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it in iron vessels, and caused to be recalled an order for a silver 
vessel to cost <£1500, by showing how that alkali could be prepared 
in iron. 
He had the degree of LL.D. conferred on him, and became a 
Fellow of the Royal Society. He was elected a Fellow of this 
Society on April 1st, 1861. He was Deputy-Lieutenant for Kin- 
cardineshire. Though his successful enterprises had brought him 
wealth, he was unostentatious in his habits, and of a kindly and 
hospitable disposition. He died in May 1883. 
John Miller, M.Inst.C.E. 
Mr John Miller was born at Ayr on the 26th of July 1805. 
He was educated at the Academy of his native town, and on 
leaving it entered a solicitor’s office ; but feeling no liking for the 
legal profession, he determined to abandon it for that of a Civil 
Engineer. After making himself well acquainted with the theory 
and practice of engineering, he became a partner of Mr Thomas 
Grainger, M.Inst.C.E., whose office was in Edinburgh. Whilst 
in partnership with that gentleman, he was engaged in constructing 
roads in various counties in Scotland, and in the south of Ireland, 
and was acting engineer for the Dundee and Arbroath Railway; 
the Glasgow, Ayr, and Kilmarnock Railway ; the Edinburgh and 
Glasgow ISTorth British Railway. He also designed and constructed 
the North British Railway, Edinburgh to Berwick, and the Edin- 
burgh and Hawick Railway ; the Dundee and Perth Railway ; the 
Stirling and Dunfermline Railway. Mr Miller was also engineer 
for many other lines, both in Scotland and England. In November 
1845 he deposited in Parliament plans for upwards of 1500 miles 
of railway. 
On the above railways there are probably some of the finest 
viaducts in Great Britain, notably the Almond Valley Viaduct, 
consisting of 46 arches of 50-feet span ; the Dunglass Viaduct, the 
centre arch of which has a span of 135 feet; whilst the centre arch 
of the Ballochmyle Viaduct has a span of 180 feet. Mr Miller, 
however, always considered the Lugar Viaduct, with nine arches of 
