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^5 (•farnell Hniuetaity library 3tl(ara. Nrm ^nrk BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF HENRY W. SAGE 1891 TlIf^«afe snows when this volume was taken. To renew this book copy the call No. and give to the librarian. HOME USE RULES All Books subject to recall All borrowers must regjs- ter in the library to borrow books for home use. All books must be re- turned at end of college year for inspection and repairs. Limited books must be returned within the four week limit and not renewed. Students must return all books before leaving town. Officers should arrange for the return of books wanted during their absence from town. Volumes of periodicals and of pamphlets are held in the library as much as possible. For special pur- poses they are given out for a limited time. Borrowers should not use their library privileges for the benefit of other persons. Books of special value and gift books, when the giver wishes it, are not allowed to circtdate. Readers are asked to re- port all cases of books marked or mutilated. Do not deface books by marks and writing. Cornell University Library DA 565.W74W33 Life of Maior-General Sir Charles Willia 3 1924 028 345 977 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028345977 SIR CHARLES W. WILSON THE LIFE OF MAJOR-GENERAL SIR CHARLES WILLIAM WILSON ROYAL ENGINEERS K.C.B., K.C.M.G., F.R.S., D.C.L., LL.D., M.E. BY COLONEL SIR CHARLES M. ^ATSON K.C.M.G., C.E., M.A., LATE ROYAL ENGINEERS WITH PORTRAIT, MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. K.-4oEa2> ; PREFACE Thk materials from which this memoir of the late Sir Charles WUson has been compiled, consist principally of his own diaries and note-books, which he always kept in a very thorough manner of his official reports, printed in Parliamentary Papers, and of other published writings ; and, more especially, of his letters to his wife, in which, when away from home, he recorded everything that he did and saw during his travels. Lady Wilson placed the whole of these letters at my disposal, and I have given a considerable number of extracts from them, as they afford a fuller insight into his actions and his thoughts than any one else could give, and it seemed advisable, as far as possible, to let him speak for himself. Sir C. Wilson's career was a remarkably varied and interesting one. He was fortunate in having been selected, at an early age, to serve on the' North American Boundary Commission, as the excellent work which he did in connection with it brought him under the notice of the Foreign Office, and led to further employment later. vi PREFACE For many years he served upon the Ordnance Survey, and was probably the only man who has had charge of the work of that Department in Scotland, Ireland, and afterwards in the United Kingdom. In the War Office he was employed twice, first in the Intelligence Branch, the foundation of which owed much to his exertions, and, secondly, as Director- General of Military Education. One of the most important periods of his life was the time during which he worked under the Foreign Office ; first, as British representative on the Servian Boundary Commission; then as Military Consul-General in Anatolia, and as Com- missioner in Eastern B,umelia; and lastly under Lord Dufferin in Egypt, where he was selected to fill a very important position in connection with the trial of Arabi Pasha and the other leaders of that military revolt, which led to the British occupation of the country. When serving under Lord Dufferin in Egypt, Wilson was brought into close connection with the Sudan question, and the mission of General Gordon, and did his best, though unfortimately in vain, to induce the British Government to take a serious view of the situation. With his intimate knowledge of the subject it was heart-breaking to realise the coming evils, and yet to be unable to do anything to avert them. — PREFACE vii In the Nile expedition of 1884, he held the important position of Chief of the Intelligence Department. In consequence of the unjustifiable attempt which was made at the time to lead the public to believe that he was responsible for the failure to relieve Khartum before it was captured by the Mahdi, it has been necessary to enter at some length into the real causes which led to the non- success of the expedition, which may be summarised as follows : 1. The refusal to allow General Sir G. Graham to open the Suakin-Berber road in March 1884. 2. The delay in authorising an expedition for the relief of Khartum. 3. The loss of time due to the decision to wait for boats to be built in England. 4. The policy adopted with regard to the Mudir of Dongola. 5. The neglect to provide sufficient camels for the desert march. 6. The halt of the desert column at Jakdul. These causes, which led to a delay of more than nine months, are fully dealt with in the following pages. Sir Charles Wilson had many interests in life outside his military and poHtical duties, and probably did more than any other man to increase the knowledge of the geography and archaeology viii PREFACE of Asia Minor, Palestine, and the adjacent countries. The happy inspiration that led him in 1864 to ask to be employed on the Ordnance Survey of Jerusalem led to the scientific explora- tion of Palestine, and all the work that has since been carried out in that direction is in great part 'due to his exertions. My personal acquaintance with Wilson lasted for many years. It commenced in 1874, when, as a young subaltern, I was going out to join General Gordon in the Sudan for survey work, and when he assisted me most kindly with his advice. From that time he was always a true friend, and we kept up a fairly continuous correspondence, especially with respect to Egypt and the Sudan. I served with him for fifteen years on the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. I have to thank Mr G. Macmillan for kindly giving me the details of Wilson's connection with the Asia Minor Exploration Fund, a society in which he took a special interest. The vie^vs in Jerusalem and Sinai are taken from photographs made by the Ordnance Survey party under Wilson's command; and the views in Asia Minor are from photographs which Mr D. G. Hogarth was good enough to lend me for the purpose. C. M. WATSON. London, April 1909, — CONTENTS CHAPTER I EARLY LIFE PACK Birth and Parentage—Thomas Wilson of Philadelphia—Hean Castle—School at St David's—Liverpool School—Chelten- ham College—Bonn University—Appointed to the Koyal Engineers—Chatham—Shorncliffe Camp—Gosport . 1-12 CHAPTER II THE NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION The boundary between Canada and the United States — Appointed Secretary to the British Commission of 1858 Panama—Esquimalt—The Eraser River—The work of the Boundary Commission —The Columbia River—A winter journey—Return to England .... 13-40 CHAPTER III JERUSALEM AND PALESTINE — The Survey of Jerusalem "Wilson appointed to carry out the work—Plan of operations—Church of the Holy Sepulchre —Visit of His Royal Highness Prince Arthur—Levelling from the Jordan to the Mediterranean —Foundation of the Palestine Exploration Fund—The preliminary survey of the Holy Land 41-60 CHAPTER IV THE SURVEY OF SINAI Appointed to the Ordnance Survey of Scotland—Marriage The Borough Boundary Commission — The Survey of Mount Sinai—Jebel Musa and Jebel Serbal—Conclusions arrived at—Appointed Executive Officer of the Topo- graphical Department 61-73 ix — X CONTENTS CHAPTER V THE WAR OFFICE, AND ORDNANCE SURVEY, IRELAND PAeB History of the Topographical Department—Separation from the Ordnance Survey—Origin of the Intelligence Depart- ment—Wilson's work at the War Office—Appointed to the Ordnance Survey, Ireland—Elected Fellow of the Royal Society—Sir 0. Warren's explorations in Jerusalem—The Survey of Palestine .... .... 74-93 CHAPTER VI THE SERVIAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION The Treaty of Berlin—Appointed British Commissioner for the Servian Boundary—Belgrade—Nisch—Vranja—The delimitation of the Boundary—Visit to Albania—Pro- moted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel for work in Servia . 94-102 CHAPTER VII CONSUL-GENERAL IN ASIA MINOR The Reforms in Asia Minor—The Military Consuls—Appointed Consul-General of Anatolia—^Constantinople—First tour of inspection — Brusa — Kutaya— Konia — Kaisariyeh Sivas—Report on the Reforms 103-122 CHAPTER VIII THE CIRCASSIANS Visit to the Circassians in Uzun Yaila—Description of the people—Azizieh—The Avshars—A Circassian home Gurun—Reception by Kangal Agha—^Visit to Tokat and Amasia—Arrival of Abeddin Pasha—Winter journey to Samsun 123-154 CHAPTER IX ASIA MINOR Journey to Constantinople by Angora and Ismid—Report on the state of the country—Tour in southern Asia Minor with his wife—The seven churches—Report on southern Asia Minor — Administration of Justice i- The Refugee Question 155-175 — CONTENTS xi CHAPTER X EASTERN RDMBMA PADK Arrival of Mr Ooschen—Reception by the Sultan—Commisaion of Enquiry in Eastern Rumelia— Wilson's instructions Philippopoli—Macedonia—Boiirgas—Report on the state of the country—The Dardanelles—Pergamos— Discoveries by Dr Karl Humann ... 176-186 CHAPTER XI THE LAST TEAR IN ASIA MINOR Smyrna—Boar-hunting at Aidin—Journey to Aleppo—The Phrygian monuments— Created K.C.M.G.

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