Page:Dictionary of Indian Biography.djvu/19

 K.C.B., 1814: M.P. for Clackmannan, 1815: G.C.B., 1816: died Feb. 14, 1817.

ABERCROMBY, SIR ROBERT (1740–1827)

Younger brother of Sir Ralph: entered the Army in 1758: served in North America till the peace in 1763: and again, from 1776 to 1783, throughout the war to the capitulation of Yorktown: went to India 1788, and, in 1790, was Governor of Bombay and C. in C. there: Maj-General, 1790. After operations on the Malabar coast, he joined Lord Cornwallis in attacking and defeating Tippoo at Seringapatam in 1792: K.B.: succeeded Lord Cornwallis as C. in C. in India, Oct. 1793, being at the same time Member of the Supreme Council till Feb. 1797: he defeated the Rohillas at Batina in Rohilkund in 1794: Lt.General in 1797: M.P. for Clackmannan County in 1798: Governor of Edinburgh Castle, 1801: General, 1802: died Nov. 1827. 

ABERIGH-MACKAY, GEORGE ROBERT (1848–1881)

Born July 25, 1848: son of Rev. Dr.James Aberigh-Mackay, Chaplain in Bengal: educated privately in Scotland, at Magdalen College School, Oxford, and St. Catherine's College, Cambridge: entered the Education Department at Bareli in the N. W. P., 1870: Professor of English Literature at the Delhi College, 1873: Tutor to the Raja of Ratlam, Central India, and Principal of the College there, 1876: Principal of the Rajkumar College at Indore, 1877: Fellow, Calcutta University, 1880: wrote a number of educational works: also Notes on Western Turkistan, a Hand-book of Hindustan, a Manual of Indian Sport, Native Chiefs and their States, The sovereign Princes and Chiefs of Central India: at one time wrote largely for the Pioneer, and constantly for other English and Indian papers, including letters in the Bombay Gazette under the nom de plume "The Political Orphan": but his best work was his Twenty-one Days in India, being the Tour of Sir Ali Baba, a series of sketches of Indian life and society which appeared in Vanity Fair in 1878–9, and were afterwards published together. For brilliant wit, his work has not been approached in modern days in India. His bright and sympathetic humour, his "suspicion of cynicism which is the soul of modern pathos," his freedom from malice, his command of style and language, the keen edge and truth of his criticisms, his grasp and range, took the public by storm: a distinguished literary career lay before him, when he died, Jan. 12, 1881, from tetanus, caused by a chill caught at lawn-tennis: he was also an ardent sportsman, and lover of birds and animals. 

ABRAHAMS, LIONEL (1869–)

Educated at City of London School: scholar of Balliol College, Oxford: Arnold Prize: entered the India Office 1893: Assistant Financial Secretary, 1901: Financial Secretary, 1902: contributed to the Dictionary of Political Economy. 

ADAM, SIR FREDERICK ( ? –1853)

Governor: son of Right Hon. William Adam: entered the Army, 1795: in the Guards, 1799: in Egypt, 1800–1: in Sicily and Spain: A.D.C. to the Prince Regent: Maj-General: commanded a Brigade at Waterloo: K. C. B.: Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands, 1824–6: G.C.M.G.: P.C, 1831: Governor of Madras, 1832–7: G.C.B., 1840: Colonel of the 57th and 21st regts.: General, 1846: died Aug. 17, 1853.

ADAM, JOHN (1779–1825)

Son of Right Hon. W. Adam: born May 4, 1779. educated at Charterhouse and Edinburgh University: writer in the E. I. Co.'s service, reached Calcutta, Feb. 1796: three years at Patna: head assistant in the judicial-revenue Secretariat: in May, 1802, was Head of the "Governor-General's office": in 1804, Deputy Secretary in the Secret and Political Departments: in 1809, Secretary in the Military Department: in 1812, Secretary in the Secret, Foreign and Political Departments: Private Secretary in 1817 and Political Secretary to the Marquis of Hastings, whom he accompanied during the Mahratta-Pindari war, greatly influencing his policy of establishing the British supremacy: was "the very able and very conservative" Member of the Supreme Council, 1819–25: opposed the liberty of the Press as unsuited to India, and the financial transactions of Palmer & Co with the Nizam: