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DICTIONARY OF INDIAN BIOGRAPHY
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control of the revenue administration of Bengal. He deserves to be remembered for his heroic efforts, in the face of misrepresentation and slander, to alleviate the horrors of the great famine of 1770 in Bengal: noted for his honesty, during his 13 years of service under the Company: took no private gifts or bribes. In 1774, he retired to England with a modest fortune, which he soon after risked and lost in trying to help a friend: returned to India: was given a subordinate post as head of the Calcutta Mint, 1781; died Nov. 17, 1782, at Calcutta.

BECK, THEODORE (1859–1899)

Of a Quaker family: educated at a Quaker school, at London University, Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge: President of the Union Debating Society: appointed Principal of the M.A.O. College, Alighar, when he was only 24: he reorganized the College, establishing order out of chaos, reformed the discipline, introduced improvements, adjusted the finances, was devoted to his work and in warm sympathy with the Muhammadans: working with Sir Syad Ahmad (q.v.) until his death, in 1898, and afterwards with the trustees of the institution: died at Simla, Sep. 2, 1899.

BECKWITH, SIR THOMAS SYDNEY (1772–1831)

Son of Maj-General J. Beckwith: joined the 71st regt. in India in 1791, then under Col. D. Baird (q.v.): was at the siege of Seringapatam by Lord Cornwallis in 1792 and the taking of Pondicherry by Baird in 1793: served also in Ceylon, at Copenhagen, at Hanover, in Denmark, the Peninsula, Canada: Maj-General and K.C.B., 1814: Lt-General, 1830: was appointed C. in C. at Bombay in 1829: died of fever at Mahableshwar, Jan. 19, 1831.

BEDDOME, RICHARD HENRY (1830–)

Born May 11, 1830: son of R. B. Beddome: educated at Charterhouse: joined the Madras Army: was Quarter-master and Interpreter of his regiment, 42nd Infantry, 1856: Assistant Conservator of Forests, Madras, 1857: Head of the Madras Forest Department, 1860 to 1882, when he retired as Colonel: Fellow of the Madras University, 1880: author of The Flora Sylvatica of the Madras Presidency, (400 trees). The Ferns of Southern India, (345 plates). Hand-book to the Ferns of India, besides pamphlets on new reptiles and land shells discovered by him in India.

BEIDERLINDEN, RIGHT REV. BERNARD, D.D. (1842–)

German: born at Miinster, Aug. 18, 1842: entered the Society of Jesus, Aug. 23, 1865: arrived in India, Nov. 6, 1879: occupied various posts in colleges, etc., became Superior of the Jesuit Mission, Oct. 4, 1882: nominated first Catholic Bishop of Poona, Suffragan of Bombay, Dec. 22, 1886, consecrated, Feb. 27, 1887, at Allahabad: still in occupation of the See.

BELL, REV. DR. ANDREW, D.D. (1753–1832)

"The eminent founder of the Madras system of education": son of a barber at St. Andrew's: born March 27, 1753: educated at St. Andrew's School and University: ordained, 1784: M.D.: tutor in Virginia, 1774–9: went to India, 1787: in 2 years he had obtained and held simultaneously eight Army chaplaincies: in 1789 he was Chaplain of St. Mary's, Madras, and Superintendent of the Madras Male Orphan Asylum, and there introduced a system of mutual instruction by the boys, who were thus alternately learners and teachers, one half of the class teaching the other half: accompanied]Genl. Braithwaite to capture of Pondicherry, 1793: with a pension from the E.I.Co.,he returned to England in 1797, and laboured hard to spread his system at home and abroad: it was adopted in places: Rector of Swanage, 1801, Master of Sherbinrn Hospital, 1809: as Superintendent, in 1811, of the National Society for promoting the education of the poor in the principles of the Established Church, he could advance his Madras system, but it could not be an entire system of education: he was made LL.D: also a Prebendary of Westminister: gave £120,000 to found a College at St. Andrew's: died Jan. 27, 1832, and was buried in Westminster Abbey: a tablet erected to his memory.

BELL, THOMAS EVANS (1825–1887)

Major: born Nov. 11,1825: son of William Bell: educated at Wandsworth: went