W. J. L. (William James Lloyd) Wharton

author

W. J. L. (William James Lloyd) Wharton

1843–1905

A Royal Navy admiral and noted hydrographer, he helped shape the surveying and charting work that sailors depended on in the late 19th century. He is also remembered for writing a respected guide to hydrographical surveying and for his long service as Hydrographer of the Navy.

1 Audiobook

A Short History of H.M.S. Victory

A Short History of H.M.S. Victory

by W. J. L. (William James Lloyd) Wharton

About the author

Born in London on March 2, 1843, William James Lloyd Wharton entered the Royal Navy in 1857. Over the course of his naval career he rose through the ranks, became a captain in 1880, and built a strong reputation through surveying work and scientific interests connected with navigation, geography, and astronomy.

In 1884 he was appointed Hydrographer of the Navy, a major Admiralty post he held for about twenty years. His work was closely tied to the production and improvement of nautical charts, and his book Hydrographical Surveying became well known as a practical reference in the field.

Wharton was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and was also associated with leading geographical and astronomical bodies of his day. He died in Cape Town on September 29, 1905, while attending the meeting of the British Association.