THE LATE GENERAL IRVINE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1901, 10 July 1890, Page 24

THE LATE GENERAL IRVINE.

Major-general Alexander Irvine was born at Edinburgh on the 3rd February 1824, and when 16 years of age sailed from Scotland for Australia, with a view to settling there. He landed at Hobson's Bay, and travelled thence to Queensland, where he engaged in pastoral pursuits for two years close to the site of the present city of Brisbane. Tiring of the life, he wrote Home accepting a commission which had been offered him in the Indian army previous to his sailing for Australia, and on learning that the offer still held good he went to Sydney and there joined a sailing vessel bonnd for Calcutta. He entered the service in 1844, and was appointed to the 24th Regiment, 8.N.1., with which corps he served throughout the Sutlej campaign, including the actions of Moodjkee, Feroozeshuhur, Budiwal, and Aliwal, for which services he obtained a medal and two clasps. He got his lieutenancy on the 21st December 1845, the day before the battle of Feroozeshuhur. On the conclusion of this campaign he was invalided home, but after the expiry of his furlough be returned to India, and on the 31st January 1857 was promoted to the rank of captain, in which capacity he Berved through the Indian mutiny, for which he received a medal. When the mutiny was quelled he again returned home. Since then he hue served in India as an officer in the Bengal army, his commissions dating as under :— Major, 27th February 1867; Lieutenant-colonel, 7th February 1871; Colonel, 25th September 1875. He retired with the rank of Major-general in April 1877. After this he came out to Tasmania, and settled near Hobart. In 1884 he came to Dunedin from Hobart.

General Irvine did not take any prominent part in public affairs, but was much esteemed by those who had the privilege of his acquaintance as a man of sterling oharacter. He was for a time a member of the Hospital Board, and up to the time of his death was on the committee of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He leaves a widow and family of seven— three sons and four daughters.