Brisbane, GENERAL SIR THOMAS MACKDOUGALL, soldier and astronomer, was born at Brisbane House, Largs, Ayrshire, July 23, 1773. At the age of sixteen he entered the army, and served with distinction in Flanders, the West Indies, Spain, and North America. In 1821, on Wellington's recommendation, he was appointed governor of New South Wales, a position he held for four years, during which time he introduced many wise reforms in penal treatment; promoted the cultivation of the sugar-cane, vine, tobacco, and cotton; and left at the close of his administration 50,000 acres of cleared land where he had found only 25,000. Emigration to this colony also began during his term of office; he found a colony of 23,000 and left 36,000. Under his auspices the river which bears his name, and on which stands the town of Brisbane (q.v.), was discovered. Brisbane holds a high place as a man of science. While in Australia, he catalogued no less than 7385 stars, for which work he received the Copley medal from the Royal Society. On his return to Scotland, he had an astronomical and a magnetic observatory established at his residence. He was president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh after Sir Walter
Scott. He was made a baronet in 1836, and a G.C.B. in 1837. He died January 27, 1860.