James Wilson King

James Wilson King (August 26, 1819 – June 6, 1905) was an American Navy Officer. He served as Chief Engineer of the United States Navy. It was republished by the U.S. Naval Institute in 1982.

Early life and education King was born in Baltimore and raised on his grandfather's farm in Maryland. He studied at St. James's Academy and, having become fascinated by steam engines at the age of sixteen, learned mechanical engineering while working at a machine shop in Baltimore.

Career King was appointed to the Navy from Maryland as a Third Assistant Engineer on September 2, 1844. During the Mexican–American War, he was attached to the paddle-frigate and participated in the capture of all but one of the towns on the Mexican coast taken by the Navy. In 1858, he was appointed Chief Engineer at the New York Navy Yard.

During the mid-1870s, King—as chief engineer of the Navy—made many visits, official and private, to Europe, to collect information relating to shipbuilding, machinery, and other aspects of naval warfare. King then produced an expanded version of these reports in his 1880 book, The Warships and Navies of the World.

Retirement and death King was placed on the retired list on August 26, 1881, having reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty-two. He died at his home at 3221 Powelton Avenue, Philadelphia, on June 6, 1905.

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