physical science, every branch of natural history, all the arts and their appliances are open to you, and I should be glad to see individuals taking up in earnest particular branches of study, and should afford them every assistance, with a special reference to the benefit which would result to the corps. Your library, your museum, your observatory might offer subjects of interest to many, and lead them to particular fields of observation."

There is no doubt that Harness was one of the most successful Commandants ever placed at the head of the School. He had the rare art of winning the confidence of the young, a gift which he possessed, doubtless, owing to the extreme freshness and buoyancy of his own character; these led him thoroughly to sympathize with all the aspirations and desires of the young, with whom he could be a very boy himself. Denison thoroughly appreciated this element in his character, and his letters no doubt proved a great encouragement to Harness.

At the close of his residence at Chatham he retired from the service with the rank of Major-General, but even then he was not allowed much repose. He became a member of both the Defence Committees appointed to carry out the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the National Defences. He was also employed by the Privy Council to prosecute the necessary measures for the suppression of the Cattle Plague. In this capacity he was installed in London as virtual dictator over the cattle trade of the kingdom. During this time Sir Arthur Helps said, that the Privy Council heard more plain truths boldly said, from General Harness, than they were accustomed to.

He died in 1883 at the age of 79 years, having reached the rank of General. He obtained the distinctions of C.B. and, later on, of K.C.B. for his eminent services in India.

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR HENRY DURAND, K.C.S.I., C.B.,

obtained his commission in the Bengal Engineers in 1828. On the completion of his studies at the Royal Engineer Establishment at Chatham, Sir Charles Pasley wrote a special letter of recommendation about him, in which he said that Durand was "one of the most distinguished young Engineers whom I have ever had under me, both in respect to diligence, ability, and conduct."

In due course he proceeded to India, where he was stationed in the North-West Provinces, on the Jumna Canal, with Napier

and Baker. This was a happy selection so far as his subsequent career was concerned, as it gave him an excellent opportunity, whilst carrying out his irrigation duties, for studying the agrarian tenures, the productive capacities, and the economical conditions of those provinces, an opportunity of which he availed himself to the utmost. It was not long before he showed such marked signs of ability and political insight, that he was selected for the post of Secretary to the Agra Board of Revenue, which had never before been filled by a military officer. He continued to discharge the functions of this office until the outbreak of the first Afghan war, when he threw it up for the purpose of seeing active duty. Whilst serving as an Engineer through this campaign, it fell to his lot to undertake the duty of blowing in the gates of Ghuznee, an operation rendered necessary by the absence of any siege train. In reference to this brilliant episode, it may be remarked that in the obituary article which appeared in the "Times" newspaper on the occasion of Sir Henry Durand's tragic death, more importance was laid on his share in the work than it appears he really deserved. This called forth a remonstrance from Lord Keane, who wrote:—

"The credit of the brilliant idea of blowing in the gate was entirely due to Captain Thomson, the Chief Engineer, now Colonel Thomson, C.B. Lieut. Durand performed his part of firing the train with great coolness and self-possession, being fully exposed to the enemy's fire from the ramparts while he applied the match to the hose, which he had some difficulty in getting alight."

The other Engineers engaged with him in this hazardous duty were Captain Peat and Lieutenant Macleod.

After the termination of the campaign, he proceeded on furlough to England. Whilst there he was thrown in contact with Lord Ellenborough, who was about to proceed to India as GovernorGeneral, and was offered the post of Aide-de-Camp by the new Viceroy. This he accepted, and accompanied his chief to India. He was soon made Private Secretary, a place which he held for two years, from 1842 to 1844. He was then given the Commissionership of Tennasserim. In this position he raised a storm of official anger by his stern repression of corruption, and the energy with which he attacked the lax administration of the province. He was a man of blunt speech and strong will. His determined antagonism to all official neglect led him to speak and to act with extreme vigour, and thereby he raised powerful enemies. He was recalled to Calcutta, and whilst there the first Sikh war broke out. Durand hastened to join his Corps for duty in this new scene of action, and was present at the battles of Chillianwallah and Goojerat, for which he received a Brevet Majority.

At the termination of the war he was appointed Political Agent at the Court of Scindiah, at Gwalior, where he guided the delicate complications of Mahratta politics with consummate skill. From Gwalior he was transferred in 1849 to Bhopal, and from thence he was promoted to Nagpore. During his residence at these Native Courts, Durand had great opportunities for studying the several conditions of the people of India under the rule of their own sovereigns, and he ventilated his views in a series of Essays which were published in the "Calcutta Review." In 1854 he returned to England, where he remained three years, at the expiration of which time he was selected as Political Agent at Indore, and returned to India to take up his new duties.

It is well known that when the Mutiny broke out, the fidelity of Holkar was very doubtful, and had any but a strong man been at his Court, he would most probably have thrown in his lot with the mutineers. As it was, his army revolted, and the residents at Indore, including Durand, were compelled to retire from the place. Their intention was to retreat towards Mundlaisir, where Durand had made a defensible post in case of emergency. The destination was, however, changed for Sehore, as the troops who had remained faithful, and were with them, insisted on this course, as their families were residing at that place.

"During all this trying march the courage and presence of mind displayed by Mrs. Durand were invaluable in keeping up the spirits of the fugitives, and extorted the highest admiration from the officers of the force. In August she died at Mhow, from the effects of the fatigue and hardships she had undergone."-(Plunkett's Memoir of Durand-" Profess. Papers," vol. xxii.)

A force of about 1,400 was collected at Mhow, whither Durand had retired, and this took the field as soon as the rainy season subsided. Brigadier Stuart commanded, but Durand, as agent to the Governor-General for Central India, acted as Political Officer, and had the general direction of the campaign. The first point attacked was Dhar, outside which the rebels were defeated, and the siege of the fort commenced. The enemy did not await an assault, but escaped in the night, leaving their guns behind them. From this place the column marched northward to Mundesoor, where a large force of the rebels had assembled. Here they inflicted two severe defeats on their adversaries, dispersing their force with heavy loss. The column then marched southwards, and returned to Mhow and Indore, where it arrived on December 15th, "when, though the reinforcements which he had been looking for from the north had not arrived, Durand called upon Holkar's regiments to lay down their arms. The whole of the troops (including the two regi

ments which had taken part in the attack on the residency) quietly submitted, and the next day Durand handed over charge to Sir R. Hamilton, during whose absence in England he had held political charge of Central India."-(Ibid.)

There is no doubt that by his promptness and energy he kept the rebels at bay, prevented their penetrating southward, and so saved that part of India from joining the revolt.

The mutiny being crushed, Durand returned to England. At this time much debate was taking place on the subject of the transfer of the Government of India to the Crown, and the numerous changes, reforms, and amalgamations, consequent on that important step. Durand was placed on the Council of the Secretary of State, where he rendered conspicuous service. The able minutes which he penned upon the various branches of the subject, prove him to have had a statesmanlike grasp of the questions submitted for decision, and his views carried great weight. From this duty he was recalled to India by Lord Canning, who appointed him Foreign Secretary at Calcutta. This nomination created a storm of opposition amongst the members of the Civil Service who surrounded the Governor-General; but in spite of clamour he remained firm, and his selection was ratified by the Secretary of State, Sir Charles Wood.

After four years' service in this Department, during which he amply justified Lord Canning's selection, he was named, in 1865, Military Member of the Council of the Governor-General, a post in which he was called on to perform the duties of a War Minister. Lord Elgin had died in 1863, and was succeeded by Sir John Lawrence. This Viceroy had been bred in the Civil Service of India, and he very naturally looked somewhat coldly upon the pretensions of a military interloper to seek for advancement in the upper grades of that service. Hence the transfer to a military department; and when the Governorship of the Punjab fell vacant, he declined to offer the post to Durand, although his claims were undoubted. It was not until under the rule of his successor, Lord Mayo, when it again fell vacant, that Durand at length reached the goal of his ambition. Lord Mayo was not swayed by the feelings which had influenced Sir John Lawrence, and he chose the best man to be procured, without reference to his not having been born in the purple of the Civil Service." His choice was ratified by the general consensus of Indian opinion.

The Governorship of the Punjab is a post second only to the Viceroyalty. It is our barrier against Central Asia, and as such forms the most important outwork to British power

in India. The people are brave, hardy, and self-reliant, requiring a vigilant and firm ruler. These qualities were preeminent in Durand, and it was universally felt that he was the man for the place. Unfortunately, he was not destined to live long enough to justify Lord Mayo's choice. Whilst he was still engaged in his first tour of inspection through the province, he met with the accident which caused his death. On December 31st, 1870, he was entering the town of Tonk, on an elephant; the howdah struck the top of the gateway, and was carried away. He fell heavily to the ground, was picked up insensible, and on the following day he died.

All personal unpopularity due to his bluntness of speech and intolerance of indolence or abuse, vanished when it became known that he had been thus unfortunately removed from the sphere of his labours, whilst in the prime of his intellect and in the full maturity of his powers. It was universally admitted that by his death India had lost one of her ablest men and wisest administrators.

GENERAL SIR WILLIAM E. BAKER, K.C.B.,

obtained his commission in the Bengal Engineers in 1828. Soon after his arrival in that province, he was placed in the Irrigation department in the North-West Provinces, under Colonel Colvin. This was at the time the post most sought after by young officers, and was made the subject of careful selection. Napier (afterwards Lord Napier of Magdala) and Durand (afterwards Sir Henry Durand), were both colleagues of Baker in the service of the great Jumna Canals, and there is no doubt that all three of these distinguished officers owed much of their after success to the training they there received. When Colvin returned home in 1836, Lieutenant Baker succeeded him in charge of the Jumna Canals, which he held until 1843. In that year Sir Charles Napier applied to the Governor-General for the best scientific assistance he could furnish him with, for the development of irrigation works in Scinde, and Lord Ellenborough selected Captain Baker, and despatched him thither with the appointment of Superintendent of Canals and Forests. In 1845-6 he took part in the Sutlej campaign. At Sobraon he guided the main attack on the Sikh intrenchments. Lord Harding thus refers in his General Order to Baker's services:

"To Captain Baker and Lieut. Becher, of the Engineers, the Governor