Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-24
THE LATE COLONEL BURNABY.

THE LATE COLONEL BUhNAB1.
Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Gustavus
Burnaby, whose death was announced in
the cable dispatches from the Soudan, was
born at Bedford, England, in March, 1912.
Fred. Burnaby could boast Of royal blood
flowing through his veins. He was the
nineteenth in descent from Edward /. He
was educated at Harrow. While still boy
he sent some literary squibs about the school
to Punch. They were published, and nearly
caused the expulsion ofyoung Burnaby. He
was ever remarkable for being the foremost
in all athletic exercises. He devoted him
self to the modern languages in preference
to the ancient. and became proficient in
Spanish, Italian and Russian.
In 1853, at sixteen years of age, Burnaby
passed his examination and was gazetted
cornet in the Royal Horse Guards (Blue).
He was the youngest of 150 candidates. Two
years later he became lieutenant, in 1856 he
was appointed captain, in 1879 he was NOM
mated major, in 1880 he attained the rank
of lieutenant colonel, and in 1881 was pro-
noted to one of the most coveted and hon
ored appointments in Her Majesty's service
regiment-one of the most magnificent corps
in any army in the world.
Colonel Burnaby had burning love for
adventure, and in 1866 he began those
wanderings which have made his name
famous all over the world. He travelled in
that year through Spain and France, see
ing enough and doing enough tofill volumes
were the story written. He was as popular
in Spanish society as he was in English and
French. In 1870 he paid brief visit to
aff ba
piles, where he was struck down with fever.
The Duke of Connaught, who happened to
be in the city at the time, had the patient
removed from hotel to more comfortable
quarters and did much to forward his re-
covery. Ia 1874 Colonel Burnaby visited
Spain and attached himself to the army of
Don Carlos He assisted at Allo, Dicastillo,
Vera and Maneru, as well as the capture OF
ESteila and the siege of Tolosa.
At the close Of 1874 Colonel Burnaby was
in Central Africa, where he went to visit
the expedition of the celebrated "Chinesc
Gordon" who had organized and was i'll
command of en expedition formed under
the auspices Of the Egyptian government
for the purpose of exploring, and if possible
civilzng, the 'Unknown Land" The first
step in attaining the latter end was the sup.
preston of the slave trade, which Was car
rcd on in q barbarous and drevoltingmanner
by the Arabs. General Gordon found in
Colonel Burnaby one of his NEST faithful
and energetic auxiliaries.
But the deed of daring with which Col
onel Burnaby's name is most closely ldentl-
fed is his celebrated 'Ride TO Khiva,"
which occurred in 1876, and which per-
haps is one of the most adventurous jour
neys on record. Literally, during that
memorable ride, he carried his life in his
hand for not only was he exposed to the
hardships of an Asiatic-Russan midwinter,
but the government Of the Car had strictly
forbidden foreigners to be admitted into the
Khivan territory. Nothing daunted, Fred
Burnaby arrived in st. Petersburg and pene-
trated into the mystic region, amid dangers
which might well have deferred a Bayard
and adventures compared to which Marco
Polo's sink into prosaic insignifcance. He
had a narrow escape from losing both his
hands and arms through the dreaded frost
bite. But he returned safe and sound. He
rode from Scutari to Angora, Siros, Diviriki,
Arabkir, Erzingan and thence by the Eu-
phrates to Erzeroum. From Hoy he rode
through the Kotoor Pass to Van, the capi-
tai of Armenia. During the greater part of
his tour he had to traverse difficult coun-
try, in which very frequently there was no
road at all. in the thick layers of mud.
In 1S77.7S he repaired to the seat of the
Russo Turkish war and rendered splendid
service in looking after the sick and wound
ed, but though acting only in purely civil
capacity he was ever found in the midst OF
danger \ dastardly attempt was made to
poison him at Gumurdjina by Bulgarian
acolyte in the service of the Greek Arch
bishop. Baker Pacha had also a narrow
escape on the same occasion, but owing to
the skill of Dr. Gill both gentlemen re-
covered.
When he returned to England in 1878 the
Birmingham Conservative Association unan-
imously nominated him for Parliament, but
he was not successful In the following
year he married Elizabeth, only child of Sir
St. Vincent Bentinck Hawkins -Whitshed,
Bart, of Killoncarrick, county Wicklow,
Ireland.
Colonel Burnaby was six feet four inches
tall and massively built. He was gifted
with great tenacity Of purpose and i'm
mense physical power. He could perform
extraordinary feats in fencing, boxing and
dumb bell exercises, and could carry pair
of ponies under his arms. He was strict
disciplinariau and was an advocate of fog
ging in the army indeed, it is said that it
was principally owing to his favoring the
"cat" that his defeat at Birmingham was
brought about"
The Siam Weekly Advertiser of issue of
November 10th. twelve days after the date