Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/485

Sept., 1885. In 1825 he removed to Rochester, N. Y., where he studied law and was admitted to the bar iu 1830. He began practice in Clarkson, Mnnroe CO., but returned to Rochester in 1859 ; and was reporter of the court of appeals in 1851-'4. He '.was a Democrat, but, being opposed to the exten- sion of slavery, aided in the formation of the Re- publican party, and in 1856 was its successful can- didate for the lieutenant-governorship. He at- tended the Republican national convention at Chi- cago in 1800, and concurred with his colleagues from New York in advocating the nomination of William II. Seward, but acquiesced in the nomina- tion of Abraham Lincoln. In July, 1862, Mr. Sel- den was appointed a judge of the court of appeals to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of his brother, and he was afterward elected for a full term, but resigned in 1864. In 1872 he attended the Cincinnati convention that nominated Horace Greeley for the presidency, and, though opposed to this course, reluctantly supported him in his can- vass. He published " Reports. New York Court of Appeals, 1851-'4 " (6 vols., Albany, 1853-'60).

SELFRIDGE, Thomas Oliver, naval officer, b. in Boston, Mass., 24 April, 1804. He entered the navy as midshipman, 1 Jan., 1818, was promoted to lieutenant, 3 March, 1827, and served in the West Indies, Brazil, and the Mediterranean. He was commissioned commander, 11 April, 1844, and was assigned to the ship " Columbus," which was the flag-ship of the East India squadron in 1845-'6, and subsequently of the Pacific squadron during the Mexican war, 1846-'7. In May, 1847, he was transferred to the sloop " Dale," in which he par- ticipated in the engagement and capture of Mazat- lan and Guaymas ; at the latter place he received a severe wound, in consequence of which he was obliged to' relinquish the command of the " Dale," and returned home in June, 1848. He was then on leave and on duty at the Boston navy-yard until 1861, when he had command of the steam frigate "Mississippi," in the Gulf squadron, for a few months. His wound incapacitated him for sea- service, and he had charge of the navy-yard at Mare island. Cal., in 1862-'o. He was promoted to captain, 14 Sept., 1855, and to commodore, 16 July. 1862, and was retired on 24 April, 1866. He was president of the examining board in 1869-'70, light- house inspector at Boston, and also member of the examining board in 1870-'!, since which time he has been on waiting orders, and is now the senior officer of the navy on the retired list. He was pro- moted to rear-admiral, 25 July, 1866. His son, Thomas Oliver, naval officer, b. in Charlestown, Mass., 6 Feb.. 1837, was graduated at the U. S. naval academy at the head of his class in 1854. He was promoted to lieutenant, 15 Feb., 1860, and was 2d lieutenant of the " Cumberland " when she was sunk by the " Merrimac " in Hampton Roads, Va. He was detailed to command the " Monitor " after the engagement with the " Merrimac," but was transferred as flag-lieutenant of the North Atlan- tic blockading squadron. He was promoted to lieutenant-commander, 16 July, 1862, and com- manded the iron-clad steamer " Cairo," which was blown up by a torpedo in Yazoo river, near Vicks- burg. He had charge of a siege-battery in the cap- ture of Vicksburg, and the steamers "Conestoga"

uid Manitou." He commanded the iron-clad

" Osage " in the Red river expedition, during which he inflicted a loss of 400 killed and wounded on the Confederates at Blair's plantation. He next com- manded the "Vindicator" and the 5th division of the Mississippi river fleet until 1864. He had charge of the steamer " Huron " in both attacks on Fort Fisher, and commanded the 3d division of the landing party of sailors that stormed the fort. He was promoted to commander, >! Dec., 1869, and in that year took charge of surveys for an interoceanic canal across the Isthmus of Darien. He surveyed the San Bias route in 1870, the lines near Caledonia I my, the De Puydt route, and the Gorgoza route in 1871, and the Atrato river in 1871-'3. He was also a member of the interna- tional congress at Paris on the subject of the canal in 1876. The official reports of these surveys were published by congress. He commanded the steamer " Enterprise," North Atlantic station, in 1877-'80, during which cruise he surveyed Amazon river. He was commissioned captain, 24 Feb., 1881, and in January took charge of the torpedo station at New- port, R. I., where he remained until 1885. During his service at the torpedo station he invented a de- vice to protect a ship by suspending torpedoes to a net by which an attacking torpedo would be de- stroyed. In 1885-'7 he commanded the " Omaha." of the Asiatic squadron, and in March, 1887, after he had engaged in target practice off the island of Ike-Sima, Japan, the bursting of an unexploded shell caused the death of four natives of the island. He became commodore in 1894, rear-admiral in 1897, and was retired in February. 1898.

SELKIRK, or SEALCHRAIG, Alexander, Scottish mariner, b. in Largo. Fifeshire, Scotland. in 1676; d. at sea in 1721. When a young lad he ran off to sea and engaged in several buccaneering expeditions, half exploring and half piratical. In 1703 he was sailing-master of a privateer called "Cinque Ports Galley," but, having had a quarrel with his captain, whose name was Stradling, he was, in September of the following year, at his own request, put on shore at Juan Fernandez, an uninhabited island 400 miles off the coast of Chili (seen in the accompanying illustration), with some necessaries, such as a knife, kettle, axe, gun, am- munition, and a few books. The island is twelve miles long, four miles broad, and mostly covered with mountains, the highest peak being 3.000 feet

above the sea-level. There are also numerous fertile valleys, and many wild goats frequent the cliffs. Iii this lonely island Selkirk remained for four years and four months, till the arrival of two English vessels, under the command of Capt. Woodes Rogers (q. v.), by whom he was taken off in February, 1709. Rogers made Selkirk his mate, and sailed with him round the world, reaching England on 14 Oct., 1711. In his account of his voyage (1712) he tells of Selkirk's experiences in the island. Selkirk had built two huts, the roofing being long grass, and the wainscoting the skins of goats. Pimento wood supplied him with fire and light, burning very clearly and yielding a fragrant smell. He made goat-skins into clothes, and petted cats and kids. Rogers also tells of Selkirk's difficulty in returning to the use of speech and to the ordinary provisions used on shipboard. Selkirk returned to Largo, eloped with a girl, married her, and brought her to London. He subsequently joined the navy, and rose to the rank of lieutenant. It is said that Daniel Defoe met Selkirk at Wap-