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 services to superintend the construction of waterworks in accordance with his design. Permission was given, and Palmer reached Japan in April 1885, and the works were at once started. On 1 July 1885 Palmer was promoted brevet colonel, and on 1 Oct. 1887 he retired on a pension, with the honorary rank of major-general. The same date saw the successful completion of the waterworks, and in November he received from the emperor of Japan the third class of the order of the Rising Sun, in recognition of his services. Subsequently he received the queen's permission to wear the order. He also designed water-supply works for Osaka and Hakodate, and harbour works for the Yokohama Harbour Company, and a water-supply by means of a large irrigation siphon for Misakamura in Hiogo Ken, which was successfully carried out under his direction in 1889. His scheme for a water-supply to Tokio is now being executed. In 1889 he undertook the superintendence of the Yokohama harbour works which he had designed, and was appointed engineer to the Yokohama Docks Company. It was while engaged in designing an extensive system of graving docks and a repairing basin that he died at Tokio on 10 March 1893.

Palmer was a man of clear, vigorous intellect and breadth and liberality of view. He had an extraordinary faculty for rapid calculation, and a rare power of assimilating and marshalling facts. He took a lively interest in Japan, and his graphic letters to the ‘Times,’ written in a genial and sympathetic spirit, did much to familiarise Englishmen with the remarkable people among whom he dwelt. He possessed a keen sense of humour and power of anecdote.

Palmer married, on 7 Oct. 1863, at New Westminster, British Columbia, Mary Jane Pearson, daughter of Archdeacon Wright, by whom he left a large family.

Palmer was a frequent contributor to magazines and periodical literature. He was also the author of the following works: 1. ‘Ordnance Survey of the Peninsula of Sinai, &c., by Wilson and Palmer,’ fol. 1869. 2. ‘The Ordnance Survey of the Kingdom: its objects, mode of execution, history, and present condition;’ reprinted, and slightly altered, from ‘Ocean Highways,’ 8vo, London, 1873. 3. ‘Ancient History from the Monuments: Sinai from the Fourth Egyptian Dynasty to the present day,’ London, 1878, 8vo; new edition, revised throughout by Professor Sayce, 8vo, London, 1892.

[Royal Engineers' Records; War Office Records; private sources; Royal Engineers' Journal, May 1893, obituary notice.] 

 PALMER, HERBERT (1601–1647), puritan divine, younger son of Sir Thomas Palmer, knt. (d. 1625), and grandson of Sir Thomas Palmer (1540–1626) [q. v.] of Wingham, Kent, was born at Wingham in 1601, and baptised on 29 March. His mother was the eldest daughter of Herbert Pelham of Crawley, Sussex. He learnt French almost as soon as English, and always spoke it fluently. His childhood was marked by precocious religiousness. On 23 March 1616 he was admitted fellow-commoner in St, John's College, Cambridge; he graduated B.A. 1619, M.A. 1622, and was elected fellow of Queens' College on 17 July 1623. He took orders in 1624, and proceeded B.D. in 1631. In 1626, on his way to visit his brother, Sir Thomas Palmer, bart. (d. 1666), at Wingham, he preached at Canterbury Cathedral. The report of his sermon reached the ears of Delme, minister of the French church at Canterbury, who made his acquaintance at Wingham, got him to preach again at St. George's, Canterbury, and made efforts to procure his settlement as lecturer. He was licensed by Archbishop Abbot for a Sunday afternoon lectureship at St. Alphage's, Canterbury, but did not, as Clarke supposes, resign his fellowship. He acted as a spiritual adviser, being consulted as 'a kind of oracle,' and did much religious visiting, though without pastoral charge. Occasionally he preached to the French congregation; the first time he stood in their pulpit his diminutive appearance 'startled an old lady, who cried out, 'Hola, que nous dira cest enfant icy?' Though not scrupling at the prescribed ceremonies, and strongly opposing the separatist party, he resisted the 'innovations' favoured by Laud. He was articled for his puritanism, but the prosecution proved abortive. About 1630 the dean, Isaac Bargrave [q. v.], put down his lectureship, on the ground that he had gone beyond his office by catechising and that his lecture drew 'factious persons' out of other parishes; the lecture was revived in consequence of an influentially signed petition to Abbot. His friends, headed by Thomas Finch (d. 1639), afterwards Earl of Winchilsea, twice unsuccessfully endeavoured to secure for him a prebend at Canterbury. On the resignation of Thomas Turner, Laud, then bishop of London, presented him, at the instance of 'a great nobleman,' to the rectory of Ashwell, Hertfordshire; he was instituted 9 Feb. and inducted 18 Feb. 1632. Laud, on his trial, referred to this among other evidences of his impartial patronage of merit; he declined the religious ministrations of Palmer during his imprisonment in the Tower and at the