Australian Federal Convention at Adelaide in 1897.
On the resignation of Mr. Throssel in May 1901 Leake formed a ministry in which he was both attorney-general and premier. His government had no working majority and was defeated in October, Leake resigning on 21 Nov. 1901. An attempt to form a coalition ministry failed, but Mr. Morgans, his successor, proved unable to carry on the government, and Leake formed on 23 Dec. 1901 his second administration, which lasted till his death six months later at Perth on 24 June 1902. Accorded a public funeral, he was buried in the East Perth cemetery. The London Gazette of 26 June 1902 stated that it was King Edward VII's intention to confer the C.M.G. on him at the coronation. He was a keen lover of sport and a prominent cricketer in his younger days. In later life he took a strong interest in racing, and was chairman of the Western Australia Turf Club. Leake married in 1881 Louisa, eldest daughter of Sir Archibald Paull Burt, sometime chief justice of Western Australia, and had issue.
[Colonial Office List, 1902; Who's Who, 1902; The Times, 26 June 1902; West Australian, 25 June 1902; Year Book of Australia, 1897–1902; Mennell's Dict. of Australasian Biog., 1892; Colonial Office Records.]
LECKY, SQUIRE THORNTON STRATFORD (1838–1902), writer on navigation, born at Down, co. Down, Ireland, in 1838, was son of Holland Lecky of Bally Holland House, Bangor, co. Down, and Castle Lecky, co. Derry.
Lecky was sent to school at Gracehill, co. Antrim. At fourteen, without permission of his parents, he began his career at sea as midshipman on board the Alfred (1291 tons), a sailing merchantman, bound for Calcutta. But on his return home he showed an ambition for wider experience by apprenticing himself to James Beazley, a Liverpool shipowner. After serving his time on saihng ships voyaging to India, he became in 1857 second mate of Beazley's Star of the East, 'a magnificent China clipper.' He was subsequently second mate of an American ship, and then for two years first-class second master in the Indian navy, serving in the ships Indus, Frere, and Napier until the Indian fleet was disbanded. Thereupon he rejoined the merchant service, and made voyages to North and South America, in one of which he sought in vain to run the blockade of Charleston harbour during the American civil war. In 1864 he obtained his master's certificate, and was for some years second officer in the Inman Company's service. He was afterwards employed successively by Messrs. Lamport Holt of Liverpool (for four and a half years) and by the Pacific Steam Navigation Company (for six years).
In these employments he became an expert in the navigation of the Pacific, and made a great reputation in shipping circles for his nautical surveys. He was frequently of service in detecting 'danger-spots' not marked on existing charts. In 1865 he detected off Rio de Janeiro what has since been called 'Lecky Rock,' a steep and but slightly submerged rock, surrounded on aU sides by seven fathoms of water. Shortly afterwards he located a similar danger-spot near Rat Island, and the 'Lecky Bank' to the north-east of the River Plate entrance. In 1869 he published, as the result of his first trip to Cears, in Brazil, a plan showing wide errors in earher charts, both as to the shape of the land and depth of the water. In 1874 plans of his were published by the Admiralty showing similar errors in existing charts of Port Tongoy, Chile. For many years his running surveys for the Strait of Magellan and for a large part of Smyth's Channel (off Chile) and the water between Punta Arenas and Cape Pillar were the only trustworthy guides to safe navigation. His nautical surveying work, which was highly appreciated by the Admiralty, covered the greater part of the coast of South America.
In 1876 he sailed as a guest on Lord Brassey's yacht, the Sunbeam, when she started on her voyage round the world. But he left her at Buenos Aires, and then, for lack of a better engagement, sailed for Calcutta as boatswain on the City of Mecca. In the evening he gave classes in navigation to the officers from the captain downwards, and in the morning wielded the hose as boatswain. In 1878 he became commodore captain of the British steamers of the American line from Liverpool to Philadelphia, and thoroughly enjoyed the responsibility. He commanded the British Prince transport in the Egyptian war of 1882, and going to the front won the medal and the Khedive's bronze star, and received a complimentary letter from the lords commissioners of the admiralty on his zealous and able conduct. Lecky had previously received a commission as a royal naval reserve officer, and eventually retired with the rank of commander.
