- William Baffin
Infobox Person
name = William Baffin
image_size = 200px
caption = William Baffin, c. 1624
birth_date = 1584
birth_place =
death_date =January 23 ,1622
death_place =Kishm , Iran
education =
occupation = Navigator, explorer
title =
spouse =
parents =
children =
nationality = English
website =William Baffin (born
1584 , diedJanuary 23 ,1622 ) was an Englishnavigator and explorer. Nothing is known of his early life, but it is conjectured that he was born inLondon of humble origin, and gradually raised himself by his diligence and perseverance.The earliest mention of his name occurs in 1612, in connection with an expedition in search of a
Northwest Passage , under the orders of CaptainJames Hall , whom he accompanied as chief pilot. Captain Hall was killed in a fight with the local inhabitants on the west coast ofGreenland , and during the two following years Baffin served in theSpitsbergen whale-fishery, at that time controlled by theMuscovy Company .In 1615, he entered the service of the Company for the discovery of the North-West Passage, and accompanied Captain
Robert Bylot as pilot of the little ship "Discovery", and now carefully examinedHudson Strait . The accuracy of Baffin's tidal and astronomical observations on this voyage was confirmed in a remarkable manner by Sir Edward Parry, when passing over the same ground, two centuries later (1821).The following year, Baffin again sailed as pilot of the "Discovery", and passing up
Davis Strait discovered the fine bay to the north which now bears his name, together with the magnificent series of straits which radiate from its head and were named by him Lancaster, Smith andJones Sound s, in honour of the generous patrons of his voyages. On this voyage he had sailed over 300statute mile s (480 km) farther north than his predecessor John Davis, and for 236 years his farthest north (about lat. 77° 45') remained unsurpassed in that sea.All hopes, however, seemed now ended of discovering a passage to
India by this route, and in course of time even Baffin's discoveries came to be doubted until they were re-discovered by Captain Ross in 1818. Baffin next took service with theBritish East India Company , and in 1617-1619 performed a voyage toSurat inBritish India , and on his return received the special recognition of the Company for certain valuable surveys of theRed Sea andPersian Gulf which he had made in the course of the voyage.Early in 1620, he again sailed to the East. In the Anglo-Persian attack on
Kishm in the Persian Gulf, in the conflict againstOrmus , he died of combat injuries onJanuary 23 ,1622 . Besides the importance of his geographical discoveries, Baffin is to be remembered for the importance and accuracy of his numerous scientific and magnetic observations, for one of which (the determination oflongitude at sea by lunar observation orLunar Distance ) the honour is claimed of being the first of its kind on record.Baffin Bay andBaffin Island are named in his honour.References
* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=38 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.