Alexander Thomas Emeric Vidal

Alexander followed his father, embarking on a naval career in December 1803 when he joined HMS Illustrious as a 1st class volunteer.

He spent three years aboard the Lavinia at the rank of midshipman, and saw service in the Mediterranean and West Indies, and at Cadiz and Lisbon.

[1] He sailed aboard the Conway to the North American Station, and on arrival, spent time on the Great Lakes working in a surveying role.

He was briefly employed as flag-lieutenant to Commodore Sir Edward Owen, before receiving his commission, dated February 1815.

[1] He intended to calculate the meridian arc length to the Cape Verde Islands, and the west coast of Africa.

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.

[3] He had married Sarah Antoinette,[3] daughter of Henry Veitch, the Consul General of Madeira, in October 1839 and had two sons, Owen Alexander (b.