James Wilson King (1818 – June 6, 1905)[1][2] was an American Navy Officer. He served as Chief Engineer of the United States Navy.[1] During his career, he held every position in the Navy to which an engineering officer could be called.[1] Today, he is best known for his 1880 book, The Warships and Navies of the World, which has been called "an important book to establish reliable contemporary information."[3] It was republished by the U.S. Naval Institute in 1982.[4]
King was appointed to the Navy from Maryland as a Third Assistant Engineer on September 2, 1844.[5] During the Mexican–American War, he was attached to the paddle-frigate USS Mississippi and participated in the capture of all but one of the towns on the Mexican coast taken by the Navy.[1] On July 10, 1847,[5] he was promoted to Second Assistant Engineer. King served on all the first steamers that belonged to the U.S. Navy, except the first Fulton.[6]
King was promoted to First Assistant Engineer on September 13, 1849[5] and to Chief Engineer on November 12, 1852.[5] He was appointed Government Inspector of Ocean Mail Steamers at New York in 1853.[6] In 1858, he was appointed Chief Engineer at the New York Navy Yard.[6]
King was Chief Engineer of the North Atlantic Fleet in the early part of the American Civil War.[6] "Subsequently he was the superintendent of the construction of all the armour-clads built west of the Alleghenies, involving an expenditure in the aggregate of seven millions of dollars".[6]
During the mid-1870s, King—as chief engineer of the Navy—made many visits, official and private, to Europe, to collect information relating to shipbuilding, machinery, and other aspects of naval warfare.[3] In 1877, he produced a report to Congress entitled, European Ships of War and Their Armament, Naval Administration and Economy, Marine Constructions and Appliances, Dockyards, etc., etc.[2] King's critical evaluations of naval architecture assumed that Congress might soon fund new designs for a re-equipped American Navy.[3] A second edition was published in 1878.[9] King then produced an expanded version of these reports in his 1880 book, The Warships and Navies of the World.[10]
Retirement and deathedit
King was placed on the retired list on August 26, 1881.[5] He died at his home at 3221 Powelton Avenue, Philadelphia, on June 6, 1905.[1]
Footnotesedit
^ abcdefgNew York Times, Death list of a day; Capt James W King, 7 June 1905.
^ abwww.archive.org Report of Chief Engineer J. W. King, United States navy, on European ships of war and their armament, naval administration and economy, marine constructions and appliances, dockyards, etc., etc (1877)
^ abcdefNaval Historical Center, Officers of the Continental and US Navy and Marine Corps 1775–1900 2013-09-02 at the Wayback Machine
^ abcdeKing, J.W. The Warships and Navies of the World, page v.
^Navy Department Library Bureau of Steam Engineering
^Naval Historical Center, Officers of the Continental and US Navy and Marine Corps 1775–1900 US Navy Officers: 1798–1900 - "W" (William W. Wood) 2010-12-05 at the Wayback Machine
^Browsing Library of Congress Call Numbers : "VA20 .J6" to "VA50 .K8"
^King, J.W. The Warships and Navies of the World, p. iv.
Bibliographyedit
Hamersly, L. R., ed. (1870). The records of living officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. OCLC 422938.
External linksedit
April 12, 2024
james, wilson, king, 1818, june, 1905, american, navy, officer, served, chief, engineer, united, states, navy, during, career, held, every, position, navy, which, engineering, officer, could, called, today, best, known, 1880, book, warships, navies, world, whi. James Wilson King 1818 June 6 1905 1 2 was an American Navy Officer He served as Chief Engineer of the United States Navy 1 During his career he held every position in the Navy to which an engineering officer could be called 1 Today he is best known for his 1880 book The Warships and Navies of the World which has been called an important book to establish reliable contemporary information 3 It was republished by the U S Naval Institute in 1982 4 James W KingKing during the American Civil WarChief of the Bureau of Steam EngineeringIn office March 23 1869 March 14 1873 1869 03 23 1873 03 14 Preceded byBenjamin Franklin IsherwoodSucceeded byWilliam Willis Wiley WoodPersonal detailsBornJames Wilson KingUnknown date 1818Maryland U S DiedJune 6 1905 1905 06 06 aged 86 87 Philadelphia Pennsylvania U S Military serviceAllegiance United StatesBranchUnited States NavyYears of service1844 1881RankEngineer in chiefWarsMexican American WarAmerican Civil War Contents 1 Career 2 Retirement and death 3 Footnotes 4 Bibliography 5 External linksCareer editKing was appointed to the Navy from Maryland as a Third Assistant Engineer on September 2 1844 5 During the Mexican American War he was attached to the paddle frigate USS Mississippi and participated in the capture of all but one of the towns on the Mexican coast taken by the Navy 1 On July 10 1847 5 he was promoted to Second Assistant Engineer King served on all the first steamers that belonged to the U S Navy except the first Fulton 6 King was promoted to First Assistant Engineer on September 13 1849 5 and to Chief Engineer on November 12 1852 5 He was appointed Government Inspector of Ocean Mail Steamers at New York in 1853 6 In 1858 he was appointed Chief Engineer at the New York Navy Yard 6 King was Chief Engineer of the North Atlantic Fleet in the early part of the American Civil War 6 Subsequently he was the superintendent of the construction of all the armour clads built west of the Alleghenies involving an expenditure in the aggregate of seven millions of dollars 6 King was promoted to Engineer in Chief on March 15 1869 5 In 1869 President Ulysses S Grant appointed him Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering 1 In this post King introduced double expansion engines into the U S Navy 1 He held this post until March 20 1873 7 8 During the mid 1870s King as chief engineer of the Navy made many visits official and private to Europe to collect information relating to shipbuilding machinery and other aspects of naval warfare 3 In 1877 he produced a report to Congress entitled European Ships of War and Their Armament Naval Administration and Economy Marine Constructions and Appliances Dockyards etc etc 2 King s critical evaluations of naval architecture assumed that Congress might soon fund new designs for a re equipped American Navy 3 A second edition was published in 1878 9 King then produced an expanded version of these reports in his 1880 book The Warships and Navies of the World 10 Retirement and death editKing was placed on the retired list on August 26 1881 5 He died at his home at 3221 Powelton Avenue Philadelphia on June 6 1905 1 Footnotes edit a b c d e f g New York Times Death list of a day Capt James W King 7 June 1905 a b www archive org Report of Chief Engineer J W King United States navy on European ships of war and their armament naval administration and economy marine constructions and appliances dockyards etc etc 1877 a b c www globalsecurity org The New Navy Selected Reference Books Naval Ships in the Los Angeles Maritime Museum Research Library Collections a b c d e f Naval Historical Center Officers of the Continental and US Navy and Marine Corps 1775 1900 Archived 2013 09 02 at the Wayback Machine a b c d e King J W The Warships and Navies of the World page v Navy Department Library Bureau of Steam Engineering Naval Historical Center Officers of the Continental and US Navy and Marine Corps 1775 1900 US Navy Officers 1798 1900 W William W Wood Archived 2010 12 05 at the Wayback Machine Browsing Library of Congress Call Numbers VA20 J6 to VA50 K8 King J W The Warships and Navies of the World p iv Bibliography editHamersly L R ed 1870 The records of living officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps Philadelphia J B Lippincott amp Co OCLC 422938 External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Wilson King amp oldid 1169144970, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
