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and thus began a friendship which was cemented by a close com- 
panionship in arms, and lasted to the end of the great captain’s 
life. Sir Thomas Brisbane’s active military service began in 1793, 
in which year his regiment formed part of the Duke of York’s 
expedition to Holland. From 1795 to 1798 he was engaged in 
the various affairs by which the West India Islands were succes- 
sively reduced. It was during his voyage out in 1795, that having 
been in imminent danger of shipwreck in a collier transport, from 
the ignorance of the captain, he was first led to direct his attention 
to astronomical observation. “ Reflecting,” he says, “ that I might 
often, even ill the course of my life and services, he exposed to 
similar errors, I was determined to make myself acquainted with 
navigation and nautical astronomy ; and for that purpose I got the 
best books and instruments, and in time became so well acquainted 
with those sciences, that, when I was returning home, I was enabled 
to work the ship’s way ; and having since crossed the tropics eleven 
times, and circumnavigated the globe, I have found the greatest 
possible advantage from my knowledge of lunar observation and 
calculations of the longitude.” 
Having acquired by purchase in 1799 the lieutenant-colonelcy of 
the 69th regiment, he returned to England, but finding that that 
regiment had meanwhile been sent to Jamaica, he was obliged to 
repair to that island in the following year. The corps of which 
Sir Thomas thus took the command appears to have been brought 
by carelessness and inefficiency on the part of its previous com- 
manders into a very disorganised condition, from which it was 
speedily redeemed under the management of Brisbane, and this so 
effectually as to secure for him the highest encomiums of Sir George 
Nugent, then governor of Jamaica. 
Sir Thomas Brisbane’s health having suffered severely from the 
effects of climate, he was obliged to retire on half-pay, when in 
1804 his regiment was ordered to India. But in 1810 he was 
appointed to the staff at Canterbury as assistant adjutant-general; 
and on the army going out to Portugal, he applied for an appoint- 
ment under his old friend Sir Arthur Wellesley. In 1812 he 
secured this great object of his ambition, and as brigadier-general 
joined the head-quarters of the army then at Coimbra. “ The 
Duke,” says Sir Thomas, “ received me with the utmost kindness, and 
said he was glad to see me, as he had two brigades vacant for me.” 
