Letters from Rear-Admiral G. S. Ritchie, Hydrographer of the Navy, 1966-1969; letters from Captain John Pryor, Hydrography Department, London, 1967-1968; letters received by Captain French on oceanography, 1964-1965; letters and notes relating to the revision of the Antarctic Pilot, 1969; articles written by French for the NAVAL REVIEW, 1964-1967, including correspondence about his article 'Great Waters' printed in 1965. Also includes the Hydrographer's periodic letters and related correspondence, 1971-1975; minutes of the Annual Revisers' Meetings, 1962-1977. There are several printed books within the collection including a Report by the Hydrographer of the Navy, 1960, 1962-1978 and the Annual Report of the National Oceanographic Council, 1963-1964. See list in box 1 for full details. Related Material MSS/78/187 (Reports, evidence etc. on the collision between the GLORIOUS and SS FLORIDA, including a chart on the Mediterranean). Please contact a member of the Archive Staff for more information regarding consulting this collection.

Administrative / biographical background
French was born on 1 July 1900. Entering into the navy as a cadet at R.N. College Osborne, Dartmouth and Keyham between 1913 and 1916, later becoming midshipman in the EMPEROR OF INDIA in Grand Fleet in 1916. In 1917 he was appointed sub-lieutenant and first lieutenant of the NITH. French was an undergraduate at Selwyn College, Cambridge, 1919-1920, later taking technical courses in navigation, gunnery etc. Between 1920 and 1922, he was commissioned to the ORION and the VALIANT. From 1923 until 1929 becoming navigating officer of various HM Ships on Home and Africa Stations. In 1926 French started teaching and directing staff at HM Navigation School later a Navigating Officer on aircraft carrier the GLORIOUS, Mediterranean Station, 1931-1934. Between 1934 and 1936 he was commander, fleet navigating officer and staff officer operations at the American and West Indies Station; then became a member of the Directing and Teaching Staff, R. N. Staff College, Greenwich, until 1939. In command of the FURIOUS he took part in the Norwegian Campaing and Atlantic operations, 1939-1940; then commanded the cruiser HAWKINS within the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean, 1942-1943. French then took up a positiion as director of Training, Royal Indian Navy until 1944, then he took the postition of Admiralty Deputy Director of Plans until 1946. He then took the role of command the NORFOLK, the Flagship of the East Indies Station, 1947-1948. Retiring from active service in 1950 he went on to working for the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty; and between 1962-1978 he revised the Sailing Directive in that Department. He retired from the Admiralty on his 78th birthday (1 July 1978). He was awarded the Commander of the British Empire (C. B. E.).