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{{Short description|British hydrographer (c. 1759–1795)}}
{{Infobox military person
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| name = John McCluer
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| birth_date = {{circa|1759}}
| death_date = 1795
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| allegiance = [[File:Flag of Great Britain (1707–1800).svg|22x20px|border]] [[Kingdom of Great Britain]]<br>[[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1707).svg|22x20px|border]] [[East India Company]]
| branch = [[Bombay Marine]]
| branch_label = Service
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| rank = [[Captain]]
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| known_for = [[Hydrography]]
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'''John McCluer''' ({{circa|1759}}{{snd}}1795) was a Scottish [[Hydrography|hydrographer]] who rose to the rank of [[captain]] in the [[Bombay Marine]].<ref>''The British Museum''.</ref> Between 1785 and 1787 he surveyed Muscat and [[Muttrah|Matruh]] harbours at the entrance to the [[Gulf of Oman]]. In 1787 he was ordered to survey the bank of soundings off [[Bombay]], which he did so thoroughly that his charts remained practically as he left them for nearly seventy years.<ref name=":0">Laughton 1893, p. 3.</ref> In 1790 he was appointed to command a small expedition to the [[Pelew Islands]], with the double object of surveying and establishing friendly relations with the [[Palauans|natives]].<ref name=":0" /> He was lost at sea in 1795.

== Career ==
=== Persian Gulf ===
John McCluer, born about 1759, joined the Bombay Marine as a volunteer about 1777.<ref name=":0" /> He was promoted second lieutenant on 18 February 1780 and first lieutenant on 8 January 1784.<ref name=":0" /> He obtained a high reputation as a surveyor while still a lieutenant.<ref name=":0" /> In 1785, in the ''Scorpion'',<ref name=":1">David 2007.</ref> he made a new plan of the cove of [[Muscat]], whence considerable trade was then carried on to China and India, as well as to [[Basra|Bussorah]] and the various ports in the [[Gulf of Oman]].<ref name=":2">Low 1877, p. 189.</ref> In 1786–1787, in the intervals of his regular duty, he completed a survey of the [[Persian Gulf]].<ref name=":0" /> It was rough work, but by far the best then existing,<ref name=":0" /> and enabled [[Alexander Dalrymple]] to publish from the surveys a chart extending from the entrance to the Persian Gulf to Bussorah.<ref name=":1" />

The original survey of the Persian coast is contained in two sheets, that including the south-eastern part of the coast, from the entrance of the Gulf, for a distance of 300 miles (483 km), being on a smaller scale than the other.<ref name=":2" /> The other sheet contains the rest of the coast, with the principal channel of the [[Shatt al-Arab|Shatt-ul-Arab]] as far up as Bussorah, distant about 30 leagues (145 km) from the sea; this place, being at that time the chief seat of commerce and communication between India and the Turkish [[Ottoman Arabia|dominions]], besides possessing an establishment of the East India Company, was much frequented by their ships.<ref name=":2" />

=== Malabar Coast ===
[[File:Plan of Diu Island by John McCluer 1788 RMG L4267.tiff|thumb|Plan of [[Diu Island]], 1788]]
From 1787 to 1790, McCluer was engaged in the East Indies, on a survey of the western coast of India, under the orders of the [[East India Company]]: at first in the ''Experiment'', and afterwards in the ''Hawk'' and ''Experiment'', neither of which were of more than 50 tons burden.<ref name=":3" /> He had as his assistant a certain John Procter in a [[pattamar]],<ref name=":1" /> of whose ability he speaks in the highest terms.<ref name=":3" /> Having completed the coast between [[Bombay]] and [[Surat]], he sounded over the space between the coast of [[Gujarat|Guzarat]] and India, made surveys of other parts of the Indian coast, and then proceeded to the [[Maldive islands|Maldivh Islands]] and [[Diego Garcia|Diego-Garcia]].<ref name=":3" /> A box and two pocket ([[John Arnold (watchmaker)|Arnold]]) chronometers were used, but these proving irregular in their rates, he returned them.<ref name=":3" /> The bearings and altitudes of the land were taken by means of a [[John Hadley|Hadley]] sextant.<ref name=":3">Dawson 1883, p. 15.</ref> Some of the results were incorporated by [[James Horsburgh]] in his ''East India Directory''.<ref name=":0" />

=== Pacific Islands ===
[[File:Chart of the track and discoveries of the East India Company's cruizers Panther and Endeavour under the command of Lieut. John McCluer. 1790, 1791 and 1792. RMG F0326.tiff|thumb|Discoveries of the ''Panther'' and ''Endeavour'', 1790, 1791 and 1792]]
[[File:Chart of the Peeloo Archipelago from observations in 1793 & 1794 - by John Mc. Cluer ; Harmar scr. - btv1b53122277k.jpg|thumb|Chart of the Peeloo Archipelago from observations in 1793 & 1794]]
In 1790 McCluer was appointed to command a small expedition to proceed to the Pelew Islands (now [[Palau]]) for the purpose of carrying presents to their king (''[[ibedul]]''), Abba Thulle, and to inform him of the death of his son, [[Prince Lee Boo]], who had come to England with Captain [[Henry Wilson (sailor)|Wilson]]'s expedition in 1783.<ref name=":5">Nero 2011, p. 298.</ref> The ''[[HMS Panther (1778)|Panther]]'' and ''Endeavour'', vessels belonging to the East India Company's marine establishment at Bombay, were fitted for this service, under the command of Captain McClure.<ref name=":7" /> Wedgeborough and White, two officers of the Bombay Marine who had been shipwrecked with Wilson in the ''[[Antelope (1781 EIC packet ship)|Antelope]]'' on those islands, were appointed lieutenants.<ref name=":7">Hockin; Keate 1803, pp. 1–2.</ref>
On 23 August, McCluer set out in the ''Panther'', with the ''Endeavour'', under Lieutenant William Drummond, as companion ship, reaching the Pelew Islands on 21 January 1791,<ref name=":1" /> where they were welcomed with feasting, singing, and dancing: for they brought with them livestock, guns, and other presents.<ref name=":5" /><ref>Hockin; Keate 1803, pp. 16–17.</ref>

On 12 February,<ref>Nero 2011, p. 304.</ref> McCluer embarked, in the ''Panther'', on a supply trip to China,<ref name=":6">Hockin; Keate 1803, p. 35.</ref> and was accompanied by three significant islander youths: the adopted son, Kokiuaki, and daughter of Abba Thulle, and another young girl.<ref>Nero 2011, p. 298, 304.</ref> He describes "[t]he King ordering his own brother Arrakoker with his State canoe to go and fetch them on board".<ref>McCluer 1790–1792, p. 21.</ref>
[[File:Portrait of three Micronesians - Kokiuaki and his sisters.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Kokiuaki and his sisters by [[Spoilum]], 1791]]
During their stay at Macao, the natives were inoculated with the small-pox.<ref name=":6" /> McClure had portraits in oils made of them by [[Spoilum]],<ref name=":5" /> on which he writes:
{{Blockquote|text=The famous painter Spoilem came down to Macao at my request, his terms were to be ensured 50 Dollars for his trip, this sum I gave him for a picture of myself and the three Pelew people in a groupe, this piece I hope is already in your possession, which I left with Mr. Freeman [at Macao] to be sent home by the ships next season. This piece was judged to be a striking likeness of everyone in the groupe, and the Palau people were much pleased with their own resemblance. Dr. Harrison and several of the Gentlemen had a copy of the three people.}}

On 21 March the China fleet sailed for England, escorted by the ''[[HMS Leopard (1790)|Leopard]]'' and ''[[HMS Thames (1758)|Thames]]'' as far as Java Head;<ref>''Lloyd's List'' №2326.</ref> and thus the ''Panther''<nowiki/>'s journals were transmitted home.<ref name=":6" />

Another object of the mission was to make a survey of the Pelew group, with the view of ascertaining whether there was a harbour capable of affording safety and provision to any of the company's ships which might be disabled through stress of weather in their voyages to or from China.<ref>Low 1877, pp. 194–195.</ref> According to [[J. K. Laughton|Laughton]], "McCluer carried out the survey with his accustomed ability".<ref name=":0" /> Between January 1791 and January 1793 he examined the Pelew Islands, the [[Sulu Archipelago]], and a great part of the coast of [[New Guinea]].<ref name=":0" /> He also discovered a deep inlet on the western end of New Guinea which was afterwards named [[Berau Gulf|McCluer Gulf]] in his honour.<ref name=":1" />

== Madness ==
On returning to the Pelew Islands from New Guinea in January 1793, McCluer suddenly announced to Wedgeborough, his first lieutenant, his intention of resigning the command and settling there with the intention of founding an English settlement.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> On 2 February he formally wrote, desiring Wedgeborough take the command.<ref name=":0" /> "I will write", he said, "to the Bombay Presidency the cause I have for remaining at this place. It will be sufficient vindication for you and the rest of the gentlemen belonging to the vessel for me here to acknowledge that you have used every argument in your power to persuade me from this uncommon and unprecedented step. … It is nothing but my zeal for my country that prompts me."<ref>Laughton 1893, pp. 3–4.</ref> Wedgeborough finally supplied him with arms and other necessaries from the ship's stores, and left him.<ref name=":4" />

"It would seem that the long and arduous work in New Guinea had weakened his mind", notes Laughton, "and that he was unable to resist the fascinations of the dusky beauties of the islands. It is only by a species of insanity that his extraordinary conduct and breach of all rules of naval discipline can be explained."<ref name=":4" />

After fifteen months' residence on the island McCluer tired of his solitude.<ref name=":4" /> Having been promoted to be captain in the Bombay Marine on 27 June 1793, he resolved to return to the service of the East India Company and go to [[Ternate]] "to hear the news".<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /> As bad weather came on he changed his mind and steered for China, reaching [[Macau|Macao]] after a perilous navigation in a native boat, without compass or other instruments, and with no provisions except cocoa-nuts and water.<ref name=":4" /> He had five men in the boat with him, who seem to have all arrived safe, though McCluer himself was afterwards laid up with a severe attack of fever and ague.<ref name=":4" />

On recovering he purchased a vessel, by means of a bill drawn on Bombay, and returned to the Pelew Islands, where he embarked his native family and property, with men servants and women servants: "after the manner of the [[Patriarchs (Bible)|patriarchs]] of old" (in Laughton's phrase).<ref name=":4" /> He then sailed for Calcutta, and meeting on the way the ''Bombay'' frigate, bound to Bombay, he sent some of his family on by her.<ref name=":4" /> He himself, with the rest, went on to Calcutta, and sailing thence was never heard of again.<ref name=":4">Laughton 1893, p. 4.</ref>

== Charts ==
A few of the charts resulting from McCluer's labours were:
* The coast of [[Malabar Coast|Malabar]], [[Coromandel Coast|Coromandel]] and [[Dutch Ceylon|Ceylon]];
* The Senhate Islands and reef ([[Laccadive Islands|Laccadivhs]]);
* Tracks of HMS ''Endeavour'' and ''[[HMS Panther (1778)|Panther]]'', from the east-end of [[Java]] to [[New Guinea]];
* [[Pellew Islands]];
* [[Sulu Archipelago]];
* Coast of Arabia from the [[Khuriya Muriya Islands|Curia Muria Islands]];
* Port of San Pio Quinto ([[Philippines]]).<ref name=":3" />

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="nolines" heights="150" widths="150">
File:Underoot Island - by John Mc Cluer 1790 ; W. Harrison sc. ; J. Walker sculpt - btv1b53142922j.jpg|Underoot Island, 1790
File:Seuheli Islands and Reef called by the Natives Seuheli-Par - by John Mc. Cluer 1790 ; W. Harrison sc. ; J. Walker sculpt - btv1b53143207n.jpg|Seuheli Islands and Reef called by the Natives Seuheli-Par, 1790
File:Plan of port San Pio Quinto on the island Camiguing, one of the Babuyanes... - by Lieut. John Mc Cluer ; W. Harrison sc. - btv1b532292365.jpg|Plan of port San Pio Quinto on the island Camiguing, one of the Babuyanes, 1791
File:View of the Laccadives - by Lieut John Mc. Cluer ; J. Walker sculp(si)t - btv1b53142911p.jpg|View of the Laccadives, 1791
File:Views on the coast of Guzarat by John McCluer Pl 8 belonging to Lieut John McCluer's description of the Coast of India and Malabar RMG L4269.tiff|Views on the coast of Guzarat, 1794
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite ODNB|last=David|first=Andrew C. F.|date=2007|title=McCluer, John (1759?–1795), hydrographer|id=17389|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/17389}}
* Dawson, L. S. (1883). ''Memoirs of Hydrography''. [https://archive.org/details/cihm_68425/page/n31/mode/2up?view=theater Part I]. Eastbourne: Henry W. Keay. p. 15.
* Hockin, J. P. (1803). "Supplement to the Account of the Pelew Islands". Keate, George. ''[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015017493092&view=1up&seq=319 An Account of the Pelew Islands]''. London: Printed for Captain Henry Wilson by W. Bulmer and Co.
* Low, Charles Rathbone (1877). ''History of the Indian Navy''. [https://archive.org/details/historyofindiann01lowc/page/186/mode/2up?view=theater Vol. 1]. London: Richard Bentley and Son. pp. 187–191.
* Nero, Karen L. (2011). "A Tale of Three Time Travelers: Maintaining Relationships, Exploring Visual Technologies". Hermann, Elfriede (ed.). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=RB7HDwAAQBAJ Changing Contexts, Shifting Meanings: Transformations of Cultural Traditions in Oceania]''. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press. pp. 296, 298–299, 302–304, 308.
* [https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG126123 "Capt John McCluer"]. ''[[The British Museum]]''. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
* ''Lloyd's List''. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c3049066&view=1up&seq=139 No. 2326]. London, 19 August 1791.

'''Attribution:'''

* {{DNB|last=Laughton|first=John Knox|wstitle=McCluer, John|volume=35|pages=3-4}}

== Further reading ==
* David, Andrew (1 January 2008). ''As It Was'', [http://www.hydro-international.com/content/article/as-it-was-31 31]. Hydro International. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
* Delano, Amasa (1817). ''[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.50175737&view=1up&seq=11 Narrative of Voyages and Travels in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres]''. Boston: Printed by E. G. House, for the author. pp. 43–44, 54, 63, 69, 72, 74, 92, 153, 193, 197.
* Dunmore, John (1991). [[doi:10.2307/j.ctvp7d58v.18|"McCluer"]]. ''Who's Who in Pacific Navigation''. University of Hawai’i Press. pp. 166–167.
* Griffin, Andrew (1990). [http://www.jstor.org/stable/42554305 "London, Bengal, the China Trade and the Unfrequented Extremities of Asia: The East India Company's Settlement in New Guinea, 1793–95"]. ''The British Library Journal'', 16(2): pp. 164, 167, 168.
* Fonds Add MS. 19301. [https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1202653101/view "J. McCluer. Account of voyage, 1790 - 1792"]. ''[[Trove]]''. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
* ''[[Notes and Queries]]''. [https://archive.org/details/s2notesqueries01londuoft/page/352/mode/2up?view=theater 2nd series, vol. 1]. January–June 1856. London: Bell & Daldy. pp. 353, 442.

== External links ==
{{Commons-inline}}
* [https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Oc2006-Drg-128 "Pencil drawing of an adult male and two adult females, Palau"]. ''The British Museum''. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
* [https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Oc2006-Ptg-23 "Portrait of three Micronesians - Kokiuaki and his sisters"]. ''The British Museum''. Retrieved 19 November 2022.

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{{improve categories|date=July 2024}}

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[[Category:Scottish hydrographers]]
[[Category:1759 births]]
[[Category:1795 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]

John McCluer - Revision history

EduardoVasey1 at 16:29, 2 May 2026