We sincerely regret to record the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert
Torrens, who died yesterday week (the 27th of May), in the eighty-fourth year of his age. Colonel Torrens will be re- membered chiefly by his economical writings and his connection with the colonization of South Australia ; but his career as an officer was not entirely without mark and incident. In 1811 he was promoted to the rank of Major for what was then generally called the "romantic defence of Anholt," an affair in which Cap- tain Torrens repulsed a Danish force which outnumbered his little garrison by nearly ten to one. He was a warm advocate for the rights of the Roman Catholics in Ireland,. and even refused the offer of a Government borough in 1811,—an offer drawn forth by the ability of his essay on money and paper currency,—rather than eh:vision their cause. He fought and gained a most expensive contest in Ipswich in 1826 on the Roman Catholic side only to be unseated upon petition, but not before he had made a speech on Ireland which drew forth the warmest praise from Mr. Huskisson, and has in fact proved prophetic. Colonel Torrens was in the House during several Parliaments, first for Ashburton, then for Bolton, and his books on political economy, one of which,--a catechism of political economy,—was, we believe in the press at the time of his death, secured him a very high position as a clear and original thinker. He laboured hard in the foundation of the colony of South Australia to control the blind policy of a got very wise Government, and succeeded in his work. To the last
he impressed all who knew him with the calm and lucid character of his judgment, and attracted them with something of that per- fectly simple dignity, that old English courtesy, that stately kindliness of manner which appear to be becoming rarer and rarer in our bustling and familiar day.
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