The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-21 00:00:00

Death of Rear-Admiral Washington,

We regret to announce the death of Rear-Admiral
John Washington, late hydrographer to the British
Admiralty, who expired at Havre on Wednesday
last. It will be recollected that,owing to ill-health,
the gallant officer was recently obliged to resign his
position, so that he has not long survived his re-
tirement from official duties. He entered the navy
on May 15, 1812, as a first-class volunteer on
board the Junon, of 46 guns, Capt. James Sanders,
fitting for the North American station, where he
took part in many operations in the river Chesa-
peake, assisted in making prizes of several of
the enemy's vessels, and contributed to the com-
plete discomfiture of 15 gunboats that had been
dispatched for the express purpose of capturing
the Itinon, after an action of three hours,
fought in June 20, 1813. Removing as
midshipman, in the following October, to the
Sybille, he sailed in that ship, in 1814, under
Captain Forrest, with the Princess Caroline,
Capt. Downman, for the latitude of Greenland, in
fruitless pursuit of the American Commodore
Rogers. In November of the same year, having
returned to England, he entered the Royal Naval
College at Portsmouth. On leaving that institu-
tion he was received, in May, 1816, on board the
Forth, Capt. Sir Thomas Louis, under whom he
was again employed for upwards of three years
on the coast of North America. He then, in
succession, joined the Vengeur and the Superb, both
on the South American station, where be remained,
until after his promotion to the rink of lieutenant,
which took place on January 1, 1821. He was
subsequently employed on particular service, and,
in August, 1860, was appointed to the Royal
George, as flag-lieutenant to Sir John Poer Beres-
ford, commander-in-chief at the Nore, continuing
to serve under that officer in the Queen,
until advanced to the rank of commander in 1833.
To the active service consequent upon his various
appointments, he had united the practice of mari-
time surveying and the related pursuits of a scien-
tific hydrographer and geographer. In 1835 he suc-
ceeded Capt. Maconochie as secretary of the Royal
Geographical Society of London, but resigned that
office in 1841, on being appointed to cantinue the
survey of the North Sea, which had for some
time been in progress. During this undertaking,
in which he was continually engaged until the close
of 1844, he was occasionally occupied in correcting
the existing charts, as the positions of the shoals,
and the directions of the navigable channels,
had in many cases become changed. In 1842
he had been appointed to the rank of post-captain,
in compliment to the King of Prussia. The sur-
vey was Captain Washington's last service afloat.
In 1845 he was appointed a commissioner for in-
quiring into the state of the rivers, shores, and har-
bours of the United Kingdom. On the retirement
of Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, in 1855,
he was elevated to the responsible office of hydro-
grapher to the Admiralty, and subsequently
attained the rank of rear-Admiral. In 1833 Ad-
miral Washington married Eleonora daughter of
the Rev. H. Askew, rector of Graystock, in Cum-
berland, by whom he has issue. Deceased was a
member of various learned societies, and is the
author of many papers of a scientific and useful
character.