New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-06
SIR HENRY RAWLINSON.
THE INTERPRETER OF THE CUNEIFORM
INSCRIPTIONS DEAD.
THE STORY or \ LONG AND USEFUL LIFE
SPENT IN TIE SERVICE OF THE STATE
AND OF SCIENCE.


SPENT IN TIE SERVICE OF THE STATE
AND OF SCIENCE.
London March .-Major-General Sir Henry
Creswicke Rawlinson died this morning
The "Fa Their Of ArsyIioogy" was one OF those
men, moro numerous in Great Britain than in
America, who unite In their careers important
political services and great literary or scientific
achievements. Lord Salisbury. Prime Minister
and practical electrician and general scientist;
Mr. Gladstone Prime Minister and classical
scholar: Mr.. Bafour. leader OF the Commons and
metaphysician and many other examples readily
occur. The subject OF the present sketch rem
dered political military and diplomatic services
10 the British Empire sufficient to insure him
brilliant and permanent fame. He also did
literary. geographical and archaeological work
mat entities him "A place among the foremost
scholars Of the century. His younger brother II
IL true. has been more prolific and more pOpu-
lar writer But 1t was he who gave that brother
his inspira ion and the richest materials for his
work Together. the two have made the name
of Rawlinson more eminent than before
since II first became conspicuous in the days Of
Henry VII
Henry Creswcke Rawlinson was born at Chad
lington. in Oxfordshire. in 1910, three years be-
professor His father. A. T. Rawllnson. a
thorouShgoing country squire. VINO I'm orthodox
fashion destined his eldest son for the service of
the State and the younger for that Of the
Church. The two boys we're accord nsIy. sent
10 school at Ealing. But while George was
afterward sent tn Trinity. Oxford, Henry on
leaving Ealing packed off 10 Bombay to
serve in John COmpanys army. There he
showed himself good soldier and a keen sports
man to boot. az WIS BETTING the son Of squire
who won Derby with horse bred and trained
by himself Old Indian soldiers still tell Of
"Raw.nsons ride" which the young man made
In 1888 down the Chants from Poonah to Pan
wcll-seventy-,w miles-in three hours and Soy
entcen miuctes. That was his farewell 10 India,
for the time: Tor few weeks later ne was sent
to Persia where che serious part OF his life
WORT; began.
For six years no was I'm the Persian service
visiting every part % tho Empire and doing
great and varied work Especially useful was he
20 the Shah in re1Iganizirg the army. in which
ne held the rank II major. and His Majesty
bestowed upon him therefor the insignia Of the
order Of the Lion and the sun. But he did more
than serve the shah He set himself TO the stu
pendous task Of dccphering the famous "cdnei-
form inscriptions" beginning with the tTilingual
tMedian. Persian and Babylonian tablets found
n ancient
copied the FIRST column of he great behistun IN
scriptons In the cuneiform characters, engraved
the polished fac" 81 a lofty rock at the height
Of three or flur hundred feet from the ground
To copy these ron the frau support II ladder
which rr,fcl on 4 ledge scarcely two ieet IN
breadth was perilous undertaking indeed. Tor
which only = v"'y ardent antiquary would nave
..et. d hi- re.h Hut IN this way the larirG 3nd
1.,1'al young man gay" 20 the learned world
r'W historical sc.crc". Then came n rupture ~
ro -9iilur he ~, en- Gr,at Britain and Persia I'm
lots al e.
slr.tc. o. ia. tish Raw'iEson a. on.' lT"-
coded - S,lrue and thcnc" T. Afshaniftan
vh.i. h- wa .u 1879. Wea" British political
agent Al Eanlah1r Ills services m mt 'rdL-
Drs III" w.ro - irestimabl" value. Az through
the fra; Afghan waf. which then caHP' Nh. =.
l.ll tina capi'al cafe from iutrigu's WITHIN ana
attack without His name WAS often men
toned with highest praise in the ron'nAnfnE
g.rof,rs DISPATCHES from the field. and tn" honor
~ G Il was conferred upon him. II" returned to
India with the afrrgng army. ana was IT,
quos.od by Lord Elienborough - resum" dltN IN
the la,ter country I'm an important ONO But ne
was resolved to continue his study - Central
Asian artlquit',e AL therefore preferred 10 80
to Rng!ad in a much humber capacity
A. Pagdad ne made pics AM TRANSACTIONS "'
numb"r q anci"nt inscriptions. ara sen, 'l'I
30 tn. British Museum. tn" trustees oi thA'
institution thereuTon commissioned him - sup"f-
intend the excavations at Bibylon ana Nin".'h
which tlyArd mad begun. THIS re did. srh'. ns
hon. many carg,cs e slabs and Other relies an
his return to- England In 1850 he was made
crown director = me East india company ana
in 1855 hc became member ~ the '1uA'i 81
India Trio NEXT spring he was commissioner as
Maio--t;encra' and Gent 20 Teherau ~ BRUSH
Minister 20 the court - Persia. lie returned
homo IN 1858 and was promptly Giect ,r.,o 10
I'm lS5s but had - decline the seat in order 10
enter the Council u India. In 1865 he ietirei
from Parliament and became a IN" member OF
the Council ~ india IN when ono" ne r'Hu'i'u
most valuable services 10 the Empire. ~ pontcs
be was originally Liberal, but In later years
he differed widely from that parry 'speciai!y IN
lhl Il ln1 To-
ton he took ln his mastery work. England
and Russia In the East" that Herat as inc
key OF India" must be- secured against kussl:Si
occupation At all hazards. ana thnt IN me even,
" Rssa's hostile approa IN 10 that city II would
be ndspcu sable q the safety 81 lndii tha' Eng
land should resume with IN" consent ana III
friendly cooperation with the Am""rs forces
her military occupation OF Western AfghaMstan
Sir Henry was not vouminous wrter IN
addition To tho treatise already ment;oneu ne
wrote vsrous papers on the Antiquities " ne
East csnecialv on the Interpretation ~ the
cuneiform Inscriptions which were publ!sheu III
the journals OF the Geographical ana Asiatlc So
cietics In 1875 ne published series or papers
on the politics and ge lgraphy Of Central As.a
He was also the literary partner OF ms ntoIn me.
Professor George RawlinsOn ana OF Slr u, VIZ
kinsOn In bringing out new Eng.ish VERSION , ~
Herodotur with coplous notes In 1880 SIR
Henry wGs made a X. {. Is. IN lN'h. anu ~ i'''
n c. C. b. and In 1921 he was made baroHe'
Gin recognition IF h,a distinguished service 10
the State" He was honored by Prussia WIN thc
order for Merit. and was n Foreign ASsoSia" "
the French Institute. The Vienna Imperial Aeau-
envy Of Sciences. In May. ISL. elected MN an
honorary member T. succeed Charles Darwin
He was appointed trustee OF the bFltlsh
Museum IN 1875 b. Disraeli and was director
OF the Royal Asatlc Society. and for many years
president ~ the ROYAL Geographical Society lie
was a member. active or honorary. OF Dozens 81
learned societies IN Europe ana America w
ford gave him the degree OF II. I. L. ana '""-
bridge and Edinhurg that Of LID
In his London home. during the CLOSING !ta,H
OF his long and eventful life. sir Henry was sun
nf iCi
and his house was veritabe museum OF ahci'h'
relies which he was fond II showing ana eN-
planning to his guests. Taking In mana pou-
derous volume Zone ~ series OF folio Noiunes
of inscriptions edited by HIN for the brltlsh
Muscum) from the booksheves OF his library ne
would point out the lthogrPph'c 'opss ~ w
r,moud Rehia,up tablets which set forth the