George Vancouver, an English navigator, born about 1758, died near London, May 10, 1798. He entered the navy in 1771, and served as midshipman in the second and third voyages of Capt. Cook (1772-,5, and 1776-'80). In 1780 he was created a first lieutenant, and after several years' service in the West Indies returned to England in 1789. Some British subjects settled at Nootka having quarrelled with the Spanish officers, Vancouver with a small squadron was commissioned to go thither, and receive the surrender of Nootka under orders from the court of Madrid to the Spanish commandant. He was also to make a survey of the coast northward from lat. 30°, and to ascertain if there was any communication between the coast and Canada by means of lakes, rivers, or inlets. He sailed from England April 1, 1791, and, after an examination of the Sandwich islands, crossed in March, 1792, to the American coast, and secured the surrender of Nootka. He spent the summers of 1792, '3, and '4 in surveying the coast as far N. as Cook's inlet, wintering in the Sandwich islands.

On his return he surveyed a large portion of the W. coast of South America, visiting the chief Spanish settlements, and reached England in October, 1795. He spent the rest of his life in preparing an account of his expedition, which at his death he had nearly finished. It was published (3 vols. 4to, London, 1798) with the atlas of the N. W. coast surveys.