MILES, WILLIAM (1780–1860), major-general Indian army, obtained a cadetship in 1799, becoming on 6 March 1800 ensign, and on 20 March 1800 lieutenant in the 1st Bombay native infantry. He joined his regiment in 1801 at Alexandria, where it formed part of the force sent from India under Sir David Baird to join in the expulsion of the French. On settling in India he took part in operations against Baroda and in 1804 at Bhurtpore. He became captain 27 March 1815, and in the same year was made commandant of the British guard at Baroda. In 1817 he captured the fortified town of Pahlanpore, reinstating the rightful heir and acting for some years as political superintendent of the state. In 1820 he, as political agent with Colonel Barclay's expedition, concluded a treaty with the Rajah of Radhanpore. He became major 21 May 1821, and on 1 May 1824 was appointed lieutenant-colonel 1st Bombay European regiment. In 1826 he concluded a treaty with the chiefs of Suigam, in Gujerat, formerly noted freebooters, who since the treaty have been peaceful cultivators. He was subsequently resident in Kuch and political agent in Gujerat. He became brevet-colonel 1 Dec. 1829, and retired from the command of the 9th Bombay native infantry 28 July 1834. He was promoted major-general 28 Nov. 1854 and died 21 May 1860.
Miles published a translation (London, 1838) of the ‘Shajrat Ul Atrak,’ or genealogical tree of the Turks and Tartars, a native work, the chief merit of which is said, in the introduction, to reside in the details it furnishes of Ghengis Khan (Ceenghis Khan) and his successors. He also translated for the Oriental Translation Fund ‘Ali Kirmānā’ Husain's ‘History of Hyder Naik,’ London [1842], 8vo; and his ‘History of the Reign of Tipú Sultan,’ London [1844], 8vo.
[Information supplied by the India Office; Hunter's Gazetteer of India; Philippart's East India Military Calendar; Miles's own papers.]
MILES, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS (1753?–1817), political writer, born 1 July 1753 or 1754, was son of Jefferson Miles, proof-master general (d. 1763). The boy, who was ill provided for, ran away from a school near Portsmouth ‘in order to espouse the cause of Mr. Wilkes.’ After travelling in America he returned to England and was appointed in 1770 to the ordnance office, but soon quarrelled with his superiors and retired, afterwards exposing in the ‘Letters of Selim’ the abuses of the office. In 1773 he published his ‘Letter to Sir John Fielding’ [q. v.], with a postscript to D. Garrick, esq., protesting against the suppression of the ‘Beggar's Opera.’ He thus won the friendship of Garrick, through whose influence he obtained a civil appointment in the navy. He served under Rodney in the West Indies during the American war, was in Newfoundland in 1779, and two years later was a prisoner of war in St. Lucia. Soon after his release he left the service. In August 1782 he was in Dublin, and was corresponding with Lord Temple (just appointed lord-lieutenant), with the view of obtaining political employment. Though backed by the influence of Lord Shelburne, he failed, and in January following went to the continent, settling at Seraing, near Liège, in order to economise and educate his daughter. He became intimate with two successive prince-bishops of Liège. In 1784–5 he published in the ‘Morning Post’ some letters (signed ‘Neptune’ and ‘Gracchus’) in support of Pitt's ministry, and condemning the Prince of Wales and his supporters. Pitt appreciated his assistance, and is said to have employed him as a confidential correspondent. The statesman's latest biographer refers to him as a ‘wearisome busybody’ (Lord Rosebery, Pitt, p. 127).
In September 1785, when on a visit to England, Miles seems to have suggested to Pitt a legacy tax (Introduction to Correspondence on French Revolution, note on p. 20), but at least two other persons claimed to have made the same suggestion (Rosebery, Pitt, p. 153 n). Obliged to remove to Brussels on account of the Liège revolution, he lived there through 1788, still holding confidential relations with the English foreign secretary. In 1789 he made a vain attempt to persuade Pitt to interfere in the affairs of Liège. On 5 March 1790 Miles had an interview with the prime minister, and in July was sent to Paris with a view to inducing the constituent assembly to annul the family compact with Spain. At Paris he came to know Mirabeau, Lebrun, Lafayette (whom he had met during his naval experiences in America), and other leading politicians. In April 1791 he left Paris for London. Pitt offered him a pension of 300l. a year for his past services, and he acted as intermediary between the agents of the French republic in London and the ministry, seeking to prevent war. In 1794 he issued a ‘Letter to Earl Stanhope on his Political Conduct in reference to the French Revolution,’ London, 1794, with notes and postscript, and the ‘Letter to the Duke of Graffton,’ in which Lafayette was defended from the charges made against him by Burke on 17 March in the House of Commons (Monthly Review, vol. xiv.)
In 1795 Miles published anonymously his
