Alexander Thomas Emeric Vidal ( 1792 - 1863)

Vidal was an officer of the Royal Navy, surveyor, reached the rank of vice-admiral. Vidal sailed aboard HMS Aetna in December 1835, carrying 12 chronometers to calculate the meridian arc length to the Cape Verde Islands, and the west coast of Africa. He eventually carried out detailed surveys all along the African coast, so that by 1838 the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society could remark of the survey, “that This tedious undertaking is drawing to a close, and will then be of equal utility to the fair traders and the anti-slavery cruisers. It is fortunately in the hands of such a man as Captain Vidal, R.N., who has steadily devoted himself during a long period of ill-health, to complete this unpopular work, and to connect with it a minute examination of the Canary Islands”. Vidal then carried out surveys of the Azores aboard HMS Styx from September 1841 until January 1845. He then moved aboard the yacht William & Mary to complete the work.