Page:Dictionary of National Biography. Sup. Vol I (1901).djvu/82

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India and our relations with Afghanistan. He made light of the danger from Russia, advocated 'a consistent policy of forbearance and kindness' towards Afghanistan, and opposed rectifications of frontier. He replied (18 Oct. 1878) to Sir James Fitzjames Stephen's letters in the 'Times' in support of the forward policy on the North-West frontier, and printed a paper for private circulation in December on 'England, Russia, and Afghanistan.'

When Gladstone returned to office in 1880, Adye was appointed (1 June) surveyor-general of the ordnance, but did not succeed in finding a seat in parliament. In August 1882, on the outbreak of Arabi Pacha's rebellion in Egypt, he accompanied Sir Garnet Wolseley to Egypt as chief of the staff, with the temporary rank of general, and he is entitled to a share of the credit for the success of that well-organised expedition. He was mentioned in despatches (Lond. Gaz. 8 Sept. and 6 Oct. 1882), and received the thanks of parliament, the G.C.B., the medal with clasp and bronze star, and the grand cross of the Medjidie.

Adye returned to the war office in October, but left it at the end of 1882 to become governor of Gibraltar. There he tried to reconcile the dual interests of a fortress and a commercial city, relaxed some of the military restrictions on trade, and provided recreation rooms for the garrison. He remained there nearly four years, but on 1 Nov. 1886 he was placed on the retired list, having reached the age of sixty-seven. He devoted some of his leisure to a volume of autobiographical reminiscences (No. 4, infra), which was illustrated by his own sketches, for he was an excellent artist. He became general on 20 Nov. 1884, and a colonel-commandant on 4 Nov. 1881. He was also honorary colonel, from 6 May 1870, of the 3rd Kent artillery volunteers and the 3rd volunteer battalion of the West Kent regiment.

He died on 26 Aug. 1900 at Cragside, Rothbury, Northumberland, while on a visit to Lord Armstrong. In 1856 he married Mary Cordelia, daughter of Admiral the Honourable Sir Montagu Stopford, and had several children. His eldest son. Colonel John Adye, R.A., has seen active service in Afghanistan, Egypt, the Soudan, and South Africa. His eldest daughter Winifreda Jane married, in 1889, Lord Armstrong's grand-nephew and heir, Mr. William Henry Watson-Armstrong.

In addition to the pamphlets already mentioned, and an article 'In Defence of Short Service' in the 'Nineteenth Century' for September 1892, Adye wrote: 1. 'The Defence of Cawnpore,' London, 1858, 8vo. . 'Review of the Crimean War to the Winter of 1854-1855,' London, 1860, 8vo. 3. 'Sitana: a Mountain Campaign,' London, 1867, 8vo. 4. 'Recollections of a Military Life,' London, 1895, 8vo. 5. 'Indian Frontier Policy: an Historical Sketch,' London, 1897, 8vo.

[Adye's Recollections of a Military Life, 1895; Times, 27 Aug. 1900.]

E. M. L.


AINSWORTH, WILLIAM FRANCIS (1807–1896), geographer and geologist, born on 9 Nov. 1807 at Exeter, was the son of John Ainsworth of Rostherne in Cheshire, captain in the 15th and 128th regiments. The novelist, William Harrison Ainsworth [q. v.], was his cousin, and at his instance he adopted the additional Christian name of Francis to avoid confusion of personality. In 1827 he became a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, where he filled the office of president in the Royal Physical and the Plinian societies. He afterwards proceeded to London and Paris, where he became an interne at the school of mines. While in France he gained practical experience of geology among the mountains of Auvergne and the Pyrenees. After studying at Brussels he returned to Scotland in 1829 and founded, in 1830, the 'Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science,' which was discontinued in the following year. In 1831, on the appearance of cholera at Sunderland, Ainsworth proceeded thither to study it, and published his experiences in 'Observations on the Pestilential Cholera,' London, 1832, 8vo. This treatise led to his appointment as surgeon to the cholera hospital of St. George's, Hanover Square. On the outbreak of the disease in Ireland he acted successively as surgeon of the hospitals at Westport, Ballinrobe, Claremorris, and Newport. He subsequently recorded many incidents of his sojourn in 'Ainsworth's Magazine' and the 'New Monthly Magazine.' In 1834 he published 'An Account of the Caves of Ballybunian in Kerry,' Dublin, 8vo, in which he showed a grasp of geological principles remarkable in a treatise of so early a date.

In 1836 Ainsworth, after studying the art of making observations under Sir Edward Sabine [q. v.], was appointed surgeon and geologist to the expedition to the Euphrates under Francis Rawdon Chesney [q. v.] On his return he published his observations under the title of 'Researches in Assyria, Babylonia, and Chaldsea,' London, 1838, 8vo, with a dedication to Chesney.