedition in 1850 that also attempted to find the missing explorers. George F. McDougall was second master on boardHMS Resolute.[2][3][4][5]
Although the expedition located only traces of Franklin's presence, Austin is credited with organising successful sledging expeditions along the coasts of severalNorth American Arctic islands, including the island ofBathurst,Byam Martin,Melville, andPrince of Wales.
Between October 1850 and March 1851, members of theResolute crew under Austin published at least five editions of a handwritten newspaper,The Illustrated Arctic News, during the wintering of theResolute in what they identified asBarrow Strait.[6] Upon the return of theResolute to home port in England, the manuscript paper was printed in London in 1852.[7] Austin became admiral superintendent atMalta Dockyard in 1863, and died in November 1865.[1]
Austin was appointed a Companion of theOrder of the Bath (CB) in 1840,[8] and was promoted toKnight Commander (KCB) in March 1865[9] just months before his death.
Rear Admiral Fitzhardinge Berkeley, C.B., and Captain Sir Baldwin Walker, K.C.B., arrived at Woolwich Dockyard at twelve o'clock today, and were accompanied by Commodore Henry Eden, with Lieutenant Robertson, Mr. Lang, master shipwright, Mr. Humphreys, chief engineer, and Mr. Chatfield and Mr. Peake, assistants to the master shipwright, to theEider steam vessel now in the east dock, i preparing tnr Captain Austin's searching expedition to the arctic regions. ...The Arctic Expedition. It is now decided that theBaboo andPtarmigan sailing vessel's will be commanded by captains, and theEider andFree-trader screw propeller team vessels by lieutenants.
The Arctic Expedition. The Admiralty have purchased theBaboo andPtarmigan sailing vessels, and theEider andFree Trade screw propeller steam vessels for this expedition. The two former are to be commanded by Capt. Austin and Capt. Ommanney, and the two steamers by lieutenants.
