Sir Francis Beaufort

Beaufort, Sir Francis, K. C.B., Admiral, son of the preceding [Daniel Augustus Beaufort], was born at Navan in 1774.

He entered the navy in 1787, and soon rose by his bravery and talent in the services on which he was engaged under Lord Howe and others, and was appointed Lieutenant in 1796.

He greatly distinguished himself while Lieutenant of the Phaeton in 1800, by cutting out a Spanish vessel, the San Josef, from under the guns of a battery near Malaga.

For this service he received a commander’s commission. Disabled by wounds, and forced to remain at home from November 1803 to June 1804, he devoted his time, in conjunction with his brother-in-law, Richard L. Edgeworth, to the construction of a telegraph from Dublin to Galway.

Gazetted anew, and after seeing more service in South America, off Spain, and in the Levant, he was paid off in 1812.

Having given much attention to coast surveys, he received the appointment of Hydrographer to the Admiralty, and in 1846 attained the rank of Admiral.

His second wife was a daughter, by a third marriage, of his brother-in-law, Mr. Edgeworth; he was consequently uncle and brother-in-law to Maria Edgeworth.

He died at Brighton, 16th December 1857.