KING, Phflip Parker English writer and naval officer: b. Norfolk Island, in the Pacific Ocean, 1793; d. 1856. Entering the naval serv ice at the age of 14, he had been raised to the rank of lieutenant by the time he had attained his majority, and by the time he was 24 he was given complete charge of an important survey in Australian waters which covered five years and greatly improved the Torres Strait and Sydney route. Later on he spent four years in making surveys and charts of the southern coast of South America (1826-30). This expedition consisted of two vessels of which King was in charge of one, the Adven ture, and Capt. Robert Fitzroy of the other, the Beagle. Some time afterward King went to Australia where he identified himself with the interests and progress of the country. He set tled in Sydney, capital of New South Wales, where he became, among other things, a legis lative councillor and manager of the Australian Agricultural Society. Later on he was raised
to the rank of rear-admiral and placed on the retired list, an honor which was probably in tended to be shown as much to Australia as to himself, for he was the first Australian to attain to his rank. Among his published works are 'Narrative of the Survey of the Inter tropical and Western Coasts of Australia> (2 vols., 1827) ;