John Maclear

John Fiot Lee Pearse Maclear (27 June 1838 in Cape Town – 17 July 1907 in Niagara) was an admiral in the Royal Navy, known for his leadership in hydrography.

Maclear entered the Navy in September 1851 as a cadet on board the frigate Castor, then bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Christopher Wyvill, then commanding the Cape station.

He passed his lieutenant's examination in July 1857, and served on board Cyclops in the Red Sea as mate during the outbreak at Jeddah in 1858.

On 19 May 1859 he was promoted to lieutenant, and shortly afterwards was appointed to HMS Sphinx, in which he served on the China station until 1862, being present at several engagements during the second Chinese war, and especially at Taku Forts, for which he received the clasp.

He returned to England in her and, in October 1867, was chosen to be first lieutenant of the frigate HMS Octavia, flagship of Commodore Heath in the East Indies.

In 1879 he succeeded Sir George Nares in command of the sloop Alert and remained in her until 1882, completing the survey of the Straits of Magellan.