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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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years of age. A few years later he was articled to Mr. Alexander Kennedy Smith, the well-known civil and mechanical engineer, and quickly displayed great aptitude in his profession. Mr. Brennan may be said to have first conceived the idea of his now celebrated torpedo in May 1874, but the initiatory stages of perfecting the invention, proving it by trials, and bringing it into notice in the right quarters occupied several years, Mr. Brennan being ultimately aided by a grant of £700 from the Victorian Government. With a view to securing its adoption by the imperial authorities, Mr. Brennan formed a small company to exploit the invention, and himself went to England towards the end of 1880. The torpedo, through the kindly interposition of Sir Andrew Clarke, was favourably considered by the War Office, but it was not finally adopted by the British Government till 1887, when, after years of anxious thought and laborious experiment, Mr. Brennan brought the apparatus to its present perfection, and it was purchased by the Imperial Government for £110,000, Mr. Brennan being employed by the Government to superintend the manufacture and to aid in its practical utilisation for a period of five years. On the expiry of this engagement it was again renewed, in March 1892; and on May 25th following Mr. Brennan was gazetted to the distinction of C.B. He married in Dublin on Sept. 10th, 1891, his cousin, Miss Anna Quinn. An excellent description of the torpedo will be found in the recent issue of the "Encyclopædia Britannica."

Buvelot, Abraham Louis (p. 74). He died on May 31st, 1888.

Byrnes, Hon. James, was elected to the first Legislative Assembly of New South Wales in 1856 for the Cumberland (South Riding) district. He was Secretary for Public Works in the second Martin Ministry from Jan. 1866 to Oct. 1868, and in Sir James Martin's third administration from Dec. 1870 to May 1872. Mr. Byrnes died on Sept. 18th, 1886.

Campbell, Hon. Robert, M.L.A., sometime Colonial Treasurer, New South Wales, was the son of Hon. Robert Campbell, M.L.C., the first merchant who established a firm in Sydney. Mr. Robert Campbell, sen., came of the family of Campbell, of Ashfield, Argyleshire, and was engaged as a merchant in Calcutta until 1796, when he visited Sydney and decided to open business there. He married in 1801 Sophia, sister of John Palmer, Assistant Commissary-General, and had three sons, viz., Hon. John, M.L.C., who gave £10,000 towards establishing the bishopric of Riverina, and died in Jan. 1886; Robert, the subject of this notice; and Hon. Charles, M.L.C., who died in August 1888. Mr. Robert Campbell was born on Oct. 5th, 1804, and was returned to the first Legislative Assembly of New South Wales as member for the city of Sydney in 1856. He was Colonial Treasurer in the first Cowper Government from August to Oct. 1856, and again took that position in the second Cowper Ministry, in succession to Mr. Richard Jones, in Jan. 1858. He broke down under the cares of office, and died on March 30th, 1859, whilst still Colonial Treasurer. Mr. Campbell was the first Provincial Grand Master for the province of Australia of the Scotch Constitution of Freemasons.

Challis, John Henry (p. 86). Mrs. Challis died on Sept. 27th, 1884.

Clark, Hon. Andrew Inglis, M.H.A. (p. 92). In August 1892 Mr. Clark resigned with his colleagues in the Fysh Ministry.

Dobson, Hon. Henry, M.H.A., Premier of Tasmania, is the fourth son of the late John Dobson and his second wife, Kate, daughter of Richard Willis, of Wanstead, Tasmania. He was born at Hobart on Dec. 24th, 1841, and embracing the legal profession, was admitted to practice in Dec. 1864. He married at Ratho on Feb. 4th, 1868, Emily, daughter of the late Assistant Commissary-General Thomas James Lempriere. In August 1891 Mr. Dobson was returned to the House of Assembly for the Brighton district, and in August 1892 moved an amendment to the financial proposals of the Fysh Government, which was accepted by them as a vote of want of confidence. It was carried by four votes, and Mr. Dobson took office as Premier a few days later.

Douglas, Hon. Adye, M.L.C. (pp. 135-6).

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