Baker Samuel White Sir

Baker, Samuel White, Sir, Pasha, K.C.B., F.R.S., born in London in 1821, showed early a taste for travel and adventure. In 1848 he joined in establishing a colony and coffee plantation in Ceylon, and in 1855 he went to the Crimea, afterwards helping to found the first Turkish railway. Accompanied by his wife, a Hungarian lady, he set out in 1861 to meet Speke and Grant, the African explorers. This was effected in February, 1863, when, acting on their information, he pushed on, and after many dangers and sufferings succeeded next year in discovering the Albert Nyanza. For this exploit he received the distinction of K.C.B. The Khedive gave him in 1869 the command of an expedition to suppress the slave-trade, and to consolidate Egyptian power in the Soudan. In 1874 he resigned this post to Col. C. G. Gordon, publishing a record of his experiences in Ismailia. He next visited Cyprus, which he described, and has since travelled over a great part of India. His works include five books of travel, a work on Wild Beasts and their Ways, many articles in the Transactions of learned societies, and various contributions to the newspaper press. He died in 1893.