.May 23, 1859.] OBITUARY.— WEIR— EARL OF HADDINGTON— SMITH. 251 



the long robe and take to journalism. At one time this Society 

 'Was so fortunate as to secure his services as the Editor of its volume ; 

 and having then formed his acquaintance, it gives me pleasure to 

 state that I esteemed him as a sensible, right-minded, and truly 

 'learned geographer, as well as a man of the kindliest disposition. 



It has been well said of Mr. William Weir that he was master of 

 the library of Europe ; for he was in himself an encyclopa3dia of 

 law, history, literature, biography, and bibliography, as well as of 

 geography. Eightly did some of his surviving friends and admirers 

 endeavour to raise a sum of money as a testimonial to his varied 

 merits, in order to assuage the lot and enlarge the narrow means of 

 those with whom Mr. Weir hoped to spend the tranquil evening of his 

 days. Although the appeal has not yet been adequately responded 

 to, I sincerely trust that those who admired his lofty integrity will 

 still unite to eifect the praiseworthy object of thus honouring the 

 memory of William Weir. 



The Earl of Haddington", who died at the age of 78, was edu- 

 cated at Christ Church, Oxford, and, as Lord Binning, represented 

 Eochester in the House of Commons from 1818 to 1826. On the 

 formation of the late Sir Robert Peel's first administration, in 

 December, 1834, he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, a post 

 which he held up to the dissolution of the Government. When 

 Sir Robert Peel again took office, in the autumn of 1841, his Lord- 

 ship was selected for the post of First Lord of the Admiralty, with 

 a seat in the Cabinet ; and seeing the usefulness of our Society in 

 the advancement of nautical science, he joined us in that year. He 

 lield the chief naval office up to January, 1846, when he was made 

 Lord Privy Seal, and retained that position until the final dissolu- 

 tion of the Peel Government. 



His Lordship, although opposed to the Reform Bill and other 

 measures of the Governments of Earl Grey and Viscount Melbourne, 

 adopted the enlarged views of Sir Robert Peel on the repeal of the 

 com laws and the commercial reforms which followed. After the 

 retirement of Sir Robert from office, the late Earl rarely inter- 

 fered in politics. In 1 814 his Lordship was made a Privy Councillor, 

 and in 1853 he was installed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle* 

 He was Hereditary Keeper of Holyrood Palace, one of the Elder 

 Brethren of the Trinity House, a Trustee of the British and Hunterian 

 Museums, and Deputy-Lieutenant of Haddingtonshire. 



Lieut.- General Sir C. Felix Smith, k.c.b. — This distinguished 

 officer, who died at Worthing in August last, aged 71, served, in. 



