Archibald Lucius Douglas was born in Quebec in 1842. He was educated at Quebec High School, joining the Royal Navy in HMS Boscawen in 1856. In 1860, he served with the Naval Brigade in the Congo and Gambia and the following year was promoted lieutenant. Advancing to commander in 1872, he held the directorship of the Japanese Imperial Naval College between 1873 and 1875. Douglas was commander-in-chief of the East Indies Station from 1898 until 1899, when he was appointed lord of the admiralty, a post he retained until 1902. Promoted vice-admiral in 1901 and knighted in 1902, he served as commander-in-chief of the North American and West Indian Stations between 1902 and 1904. He served as commander at Portsmouth from 1904 until his retirement in 1907. He died in 1913.
From the guide to the Archibald Douglas collection, 1902-1912, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
