Page:Dictionary of Indian Biography.djvu/438

 death : was a very successful administrator in every branch, and greatly advanced the N.W.P.

THOMPSON, SIR AUGUSTUS RIVERS (1829–1890)

I.C.S. : son of J. Powney Thompson, B.C.S. : and great grandson of George Nisbet Thompson, Private Secretary to Warren Hastings in June, 1783 : he was educated at Eton (where he both rowed in the Eight and played in the Cricket Eleven), and at Haileybury : went to India in 1850 : was Secretary to the Bengal Government, 1869–75 : Chief Commissioner of British Burma, 1875–8 Member of the Supreme Council, 1878–82 Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, 1882–7 K.C.S.I., 1885. He was strongly opposed to the "Ilbert Bill," as it was called—a project of law, emanating from the Government of India, for removing the bar which then existed upon the investment of native magistrates in the interior with powers over European British subjects : and his opposition conduced to the modification of the proposed measure, which was producing great excitement and race-feeling. He suffered greatly from ill-health, and died at Gibraltar on Nov. 27, 1890.

THOMPSON, GEORGE (1804–1878)

Son of Henry Thompson : born June 18, 1804 : best known as a public agitator against slavery in the British Colonies, for which cause he lectured in large towns in Great Britain and visited America in 1834 and 1851, and in the civil war of 1860–4 : also joined the Anti-Corn League. He visited India in 1842 and worked with the Bengal Landholders' Society, regarding what he called the Hill Cooly system of slavery, the oppressive land-tax, the opium and salt monopolies : was a prominent member of the British India Society of London, which was formed in 1840 : lectured on Indian topics in England, with a view to advance the claims of the Indian people to better government, and formed a Branch of this Society in Calcutta in 1843. In India he took up the case of the ex-Raja of Satara, then at Benares, and was appointed Ambassador of the Emperor of Delhi : again visited India in 1855, but left it in the mutiny. He was also a member of the National Parliamentary Reform Association : was M.P. for the Tower Hamlets, 1847–52 : died Oct. 7, 1878 : was an eloquent speaker and said to have been brilliant in conversation.

THOMSON, GEORGE (1799–1886)

Son of George Thomson : born Sep. 19, 1799 : educated at Addiscombe : went to Calcutta in the Engineers, 1818 : joined the Bengal Sappers and Miners, 1820 : in the Burmese war, 1824–6, took Arakah, 1825 : did various important works in India as Executive Engineer P.W.D. : in 1838 was Chief Engineer of the Army of the Indus marching on Afghanistan; bridged the Indus at Rohri-Sukkur in 11 days : under Keane to Kandahar : proposed the storming of Ghazni : to Kabul, Aug. 1839 : returned to India, in Nov. 1839 : C.B. : Brevet-Major : retired from the service, 1841 : Recruiting Officer at Cork, 1844–61, and Pension Paymaster, 1844–77 : Brevet-Lt-Colonel, 1854 : died Feb. 10, 1886 : wrote The Storming of Ghazni, 1840.

THOMSON, SIR GEORGE (1843–1903)

Surgeon Colonel: son of James Thomson : born May 14, 1843 : graduated in medicine at Aberdeen University : entered the Indian Medical Service in 1865 and served in India during the Afghan war : P.M.O, in the Chitral Relief Force and in the Tirah expedition : C.B., 1896 : was Principal Medical Officer of the Lahore District : returned to England, 1898 : K.C.B. in 1898 : died Dec. 23, 1903.

THOMSON, HENRY (1861–)

Maj-General : son of Major James Thomson, R.A. : entered Army Vet. Department, 1871, and, after serving in Egypt for many years, became Inspecting Vet. Surgeon, 1900 : Principal Vet. Officer in India, 1897–1902 : Director-General, Army Vet. Department since 1902 : C.B., 1900.

THOMSON, SIR JAMES (1848–)

I.C.S. : born July 6, 1848 : son of John Thomson : educated at Grammar School and University of Aberdeen : entered the Madras Civil Service, 1871 : Resident in Travancore and Cochin, 1895 : Member