Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 22.djvu/400

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Grant
394
Grant

what he considered a hopeless undertaking, though at the last moment, with a prudent care for possibilities, he despatched four hundred infantry and two batteries to 'put in an appearance.' After the unsoundness of his opinions had been practically demonstrated, he sent to beg for the return of his protest.

Again, when the two armies were within a short distance of Pekin, the French lagged behind, declared they had 'lost their way,' and made straight for the adjacent Summer Palace, the treasures whereof they proceeded to loot. Grant ultimately succeeded in securing a small portion of the booty for his own army, caused an immediate auction to be held, and, resigning his own share of the proceeds, distributed the money among his men without tedious reference to England. For this act he was informed by Lord Russell that he had 'taken a grave responsibility upon himself,' but that her majesty had under the circumstances approved of what he had done.

Grant on his return from China was appointed commander-in-chief of the Madras army, 1862-3. In 1865 he was made quartermaster-general at the Horse Guards, and in 1870 was selected for the command of the camp at Aldershot. His tenure of this post marks the beginning of almost a new phase of military instruction throughout the British army. Hitherto the Prussian system of manœuvring troops as two opposing forces had been angrily denounced by most of our military authorities as childish, and even pernicious. Grant held a different opinion, persisted in spite of all opposition, and finally succeeded in bringing to pass the autumn manoeuvres of 1871-2-3, the value of which has been so fully recognised that the practice thereof has been continued up to the present day. He reformed our entire system of outpost duties, in which he had had such wide experience during the mutiny, introduced the war game and military lectures at Aldershot, inaugurated a soldiers' industrial exhibition, and was a warm supporter of every institution for the social and religious welfare of those under his command.

An all-pervading feature of Grant's life was his resolute religious faith. From his early years in the 9th lancers till his command at Aldershot, every act and precept was regulated by the bold observance of the Christian profession. Indeed his maxim, 'Act according to your conscience and defy the consequences,' on more than one occasion very seriously militated against his professional prosperity. A most distinguished English general states: 'His example is always in my mind whenever I am tempted to do anything ignoble or unworthy.' Grant was one of the first to recognise the abilities of the present Lord Wolseley, whom he contributed more than any one else to bring under public notice. 'If I have attained any measure of military prosperity,' said Lord Wolseley when delivering a lecture on railway transport at Aldershot in 1872, 'my gratitude is due to one man, and that man is Sir Hope Grant.' Grant's discovery of the military worth of his staff officer, then Lieutenant-colonel Wolseley, dates from the Trans-Ghogra operations of 1859. He then mentions him in his private journals with warm approval, and subsequent entries show how much this favourable opinion was strengthened and increased during the China war of 1860. When others were somewhat aghast at what they considered the 'advanced views' of Wolseley, Grant would good-humouredly laugh, and in many instances tacitly supported or even openly advocated them. Subsequently he never lost an opportunity of advocating the merits of his former staff officer. Grant, in whose disposition not a particle of jealousy could exist, rejoiced beyond measure at the later success of Lord Wolseley, and was foremost in enlarging on it.

In 1847 Grant married Elizabeth Helen, daughter of Benjamin Tayler, esq., of the Bengal civil service. He died, aged 67, on 7 March 1875 of an internal malady, aggravated if not contracted by active service in tropical climates.

[Personal acquaintance; Sir Hope Grant's private journals; Incidents in the Sepoy War, and Incidents in the China War, by Sir Hope Grant and Major Knollys.]

H. K.

GRANT, JAMES MACPHERSON (1822–1885), Australian statesman, was born at Alvie, Inverness-shire, in 1822, and educated at Kingdenie. When fourteen years of age he emigrated with his parents to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, where he was articled to Chambers & Thurlow, solicitors, but having gone to New Zealand in 1844 he volunteered in the war against Honi Heki, and was present in several engagements. Returning to Sydney he completed his articles: was admitted in 1847 as an attorney and solicitor of the supreme court, and received into partnership by Mr. Thurlow. In 1850 he went to San Francisco for the benefit of his health, and on his return to Australia, he and his brother went to Bendigo, where they were among the successful diggers in the newly discovered gold-fields. In 1854 he began practice in Melbourne. In December of that year the miners' riots took place at the Eureka stockade, Ballarat. Macpherson Grant openly took the miners' part, and