James Robert Napier, FRS (12 September 1821 – 13 December 1879), Scottish

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

and scientific writer, was the

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

of ''Napier's diagram'', a tool for nautical navigation.

Early life and education

James Robert Napier was born in Camlachie,

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

in 1821, the son of father Robert Napier, himself a noted shipbuilder. He was educated at the

High School of Glasgow The High School of Glasgow is an independent, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. The original High School of Glasgow was founded as the choir school of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, and is the oldest school in Scotland, and th ...

, where he was found to excel at mathematics, and graduated from the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

Shipbuilder

Napier was placed in charge of his father's shipbuilding business in 1842. In 1848 he married Emma Mary Twentyman, daughter of the silversmith Lawrence Holme Twentyman, and together they had seven children. Napier carried out a series of experiments, measuring errors in compass navigation, and published his findings in 1851. This was called ''Napier's Diagram'', and it was a graphic method of correcting deviation of a ship's compass, which is still referenced in navigation books. Napier worked with the engineer and physicist

William Rankine William John Macquorn Rankine (; 5 July 1820 – 24 December 1872) was a Scottish mechanical engineer who also contributed to civil engineering, physics and mathematics. He was a founding contributor, with Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson ( ...

to attempt to improve naval engineering, including patenting an air engine (founded on the thermodynamic principle that temperature difference governs engine efficiency) with him in 1853, but the engine never saw widespread use. In 1853, he was also made a full partner in his father's business, which became ''R. Napier & Sons''.

Later career

Exhausted from the frantic schedule required to build in 1856 for the British government during the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

, Napier in 1857 left the shipbuilding business he had been running for the previous 15 years and started other, less successful ventures. He started his own shipyard shortly thereafter, but soon closed the business, citing his failing health, and took an interest in the ''West of Scotland Fishery Company'', but this venture too proved unsuccessful. His next was to run one of his iron ships, the "Lancefield", as a ferry for cargo and passengers between

Ardrossan Ardrossan (; ) is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in southwestern Scotland. The town has a population of 10,670 and forms part of a conurbation with Saltcoats and Stevenston known as the 'Three Towns'. Ardrossan is located on the east shore ...

and

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

. While this business was a moderate success, it led to legal troubles with the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company. Although Napier won this legal battle, he subsequently sold the "Lancefield", ending his interest in shipping. After that he worked occasionally on commission as an engineering consultant. In this he helped to design a ship to navigate the Godaveri river in

Kaleshwaram Kaleshwaram is a village in Mahadevpur Mandal in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in the Indian state of Telangana. This name refers more broadly to the state of Telangana & Kaleshwaram Temple. Kaleshwaram is at the juncture of the rivers Goda ...

, India.

Professional memberships

Napier was a member of The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow, the

Royal Institution of Naval Architects The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (also known as RINA) is an international organisation representing naval architects. It is an elite international professional institution based in London. Its members are involved worldwide at all levels ...

, and the

British Association for the Advancement of Science The British Science Association (BSA) is a charity and learned society founded in 1831 to aid in the promotion and development of science. Until 2009 it was known as the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA). The current Chie ...

, and President of The

Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS) is a multi-disciplinary professional body and learned society, founded in Scotland, for professional engineers in all disciplines and for those associated with or taking an interes ...

from 1863 to 1865. He was inducted into the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

of London in 1867.Society site
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Death

James Robert Napier died in

in December 1879, after contracting an illness while boating on

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (1984) ''Elm'', Cambridge University Press.) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Ce ...

Bibliography

*''Shipbuilding, Theoretical and Practical'' 1866 (with William Rankine and others) *''On pressure logs for measuring the speed of ships'' 1872 *''On British weights and measures: The pound or libric system'' 1873 *''On the economy of fuel in domestic arrangements'' 1874 *''On the chemical and microscopical analysis of an unsound wine'' 1878 *''Memoir of the late... David Elder'' 1891 (published posthumously)

References

External links

short bio of Napier
{{DEFAULTSORT:Napier, James Robert Presidents of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland Engineers from Glasgow Alumni of the University of Glasgow 1821 births 1879 deaths British marine engineers James Robert Fellows of the Royal Society Scottish inventors People educated at the High School of Glasgow 19th-century Scottish businesspeople