Frank Herbert Brown

“ A vigilant guardian of the public purse, he opposed the heavy additions to capital liabilities involved by the large programmes of railway construction which the viceroy, Lord Elgin, supported, although in respect to the great frontier campaigns of 1897-8 and other additions to military demands, Westland betrayed few economic scruples. In spite of the pressure of deficit at the time, he resisted proposals for a grant from the British exchequer towards the cost of the great 1897-8 famine, on the ground that the financial independence of the government of India would thereby be impaired. ”

“ A memorial tablet on the ruined wall of the old church, in which his father had often preached when minister of the adjoining parish of Row, pays tribute to 'the noble example set by him during the great plague in Bombay, which led to his premature and deeply lamented death.' His friends also founded a gold medal, conferred triennially by the Bombay branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, for the best original work on Indian folklore, history, or ethnology. ”

“ His immediate followers provided a solid phalanx of whole-hearted support of Britain, which had a most steadying influence in sterilizing the efforts of impatient headstrong elements. Secret missions of great diplomatic importance in Egypt, Switzerland and elsewhere were entrusted to His Highness, and enemy anger found scope not only in bitter newspaper attacks but in designs upon his life. ”

“ The bill finally passed in 1899, after Mackenzie's retirement ; it reduced the number of elected representatives, and, though the Bombay model was largely followed, it was held to infringe just principles of local self-government. Mackenzie's object, however, was to remedy the insanitary condition of the then Indian capital. Meanwhile he sought to protect Bengal from the financial encroachments of the government of India, likening the province to a lamb thrown on its back and close sheared for the benefit of the central administration. ”

“ Westland found the government poor and left it rich; the lean years of deficit, the strain of which he bore patiently, were followed by years of large surplus and expanding revenue.
On returning to England Westland was nominated to the India council on 2 Aug. 1899. An indefatigable worker, he rather chafed under the comparative leisure of a consultative post. He was not a good platform speaker, and his efforts to inform the public on Indian affairs were failures. He found recreation in the study of astronomy and in chess, and was a great reader of German and French. ”

“ After education at private schools at Kilburn and Finchley, Vincent studied at King's College, London. On his father's premature death he extricated his affairs from confusion, and soon built up a prosperous concern as a merchant and commission agent. Interesting himself in the industrial arts of India, Robinson dealt largely in oriental ware of fine character, and at the same time studied the problem of preserving the artistic handicrafts of India. Sir George (then Dr.) Birdwood, who on his return from Bombay entered the India office in 1871, gave Robinson much encouragement. ”

“ A warm supporter of the Syed in establishing the Mahomedan and Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh, Tyabji took a keen interest in the annual Mahomedan educational conferences, presiding over the session held in Bombay in 1903. He was an ardent advocate of higher education for Indian women, and gave three of his daughters advanced training — one in England and two in Bombay. ”

“ At first Indian mills confined themselves almost entirely to coarse goods which the deteriorated country staple was alone capable of producing. Tata, resolved to spin finer 'counts,' not only initiated the importation of longer-stapled cotton, but perseveringly sought to acclimatise Egyptian cotton in spite of the discouragement of agricultural advisers of government. In 1896 Tata published a convincing pamphlet on 'Growth of Egyptian Cotton in India,' which was republished in 1903. ”

“ GARTH, Sir RICHARD (1820–1903) , chief justice of Bengal, born at Morden, Surrey, on 11 March 1820, was eldest son of the six children of Richard Lowndes (afterwards Garth) , rector of Farnham, Surrey, by his wife Mary, daughter of Robert Douglas, rector of Salwarpe, Worcestershire. His father was the second son of Wilham Lowndes of Baldwin Brightwell, Oxfordshire, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Richard Garth of Morden, and assumed the name and arms of Garth on succeeding to his mother's property in 1837. In due course Richard became lord of the manor of Morden. ”

“ The survey of the more settled parts of India had been completed, and many of the surveys under Thuillier were over mountainous and forest-clad regions or sandy deserts, and frequently in parts never before visited by Europeans. In every branch he showed organising and administrative talent. In 1868 he transferred the preparation of the Atlas of India from England to Calcutta, selecting a staff of engravers there for the purpose, and encouraging John Bobanau Nicklerlieu Hennessey [q. v. Suppl. II] to introduce the photo-zincographic process. ”

“ A warm supporter of the policy of fitting Indians for situations of trust and emolument in the public service, he always strongly defended from attack the government's educational system, which proved more successful in Madras than elsewhere in India, owing in part at any rate to Arbuthnot's wise control of its early years.
In October 1862 Arbuthnot was appointed chief secretary to the Madras government, becoming ex officio member of the local legislature. From October 1867 he was a member of the executive council, and as senior member he acted as governor from 19 Feb. ”

“ BOURKE, ROBERT, Baron CONNEMARA (1827–1902) , governor of Madras, born at Hayes, co. Meath, on 11 June 1827, was third son of Robert Bourke, fifth earl of Mayo, by his wife Annie Charlotte, only child of John Jocelyn, fourth son of the first earl of Roden. Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo [q. v.] , governor-general of India, to whom he bore striking physical resemblance, was his elder brother. Educated at Enniskillen Royal School, at Hall Place, Kent, and at Trinity College, Dublin, he settled in London, being called to the bar at the Inner Temple on 17 Nov. ”

“ His report, which showed that 60 per cent, of the silk-worms died of preventible diseases and that the reeling from the cocoons in the filatures was very imperfect, led to reform, and consequently to a revival of the almost lost trade in Bengal silk in England and France. On the same visit, in 1886, Wardle investigated the causes of the decay in the ancient silk productivity of Kashmir, and after his return to England long pressed a scientific scheme for its revival on the government. ”

“ When Lord Cromer became British agent in Egypt, Colvin succeeded him as financial member of the viceroy's council in India in Aug. 1883. Financial difficulties faced him. The war in Upper Burma and the danger of hostilities with Russia, consequent upon the Penjdeh incident, were not only costly in themselves, but were followed by great capital outlay on improving the strategic position on the north-west frontier, and by increases of the British and native armies. ”

“ Ultimately at his instigation a university college was established in 1870 at Lahore to give effect to these principles, and when the Punjab University was created there in Oct. 1882, one of the five faculties was for Oriental learning. Yet the Oriental faculty which alone sought to employ in tuition other languages than English never flourished and is now practically defunct (Quinquennial Report on Indian Education, 1902-7) . The Inayat Ali-Griffin prize is annually given in his memory for the highest marks in Mahommedan law in the first law examination. ”

“ His last service in India was to preside over the telegraph committee which devised the scheme whereby the department was reorganised so as to meet expanding needs. Tupper helped to create the Punjab university in Oct. 1882, and was vice-chancellor in 1900–1. His addresses to the students dealt elaborately with questions of constitutional law and jurisprudence. He also was one of the founders of the Punjab Law Society in 1903, and gave the inaugural address as first president. A warm love of justice distinguished his relations with the Indian people and with his subordinates. ”

“ In January 1888 Law was posted to St. Petersburg as commercial and financial attache for Russia, Persia, and the Asiatic provinces of Turkey. He rendered valuable service to the English ambassador, Sir R. Morier [q. v.] . After visiting Persia in the course of 1888, he was attached next summer to Nasiruddin, Shah of Persia, on his visit to England. In 1890 he acted as British delegate for negotiation of a commercial treaty with Turkey. In 1892 he went to Greece to make an exhaustive inquiry into the financial situation there, his report appearing early in 1893. ”

“ He devised an ingenious system of consolidation of revenues, which rendered the international commission acceptable and useful to Greece, and he won a high place in the affections of the people throughout the country. While engaged on the business he was created a K.C.M.G. in May 1898, and given the rank of resident minister in the diplomatic service. He declined the Grand Cross of the Grecian Order of the Saviour and other foreign decorations. At the close of 1898 he went to Constantinople to represent British, Belgian, and Dutch bondholders on the council of the Ottoman debt. ”

“ From July 1867 Rundall was chief irrigation engineer and joint secretary to the Bengal government, and the Son canals, which had also been projected by the East India Irrigation and Canal Company, for the service of the Shahabad, Gaya, and Patna districts, were commenced under his orders. By them more than half a million acres are annually watered, and they yield about 4 per cent, on the capital invested. ”

“ In parliament he supported the strong measures taken by the Indian government against disorder in 1907 and 1908, and in the debates on the Indian Councils Act, 1909, embodying Lord Morley's reforms, he acknowledged the importance of maintaining the essentials of British authority. ”

“ Turning his attention to the nascent cotton manufacturing industry in Bombay, Tata returned to England in 1872 to study the work and conditions of the Lancashire mills. Subsequently he fixed upon Nagpur as a site for a model mill, and his Empress mills were opened there on 1 Jan. 1877, the day of Queen Victoria's proclamation as Empress. He afterwards founded at Coorla, near Bombay, the Swadeshi ('own country') mills. These concerns were soon recognised to be the best managed of Indian-owned factories. ”

“ Campbell was educated at Glasgow, first at the academy and then at the university, graduating M.A. in 1866, with the highest honours in logic, philosophy, and English literature. Passing the Indian civil service examination in 1867, he went out to Bombay in November 1869, and served as an assistant collector. Quickly winning repute for interest in the history and customs of the people, he was in June 1873, when only twenty-seven, entrusted with the compilation of the provincial 'Gazetteer' of Bombay. ”

“ The memorable education despatch of the court of directors in 1854 led to Arbuthnot's appointment in March 1855 as the first director of public instruction for Madras, In this capacity he established the education department on the basis still maintained, organising an inspecting staff, opening district schools, and introducing the grant-in-aid system. ”

“ Returning to England in 1879 for domestic reasons, Digby edited the 'Liverpool and Southport Daily News' for a few months in 1880, and from that year to 1882 was editor of the 'Western Daily Mercury' at Plymouth. From Nov. 1882 till 1887 he was the energetic secretary of the newly founded National Liberal Club in London, and eagerly flung himself into political work. He contested unsuccessfully in the liberal interest North Paddington in 1885 and South Islington in 1892. In 1887 he established, and became senior partner of, the firm of William Hutchinson & Co., East India agents and merchants. ”

“ Xavier's with a fine meteorological and solar observatory, and with a physical laboratory second to none in India. He was one of the founders of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, and for nineteen years gave weekly honorary lectures under its auspices, and was its senior vice-president. A popular and eloquent preacher, he also frequently lectured on Christian evidences, claiming that true science was the handmaid of faith. ”

“ Law pushed through a scheme of amalgamation in the interests of the shareholders in 1884, and thereby abolished his own post. Volunteering for duty in the Sudan in 1885, he served with the commissariat and transport staff of the guards' brigade. He received the medal and clasp and the Khedive's bronze star, was mentioned in despatches, and promoted to the rank of major (June 1886) . He was meanwhile recalled to England for work in the army intelligence department in connection with troubles with Russia over the Penjdeh incident on the Afghan frontier. ”

“ A man of genial manner and generous disposition, Martin was a close student of human nature. He proved his commonsense and catholicity of temper by admitting into partnership, in 1889, an able Bengali, (Sir) R. N. Mukherji, K.C.I.E., who shares with Martin's sons, Ernest and Harold, and Mr. C. W. Walsh the proprietorship of the firm. Martin, who was broken in health by severe toil in a tropical climate, spent much of his later life in Europe. He died at Binstead House, Isle of Wight, on 29 April 1906, and was buried in Ryde cemetery. A painting from a miniature is in the Calcutta office. ”

“ GRIGGS, WILLIAM (1832–1911) , inventor of photo-chromo-lithography, son of a lodge-keeper to the duke of Bedford at Woburn, Bedfordshire, was born there on 4 Oct. 1832. Losing his father in childhood, he was apprenticed at the age of twelve to the carpentering trade, and coming to London when eighteen, he was employed as an artisan in the Indian Court of the Great Exhibition of 1851. ”

“ COLVIN, Sir AUCKLAND (1838–1908) , Anglo-Indian and Egyptian administrator, born at Calcutta on 8 March 1838, was third son of the ten children of John Russell Colvin [q. v.] , lieutenant-governor of the North-Western Provinces, by his wife Emma Sophia, daughter of Wetenhall Sneyd, vicar of Newchurch, Isle of Wight. Three of his brothers, Bazett Wetenhall Colvin, Elliott Graham Colvin, and Sir Walter Mytton Colvin (see below) , all passed distinguished careers in India, and a fourth, Clement Sneyd, C.S.I., was secretary of the public works department of the India office in London. ”

“ Meanwhile Dinshaw inaugurated the cotton manufacturing industry which has made Bombay the Manchester of India. A cotton mill was started for the first time in Bombay in 1854 by another Parsi, Cowasjee Xanabhai Davur, but it spun yarns only. In 1855 Dinshaw induced his father to erect a similar mill with additional machinery for weaving cloth. This mill commenced work as the Oriental Spinning and Weaving Mill, in 1857. In 1860 he and his brother started the Manockjee Petit mill, which they converted into a joint-stock company concern. ”

“ RUNDALL, FRANCIS HORNBLOW (1823–1908) , inspector-general of Indian irrigation, born at Madras on 22 Dec. 1823, was youngest son of the seven children of Lieut.-colonel Charles Rundall, of the East India Company's service, judge advocate general of the Madras army, by his wife Henrietta Wryghte. The second of his three brothers. Captain John William, Madras engineers, died on active service in the second Burmese war on 12 Nov. ”