*FITZ-ROY, CAPTAIN ROBERT, R.N., was born in June 1805, and is the second son of General Lord Charles Fitz-Roy, who died December 20, 1829. He entered the navy October 19, 1819, and obtained his first commission September 7, 1824. He served in the Thetis frigate on the Mediterranean and South American stations. The charts of the coasts of South America having been found to be very imperfect, and in many instances erroneous, the French and English governments undertook, for the benefit of the mercantile world, to explore and survey those coasts, the French undertaking to examine the shores of Brazil, and the English those of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, Chili, and Peru. In 1825 two vessel& wero ordered to be fitted out for this purpose, the Adventure, 330 tons, and the Beagle, 235 tons. Captain Philip Parker King was nppointod to the direction of the expedition, and the command of the Adventure; Captain Pringle Stokes to the command of the Beagle. The expe dition sailed from England in May 1826. Captain Stokes died in 1828, and the Beagle was temporarily commanded by Lieutenant Skyring, but in December of that year Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Otway, commander-in-chief on the Rio Janeiro station, appointed Captain Fitz-Roy to the command of the Beagle, with Lieutenant Skyring as his assistant-surveyor. After four years of unremitting labour tho Adventure and Beagle eailed together from Rio Janeiro August 6, 1S30, on their return, and anchored in Plymouth Sound, October 14.
In the 'Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,' vol. i., p. 155, 1m., are Some Observations upon the Geography of the Southern Extremity of South America, Tierra del Fuego, and the Strait of Magalhaens, made during the late Survey of those Coasts, in his Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1830 ; by Captain Philip Parker King, F.RS., itc., and Commander of the Expedition.' Read 25th April, and 9th May 1831. Captain King, in this paper, mentions the discovery, by Captain Fitz-Roy, in the Strait of Magalhaens, of a large inland sea, fifty miles long, which was named the Otway Water, and which is connected by a channel, called tho Fitz-Roy Channel, with another large saltwater lake, which was named Skyring Water.
In the year 1831 the Beagle was prepared for another surveying voyage, and on the 27th of November 1831 set sail from Plymouth, well manned, well appointed, and well provided, with Captain Fitz Roy for commander, and Mr. Charles Darwin as naturalist. Having circumnavigated the globe, and accomplished as far as practicable all the objects which the expedition had in view, the Beagle cast anchor at Falmouth, October 2, 1836, having been absent four years and ten months.
In the year 1839 the two following works were published :— Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of H.M.S. Adventure and Beagle between the years 1826 and 1836, describing their Examination of the Southern Shores of South America, and the Beagle's Circumnavigation of the Globe,' 2 vols. 8vo, London, written by Captain Fitzroy, in conjunction with Captain King. 'Journal of Researches into the Geology and Natural History of the various Countries visited by H.M.S. Beagle, under the command of Captain Fitz-Roy, from 1832 to 1836 ; by Charles Darwin, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., Secretary to the Geolo logical Society,' 8vo, London. On this work the President of the Geological Society made the following remark : "Looking at tho general mass of Mr. Darwin's results, I cannot help considering his voyage round the world as one of the most important events for geology which has occurred for many years." Captain Robert Fitz-Roy in 1841 oat as M.P. for the city of Durham. On the 21st of September 1842 he was appointed acting conservator of the River Mersey. On the 3rd of April 1843 he became governor and commander-in-chief of the colony of New Zealand. In 1846 Mr. Grey (now Sir George Grey) succeeded him as governor of New Zealand. In the same year Captain Fitz-Roy published a pamphlet in justification of his government of the colony, intitled, 'Remarks on New Zealand in February, 1846.' In 1850 he published 'Sailing Directions for South America, by Captains Philip Parker King and Robert Fitz-Roy, Royal Navy,' consisting of charts and an 8vo volume. The volume ii chiefly from the pen of Captaio Fitz-Roy, and the charts which accompany it are the results of his surveys.
Captain Fitz-Roy married December 8, 1836, and has issue.