A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Johnson, Edward John
JOHNSON, F.R.S. (Captain, 1838. f-p., 13; h-p., 27.)
Edward John Johnson is youngest son of the late Rev. Henry Johnson, of Bywell, Northumberland.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 May, 1807, as Fst-cl. Vol., on board the Nassau 64, Capt. Robt. Campbell. In that ship he attended the ensuing expedition to Copenhagen, and (on her subsequent extrication from a mass of ice in which she had been blocked up during the whole winter) was present, 22 March, 1808, in company with the Stately 64, at the capture and destruction, on the coast of Zealand, of the Danish 74 Prindts Christian Frederic, after a running fight of great length and obstinacy, in which the Nassau sustained a loss of 2 men killed and 16 (including himself slightly) wounded.[1] The latter vessel being paid off in Nov. 1809, he was next, until June, 1815, employed, as Midshipman and Acting-Lieutenant, in the Solebay 32, Capt. Hon. Granville Leveson Proby, Malacca 36, Capt. Wm. Butterfield, Ethalion 36, Capt. Edm. Heywood, Endymion 44, Capt. Henry Hope, St. Domingo, Asia, and Tonnant, flag-ships of Sir John Borlase Warren and Sir Alex. Cochrane, and Dragon 74, Capt. Robt. Barrie, on the Home, Baltic, and North American stations. While in the Ethalion, Mr. Johnson served in various cutting-out affairs, and on more than one occasion was sent into port as prize-master; and, when in the Tonnant, we find him co-operating on shore in the attacks upon Washington and Baltimore, and employed in the boats during the expedition against New Orleans. Being presented, on leaving the Dragon as above, with a commission dated 28 Feb. 1815, he obtained, 16 May, 1818, an appointment to the Shamrock surveying-vessel, Capt. Martin White, with whom he did duty in the Channel and off the coast of Ireland until Feb. 1820. On 4 March, 1829, shortly after he had joined the William and Mary yacht. Commodore Sir John Chambers White, he was promoted to the command of the Britomart 10, in which vessel he remained, chiefly on the Lisbon station, until paid off in 1831. He was then ordered by the Admiralty to complete the survey of the Faeröe Islands – a service he had commenced at his own expense when last on half-pay. His advancement to the rank he now holds took place 27 Dec. 1838.
Capt. Johnson, in Oct. 1835, was appointed by the Admiralty to conduct certain magnetic experiments on iron steam-vessels in the river Shannon;[2] and on 10 May, 1836, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was nominated a member of the Magnetic Compass Committee of the Admiralty in 1838; and invested, 14 March, 1842, with the superintendence, which he still retains, of the Compass department of the Royal Navy. Agent – Fred. Dufaiar.