Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-06-20
CAPTAIN BASIL HALL. R. N.


who is equally well known as a gallant sailor.
an enterprisng traveller. navigator, and emf
nent writer, is now on visit TO this country; ;
and his appearance here, has induced the Ed
| itor Of the New-York Albion, to furnish the
public with the annexed sketch of his early
life and subsequent history. II will be found
interesting by those who may read it (, and we
commend it to the perusal Of such Of our read
ers, as are curious TO become acquainted with
the histories ofthose who have signalizod them
selves in the service of the world:
"Captain Basil Hall was born in the year
| 1888, and 10 the son Of Sir James Hall, Baron-
ct, late President # the Royal Society of Ed
inhurgh. In 1902 he entered his Maiesty's
| service, and was upwards Of five years on tine
coast. In 1903 he received his first epaulet,
and served as Lieutenant upwards of six years,
three OF which were in India. Daring this lat
ter period he twice travelled over the peninsula
Of Hindosian. traversed great part of Java,
and visited many of the numerous groups of
the oriental Archipelago.
"Captain Halls love for travelling and oh
servation, was in the year 1916 fuItI.cr grati-
he'd by his appointment to the Lyr1, ten gun
brig, which had been ordered 10 accomparv
the Alreste frgate with the Embassy TO China.
under Lord Amherst During his Lorisiip's
stay at Canton the two vessels visited the Loo
choo islands, and Captain Hall, OH his return
TO England, published his well known and ex
celen work on that group. Towards the closs
of 1917, the Lords Of the Admiralty testified
their appreciation of Captain Halls services,
by advancing him to the rank Of post capian,
on the occasion Of the Lyra beng paid or
In 1920, having obtained tie command Of
his MaJesty's ship Conway, Of rs guns, Cap,ai IN
ii. was ordered to the South-Ameri, an station.
where he remained until 1928 Itwas in this
situation that he became more particularly
known 10 the American nav gators Of that - rt
OF The world. AT the period alluded 10, tie
whole Of that country was in a state of pregt
confusion and disorder-the Spanish poaer
was not extinct-in fact, the war ragged in
many parts with uDmitigated fury, and required
all the energy and activity of the commanders
Of the neutral squadrons 10 preserve their re-
spectve flags from the hostile assaults of the
belhgcrcnts. II is most gratifying to saw, that
ON all occasions of difficulty. Captain Hall SUD.
ported the honor and interests of his country
as became a British officer Nav, more, so
satisfied was every foreigner upon that coast
OF Captain Halls judgment and integrity. tkat
he was often the sole arbiter in disputes in
which British subjects were no way concerned.
They preferred leaving their difie enccs TO the
prolnp. decision of an unprei, d! ced and intelIi-
gent officer, rather than to the slow and i'm
perfect courts of judicature, in the disorpanized
state of the country at that period
"Of the most enlarged and liberal mind.
captain Hall restricted not the powerful mo-
lection Of the British flag to the exclusive use
OF the subjects OF his own country. Jnprotect-
ed strangers of any nation never invoked his
aid in vain. To the Americans II has aIwavs
been understood he was particularly kind and
courteous, and II has recently been sta, ed that
upon one occasion. when Captain Rdgclv of
the United States ship Consi elat,on, then on
that stat'on, found il necessary TO proceed from
one part of the coast TO another, he requested
Captain Hall to use his personal influence in
set ling serious dispute between the crew and
commander Of an American ship.
During his term of three years. service on
the South American station, CAPITA Hall Wis
tied BrazLl and Buenos Ayres on the east, and
the whole coasi from Conception to California
on the west, when he cole cted the materials
for publish ng his work, so extensively and de-
ser'ediy kno"n, "n that interesting portion of
the wesie n hemisphere
' BESIDES the works alluded TO- CAPTAIN Hall
has written various papers n the Philosophical
Transactions and other Journals; on the GeoIo-
gy of the Cape Of Good Hope, on Come. DIS
covered at Valparaiso, and on the Cham Gable.
the three first volumes of that new
and popular work, ConstabIe's Miscellony
l - FIRST article IN the last Quarterly Resiew
ls also, We suspect, from the pen Of this officer.
'Captan Hall married. in 1925, Miss Hum
ter, daughter Of Sir John Hunter, Consul. Gen.
erai IN Spain, who, we are pleased to learn.
intends to accompany her husband during tho
entire tour ofthe United States, and the Cana
das.
Th.ro -,
fached 10 Captain Halls history. His mother.
LADY, Helen Hall, daughter of the Earl of Sci.
Sirk, was actually in the house al St. M,rv's
Isle ana sitting II the fea-.able when the place
was surrounded by tho crew Of Paul Jones' shin.
and she remembers stinctly the whole par
cuiars, and the delicacy with which the la
lies were treated by Paul's offrers. II iswel
Known that Paul Jones bought Up, with his
'wn money, the whole of the plate which was
AIKEN away, and sent il back 10 Lad, Selk,rk.
I was not however, till upwards Of twelve
ears Afterwards that the boxes reached the
sic; and upon opening them a curious proof
vas afforded that they had never once been
ouched. for at the bottom of the tea not which
,ad been on the table at the time, there was
onnd a hard mass of dried leaves, Just as thew
lad been at the moment the plate was carried
wav.''
Whilst Captain Hall was in New-York a fow
weeks since, he submitted to the Fire Commit
ee of the city, plan for throwing water to
reater height, which has been considered
,asble, and probable to prove ofvast utility.
or this attempt TO improve the condition of 40
npor'ant department OF public inst tuition.
aptain Hall was highly complimentod by tho
ty authorities.