Robert Kennaway Douglas

“ From his earliest years he had desired to enter the missionary field, and for the furtherance of this object he, at the completion of his course at Aberdeen, came to London and studied at the theological college at Highbury. In 1839 he was appointed by the London Missionary Society to the Chinese mission at Malacca, where he remained until the treaty of 1842 enabled him and others to begin missionary work in China. ”

“ In 1875 a number of merchants interested in China, and others, collected a fund for the endowment of a Chinese professorship at Oxford, on the understanding that Legge should be the first occupant of the chair. ”

“ After taking the Bogue forts these commanders threatened the city of Canton, and at once brought the mandarins to reason. In conformity with Davis's demands the Chinese agreed that the city should be opened to foreigners in two years' time from that date (6 April 1847) ; that Englishmen should be at liberty to roam at pleasure in the neighbourhood, that a church should be erected, and that a site should be granted for building premises. ”

“ In his retirement he greatly interested himself in hospital nursing establishments, in promotion of which his medical knowledge proved effective. He served as president of the Geographical Society (1876–8) and vice-president of the Royal Asiatic Society (1875–1878) , and was an active supporter of many charitable institutions. ”

“ His health having broken down, he paid a visit to England in 1845, and three years later returned to Hongkong, where, in addition to his missionary work, he undertook the pastoral charge of an English congregation. ”

“ But his main object in studying the language was to qualify himself for the task of elucidating the dark phases of Chinese Buddhism. In this undertaking he was one of the pioneers, and happily left many of the results of his labours. On his return to England he was appointed chaplain to the marine artillery, and later to the Pembroke and Devonport dockyards in succession. He was at Devonport from 1873. In 1877 he was appointed rector of Falstone in Northumberland. ”

“ DAVIS, Sir JOHN FRANCIS (1795–1890) , first baronet, diplomatist in the far East, born 16 July 1795, was eldest son of Samuel Davis, F.R.S., an officer of the East India Company, who earned distinction by his services with the mission sent by Warren Hastings into Tibet in 1783, and by his gallantry in 1799, at the defence of Benares, where he was judge and magistrate, against the attack of the troops of Vizier AIL The father was director of the East India Company from 1810 until his death in July 1819. He married in 1794 Henrietta, daughter of Solomon Boileau of Dublin. ”