of Russia, where Peter the Great at first employed him as engineer, and afterwards promoted him to the rank of general. His family had long been celebrated for skill in canal-making, and Munnich inherited the talent. Peter was then engaged on his great enterprise of the Ladoga canal, which was to be of such vast importance to St. Petersburg, and to this work he directed the genius of Munnich. Even in his last illness he expressed a hope that "the labours of Munnich would cure him." Under Catherine the engineer went on with his work, and when Menzikoff, the favourite of Peter II., fell into disgrace, he was made count and governor of St. Petersburg and Finland. When the canal was completed, he was made field-marshal and privy councillor; but his rapid rise excited the jealousy of the courtiers, and he was sent to Poland and afterwards to the Crimea in command of an army. To repel the Turkish cavalry he invented the square battalions still used by the Russians. After many military successes he returned to the Russian court. The Empress Elizabeth came into power, and Munnich charged with plotting against her, was, with Osterman, sentenced to death, a sentence commuted into banishment to Siberia. In that desolate region he remained twenty years, but not giving way to despondency. Twice a day he assembled his household for prayer, and spent his leisure in composing hymns and religious "thoughts," which were afterwards printed. On the accession of Peter III. he returned in triumph, an old man of eighty-two, but still full of life and vigour. He appeared at court in the sheepskin dress of exile, but was immediately restored to all his titles. He died at the age of eighty-four. Much of the modern policy of Russia may be traced to Munnich.—P. E. D.
MUNOZ, Juan Bautista, a Spanish historian, born in 1745; died in 1799. He undertook in 1779, by the especial order of Charles III., a history of the Spanish conquests in America, "Historia del Nuevo Mundo," but met with opposition from the Academy of Madrid, who, by the royal permission, subjected the work to an examination which threatened to prevent its being printed at all. One volume was published in 1793, bringing the work down to the year 1500, but it has never been continued. Muñoz also wrote a eulogy of Lebrija, and two or three Latin treatises.—F. M. W.
MUNRO, Sir Thomas, Bart., K.C.B., a celebrated civil and military officer in the service of the East India Company, was born in 1761, and was a native of Glasgow, where his father, Mr. Alexander Munro, was a member of an extensive mercantile firm, which carried on business with the North American colonies. He was educated at the grammar-school and university of his native city, where he was distinguished for his skill in athletic exercises, as well as for his rapid progress in his studies, his amiable disposition, and personal courage. In compliance with the wishes of his father, he made choice of the mercantile profession; but soon after, his father having been ruined by the act of confiscation passed by the American congress in 1776, young Munro obtained the appointment of midshipman on board the East India Company's ship Walpole. Before sailing, however, this was fortunately exchanged for a Madras cadetship, and in 1779 he proceeded to the scene of his future eminent services, which he reached in January, 1780. After passing six weeks at the Presidency he was attached as ensign to the 16th Madras native infantry, and served with great distinction throughout the war with Hyder Ali, until peace was concluded with his son Tippoo, in 1784. Two years later he was promoted to a lieutenancy, and employed the period of peace in the diligent study of the Hindostanee and Persian languages, in which he ultimately acquired remarkable proficiency. His strong filial affection was shown by the liberal remittances which he made to his parents at this period from his own scanty funds, to alleviate the distress into which they had fallen. In 1778 Lieutenant Munro was appointed assistant in the intelligence department, under Captain Read, with the force destined to take possession of the province of Guntoor. In 1790 when Tippoo resumed hostilities with the British, Munro returned to his military duties, and served with the 21st battalion of native infantry, sharing in all the dangers and fatigues of the war till the conclusion of the definitive treaty. In 1792 came the turning point in Munro's career, which led to all his subsequent fame and fortune. This was his appointment to assist Captain Read in settling the district of Baramahl, which had been added to the company by the recent treaty. He discharged the laborious duties of this important office, which he held for seven years, with singular industry and zeal, and made himself thoroughly acquainted from personal observation with the condition of the people, the peculiarities of their manners and customs, and the capabilities and produce of the soil. In 1796 Lieutenant Munro was promoted to a captaincy. About two years afterwards, when war broke out again with Tippoo, he served under General Harris in the campaign which ended in the death of Tippoo and the capture of Seringapatam. On the reduction of that place. Captain Munro was nominated joint secretary to the commission appointed to arrange the partition treaty. He was next intrusted with the arduous task of reducing to order the new province of Canara on the western coast of the Peninsula. The charge was exceedingly difficult and laborious, and involved considerable personal sacrifices; but he undertook it from a strong sense of public duty, and at the end of fourteen months had the satisfaction to find his district reduced to tranquillity, the authority of the government established, and the revenues collected without difficulty, while at the same time the condition of the people was steadily improving. Having accomplished his task he thought himself at liberty to apply for his removal from a country which he disliked, and his appointment to the charge of what were called the ceded districts—a portion of territory which had been transferred to the company by the Nizam, in lieu of a monthly subsidy which had been exacted from that prince. His services in Canara were so highly appreciated, that his request was not granted without hesitation; but Lord Clive yielded on the ground that "Major Munro's own arguments had shown that his labours in the new provinces would be more advantageous." He spent seven years in this new situation, during the first four of which he lived in a tent moving from place to place, till he had repeatedly traversed the whole of the country, making himself intimately acquainted with every part of it. He cleared the province of the plundering banditti by whom it had been devastated, suppressed the destructive feuds of the zemindars, established the authority of the government, conferred inestimable benefits on the inhabitants, and raised the annual revenue from twelve to eighteen lacs of pagodas. In 1804 Major Munro was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and during the war with Scindiah and the rajah of Berar he rendered important service to General Wellesley, afterwards duke of Wellington, by whom he was held in the highest esteem. Colonel Munro now began to think of revisiting his family and country; in October, 1807, he embarked for England, and after an absence of eight-and-twenty years, landed at Deal in April, 1808. He found that his mother, to whom he was tenderly attached, was just dead, two of his brothers had also died, and his father, on the last verge of existence, had fallen into a state of imbecility. A pensive enjoyment, however, still remained to him in revisiting the haunts of his boyhood, and renewing his intimacy with scenes associated with many pleasing reminiscences of his youthful friends. But a mind so active as Colonel Munro's could not remain long contented with inaction. He repaired to London, where he took a deep interest in the discussions respecting the renewal of the East India Company's charter, and gave evidence on the subject before a parliamentary committee, which produced a strong impression upon the public mind. As one result of this inquiry, it was resolved to send out a commission for the purpose of removing or mitigating the defects which had been brought to light, and Colonel Munro's rare experience, judgment, and industry pointed him out as the fit person to be placed at its head. He accordingly re-embarked for India in May, 1814, having shortly before been united to Miss Campbell, daughter of Richard Campbell, Esq., of Craigie house, Ayrshire—a lady "whose society formed the ornament and delight of his after life." The new commission had to contend against a formidable array of interest and prejudice, but by dint of firmness and perseverance Colonel Munro and his colleagues succeeded in carrying various important reforms in the judicial system. In 1817 the Mahratta war broke out, and in compliance with his own earnest wishes, a brigadier's commission was bestowed upon him by the governor-general, the marquis of Hastings. With only four companies of Sepoys, amounting to not more than six hundred men, he boldly marched into the enemy's territories, reduced nine of their strongholds, and concluded a brilliant campaign with the capture of Sholapoor, and the defeat of an army of ten thousand men by whom it was covered. "The population which he subdued by arms," said Mr Canning, "he managed with such address, equity, and wisdom, that he established an empire over their
