Robert Falcon Scott Markham's first choice as leader but, having decided on him, the older man's support remained constant. There were committee battles over the scope of Scott's responsibilities, with the Royal Society pressing to put a scientist in charge of the expedition's programme while Scott merely commanded the ship. Eventually, however, Markham's view prevailed; Scott was given overall command, and was promoted to the rank of commander before "Discovery" sailed for the Antarctic on 6 August 1901. King Edward VII, who showed a keen interest in the expedition, visited the Discovery the day before the ship left British shores in August 1901,
Robert Wilson (ship captain) Robert Wilson (ship captain) Robert Wilson (1806 – 1888) was a Great Lakes ship captain operating out of Oakville, Ontario who helped black slaves escape to freedom as part of the Underground Railroad. Wilson was born in Ireland. His mother moved the family to Canada in 1817 after the death of her husband. Wilson was the master of the "Lady Colborne", a schooner that shipped grain on the Great Lakes. Slaves would be picked up from Ashtabula, Ohio and hidden in the hold with grain shipments. Following the American Civil War, African Americans in the Oakville area celebrated Emancipation Day