Dionisio Alcalá Galiano

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Dionisio Alcalá Galiano (1760, Cabra, Córdoba, Spain – October 21, 1805) was a Spanish naval officer, cartographer and explorer.

Alcalá Galiano entered the Spanish navy in 1771, at the age of 11. He soon distinguished himself as a cartographer. He was sent by the government of King Charles III to make naval charts of the eastern Mediterranean coast. He completed this project in 1784. After this successful outcome, he was sent to make charts of the Strait of Magellan, with the aim of charting a passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific (1785). In 1788 he was working on the cartography of the Azores. In 1789 he was sent to America with the Malaspina expedition.

In June 1792 he was sent by the viceroy of New Spain, Juan Vicente de Güemes, Count of Revillagigedo to explore and claim the Pacific coast of North America north of California. He sailed in the schooners Sutil and Mexicana from San Blas. This expedition went as far as the Strait of Georgia between Victoria and the British Columbia mainland, looking for the Northwest Passage. Afterwords Alcalá Galiano wrote an account in which he claimed no such passage existed.

While exploring the Strait of Georgia, Galiano expedition found and entered the Fraser River, becoming the first Europeans to do so (June 14, 1792). Shortly afterwards, Galiano met George Vancouver, shared maps, and agreed to collaborate. Together they charted the northern reaches of the Strait of Georgia, proving the insularity of Vancouver Island by sailing around the north end and back to Nootka Sound. Since Galiano had set sail from Nootka Sound while Vancouver had entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca directly, Galiano and his crew became the first Europeans to circumnavigate Vancouver Island.^[1]

On his return to Spain, he was made a member of the Order of Alcántara, by royal decree dated December 5, 1795.

As a brigadier he fought in the Battle of Trafalgar, in charge of the ship Bahama. He was mortally wounded by a cannonball on October 21, 1805.

[edit] References

^ Hayes, Derek (1999). Historical Atlas of the Pacific Northwest: Maps of exploration and Discovery. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 1-57061-215-3.

Kendrick, J. and R. Inglis, Enlightened Voyages. Malaspina and Galiano on the Northwest Coast, 1791-1792. Vancouver, Vancouver Maritime Museum Society, 1991, 82 pp.
Cutter, D.C., Malaspina and Galiano. Spanish Voyages to the Northwest Coast, 1791 & 1792. Vancouver-Toronto, Douglas & Mclntyre, 1991, 160 pp.
(Spanish) Cervera y Jácome, Juan. El Panteón de Marinos Ilustres. Ministerio de Marina. Madrid. 1926.