secretary of state for war, in which post he had much to do with the introduction of the ‘modern system’ of army organization. He had previously thought deeply upon the question of army reform, and his chief, who recognized his exceptional qualities, appointed him assistant adjutant-general at the War Office, where he remained until 1878, having been promoted colonel in 1872. In 1878 he was selected for special service in Cyprus under Sir Garnet Wolseley, and in the following year he went to Constantinople as commissioner to arrange the financial details under the Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1878. On Wolseley’s departure for South Africa a few months later, Biddulph succeeded him as high commissioner and commander-in-chief in Cyprus, where his main activities included the reformation of the currency, reorganization of the administration of justice, revision of taxation, the destruction of the locust scourge, and the construction of public works. In 1883 he was promoted major-general. He was very much respected and liked by the inhabitants of Cyprus, and the home government offered him a higher appointment in Natal; but, for family reasons, he was obliged to decline the post, and came home in 1886 in order to take up the post of inspector-general of recruiting. He was made lieutenant-general in the following year and general in 1892.
In 1893, having in the meanwhile filled the posts of director-general of military education (1888-1893) and quartermaster-general (January 1893), Biddulph was appointed governor and commander-in-chief at Gibraltar, where he remained nearly seven years. Here he again turned his mind to currency reform, and was also responsible for the re-arming of the fortress and the construction of new harbour and dockyard works. He returned to England in 1900, and later was president of the court set up to inquire into the supply of remounts during the Boer War. In 1904, the year in which he published Lord Cardwell at the War Office, he was appointed army purchase commissioner. He was the last person to hold that office, and it fell to him to complete one of Cardwell’s great reforms, the abolition of the purchase of commissions. In 1914 he succeeded Lord Roberts as master gunner of St. James’s Park. He died in London 18 November 1918. His career was connected principally with administration, but his military qualities were also very considerable. Throughout his life he was guided by strong religious principles. He was created K.C.M.G. (1880), G.C.M.G. (1886), and G.C.B. (1899). He married in 1864 Sophia (died 1905), daughter of the Rev. Anthony Lewis Lambert, rector of Chilbolton, Hampshire, and widow of Richard Stuart Palmer, of Calcutta. They had four sons and six daughters.
[The Times, 20 November 1918; private information.]
BINNIE, Sir ALEXANDER RICHARDSON (1839-1917), civil engineer, born in London 26 March 1839, was the eldest son of Alexander Binnie, wholesale clothier, of 77 Ladbroke Grove, London, by his wife, Hannah, daughter of Isaac Carr, of Johnby, Cumberland. He was educated privately, and articled in 1858 to Terence Woulfe Flanagan, civil engineer, and on the latter’s death to John Frederic La Trobe-Bateman [q.v.] with whom he continued as assistant until 1862. From 1862 to 1866 Binnie was employed in railway construction in mid-Wales, and in 1867, after examination, he was appointed an executive engineer in the Public Works Department of India. He was stationed at Nagpur, and while there in 1873 carried out the works for the supply of that city with water from Ambajheri. In conjunction with Major Lucey Smith, he discovered coal at Warora in the Chanda district. This led to the construction of the Wardha—Warora branch of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway and to the opening up of the coal-field, for which Binnie received the commendation of the government of India. The Warora colliery was worked from 1871 till 1906.
In March 1875 Binnie was appointed chief engineer for waterworks to the city of Bradford. He repaired and reconstructed the Stubden, Leeshaw, and Leeming reservoirs, and designed and constructed the reservoirs at Barden and Thornton Moor. He also prepared the plans and sections for the Nidd Valley water scheme, which, however, was not actually carried out till after he had left Bradford.
In March 1890 Binnie was appointed chief engineer to the London County Council, a position which he held till 1901. During this time he superintended the construction of the Blackwall and Greenwich tunnels under the Thames and the Barking Road bridge over the Lea. In 1891, with Sir Benjamin Baker [q.v.], he prepared a report to the London County Council on the main drainage of London, and began the work of addition and reconstruction, therein recommended,
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