JOHN GORDON LORIMER, C.I.E.
ITO Tin EDITOR Or Tin ..13rnorliOn.”1 Srs,—The tidings reached this country on Monday of the tragic death on the 8th inst., as the result of a gun accident, of John Gordon Lorimer, 0.I.E., formerly Political Resident at Baghdad, and recently appointed to a similar position at Bushire, on the Persian Gulf. Gordon Lorimer, eldest son of a gifted father—the Rev. Robert Lorimer, United Free Church, Strathmartine, Dundee—bad as a comparatively young man—he was born in 1870—done great things. He passed third for the Indian Civil Service, and two years afterwards passed out first. Mastering Russian and Persian in addition to the usual Indian languages, he became Assistant-Commissioner in the Punjab, accompanying various expeditions in the North-West as political officer, and for four years he held a high position at Simla. Five years ago, until recalled to Simla for special service, he was appointed to Baghdad, where his wide knowledge and sagacity were deemed of vales in the difficult negotiations. His knowledge of Persian problems, acquired when accompanying Lord Curzon on his Persian Gulf expedition, no doubt suggested his transference to Bushire. His book on the Law of Peshawar is a standard work, and he later compiled a grammar and dictionary of the Waziri Pashto language. One of the youngest—if not actually the youngest—ever created a Companion of the Indian Empire, few have so richly fulfilled the promise of early years. Withal, Gordon Lorimer was one of the brightest and keenest of intellects, with a mind like a Damascus blade, and farseeing to a degree. His leas to the Empire, especially at the moment, is a very great one, and to those who knew him there is snore—the memory of a good comrade, a gracious
and beautiful spirit.—I am, Sir, fic., G. E. T.
Previous page
