charge of the Galvanic Department of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, where he was also appointed one of the astronomers by the Lords of the Admiralty. In 1855 the Colonial Office nominated him for the position of Astronomer and Superintendent of Telegraphs, for South Australia. In 1870, on the amalgamation of the Postal and Telegraph Department, Mr. Todd was appointed Postmaster-General. Although when the project was first mooted Mr. Todd was somewhat dubious as to the desirability of constructing the overland telegraph line, his energy and resource in the superintendence of the undertaking contributed much to its success and to the despatch with which it was achieved. He therefore well deserved the honour of C.M.G., which was conferred upon him when the cable connection between the Australian colonies and the rest of the world was completed, on August 22nd, 1872. He afterwards laid out the overland line to Eucla, a thousand miles in length, connecting South and Western Australia. Mr. Todd, who is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and also of the Royal Astronomical Society and the British Meteorological Society, married, in 1855, Alice Gillam, daughter of E. Bell, of Cambridge. In 1886 the Universities of Cambridge and Adelaide conferred on him the degree of M. A., and he is a member of the Council of the latter university.
Tolmer, Alexander, son of a French Abbé who left the Church and entered the army and on the return of Napoleon from Elba emigrated to England, where he was a music teacher at Plymouth, went out to South Australia, and was appointed captain and adjutant of cavalry by Governor Gawler in Oct. 1888. He was also inspector of police, and did good service in capturing bushrangers and in punishing the natives for the murder of the crew and passengers of the brig Maria, wrecked in Encounter Bay. After retiring from the police force, Mr. Tolmer became Inspector of Credit Selections. He published two interesting volumes of reminiscences, and died on March 7th, 1890.
Topp, Arthur Manning, was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, on Oct. 7th, 1844, being the eldest son of the late Samuel Topp, who emigrated to Australia in 1853. His maternal great-grandfather was William Blanchard (1749-1836), for 60 years editor and proprietor of the York Chronicle, and uncle of William Blanchard (1769-1835), the well-known comedian of the Covent Garden Theatre. In 1858 the family left England for Melbourne, and the subject of this notice completed his education at the Church of England Grammar School, which was just then opened with the late Dr. Bromby as Headmaster. Afterwards going into business, he took an active part in establishing the Melbourne Review, of which the first number appeared in January 1876, and for six years was one of the editorial committee. He contributed to this periodical a number of articles, chiefly on political and historical questions. Two of them, "English Institutions and the Irish Race," and "A few more words on the Irish Question," appeared separately in pamphlet form and attracted a good deal of attention. In 1878, in conjunction with Mr. A. P. Martin (q.v.), he initiated a movement "for the purpose of expressing public appreciation of the services of the Bar of Beaconsfield in the settlement of the Eastern Question." A public meeting was held in the Melbourne Town Hall on July 29th, 1878, at which a resolution to the above effect was carried with enthusiasm, and speeches were delivered by several prominent public men, including the late Mr. J. G. Francis and Mr. James Service. An illuminated address also was sent to Lord Beaconsfield. In 1880 Mr. Topp joined the literary staff of the Age newspaper, and in 1882 that of the Argus, with which journal he has ever since been connected. He has contributed extensively to the columns of this paper and to the Australasian.
Topp, Charles Alfred, M.A., LL.B., F.L.S., is third son of the late Samuel Topp, and was born at Huddersfield, Yorkshire, in 1847. He went to Victoria with his parents in 1853, and after attending the Church of England Grammar School, under Dr. Bromby, graduated at the Melbourne University in 1868. In the following year he took the M.A. and LL.B. degrees, and gained the law scholarship. He was admitted to the Victorian Bar, but did not practise, being appointed Inspector of Schools, and in 1884 Superintendent of the Training Institute and
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