Obituary Notices. 
XI 
management of tlie Bank of Scotland, but also to forwarding and 
safeguarding the common interests of all the Scotch banks in the 
many questions which arose in connection with the great extension of 
their business, including their settlement in London, during the 
period of his tenure of office. And when the great crisis caused by 
the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank occurred in 1878, Mr 
DaGdson was able to render such service to the banks, and to the 
people of Scotland, as should always be gratefully remembered. 
Not altogether taken by surprise, Mr Davidson and his colleagues 
had made some preparation for the impending crash ; but when it 
did come, in more hideous form than any had deemed possible, if a 
panic with more widespread disaster was averted, they who best 
know the details of those anxious days will probably be the readiest 
to admit, how much it was to the ability, calmness, and courage in 
council of Mr Davidson, that the result was due. The strain, however, 
proved too great for a man of 7 0. Mr Davidson’s health soon after 
gave way ; and though a holiday of some months partially restored it, 
a return to the hard work, and anxiety involved in bank manage- 
ment, was deemed unadvisable, and in 1879 Mr Davidson resigned 
his position as Treasurer of the Bank of Scotland. During his stay 
in Edinburgh, Mr Davidson took little or no part in public matters 
proper ; interesting himself, however, in various concerns of public 
usefulness, specially in “ Donaldson’s ” and the “ Longmore ” 
Hospitals, and in the “ Walker Trust,” in the development of which 
he did yeoman’s service. Outside the bank his only business 
interest was in the “North British and Mercantile Insurance Com- 
pany.” Of this institution, Mr Davidson had been a Director for 
many years in Edinburgh, and when he now left Scotland and 
settled in London, he was in 1880 elected “ Chairman of the 
General Court of Directors,” a position which he filled with much 
acceptance and warm recognition of his services to the Company, 
till his death. It gave him sufficient occuj3ation without overwork, 
and had the advantage of bringing him down once a year at least 
to Edinburgh. At Somerset Lodge, Wimbledon, Mr and Mrs 
Davidson passed the remainder of their days. Mrs Davidson 
though for years an invalid, under the unwearied and utterly self- 
forgetting tendance of her husband, survived till 23rd February 
1891 ; and it was only after fifty-seven years of married life, that 
