James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, KT, PRS (1702 – 12 October 1768) was a Scottish astronomer and representative peer who was President of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh from its foundation in 1737 until his death.[1] He also became President of the Royal Society (24 March 1764), and was a distinguished patron of science, and particularly of astronomy.
He graduated MA from King's College, Cambridge in 1722.[2][3] In 1746 he visited France, and was imprisoned in the Bastille, probably as a Jacobite.[4] He had a long lasting tendency to protest the actions of the British government.
Legacy
Moreton Bay in Queensland, Australia was named after Lord Morton by Lieutenant James Cook (the spelling being an error in the published account of Cook's voyage in the HMS Endeavour). Lord Morton had been influential in obtaining a grant of £4,000 to finance the voyage.[5]
References
- ↑ Emerson, Roger L. (1985). "The Philosophical Society of Edinburgh 1768–1783". The British Journal for the History of Science. Cambridge University Press. 18 (3): 255. doi:10.1017/s0007087400022391.
- ↑ Anita Guerrini, 'Douglas, James, fourteenth earl of Morton (1702–1768)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Oct 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2008. So also the original DNB
- ↑ "Douglas, James (DGLS720J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ↑
"Douglas, James (1702-1768)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. - ↑ "Moreton Bay (entry 22810)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
| Masonic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Earl of Kintore |
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland 1739–1740 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne |
| Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England 1741–1742 |
Succeeded by The Lord Ward | |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Alexander Hume Campbell |
Lord Clerk Register 1760–1768 |
Succeeded by Lord Frederick Campbell |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by George Douglas |
 Earl of Morton 1738–1768 |
Succeeded by Sholto Douglas |