New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-26
DEATH OF GEN. SIR william REID, r. E.


g.t o.. Of III, death Of this eminent man, when TOOK
ace at his resden,e in London on the 3lst ocooer
HIS departure is oss not merely 10 the country III
wbo,e ,erylce lis lfe Was spent, bu. to tue world.
I'll. modest, uuob,rusve worth--his unfatering cour-
age bis urtring industry, bis dsnterested eifob 70
nrumote tie welfare of bis felow.meu, and bis VAL
uabe contributions TO knowledge Of the winds, al
d,mar more than Ii passing notice ~ his death.
Sir " ,ll,am Reid was born at kingassle IN File
shire Scotland IN l79I and was the eldest sou OF tue
Rev James Reid a clergyman of the Scotch Cnurc1
lie was educated at the Military Academy 1T WOOL
wich. Fl gland and entered the British srny in 1879
A. an .ngGeer and served during the last four years OF
the Penusu' ar war; under the Duke Of Wellington.
He Wa actively engaged at the sieges OF Ciadad
Rodrigo snd 81. Sebasiisns 10 the sanguinary as
ssu upon the latter fortress, he headed one OF the
STD. ming psrties-was wounded by musket ball, aud
FIJI. covered ~i,h blood, which streamed from his
mouth AID Io-tns He was supposed to be dead, but
on rem owing from bis reok u black ak handkerchief
(which ny advice Of medical friend, he had unwil-
lmely assumed iustead Of the II military stock, It
va. found pressed into the wound; and on Using 1T
tie uIce to withdraw it. the ball came out with II, not
a thread of The Handkerchief having been severed.
The removal of the revived lim but the
turgeons EXAMINATION, pronounced the wound mor'
tel. Contrary TO their expectations, he recovered
lie wounded four times during this war, and had
three lorses shot under hin. Alter the conclusion OF
the peace with FrsDce, he served on the coast OF
America under Gen. Lambert, until the conclusion OF
the here, when he re oined he Duke of Wellng-
ton in BE- GUM, in 1875 In 1916 be served in the ex-
pedition against Algers; Adutant Of the corps OF
sappers for rome years after the peace. Aiterw.rj,
Is msjor of engiueers he was employed in
restoring the Government buildings ruined in the de-
structye hurricane which devastated Barbados 10
1884, While employed curiosity led him " to search
"every where for accounts of previous hurricanes IN
" the hope of learning something OF their causes and
" mode If action, but in the West Indian histories
" could find little beyond details Of the losses in lives
aid property, and attempt to furnish data wher.-
by TIE true character the sctua of these
"storns might lie stigated" While thuseDgaged,
the fret of the meteorological papers of laIneuted
couutrymsn, VIM. &. Redield met his eye being that
published in The Amricaa Journal Of Science IN 1881.
This be ,ays, was the first paper he had met with
which appeared to convey any just opinion on the
"suhjeei Of hurricanes, and strongly impressed that
Mr. Reef. Ids views were correct, be determined 10
verify them "by carefay chartiog the observations
" made at different points," He be came satisfied
of the rotave char .cer and discriminate progress of
the gales snd hurricanes Of the North t.ntic, ss
u nantained by Mr.. Redfeld. In 1888, having been
able 10 devote attention to these inquiries, he
published his frst paper hurricanes in the second
volume # Professional Papers of the Royal Eogi-
peers and socn after having prepared himself by
careful analysis Of various hucanes hs published his
valuable work entitled An Atttupt to Develope the
" Law of Storms by of Facts arranged accord
"ing TO Lace and time. OF this three editions have
appeared. Some years later l8i9) he published
second work ent'led "The Progress of the Develop
- npent Of the Law Of Storms and Of the VARIABLE
Winds, with the practical application of the subject
"to Navigation" By these lsbors, with those of
Re1feld, PiddiDgton aud Thorn, his principal cowork-
err, the power Of knowledge has conquered even the
hurricane ami the intelligent mariner warned by iDdi-
cations If the barometer and tnose Of the early win is
Of the comI storm, may securely watch It's approach,
and avoid, IN almost oil cases its dangerous vortex,
and thus Fail on unframed by the gale-even while
skilluiy using s outer winds to expedite his voysge
But his meteorological abors valuable as they have
been, formed but portion of his usefulness. In 1888
lie received unsolicited, the appointment Of Governor
of Bermuda. On bis arrival there in 1889 he fonnd
agriculture far behind; corn and hay were imported;
there but little fruit bitter cltron trees grew
everywhere; and in sight of the Government House
wide swamp. Col. Reid set the example Of
improvement He grated sweet orange on bitter
tree in front Of the Governme 1t House; il bore
good fruit ard all the bitter trees were grated.
He craIed the swamp, imported ploys aud other i'm.
proved agricultural in plements from New-York, he'd
powrg taught gave prizes for the best productions,
ard in 1916 ,elo graud agricultural ete in foe Cry
meadow held-tbe Old swamp. In fact, he gave new
spirit To the people, showed them how to work out
their prosperity, changed the face of the slaod
tock great interest in promoting popular education, ia
diflsiIg tsmTeranoe traets and 80 won the iii u
"he Good G0reraor" by which he is still affection.
stely remembered n Bermuda. In one Of the volume,
Of Dickens's Household Words, the praises Of this
MODEL Governor +" iray be found set forth.
In 1916 he was transferred 10 the Windwsrd Wes.
Irda I-lsndr, comprising Bsrbstoe-, s.. Lucia, Sc.
VlpceIr, Grersds, Tobsgo and Trinidad Here sl-o.
by his fim snd b-nefeent conduct he gained the con-
fcerce and gocd will Of the entire population, and
d.voted hinlself he had done at Bermuda. to the
welfare If his people and TO their advarcemert IN
agriculture, education and temperance. He removed
judge who had ued his power TO opp-ess the people,
and wien the bone government he.tated to give him
their sOppor 10 ,li- be promp.ly resigned his ofce
EHd returI ed TO England in Is4s In is49 he sp-
pointed Ccumsndrg Engineer at Woolwich, aud
comm srded rte engineer officers and ssppers and
mipsrs at the Great Industrial Exhibition; aud on the
rs'gIaiion of Mr.. Robert Stephenson, Col. Reid was
rsquesteo By the Royal Commission To become, in his
rocm Charm AL Of the Executive Committee 10 which
capacity lie served With unremittrg attention. On