Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Anstruther, Alexander

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
655187Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 02 — Anstruther, Alexander1885James Sutherland Cotton

ANSTRUTHER, Sir ALEXANDER (1769–1819), Anglo-Indian judge, was the second son of Sir Robert Anstruther, bart., of Balcaskie, Fifeshire. He was born 10 Sept. 1769; called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn, and published 'Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Court of Exchequer, from Easter Term 32 George III to Trinity Term 37 George III, both inclusive,' which were published in three volumes in 1796 and 1797, and were reprinted for a second edition in 1817. The work is a careful and accurate compilation, and was for many years a useful legal authority. Anstruther went out to India in 1798, and was appointed advocate-general at Madras in 1803; in March 1812 he succeeded Sir James Mackintosh as recorder of Bombay, and was knighted; he died at Mauritius on 16 July 1819. While on his voyage out to India he wrote a small work on 'Light, Heat, and Electricity.'

[Calcutta Monthly Journal, August 1819; Asiatic Journal, May 1820; David Jardine in Soc. D. U. K. Dict.]

J. S. C.