Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 2.djvu/686

 Stirlingshire from 1874 till 1885, and hon. colonel of the 1st volunteer battalion of the Cameron Highlanders from 1896 till 1907.

A man of powerful physique, Dunmore travelled in many parts of the world, including Africa and the Arctic regions; but his chief fame as an explorer rests on a year's journey made in 1892 in company with Major Roche of the third dragoon guards through Kashmir, Western Thibet, Chinese Tartary and Russian Central Asia. They started from Rawal Pindi on 9 April 1892, and remained together till 12 Dec, when they parted at Kashgar in Chinese Turkestan. Major Roche, having no passport for the Central Asian frontier, then returned to India, while Dunmore continued his route westward through Ferghana and Transcaspia, reaching Samarcand towards the end of January 1893. He had ridden and walked 2500 miles, traversing forty-one mountain passes and sixty-nine rivers. On 3 July 1893 he read a paper on his experiences before the Royal Geographical Society (Geog. Journ. ii. 385), and in the same year published an account of his exploration in 'The Pamirs.' Though interesting and written in a simple and manly style, the book had small geographical value. Dunmore's scientific outfit was meagre. Indications for altitude were based on the readings of ordinary aneroids, and were not trustworthy. The ground had been covered by previous explorers and, according to experts, Dunmore lacked the necessary training for making fresh observations of value (Geog. Journal, iii. 115). Dunmore was also the author of 'Ormisdale,' a novel, published in 1893.

A few years before his death he, together with other members of his family, joined the Christian Scientists' Association. He attended the dedication of the mother church of the community at Boston, U.S.A., in June 1906. In 1907, at a Christian science meeting at Aldershot, he declared that his daughter had cured him of rupture by methods of Christian science. He died suddenly on 27 Aug. 1907 at Manor House, Frimley, near Camberley, and was buried at Dunmore, near Larbert, Stirlingshire. At an inquest, on 28 Aug. 1907, death was pronounced to be due to syncope caused by heart failure.

Lord Dunmore married on 5 April 1866 Lady Gertrude, third daughter of Thomas William Coke, second earl of Leicester, K.G. An only son, Alexander Edward, succeeded as eighth earl of Dunmore.

 MURRAY, DAVID CHRISTIE (1847–1907), novelist and journalist, born on 13 April 1847 in High Street, West Bromwich, was one of a family of six sons and five daughters of William Murray, printer and stationer of that town, by his wife Mary Withers. David attended private schools at West Bromwich and Spon Lane, Staffordshire, but at the age of twelve was set to work in his father's printing office. He early entered on a journalistic career by writing leaders for the 'Wednesbury Advertiser.' He was soon on the staff of the 'Birmingham Morning News' under George Dawson, reporting police court cases at twenty-five shillings a week, and rapidly winning the approval of his employer as an admirable descriptive writer. In Jan. 1865 Murray went to London without friends, funds, or prospects, and found casual employment at Messrs. Unwin Brothers' printing works. In May he enlisted as a private in the fourth royal Irish dragoon guards, and accompanied his regiment to Ireland, but after a year a great-aunt purchased his discharge. Thenceforth journalism or foreign correspondence was his profession, varied by novel-writing. When in London, he passed his time in Bohemian society. In 1871 he became parliamentary reporter for the 'Daily News.' In 1892 he was editor of the 'Morning,' a short-lived conservative daily London paper. A few years later he contributed to the 'Referee' ethical, literary and political articles, which were collected as 'Guesses at Truth' (1908).

Murray travelled much, and was constantly absent from London for long periods. He represented 'The Times' and the 'Scotsman' in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877–8. On his return he described in a series of articles for 'Mayfair' a tour through England in the disguise of a tramp. From 1881 to 1886 he lived mainly in Belgium and France, and from 1889 to 1891 Nice was his headquarters. Subsequently he resided for a time in North Wales. He made some success as a popular lecturer, touring through Australia and New Zealand in that capacity in 1889–91, and through the United States and Canada in 1894–5. He described Australia in articles in the 'Contemporary Review' (1891). In 'The Cockney Columbus' (1898) he collected letters on America from the 'New York Herald.' From 1898 onwards he devoted much energy to the