THOMAS

See also:

• ABEL (Hebrew for breath)
• ABEL (better ABELL), THOMAS (d. 1540)
• ABEL, KARL FRIEDRICH (1725-1787)
• ABEL, NIELS HENRIK (1802-1829)
• ABEL, SIR FREDERICK AUGUSTUS, BART

ABEL BRIMAGE

See also:

• THOMAS ABEL BRIMAGE SPRATT (1811-1888)

SPRATT (1811-1888)  , English vice-admiral, hydrographer and geologist, was born at East Teignmouth on the 11th of May 1811 . He was the eldest son of Commander James Spratt, R.N., and entered the navy in 1827 . He was attached to the surveying branch, and was engaged almost continuously until 1863 in surveying the Mediterranean . As commander of the " Spitfire" he rendered distinguished service in the Black Sea during the Crimean War, and was appointed C.B. in 1855 . At an earlier date he was associated with Edward Forbes, then naturalist to the " Beacon," and during the years 1841-1843 they made observations on the bathymetrical distribution of marine life . To Forbes he was specially indebted for his interest in natural history and geology, and together they published Travels in Lycia, &c . (1847) . Spratt blending of wood and water makes the Spreewald in summer a investigated the caves at Malta and obtained remains of the pigmy elephant (Elephas melitensis), which was described by Dr H . Falconer . He investigated the geology of several Greek islands, also the shores of Asia Minor, and made detailed observations on the Delta of the Nile . He was especially distinguished for his Travels and Researches in Crete (2 vols., 1865), in which he ably described the physical geography, geology, archaeology and natural history of the island . He was commissioner_ of fisheries from 1866 to 1873; and acting conservator of the Mersey from 1879 until the close of his life .

He died at Tunbridge

Wells on the loth of March 1888 .