Fredrik Henrik af Chapman, Swedish admiral and shipbuilder (b. 1721)
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman (9 September 1721 in Gothenburg – 19 August 1808) was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist and officer in the Swedish navy. He was also manager of the Karlskrona shipyard 1782-1793. Chapman is credited as the world's first person to apply scientific methods to shipbuilding and is considered to be the first naval architect.
Chapman was the author of Architectura Navalis Mercatoria (1768) and several other shipbuilding-related works. His Tractat om Skepps-Byggeriet ("Treatise on Shipbuilding") published in 1775 is a pioneering work in modern naval architecture. He was the first shipbuilder in Northern Europe to introduce prefabrication in shipyards and managed to produce several series of ships in record time.
He was ennobled as "af Chapman" in 1772, after the successful coup of Swedish king Gustav III.
1808Aug, 19
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
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Events on 1808
- 22Jan
Invasion of Portugal (1807)
The Portuguese royal family arrives in Brazil after fleeing the French army's invasion of Portugal two months earlier. - 6Apr
American Fur Company
John Jacob Astor incorporates the American Fur Company, that would eventually make him America's first millionaire. - 8Apr
Pope Pius VII
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baltimore is promoted to an archdiocese, with the founding of the dioceses of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Bardstown (now Louisville) by Pope Pius VII. - 3May
Sveaborg
Finnish War: Sweden loses the fortress of Sveaborg to Russia. - 6Jun
Joseph Bonaparte
Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte, is crowned King of Spain.