Early in 1841 his friend Captain Graves, of H.M. surveying ship, the Beacon, then laid up at Malta, paid a visit to Belfast. Acting in conformity with that devotion to science by which he had been ever distinguished. Captain Graves took measures to obtain from the Admiralty, for Mr. Edward Forbes—the late (alas ! that we should have to speak of him as the late) eminent Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh—the honorary appointment of Naturalist to his vessel, then about to proceed to the Aegean. A survey of the Island of Candia was at that time in contemplation. On his arrival in Belfast, Captain Graves kindly invited Mr. Thompson to join the party, and succeeded in inducing him to do so, as a most welcome guest.[7]
Forbes converted every one on board, officers and men alike, into ardent naturalists. They dredged successfully at a greater depth (230 fathoms) than anyone had done before and Forbes later defined, in the Aegean, eight zones of depth characterised by peculiar assemblages of animals.[8][9] Graves was also interested in ancient ruins, and some of the (more than a hundred) charts that resulted from his surveys were notable for showing illustrations of historic sites, some of which no longer exist[1]: 269 . In 1849 he published a description of the Island of Skyros, based on his survey work.[10]
A view of the Harbour and Town of Çeşme, Turkey, Surveyed by Graves in 1837 (from Admiralty Chart No 1635)
His next tour of duty was as captain of HMS Ceylon between 1846 and 1847, where he became reacquainted with Robert Templeton and then he returned to the Mediterranean as captain of HMS Volage.[11] In 1853 he was made Superintendent of Ports at Malta.[12] Graves died in Malta on 28 August 1856, from a wound inflicted by a Maltese boatman[1]: 269 . The boatman, Giuseppe Meli, was later tried for Graves's murder, and convicted on the lesser charge of "wilful severe bodily harm".[13]
^' William Thompson, 1856, The Natural History of Ireland Volume 4: Mammalia, reptiles and fishes. Also, invertebrata Henry G. Bohn, London
^' Robert Patterson, 1856, Memoir of the Late William Thompson, Esq., President of the Natural and Philosophical Society of Belfast in The Natural History of Ireland Volume 4: Mammalia, reptiles and fishes. Also, invertebrata Henry G. Bohn, London
^ abFounders of oceanography and their work; an introduction to the science of the sea New York, Longmans, Green & Co.; London, E. Arnold & Co. [2]
^ abForbes, E., 1844 Report on the Mollusca and Radiata of the Aegean Sea, and on their distribution, considered as bearing on geology. Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science for 1843. pp. 129–193 [3]
