OF

January.

DR. LIVINGSTONE.

OUR obituary for the year must commence with the name of this great missionary and discoverer; for although his death took place in May, 1873, the news of it did not reach England till the end of January, 1874.

David Livingstone, the son of a small tea-dealer in Lanarkshire, was born in or about the year 1816, at East Kilbride, in that county. In his early youth he worked at the Blantyre Mills, but found time to attend an evening school, where he imbibed a taste for classical literature, as well as for works on religion and on natural science.

His religious feelings, however, warmed towards a missionary life; he felt an intense longing to become a "pioneer of Christianity in China," hoping that he might be instrumental in teaching the true religion to the inhabitants of the Far East, and also that by so doing he might "lead to the material benefit of some portions of that immense empire." In order to qualify himself for some such an enterprise he set himself to obtain a medical education, as a superstructure to that which he had already gained so laboriously; and this he supplemented by botanical and geological explorations in the neighbourhood of his home, and by attending medical classes in Glasgow, and divinity lectures. After being adImitted a Licentiate of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, he resolved in 1838 to offer his services to the London

Missionary Society as a candidate for the ministry in foreign parts.

His offer was accepted by the society, and having spent three months in theological study in England, and having been ordained to the pastoral office, he left these shores in 1840 for Southern Africa, and after a voyage of nearly three months reached Cape Town. His first destination was Port Natal, where he became personally acquainted with his fellow-countryman, the still surviving Rev. Robert Moffat, whose daughter subsequently became his wife and the faithful and zealous sharer of his toils and travels, and accompanied him in his arduous journey to Lake Ngami.

After some years spent in mission work in the Bechuana country, he made in 1849 his first essay as an explorer, strictly so called, as distinct from a missionary; in that year he made his first journey in search of Lake Ngami. In 1852 he commenced, in company with his wife, the "great journey," as he calls it, to Lake Ngami, of which a full and detailed account is given in the narrative he wrote of it; a work which he dedicated on its publication to Sir Roderick Murchison, as "a token of gratitude for the kind interest that he had always taken in the author's pursuits and welfare."

In 1855 the Victoria gold medal of the Geographical Society was awarded to Livingstone in recognition of his services to science by "traversing South Africa from the Cape of Good Hope, by Lako Ngami, to Linyanti, and thence to the western coast in 10 degrees south latitude." He subsequently retraced his

steps, returning from the western coast to Linyanti, and then-passing through the entire eastern Portuguese settlement of Tete-he followed the Zambesi to its mouth in the Indian Ocean. In the whole of these African expeditions it was calculated at the time that Livingstone must have passed over no less than 11,000 miles of land, for the most part untrodden and untraversed by any European, and up to that time believed to be inaccessible.

In 1856 Livingstone paid a visit to England, and in the spring of 1858 returned to Africa for the purpose of prosecuting further researches, and pushing forward the advantages which his former enterprise had to some extent secured. He carried with him the patronage and encouragement and the substantial support of Her Majesty's Government (more especially of Lords Clarendon and Russell), and of the Portuguese Government also. Within a very few months from the time of leaving England, Dr. Livingstone and his expedition reached that part of the eastern coast of Africa at which the Zambesi falls into the ocean; here two small steamers were placed at their disposal, and they resolved to ascend the river and thence make their way into the interior. In these journeys Livingstone and his companions discovered the Lakes Nyassa and Shirwa, two of the minor inland meres of Africa, and explored the regions to the west and north-west of Lake Nyassa for a distance of 300 milesdistricts hitherto unknown to Europeans, and which lead to the head waters of the north-eastern branch of the Zambesi and of several of that river's tributaries. The geographical results of the expedition then were the discovery of the real mouths of the Zambesi and the exploring of the immense territories around that river and its tributary, the Shire-results which not only possess much interest, but may prove hereafter of great value if this part of Africa can be brought within the sphere of civilisation and commerce.

In 1864 Dr. Livingstone was again in England, preparing and publishing the narrative of his explorations. At the close of 1865 he was despatched once more to Central Africa, under the auspices of the Geographical Society, in order to prosecute still further researches which would throw a light on that mystery of more than two thousand years' standing-the real sources of the Nile. Dr. Livingstone was accredited in this last expedition as Her Britannic Majesty's Consul to the various native chiefs of the unknown interior.

In July 1869, Dr. Livingstone re

solved to strike westwards from his headquarters at Ujiji, on the Tanganyika Lake, in order to trace out a series of lakes which lay in that direction, and which, he hoped, would turn out eventually to be the sources of the Nile. After having penetrated as far west as Bainbarre and Lake Kamalondo, and stopping short at Bagenya, about four degrees west from his starting point, he returned, and when, in the winter of 1870-71, he was found by Mr. Stanley, the American traveller, he was once more in the neighbourhood of his old haunts, still bent on the discovery of certain "fountains on the hills," which he trusted to be able to prove to be the veritable springs of the Nile, and to gain the glory of being alone their discoverer-to use his own emphatic words, "So that no one may come after and cut me out with a fresh batch of sources."

Mr. Stanley left him with renewed stores of necessaries, as he refused to return to England until his great object was accomplished; and so he worked gallantly on, surrounded by none but African natives, until, on May 4, 1873, he succumbed to an attack of dysentery, after a fortnight's illness.

He had attempted to cross Lake Bemba from the north, and failing in this had doubled back and rounded the lake, crossing the Chambize and the other rivers flowing from it; had then crossed the Luapula, and died in Lobisa, after having crossed a marshy country with the water for three hours at a time above the waist. His faithful native attendants embalmed the body with salt, and brought it to Zanzibar, from whence it was conveyed to England, and buried with all honour in Westminster Abbey.

MR. BELL.

Mr. Henry Glassford Bell, who was Sheriff of Lanarkshire, died on January 7. In the beginning of the month of November he had his right hand amputated, with the view to the removal - of cancer. The operation was successfully performed. The late judge was born in Glasgow in 1805. He was educated for the legal profession, but, at the close of his university curriculum, he undertook the editorship of the Edinburgh Literary Journal, which he conducted with marked ability for several years. As editor of this journal he formed a close intimacy with many of the distinguished literary men who lived in Edinburgh about the beginning of the second quarter of the century.

He was the friend and frequent companion of Professor Wilson, and Wilson speaks of him with respect and affection in the "Noctes," where he appears under the name of "Tallboys." In 1832 Mr. Bell was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates, in 1839 he was appointed one of the Sheriffs Substitute of Glasgow, and in 1867 he was raised to the office of Sheriff Principal, on the death of Sir Archibald Alison. Notwithstanding the arduous nature of his judicial duties he never relinquished his fondness for literary pursuits. Some while ago a volume of his occasional productions was published by Macmillan under the title of "Romances and Ballads." His literary fame will rest, however, on his well-known poem, Mary Queen of Scots," written in his early years.

MAJOR BENT.

Major John Bent, a Peninsular veteran, died in his ninety-second year. His first commission in the regular army bears date October 5, 1804, as ensign in the 5th (Northumberland) Fusiliers. He had previously served in the South Devon Militia, at that time on active service, under the command of the late Lord Rolle. Major Bent took part in the operations against Buenos Ayres in 1807; also in the latter part of the campaigns in the Peninsula. He was present at the battles of the Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive (from December 9 to 13, 1813), passage of the Gave d'Oléron, battle of Orthes, actions of Vic Bigorre and Tarbes, and battle of Toulouse, for which services he obtained the war medal with five clasps. Major Bent retired from the army in 1831. He subsequently became a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant of the county of Bucks, and was also the first chairman of the Eton Union under the new poor law. Major Bent was born on April 26, 1782.

DR. BIBER.

The Rev. George Edward Biber, who possessed two foreign degrees, the Ph.D. of Tubingen and the LL.D. of Göttingen, was ordained in 1839 by the Bishop of London, and presented by his lordship to the incumbency of Holy Trinity, Roehampton, in 1842, a living which he only resigned two years ago on preferment to a country benefice. Dr. Biber's works range over a considerable field, but are chiefly educational and theological. He

was also known as a journalist, and was for some years on the staff of the English Churchman, a paper to which he was contributing up to the time of his death. Dr. Biber edited the John Bull from 1848 to 1856, and was a regular writer in many of the religious periodicals. He used a hymn-book of his own compiling in his church at Roehampton, entitled the "Roehampton Liturgic Psalmody and Hymnal."

MR. BLACK.

Mr. Adam Black, who died at the age of all but 90 years, was a son of the late Mr. Charles Black, a respectable builder, of Edinburgh, and was educated at the High School and University of his native city, in which he entered into business as a publisher. His career in this sphere of life was marked by energy, industry, and liberality, and it was rewarded by his being chosen five years in succession as Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and his appointment as a magistrate and deputy lieutenant for that city, which he represented in Parliament in the Liberal interest from 1856 to 1865, succeeding to the seat held by Mr. Thomas Babington Macaulay. He was in a very great measure faber fortunæ suæ. Many years ago he published the Encyclopædia Britannica, and on the failure of Messrs. Constable and Co. the publication of the Edinburgh Review passed into his hands. He was an advanced Liberal in his politics from an early period of his life, and a strong Dissenter, being a member of the Independent body; and, from his connection as a publisher with the Whig literati of half a century ago, he was often chosen as a medium of communication between the Edinburgh Liberals and the Whig Government.

CAPTAIN BLAKE, R.N.

Captain William Hans Blake, who fell a victim to the climate of the Gold Coast during the war, had served with merited distinction in all parts of the world. During the Russian War, twenty years ago, he was in the Black Sea and in the Baltic, as mate of the "Albion" and of the "Duke of Wellington." From 1857 to 1859 he was Lieutenant of the "Cambrian," employed in the China War. In 1860 he was appointed First Lieutenant of the "Niger," and engaged in the Maori War of New Zealand. Here, when in command of a landing-party of seamen, Lieutenant Blake received a most

testy bad con mand of the is the Perfe to 168 and of the -72 on the AL 21 Fuka till la practica a pat nuk u aprais on 14 MT Ia Apr. 1873. Captain But we spend to be gomité d HMA. Druk," on the Te Afriza and Cape ma He rendered mu nasienten y Chocmai Harley, Adminis trator & the G64 Coet, is he prepare Cone for the defence of Cape Coast Cartie and Duta aguinat the Astantees, before the arrival of the ·Parraunta" in the month of June. With the rest of the naval squadron Captain Phake's ship and the store parties of men under his com mand were actively employed in the later operations of the war. He joined the march to Comassie, in command of the Naval Brigade, with the army of Sir Garnet Wolseley, but after conducting the sailors and marines to Prah-su, without the loss of one man, he was himself seized with dysentery, on Jan. 17, and had to give up his charge to Commodore Hewett. Captain Blake was brought down to Cape Coast Castle and placed on board the hospital-ship "Victor Emmanuel," but died of exhaustion on the 27th.

MR. J. M. CAPE.

Mr. James Matthew Cape, who for nearly fifty years was connected with the London press, died very suddenly on January 18, two hours after an attack of poplexy. He was in his seventy-eighth year. His career commenced on the British Press, of which he became acting editor. Then he worked very assiduously on the Mirror of Parliament. Subsequently, although several years senior, he was a colleague and friend of Charles Dickens in the palmy days of the Morning Chronicle. Later on he accepted an engagement upon the Times, which he retained for nearly twenty-six years, doing duty principally in the "Gallery” and in Convocation. At one time he was an active leader of the old Reform party, his anonymous contributions to journalism at that period being very numerous, and his statistical works especially notoworthy.

of Sea Femand: of Scan FerLeman of the Pry Chamber Sed in Ju ijs veis de is vi Et The bis 1794 the seccod sin of S June Cumezia Cek of the Stace Papers a Ireland. He entered the Amit, in the Lign Irances, in 1866, and The actively engaged in the Peninsula and at Wateix. Fir his services be was given the war medal with serez clasps, as well as the Waterloo medal. He took part in the sieges of Crodad Rodrigo and Badrion, and the battles of Balamanca Vittoria Nivelle, and Nive, and various minor actions; and in 1515 fought at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, and was in the advance on and at the capture of Paris. At the State funeral of the Duke of Wellington be was commissioned by the Queen, "in consideration of his long, faithful, and distinguished career," to carry the grand banner. Sir James sat in Parliament as M.P. for the county of Cork from 1831 to 1835 and from 1849 to 1852, and was High Sheriff from 1851 to 1852. He succeeded to the baronetey at the decease of his brother, Sir William Abraham Chatterton, second Baronet, in 1855.

SIR MONTAGU CHOLMELEY,

BART.

Sir Montagu John Cholmeley, the Liberal member for North Lincolnshire, who died Jan. 18, in his seventy-second year, was returned for Grantham as far back as 1826, but was an unsuccessful candidate for that borough at the dissolution which followed the death of George IV., and was again beaten there at the general election following the passing of the first Reform Act. He remained out of Parliament until Jan., 1847, when he was clected without opposition for North Lincolnshire upon the accession of Lord Worsley to the Earldom of Yarborough. In July, 1852, he was defeated by Mr. Banks Stanhope; but in 1857 he regained his seat, and represented the division in the Liberal interest until his death.

LORD COLONSAY.

On the last day of this month, the House of Lords lost one of its most able "law lords," and the legal profession in Scotland one of its oldest members, in