A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER

Subject: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Fri Aug 11, 2023 9:47 pm

Hi all

Found this in The South Wales Daily News, Tuesday 31st January 1893:

TENBY

A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER - Staff Commander Archdeacon, R.N. , who has just died at Tenby, in his 54 th year, was the officer who discovered, during a Government survey, the "Archdeacon" submerged rock in the Atlantic, which, as it lay nearly in direct course of the American liners, was a source of danger to all vessels engaged in American trade. He served in the Baltic and Black seas during the Russian war, and had the Sebastopol medal. He also surveyed the Western coast of Australia, and subsequently he went to South Africa, and was taken by the Zulus, and was kept prisoner by them for six weeks. The funeral, which took place at Tenby, on Friday, was largely attended.

Subject: Re: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:32 am

Eddie,

William Edwin Archdeacon, R.N., did not serve in the Zulu War. He was naval cartographer, he was involved in charting the Cape of Good Hope Survey between 1866 to 1871. It was at sometime during the course of that survey that he was held prisoner for seven weeks, although in his obituary it does not identify his captors as Zulu.

From 1872 until 1882 he was involved in charting the Australian coastline, obviously excluding him from the Zulu campaign of 1879.

JY

Subject: Re: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Sat Aug 12, 2023 1:16 pm

Hi
Thank you John, interesting story.

Subject: Re: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Fri Aug 25, 2023 2:57 pm

Surveying the Cape of Good Hope coast would not bring him anywhere near the Zulus.
Look at https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/imotp.1893.20468
He surveyed from Table Bay to the mouth of the Orange River to the north and to the Natal border to the east.
His captors were described as 'Kaffirs'.

Subject: Re: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Fri Aug 25, 2023 3:19 pm

Julian,

Given it is 2023, I thought it prudent not to use such an expression, which is why worded my response in the manner I did.

JY

Subject: Re: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Fri Aug 25, 2023 5:31 pm

The obituary from 1893 helps answer Eddie's question clarifying that it can only have been Cape Colony 'Kaffirs' who took him prisoner and not Zulus. It is, as you know, perfectly acceptable to use the term historically when quoting from an historical document.
Your prudence however does you credit.

Subject: Re: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Fri Aug 25, 2023 5:40 pm

Hi Juian/ John

Just to clarify, I did not pose a question, I only posted an article I found interesting, as this thread is for general discussion.

Subject: Re: A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER Fri Aug 25, 2023 5:47 pm

Eddie
I stand corrected. I should have written:
"The obituary from 1893 helps answer the question raised by Eddie's posting of the report clarifying..."

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