Samuel John Dunlop
Captain Samuel John Dunlop (1845-1878)
1878 Obituary [1]
CAPTAIN SAMUEL JOHN DUNLOP was born at Portsmouth on the 11th of June, 1845. He was the second son of Lieutenant-Colonel Dunlop, late Paymaster of the 47th Regiment, and was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; from which he passed out first of his "batch," and was appointed to an Ensigncy in the Royal Welsh Fusileers on the 8th of January, 1864.
Arriving in India, and having in a short time passed the higher standard in Hindustan, he proceeded, in 1867, to the Thomason Civil Engineering College at Roorkee, where he studied till the end of 1869, taking the second place and carrying off the College certificate, the Thomason Gold Medal for the best design, and a prize for drawing.
He now joined the Bengal Staff Corps, and was appointed an assistant engineer in the Department of Public Works in the Central Provinces.
He subsequently was ordered to the Warora coal mines, arriving in September 1872. Such was the satisfaction he gave, that the Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces stated, in his remarks on the Progress Report for 1872-73:-
"The services of Lieutenant Dunlop in connection with these coal operations have been most meritorious, and it gives me much pleasure to notice them thus prominently."
The Chief Engineer, the late Mr. T. W. Armstrong, M. Inst. C.E., in his report dated the 30th of July, 1873, wrote:-
"Lieutenant Dunlop, from sheer hard work and incessant attention night and day to his duties, has, I regret to say, become so unwell as to be ordered away from Warora. This Assistant Engineer, for the past four months, was obliged each day (often three or four times) when sinking was in progress, and at night in addition, to go down the shaft and examine the excavation work, the pumps, and so on ; and while on this duty to undergo the effect of 200 gallons of water a minute falling, "shower-bath" like, down upon him from a height of from 40 to 75 feet. The temperature of the air in the shaft may be taken at 100' to 105', and of the falling water at 60 degrees. I think when a servant of Government undergoes such hard work as this is, such a very unhealthy duty, and when, as the Lieutenant has frequently done, he gets up from his bed in the middle of the night, ill and weak, and goes down this shaft, subjecting himself to such severe work, his conduct should be specially noticed and receive particular commendation. In England it would be very trying employment ; and in India, at Warora, it is perhaps the most unhealthy duty a European could be engaged upon.”
The result of all his hard and trying work was that Lieutenant Dunlop became seriously ill. He was invalided to England for two years, and arrived home early in 1874. Having, as he thought, somewhat recovered his health at the end of a year, he returned to duty in the Central Provinces, and was posted to the Hoshangabad District, where he continued till the time of his death. He was promoted to the grade of Executive Engineer in charge in March, 1876. Unceasing in the performance of his duty, he did not quit his post till death had laid hands on him.
On the 7th of June, 1878, he went on sick leave to L’achmarhi Hills, to be with his wife and family, and died there on the 27th of the same month. His remains were interred on the following day with military honours by H. M. 33rd regiment, the funeral being attended by every one in the station. That he was universally beloved was testified by the attendance of the native clerks and others from all the Government offices. Lieutenant Dunlop became a Captain in the Staff Corps on the 8th of January, 1876.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers on the 3rd of February, 1874.