Depth sounding , often simply called sounding , is measuring the depth of a body of water . Data taken from soundings are used in bathymetry to make maps of the floor of a body of water, such as the seabed topography .
96-601: Sir Francis Beaufort KCB FRS FRGS FRAS MRIA ( / ˈ b oʊ f ər t / BOH -fərt ; 27 May 1774 – 17 December 1857) was an Irish hydrographer , the creator of the Beaufort cipher and the Beaufort scale , and a naval officer. Francis Beaufort was descended from French Protestant Huguenots , who fled the French Wars of Religion in the sixteenth century. His parents moved to Ireland from London . His father, Daniel Augustus Beaufort ,
192-614: A "middleman" for many scientists of his time. Beaufort represented the geographers, astronomers, oceanographers , geodesists , and meteorologists to that government agency, the Hydrographic Office, which could support their research. In 1849 he assisted in the publication of the Admiralty Manual of Scientific Enquiry , to assist both Navy personnel and general travellers in scientific investigations, ranging from astronomy to ethnography . Beaufort trained Robert FitzRoy , who
288-437: A backup to electronic depth sounding in the event of malfunction. GPS has largely replaced the sextant and chronometer to establish one's position at sea, but many mariners still carry a sextant and chronometer as a backup. Many small craft still rely solely on a sounding line. The first practical fathometer (literally "fathom measurer"), which determined water depth by measuring the time required for an echo to return from
384-518: A candidate to receive his knighthood , of which ritual bathing (as a symbol of purification ) was an element. While not all knights went through such an elaborate ceremony, knights so created were known as "knights of the Bath". George I constituted the Knights of the Bath as a regular military order . He did not revive the order, which did not previously exist, in the sense of a body of knights governed by
480-428: A former river pilot , likely took his pen name from this cry. The term lives on in today's world in echo sounding , the technique of using sonar to measure depth. A sounding line or lead line is a length of thin rope with a plummet , generally of lead , at its end. Regardless of the actual composition of the plummet, it is still called a "lead". Leads were swung, or cast, by a leadsman, usually standing in
576-543: A geographical term. Traditional terms for soundings are a source for common expressions in the English language, notably "deep six" (a sounding of 6 fathoms). On the Mississippi River in the 1850s, the leadsmen also used old-fashioned words for some of the numbers; for example instead of "two" they would say "twain". Thus when the depth was two fathoms, they would call "by the mark twain!". The American writer Mark Twain ,
672-471: A half", "and a quarter", or "a quarter less"; thus 4 3/4 fathoms would be called as "a quarter less five", 3 1/2 as "and a half three", and so on. Where the depth was greater than 20 fathoms the line would commonly be marked with a single knot at 25 fathoms, two knots at 30, and so on. Soundings may also be taken to establish the ship's position as an aid in navigation , not merely for safety. Soundings of this type were usually taken using leads that had
768-509: A red ring bearing the motto of the Order in gold letters. The circle is flanked by two laurel branches , and is above a scroll bearing the words Ich dien (older German for 'I serve') in gold letters. Stylised versions of this are known as Bath stars , and are used as epaulette pips to indicate British Army officer ranks and for police ranks . The star for civil Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of an eight-pointed silver star, without
864-451: A scroll bearing the words Ich dien in gold letters. The civil badge is a plain gold oval, bearing three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock , emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side; both emblems are surrounded by a ring bearing the motto of the Order. On certain ' collar days ' designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear
960-749: A set of statutes and whose numbers were replenished when vacancies occurred. The Order consists of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom (currently King Charles III ), the Great Master (currently William, Prince of Wales ), and three Classes of members: Members belong to either the Civil Division or the Military Division. Knight Companion (KB), the order's only class prior to 1815, is no longer an option. Commonwealth citizens who are not subjects of
1056-480: A wad of tallow in a concavity at the bottom of the plummet. The tallow would bring up part of the bottom sediment (sand, pebbles, clay, shells) and allow the ship's officers to better estimate their position by providing information useful for pilotage and anchoring . If the plummet came up clean, it meant the bottom was rock. Nautical charts provide information about the seabed materials at particular locations. Nautical charts also include depth contour lines. It
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#17328553612621152-422: A weather station, a staff (rather like the stem of a note in musical notation) extends, with one or more half or whole barbs. For example, a stave with 3 1 ⁄ 2 barbs represents Beaufort seven on the scale, decoded as 32–38 mph, or a "moderate Gale". Beaufort, like other patrons of exploration, has had his name given to many geographical places. Among these: Beaufort created the Beaufort cipher . It
1248-588: Is a substitution cipher similar to the Vigenère cipher . Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior military officers or senior civil servants , and the monarch awards it on the advice of His Majesty's Government. The name derives from an elaborate medieval ceremony for preparing
1344-455: Is a gold Maltese Cross of eight points, enamelled in white. Each point of the cross is decorated by a small gold ball; each angle has a small figure of a lion. The centre of the cross bears three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock , emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side. Both emblems are surrounded by a red circular ring bearing the motto of the Order, which are in turn flanked by two laurel branches, above
1440-564: Is buried in the church gardens of St John at Hackney , London, where his tomb may still be seen. His home in London, No. 52 Manchester Street, Westminster , is marked by an historic blue plaque noting his residency and achievements. Beaufort married, firstly, Alicia Magdalena Wilson, daughter of Lestock Wilson R.N. under whom he had first served; she died in 1834. Of their children, three daughters and three sons were living in 1859. They included: Beaufort married again in 1838, to Honora Edgeworth,
1536-523: Is called the Beaufort cipher . The deciphered writings have revealed family and personal problems, including some of a sexual nature. It appears that between 1835 and his marriage to Honora Edgeworth in November 1838, he had incestuous relations with his sister Harriet . His diary entries, in cipher , show that he was tortured by guilt over this. He died on 17 December 1857, at age 83 in Hove , Sussex , England. He
1632-588: Is clear at least that he set out to make himself indispensable to the Earl Marshal , which was not hard, their political principles being congruous and their friendship already established, but also to Sir Robert Walpole and the Whig ministry, which can by no means have been easy, considering his known attachment to the Pretender and the circumstances under which he came into office. ... The main object of Anstis's next move,
1728-717: Is comparable to the International Geophysical Year of our time.) Beaufort promoted the development of reliable tide tables around British shores, publishing the first edition of the Admiralty Tide Tables in 1833. This inspired similar research for Europe and North America. Aiding his friend William Whewell , Beaufort gained the support of the Prime Minister, Duke of Wellington , in expanding record-keeping at 200 British Coastguard stations. Beaufort gave enthusiastic support to his friend, Sir George Airy ,
1824-461: Is in turn larger than the Companion's badge; however, these are all suspended on a crimson ribbon. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear the badge on a riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Companions wear the badge from a ribbon worn around the neck. Dames Commander and female Companions wear the badge from a bow on the left side: The military badge
1920-437: Is made of black velvet ; it includes an upright plume of feathers . The collar , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of gold and weighs 30 troy ounces (933 g) . It consists of depictions of nine imperial crowns and eight sets of flowers ( roses for England, thistles for Scotland, and shamrocks for Ireland), connected by seventeen silver knots. On lesser occasions, simpler insignia are used: The star
2016-584: Is the Great Master, of which there have been ten: Originally a Prince of the Blood Royal, as the Principal Knight Companion, ranked next after the sovereign. This position was joined to that of the Great Master in the statutes of 1847. The Great Master and Principal Knight is now either a descendant of George I or 'some other exalted personage'; the holder of the office has custody of the seal of
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#17328553612622112-544: Is thus sometimes possible to navigate in poor visibility by noting which contour line one is closest to. During the nineteenth century, a number of attempts were made to mechanise depth sounding. Designs ranged from complex brass machines to relatively simple pulley systems. Navies around the world, particularly the Royal Navy in Britain, were concerned about the reliability of lead and line sounding. The introduction of new machines
2208-426: Is used only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander. Its style varies by rank and division; it is worn pinned to the left breast: The star for military Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of a Maltese Cross on top of an eight-pointed silver star; the star for military Knights and Dames Commander is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. Each bears in the centre three crowns surrounded by
2304-675: The Astronomer Royal and noted mathematician, in achieving a historic period of measurements by the Greenwich and Good Hope observatories. By the time Beaufort retired the Admiralty Chart series was a truly worldwide resource with 2,000 charts covering every sea. Beaufort retired from the Royal Navy with the rank of rear admiral on 1 October 1846, at the age of 72. He became "Sir Francis Beaufort" on being appointed KCB (Knight Commander of
2400-503: The British East India Company East Indiaman Vansittart . She was wrecked, but all but one man of her crew survived and Beaufort returned home. Beaufort commenced his naval career in 1790 by joining HMS Latona as a midshipman . She was paid off late in the year and Beaufort transferred in 1791 to the fifth rate frigate HMS Aquilon . After the commencement of war with France he
2496-651: The Gulf War . A more controversial member of the Order was Robert Mugabe , whose honour was stripped by the Queen, on the advice of the Foreign Secretary , David Miliband , on 25 June 2008 "as a mark of revulsion at the abuse of human rights and abject disregard for the democratic process in Zimbabwe over which President Mugabe has presided." Honorary members do not count towards the numerical limits in each class. In addition,
2592-742: The Order of the Garter ). Foreign generals are also often given honorary appointments to the Order, for example: Marshal Ferdinand Foch and Marshal Joseph Joffre during the First World War ; Marshal Georgy Zhukov , King Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia , General Dwight D. Eisenhower , General George C. Marshall , General Douglas MacArthur , and General George S. Patton Jr. during the Second World War ; and General Norman Schwarzkopf and General Colin Powell after
2688-462: The Woolwich , Beaufort received his first post-captain commission, commanding Frederickstein . Throughout 1811–1812, Beaufort charted and explored southern Anatolia , a region he referred to as Karamania , locating many classical ruins, including Hadrian's Gate . An attack on the crew of his boat (at Ayas , near Adana ), by Turks interrupted his work and he received a serious bullet wound in
2784-426: The chains of a ship, up against the shrouds . Measuring the depth of water by lead and line dates back to ancient civilization. It continues in widespread use today in recreational boating and as an alternative to electronic echo sounding devices. Greek and Roman navigators are known to have used sounding leads, some of which have been uncovered by archaeologists. Sounding by lead and line continued throughout
2880-679: The medieval and early modern periods and is still commonly used today. The Bible describes lead and line sounding in Acts , whilst the Bayeux Tapestry documents the use of a sounding lead during William the Conqueror 's 1066 landing in England . Lead and line sounding operates alongside sounding poles, and/or echo sounding devices particularly when navigating in shallower waters and on rivers. At sea, in order to avoid repeatedly hauling in and measuring
2976-417: The spurs to the knight-elect's heels, fastened a belt around his waist, then struck him on the neck (with either a hand or a sword ), thus making him a knight. It was this accolade which was the essential act in creating a knight, and a simpler ceremony developed, conferring knighthood merely by striking or touching the knight-to-be on the shoulder with a sword, or 'dubbing' him, as is still done today. In
Francis Beaufort - Misplaced Pages Continue
3072-681: The theory of evolution he presented in his book The Origin of Species . Later, when Beaufort persuaded the Board of Trade to set up a Meterorological Department, Fitzroy became its first director Using his many connections, including the Royal Society , Beaufort helped to obtain funding for the Antarctic voyage of 1839–1843 by James Clark Ross for extensive measurements of terrestrial magnetism , coordinated with similar measurements in Europe and Asia. (This
3168-434: The 1859 revision. Women were admitted to the Order in 1971. In the 1971 New Year Honours , Jean Nunn became the first woman admitted to the order. In 1975, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester , an aunt of Elizabeth II , became the first woman to reach the highest rank, Dame Grand Cross. Princess Alice (née Douglas-Montagu-Scott) was a direct descendant of the Order's first Great Master, and her husband, who had died
3264-521: The Bath) on 29 April 1848, a relatively belated honorific considering the eminence of his position from 1829 onward. In 1840, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society . Beaufort's extant correspondence of more than 200 letters and journals contained portions written in personal cipher. Beaufort altered the Vigenère cipher , by reversing the cipher alphabet, and the resulting variant
3360-670: The British monarch and foreign nationals may be made honorary members. The Order of the Bath is the fourth most senior of the British orders of chivalry , after the Order of the Garter , the Order of the Thistle , and the (dormant) Order of St Patrick . In the Middle Ages , a knighthood was often conferred with elaborate ceremonies. These usually involved the knight-to-be taking a bath (possibly symbolic of spiritual purification ), during which he
3456-701: The British monarch and foreigners may be made honorary members. Queen Elizabeth II established the custom of appointing visiting (republican) heads of state honorary GCBs, for example Gustav Heinemann and Josip Broz Tito (in 1972), Ronald Reagan (in 1989), Lech Wałęsa (in 1991), Censu Tabone (in 1992), Fernando Henrique Cardoso , George H. W. Bush (in 1993), Nicolas Sarkozy (in 2008), and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (in 2012), as well as Turkish President Abdullah Gül , Slovenian President Danilo Türk , Mexican President Felipe Calderón , and South African President Jacob Zuma (royal heads of state are instead usually made Stranger Knights and Ladies Companion of
3552-790: The East Indies and escorted a convoy of East Indiamen back to Britain. The Admiralty then tasked him with conducting a hydrographic survey of the Rio de la Plata estuary in South America. Experts were very impressed by the survey Beaufort brought back. Notably, Alexander Dalrymple remarked in a note to the Admiralty in March ;1808, that "we have few officers (indeed I do not know one) in our Service who have half his professional knowledge and ability, and in zeal and perseverance he cannot be excelled." After
3648-675: The Garter equivalent (the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod ) perform any duties in the House of Lords . There were originally seven officers, each of whom was to receive fees from the Knights Companion both on appointment, and annually thereafter. The office of Messenger was abolished in 1859. The office of Genealogist was abolished at the same time, but revived in 1913. The offices of Registrar and Secretary were formally merged in 1859, although
3744-460: The Genealogist, Brunswick Herald of Arms to the Gentleman Usher, and Bath King of Arms was also made Gloucester King of Arms with heraldic jurisdiction over Wales. This was the result of a move by Anstis to give the holders of these sinecures greater security; the offices of the Order of the Bath were held at the pleasure of the Great Master, while appointments to the heraldic offices were made by
3840-621: The King under the Great Seal and were for life. Members of the Order wear elaborate uniforms on important occasions (such as its quadrennial installation ceremonies and coronations ), which vary by rank: The mantle , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of crimson satin lined with white taffeta . On the left side is a representation of the star (see below). The mantle is bound with two large tassels. The hat , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander,
3936-462: The Knights of the Bath, as well as the colour of the riband and mantle , and the ceremony for creating a knight. The rest of the statutes were mostly based on those of the Order of the Garter, of which he was an officer (as Garter King of Arms). The Order was founded by letters patent under the Great Seal dated 18 May 1725 ; 299 years ago ( 1725-05-18 ) , and the statutes issued
Francis Beaufort - Misplaced Pages Continue
4032-528: The Maltese cross; the star for civil Knights and Dames Commander is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. The design of each is the same as the design of the military stars, except that the laurel branches and the words Ich dien are excluded. The badge varies in design, size, and manner of wearing by rank and division. The Knight and Dame Grand Cross' badge is larger than the Knight and Dame Commander's badge, which
4128-604: The Military Division, to Commissariat and Medical officers serving with the Army and Navy , including those serving with the East India Company . In 1859, a further edition of the Statutes was issued; the changes related mainly to the costs associated with the Order. Prior to this date, it had been the policy that the insignia (which were provided by the Crown) were to be returned on
4224-458: The Navy . He served in that post for 26 years, longer than any other Hydrographer. G.S. Ritchie , himself Hydrographer (1966–1971) described this period as the "High Noon" of Admiralty surveying. The geographical scope of surveying was greatly increased, both in home waters and overseas. The production of new charts increased from 19 in 1830 to 1230 in 1855. In 1831, a Scientific Branch of the Admiralty
4320-461: The Order for members who had been appointed for the services in the recent war. The fees were abolished, and replaced with a salary of approximately the same average value. The offices of Genealogist and Messenger were abolished, and those of Registrar and Secretary combined. In 1910, after his accession to the throne, George V ordered the revival of the Installation ceremony, perhaps prompted by
4416-403: The Order of the Bath; a similar design of badge is still worn by members of the Civil Division. Their symbolism however is not entirely clear. The 'three joined in one' may be a reference to the kingdoms of England , Scotland , and either France or Ireland , which were held (or claimed in the case of France ) by English and, later, British monarchs. This would correspond to the three crowns in
4512-399: The Order of the Garter (or the Order of the Thistle for Scots), none of which were awarded in large numbers (the Garter and the Thistle are limited to twenty-four and sixteen living members respectively). The political environment was also significantly different from today: The Sovereign still exercised a power to be reckoned with in the eighteenth century. The Court remained the centre of
4608-420: The Order were increasingly made for naval , military , or diplomatic achievements. This is partly due to the conflicts Britain was engaged in over this period. The Peninsular War resulted in so many deserving candidates for the Bath, that a statute was issued allowing the appointment of Extra Knights in time of war, who were to be additional to the numerical limits imposed by the statutes, and whose number
4704-681: The Order's collar over their military uniform or evening wear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar. The collars and badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross are returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood upon the decease of their owners. All other insignia may be retained by their owners. Depth sounding Soundings were traditionally shown on nautical charts in fathoms and feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
4800-474: The action resulted in the capture of the 14-gun polacca Calpe . Beaufort was promoted to the rank of Commander on 13 November 1800. While recovering from his wounds, during which he received a "paltry" pension of £45 per annum, he helped his brother-in-law, Richard Lovell Edgeworth , to construct a semaphore line from Dublin to Galway . He spent two years at this activity, for which he would accept no remuneration. Beaufort returned to active service and
4896-570: The agency responsible for bathymetric data in the United States, still uses fathoms and feet on nautical charts. In other countries, the International System of Units (metres) has become the standard for measuring depth. "Sounding" derives from the Old English sund , meaning "swimming, water, sea"; it is not related to the word sound in the sense of noise or tones, but to sound ,
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#17328553612624992-485: The badge. Another explanation of the motto is that it refers to the Holy Trinity . Nicolas quotes a source (although he is sceptical of it) who claims that prior to James I the motto was Tria numina juncta in uno (three powers/gods joined in one), but from the reign of James I, the word numina was dropped, and the motto understood to mean Tria [regna] juncta in uno (three kingdoms joined in one). The prime mover in
5088-414: The daughter of his brother-in-law Richard Lovell Edgeworth and his second wife. (Francis' sister Frances Beaufort had married Edgeworth as his fourth wife years earlier in the 1810s.) During these early years of command, Beaufort developed the first versions of his Wind Force Scale and Weather Notation coding, which he was to use in his journals for the remainder of his life. From the circle representing
5184-461: The death of the holder; the exception had been foreigners who had been awarded honorary membership. In addition, foreigners had usually been provided with stars made of silver and diamonds, whereas ordinary members had only embroidered stars. The decision was made to award silver stars to all members, and only require the return of the Collar . The Crown had also been paying the fees due to the officers of
5280-409: The depth as he read it off the line. If the depth was at a mark he would call "by the mark" followed by the number, while if it was between two marks, he would call "by the deep" followed by the estimated number; thus "by the mark five", since there is a five-fathom mark, but "by the deep six", since there is no six-fathom mark. Fractions would be called out by preceding the number with the phrases "and
5376-506: The early medieval period, the difference seems to have been that the full ceremonies were used for men from more prominent families. From the coronation of Henry IV in 1399, the full ceremonies were restricted to major royal occasions, such as coronations, investitures of the Prince of Wales or royal dukes , and royal weddings, and the knights so created became known as Knights of the Bath . Knights Bachelor continued to be created with
5472-561: The establishment of the Order of the Bath was John Anstis , Garter King of Arms , England's highest heraldic officer. Sir Anthony Wagner , a recent holder of the office of Garter King of Arms, wrote of Anstis's motivations: It was Martin Leake's opinion that the trouble and opposition Anstis met with in establishing himself as Garter so embittered him against the heralds that when at last in 1718 he succeeded, he made it his prime object to aggrandise himself and his office at their expense. It
5568-539: The explorer, Sir John Franklin , who was lost during his last polar voyage to search for the legendary Northwest Passage . Beaufort was interested in scientific affairs beyond the confines of navigation. As a council member of the Royal Society , the Royal Observatory , and the Royal Geographical Society (which he helped found), Beaufort used his position and prestige as a top administrator to act as
5664-426: The fact that the Bath was represented as a military Order, only a few military officers were among the initial appointments (see List of knights companion of the Order of the Bath ). They may be broken down into categories as follows (some are classified in more than one category): The majority of the new Knights Companions were knighted by the King, and invested with their ribands and badges on 27 May 1725. Although
5760-473: The first Installation ceremony of the more junior Order of St Michael and St George , held a few years earlier, and the building of a new chapel for the Order of the Thistle in 1911. The Installation ceremony took place on 22 July 1913 in the Henry VII Chapel , and Installations have been held at regular intervals since. Prior to the 1913 Installation, it was necessary to adapt the chapel to accommodate
5856-403: The following week. The Order initially consisted of the Sovereign, a Prince of the blood Royal as Principal Knight, a Great Master, and thirty-five Knights Companion. Seven officers (see below) were attached to the Order. These provided yet another opportunity for political patronage, as they were to be sinecures at the disposal of the Great Master, supported by fees from the knights. Despite
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#17328553612625952-437: The greatest scientists and applied mathematicians of his time, including Mary Somerville , John Herschel , George Biddell Airy , and Charles Babbage . Francis Beaufort had a lifelong keen awareness of the value of accurate charts for those risking the seas, as he was shipwrecked at the age of fifteen due to a faulty chart. His most significant accomplishments were in nautical charting . Beaufort first went to sea in 1789 on
6048-679: The hip. He returned to England and drew up his charts. In 1817, he published his book Karamania; or a brief description of the South Coast of Asia Minor, and of the Remains of Antiquity . In 1829, Beaufort was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society , and in the same year, at the age of 55 (retirement age for most administrative contemporaries), Beaufort was appointed as the British Admiralty Hydrographer of
6144-493: The larger number of members. An appeal was made to the members of the Order, and following the Installation a surplus remained. A Committee was formed from the Officers to administer the 'Bath Chapel Fund', and over time this committee has come to consider other matters than purely financial ones. Another revision of the statutes of the Order was undertaken in 1925, to consolidate the 41 additional statutes which had been issued since
6240-401: The later nineteenth century, new machines were introduced to measure much greater depths of water. The most widely adopted deep-sea sounding machine in the nineteenth century was Kelvin's sounding machine , designed by William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) and patented in 1876. This operated on the same principle as lead and line sounding. In this case, the line consisted of a drum of piano wire whilst
6336-485: The lead was of a much greater weight. Later versions of Kelvin's machine also featured a motorised drum in order to facilitate the winding and unwinding of the line. These devices also featured a dial which recorded the length of line let out. Both lead-and-line technology and sounding machines were used during the twentieth century, but by the twenty-first, echo sounding has increasingly displaced both of those methods. A sounding line can still be found on many vessels as
6432-404: The marks of distinction which they have so nobly earned. The Order was now to consist of three classes: Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander, and Companions. At the same time, the large and small Naval Gold Medals were suspended, while the bearers became Knights Commander and Companions, respectively. The existing Knights Companion (of which there were 60) became Knight Grand Cross; this class
6528-400: The new Order for Walpole was that it would provide a source of such favours to strengthen his political position. He made sure that most of the 36 new honorees were peers and MPs who would provide him with useful connections. George I having agreed to Walpole's proposal, Anstis was commissioned to draft statutes for the Order of the Bath. As noted above, he adopted the motto and badge used by
6624-412: The nineteenth century. The Royal Navy also purchased a number of Peter Burt's buoy and nipper device. This machine was quite different from Massey's. It consisted of an inflatable canvas bag (the buoy ) and a spring-loaded wooden pulley block (the nipper). Again, the device was designed to operate alongside a lead and line. In this case, the buoy would be pulled behind the ship and the line threaded through
6720-476: The opportunity also taken to regularise the 1815 expansion of the Order. The 1847 statutes also abolished all the medieval ritual, but they did introduce a formal Investiture ceremony, conducted by the Sovereign wearing the Mantle and insignia of the Order, attended by the Officers and as many GCBs as possible, in their Mantles. In 1850, a special statute authorised appointments of Knight Commander and Companion, in
6816-458: The order and is responsible for enforcing the statutes. The statutes also provide for the following: Regular membership is limited to citizens of the United Kingdom and of other Commonwealth countries of which the British monarch is Sovereign. Appointees are usually officers of the armed forces or senior civil servants, such as permanent secretaries . Members appointed to the Civil Division must "by their personal services to [the] crown or by
6912-601: The performance of public duties have merited ... royal favour." Appointments to the Military Division are restricted by the minimum rank of the individual. GCBs hold the rank of admiral in the Royal Navy, general in the British Army or Royal Marines , or air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force . KCBs must at least hold the rank of vice admiral , lieutenant general in the Army or Marines, or air marshal . CBs tend be of
7008-522: The political world. The King was limited in that he had to choose Ministers who could command a majority in Parliament , but the choice remained his. The leader of an administration still had to command the King's personal confidence and approval. A strong following in Parliament depended on being able to supply places, pensions, and other marks of Royal favour to the government's supporters. The attraction of
7104-450: The prestige of the Order. In 1847, Queen Victoria issued new statutes eliminating all references to an exclusively military Order. As well as removing the word 'Military' from the full name of the Order, this opened up the grades of Knight Commander and Companion to civil appointments, and the Military and Civil Divisions of the Order were established. New numerical limits were imposed, and
7200-456: The previous year, had also held that office. The second Dame Grand Cross, Sally Davies , was appointed in the 2020 New Year Honours . The British Sovereign is the Sovereign of the Order of the Bath. As with all honours, except those in the Sovereign's personal gift, the Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government . The next-most senior member of the Order
7296-417: The pulley. The lead could then be released. The buoy ensured that the lead fell perpendicular to the sea floor even when the ship was moving. The spring-loaded pulley would then catch the rope when the lead hit the sea bed, ensuring an accurate reading of the depth. Both Massey and Burt's machines were designed to operate in relatively shallow waters (up to 150 fathoms). With the growth of seabed telegraphy in
7392-552: The rank of rear admiral , major general in the Army, Royal Navy or Royal Marines, or air vice marshal in the Royal Air Force, and in addition must have been Mentioned in Despatches for distinction in a command position in a combat situation, although the latter is no longer a requirement. Non-line officers (e.g. engineers , medics) may be appointed only for meritorious service in wartime. Commonwealth citizens not subjects of
7488-515: The revival or institution of the Order of the Bath was probably that which it in fact secured, of ingratiating him with the all-powerful Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole. The use of honours in the early eighteenth century differed considerably from the modern honours system , in which hundreds, if not thousands, of people each year receive honours on the basis of deserving accomplishments. The only honours available at that time were hereditary (not life) peerages and baronetcies , knighthoods , and
7584-482: The sea floor, the rotor would lock. Massey's sounding machine could then be hauled in and the depth could be read off the dials in fathoms. By 1811, the Royal Navy had purchased 1,750 of these devices: one for every ship in commission during the Napoleonic Wars . The Board of Longitude was instrumental in convincing the Royal Navy to adopt Massey's machine. Massey's was not the only sounding machine adopted during
7680-403: The simpler form of ceremony. The last occasion on which Knights of the Bath were created was the coronation of Charles II in 1661. From at least 1625, and possibly from the reign of James I , Knights of the Bath were using the motto Tria juncta in uno ( Latin for 'Three joined in one'), and wearing as a badge three crowns within a plain gold oval. These were both subsequently adopted by
7776-626: The statutes allow the Sovereign to exceed the limits in time of war or other exceptional circumstances. The office of Dean is held by the Dean of Westminster . The King of Arms, responsible for heraldry , is known as Bath King of Arms; he is not, however, a member of the College of Arms , like many heralds. The Order's Usher is known as the Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod ; he does not, unlike his Order of
7872-405: The statutes set out the full medieval ceremony which was to be used for creating knights, this was not performed, and indeed, was possibly never intended to be, as the original statutes contained a provision allowing the Great Master to dispense Knights Companion from these requirements. The original knights were dispensed from all the medieval ceremonies with the exception of the Installation, which
7968-515: The two positions had been held concurrently for the previous century. An Officer of Arms and a Secretary for the Knights Commander and Companions were established in 1815, but abolished in 1847. The office of Deputy Secretary was created in 1925. Under the Hanoverian kings, certain of the officers also held heraldic office. The office of Blanc Coursier Herald of Arms was attached to that of
8064-431: The wet line by stretching it out with one's arms, it is common practice to tie marks at intervals along the line. These marks are made of leather , calico , serge and other materials, and so shaped and attached that it is possible to "read" them by eye during the day or by feel at night. Traditionally the marks were at every second or third fathom: at 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 20 fathoms. The "leadsman" called out
8160-717: Was a Protestant clergyman from Navan , County Meath , Ireland, and a member of the learned Royal Irish Academy . His mother Mary was the daughter and co-heiress of William Waller, of Allenstown House . Francis was born in Navan on 27 May 1774. He had an older brother, William Louis Beaufort and three sisters, Frances , Harriet , and Louisa. His father created and published a new map of Ireland in 1792. Francis grew up in Wales and Ireland until age fourteen. He left school and went to sea, but never stopped his education. By later in life, he had become sufficiently self-educated to associate with some of
8256-582: Was also to appoint eight officers for this body. However, the statute was never invoked. In January 1815, after the end of the Peninsular War , the Prince Regent (later George IV ) expanded the Order of the Bath to the end that those Officers who have had the opportunities of signalising themselves by eminent services during the late war may share in the honours of the said Order, and that their names may be delivered down to remote posterity, accompanied by
8352-434: Was appointed a captain in the Royal Navy on 30 May 1810. Whereas other wartime officers sought leisurely pursuits, Beaufort spent his leisure time taking depth soundings and bearings , making astronomical observations to determine longitude and latitude , and measuring shorelines. His results were compiled in new charts. The Admiralty gave Beaufort his first ship command, HMS Woolwich . He sailed her to
8448-574: Was formed, which as well as the Hydrographic Department included the great astronomical observatories at Greenwich , England, and the Cape of Good Hope , Africa, and the Nautical Almanac and Chronometer Offices, and Beaufort was responsible for the administration. Beaufort directed some of the major maritime explorations and experiments of that period. He played a leading role in the search for
8544-400: Was instructed in the duties of knighthood by more senior knights. He was then put to bed to dry. Clothed in a special robe, he was led with music to the chapel where he spent the night in a vigil . At dawn, he made confession and attended Mass , then retired to his bed to sleep until it was fully daylight. He was then brought before the King, who after instructing two senior knights to buckle
8640-456: Was limited to 72 members, of which twelve could be appointed for civil or diplomatic services. The military members had to be of the rank of at least major-general or rear admiral . The Knights Commander were limited to 180, exclusive of foreign nationals holding British commissions, up to ten of whom could be appointed as honorary Knights Commander. They had to be of the rank of lieutenant-colonel or post-captain . The number of Companions
8736-517: Was not specified, but they had to have received a medal or been mentioned in despatches since the start of the war in 1803. A list of about 500 names was subsequently published. Two further officers were appointed, an 'Officer of arms attendant on the Knights Commanders and Companions', and a 'Secretary appertaining to the Knights Commanders and Companions'. The large increase in numbers caused some complaints that such an expansion would reduce
8832-427: Was not subject to any restrictions. Another statute, this one issued some 80 years earlier, had also added a military note to the Order. Each knight was required, under certain circumstances, to supply and support four men-at-arms for a period not exceeding 42 days in any year, to serve in any part of Great Britain. This company was to be captained by the Great Master, who had to supply four trumpeters , and
8928-620: Was on Aquilon during the Battle of the Glorious First of June off Ushant in Brittany in 1794, when Aquilon rescued the dismasted HMS Defence and exchanged broadsides with the French ship-of-the line , Impétueux . He was promoted to Lieutenant on 10 May 1796 on HMS Phaeton . While serving on Phaeton , Beaufort was badly wounded leading a cutting-out operation off Málaga in 1800;
9024-464: Was performed in the Order's Chapel, the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey , on 17 June. This precedent was followed until 1812, after which the Installation was also dispensed with, until its revival in the twentieth century. The ceremonies however remained part of the Statutes until 1847. Although the initial appointments to the Order were largely political, from the 1770s, appointments to
9120-485: Was put in temporary command of the survey ship HMS Beagle after her previous captain committed suicide. When FitzRoy was reappointed as commander for what became the famous second voyage of the Beagle , he requested of Beaufort "that a well-educated and scientific gentleman be sought" as a companion on the voyage. Beaufort's enquiries led to an invitation to Charles Darwin , who later drew on his discoveries in formulating
9216-412: Was understood as a way to introduce standardised practices for sounding in a period in which naval discipline was of great concern. One of the most widely adopted sounding machines was developed in 1802 by Edward Massey, a clockmaker from Staffordshire . The machine was designed to be fixed to a sounding lead and line. It featured a rotor which turned a dial as the lead sank to the sea floor. On striking
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