Douglas Charles Clavering
| Douglas Charles Clavering | |
|---|---|
| Born |
8 September 1794 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | June 1827 (aged 32–33) Off the coast of West Africa |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
|
| Years of service | 1808–1827 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands held |
Pheasant Griper Redwing |
| Battles/wars |
Napoleonic Wars War of 1812 |
Captain Douglas Charles Clavering RN FRS (8 September 1794 – mid-1827) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and Arctic explorer.
Clavering was born at Holyrood House, the eldest son of Brigadier-General Henry Mordaunt Clavering (1759–1850) and Lady Augusta Campbell (1760–1831), the daughter of John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll. His grandfather was Lieutenant-General John Clavering, who had served as Commander-in-Chief, India, from 1774.
Despite his impeccable military antecedents Clavering elected to serve in the Navy. Joining at a young age, he served as a midshipman under Sir Philip Broke in the frigate Shannon. Clavering distinguished himself during the battle with USS Chesapeake in June 1813, and was honourably mentioned in Broke's report. He then served as a lieutenant aboard the sloop-of-war Spey in the Mediterranean, and in 1821 was appointed commander of the sloop Pheasant, on the coast of Africa.
While on passage to join his ship, he struck up a close friendship with Captain Edward Sabine, who was travelling to Africa to commence a series of observations on the length of the seconds pendulum. At Clavering's request the Pheasant was chosen to carry Sabine while making his observations. These were made at Sierra Leone, the Island of St Thomas, Ascension Island, Bahia, Maranham, Trinidad, Jamaica, and New York City. In the course of the voyage Clavering also made an extensive series of observations on the direction and force of the equatorial current and the Gulf Stream.
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