Sir William Wharton, K.C.B., F.R.S.

Abstract

WILLIAM JAMES LLOYD WHARTON, second son of the late Mr. Robert Wharton, County Court Judge of York, was born in London on March 2, 1843. Educated at Burney's Academy, Gosport, he entered the Royal Navy in August, 1857, on board H.M.S. Illustrious, then recently commissioned as a training ship for naval cadets, stationed at Portsmouth. Passing with great credit out of the Illustrious, he was appointed in April, 1858, midshipman of H.M.S. Euryalus, on board which ship H.R.H. Prince Alfred (afterwards Duke of Edinburgh) was also serving. In November, 1860, being appointed to H.M.S. Jason, commissioned for service on the North American and West Indian stations, he was lent to H.M.S. St. George, employed on fishery duties in Newfoundland during the summer of 1861. On completing his time as midshipman he passed his examination in seamanship for the rank of lieutenant on January 13, 1863. Whilst still serving in the Jason he was made acting lieutenant of that ship on October 26, 1864, and at the close of the year, on the Jason returning to England to pay off, he at last had the opportunity to pass the examinations in gunnery and navigation necessary to qualify him for the rank of lieutenant. In these he acquitted himself brilliantly, being confirmed in his rank March 15, 1865. In December of that year he was awarded the Beaufort testimonial for passing the best examination of the year in mathematics, nautical astronomy, and navigation.