ping, and that his adventures suggested " Robinson Crusoe." founded upon Selkirk's " Providence Dis- play'd" (London, 1712), an exceedingly rare pam- phlet. Cowper's " Lines on Solitude, supposed to lie written by Alexander Selkirk," beginning "I am monarch of all I survey, are well known. See " The Life and Adventures of Alexander Selkirk," by John Howell (Edinburgh, 1829). A bronze statue of Selkirk was recently unveiled at Largo on the site of the cottage in which the mariner was born.
SELKIRK. Edward, clergyman, b. in Waterbury. Conn.. 13 Oct., 1809 : d. 14 Feb., 1891. He
was graduated at Trinity in 1840, at the General
theological seminary in 1843. was ordained deacon
in the Protestant Episcopal church the same year,
and became priest in 1844. He was then rector of
Trinity church, Albany, X. Y., in which he con-
tinued till 1884, when he became rector emeritus.
He was an honorary canon of the Albany cathedral,
lie had published "An Address on the Laying of
the Corner-Stone of Trinity Church" (Albany,
1844) and "History of Trinity Church " (1870).
SELKIRK. Thomas Douglas, Earl of, b. at
the family-seat, St. Mary's isle, Kirkcudbrightshire,
Scotland, in June, 1771 ; d. in Pau, France, 8 April,
1820. He studied at Edinburgh university from
1786 till 1790, early developed a taste for literary
pursuits, and was an associate of Sir Walter Scott.
He succeeded his brother as Lord Dacre in 1797,
and his father as Earl of Selkirk in May, 1799. In
1803 he settled a colony of 800 Scottish Highlanders
upon waste land that was given to him by the
government in Prince Edward island, and soon
afterward he established a small colony in Kent
county, Upper Canada. While residing in Mon-
treal he conceived the project of planting a colony
of evicted Highlanders from the estates of the
Duchess of Sutherland in the Red river country.
To accomplish this he purchased a large tract of
laud on the Red river for colonization from the
Hudson bay company. His Highland colonists be-
gan to arrive in 1811, and in 1812 the Red river
colony was established. Trouble ensued between
the colony and the Northwest trading company,
and the emigrants were driven from their new
homes. In 1816 Lord Selkirk went to Red river to
aid his colonists against their enemies, and, as-
sisted by a small armed force, restored them to
their lands and reimbursed them for their losses.
He became financially embarrassed in consequence
of his philanthropic schemes, and persecution and
slander so shattered his health that he never
recovered. Soon after his return to Scotland he
went to the south of France to recruit, but he
died shortly afterward. He wrote " Observations
on the Present State of the Highlands of Scotland,
with a View of the Causes and Probable Conse-
OAiences of Emigration " (London, 1805) ; " The
Necessity of a more Effectual System of National
Defence" (1808); "Sketch of the British Fur
Trade " (1816) : " The Red River Settlement "
(1817) ; and "Occurrences in the Indian Countries
of North America " (Montreal. 1818).
SELLERS, Colman. dynamical engineer, b. in
Philadelphia, Pa., 28 Jan., 1827. He was educated
at common schools and studied for five years with
Anthony Bolmar in West Chester, Pa. In 1S4U hr
became draughtsman in the Globe rolling-mill in
Cincinnati, Ohio, and he remained there for three
vears. during part of the time as superintendent.
Mr. Sellers then engaged in the manufacture of
locomotives, and served for five years as foreman
in the works of Niles and Co. In 1S.~>() he moved
to Philadelphia, where he became chief engineer
of William Sellers and Co. (the senior partner of
which firm was his second cousin), makers of ma-
chinists' tools, and general millwrights. Since
1888 he has devoted himself chiefly to consulting
practice. Mr. Sellers has obtained more than thirty
letters-patent for inventions of his own, one of the
first of which, a coupling device for shafting (1857),
is the essential factor in the modern system of in-
terchangeable shafting parts. His invention in
1866 of feed-disks for lathes or other machine tools
was the first practical solution of the problem of
the infinite gradation of feeds. His other pat-
ents relate chiefly to improved forms of tools
or modifications of existing machines. The use
of absorbent cotton for surgical operations was
recommended by him as early as 1861, and he
proposed the employment of glycerine in order
to keep photographic plates wet. He was ap-
pointed professor of mechanics in the Franklin
institute in 1881, and non-resident professor of
engineering practice in Stevens institute of tech-
nology in 1888. both of which chairs he still (1898)
holds. The order of St. Olaf was conferred on
him by the king of Sweden in 1877, and the degree
of doctor of engineering by Stevens institute in
1888. He was president of the Franklin institute
during 1870-'o, and of the American society of
mechanical engineers in 1884, and he has also held
that office in the Pennsylvania society for the pre-
vention of cruelty to animals and the Photo-
graphic society of Philadelphia. He is a member
of other learned societies both at home and abroad.
Mr. Sellers was chosen a member of the Seybert
commission to investigate the claims of Spiritual-
ists, owing to his knowledge of sleight-of-hand,
having been an expert in the practice of that art
from his childhood. He was American correspond-
ent of the " British Journal of Photography " in
1861-'3, and, in addition, contributed many papers
to technical journals.
SELLERS, William, mechanical engineer, b. in
Upper Darby, Pa., 19 Sept., 1824. He was educated
at a private school, and at the age of fourteen was
apprenticed to his uncle, a machinist, with whom he
remained for seven years. In 1845 he was called
to the management of the shops of the Fairbanks
and Bancroft machine-works in Providence, R. I.,
and two years afterward he established himself inde-
pendently in Philadelphia. He was then joined by
his former employer, and in 1848 the firm of Bancroft and Sellers was formed, which continued until 1855, when, on the death of the senior member, the style became William Sellers and Co. Mr. Sellers has been active in the improvement of existing forms of tools and machines, as well as in the invention of new patterns, and from his first patent, for an improvement on turning-lathes in 1854, until 1888 he has received seventy patents. His inventions have received numerous medals, and at the World's fair in Vienna in 1873 he was awarded a grand diploma of honor. In 1868 he established the Edgemoor iron company, which now owns the largest plant in this country for building iron bridges and other structures of iron and steel. All of the iron-work for the buildings of the World's fair in Philadelphia in 1876 were supplied by this company. He became president of the Midvale steel-works in 1873, and reorganized that concern, which is now one of the largest establishments in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Mr. Sellers was elected president of the Franklin institute in 1SU4. and while holding that office proposed the first formula that wa- ever tVere.l I'm- a -ystem of screws, threads, and nuts, which subsequently became the standard fur thr Tinted States. He is a member i 'f -eirntific societies both in this country and
