sulate, and in 1884 issued 'The Scourge of Christendom' (London, 8vo), an interesting account of the British relations with that country till the time of the French conquest in 1830. His most valuable work, however, in connection with the Barbary states was of a bibliographical character. In 1888 he published 'A Bibliography of Algeria from the Expedition of Charles V in 1541 to 1887' (London, 8vo). This work, which originally appeared among the 'Supplementary Papers' of the Royal Geographical Society, was completed in 1898 by a supplement carrying the bibliography from the earliest times to 1895. In 1889 he brought out 'The Bibliography of Tripoli and the Cyrenaica' (London, 8vo), from the earliest times to 1889, which was also included among the 'Supplementary Papers,' and finally in 1892 he prepared, in conjunction with Dr. Robert Brown, 'A Bibliography of Morocco from the earliest Times to 1891' (London, 8vo). These works were of the most exhaustive character, comprising a list of articles and papers as well as of separate works. 'The Bibliography of Tunisia' (London, 1889, 8vo), which completes the series, was prepared by Henry Spencer Ashtoee [q. v. Suppl.]
On 29 May 1886 Playfair was nominated K.C.M.G. At the meeting of the British Association at Leeds in 1890 he presided over the geographical section. He retired from the diplomatic service on a pension on 1 Dec. 1896. In January 1899 he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the university of St. Andrews. He died at his residence, Queen's Gardens, St. Andrews, on 18 Feb. 1899. In 1851 he married Agnes, daughter of Major-general Thomas Webster of Belgarvie in Fife. By her he had five sons and two daughters.
Besides the works already mentioned Playfair was the author of 'Travels in the Footsteps of [James] Bruce' [q. v.] (London, 1877, 4to), which was illustrated with facsimiles of Bruce's original drawings. He also published in 1886 in the 'Asiatic Quarterly' (ii. 141) 'The Story of the Occupation of Perim,' and in 1899 in 'Chambers's Journal' 'Reminiscences' of Aden and Algeria, an interesting series of papers which have not appeared in book form.
[Playfair's works; Geographical Journal, 1899, xiii. 439; Times, 20 Feb. 1899; Foreign Office Lists; Goldsmid's James Outram, 1881, ii. 90; Wemyss Reid's Memoirs and Corresp. of Lyon Playfair, 1899, p. 23.]
PLIMSOLL, SAMUEL (1824–1898), 'the Sailors' Friend,' born on 10 Feb. 1824 at Bristol, was the fourth son of Thomas Plimsoll of Bristol by his wife Priscilla, daughter of Josiah Willing of Plymstock. He was educated first by the curate at Penrith, where his parents resided in his early youth, and afterwards at Dr. S. Eadon's school at Sheffield. On leaving school he became a solicitor's clerk. Later on he was clerk and afterwards manager in a brewery, and in 1851 he acted as an honorary secretary for the Great Exhibition. In 1853 he came to London, and established himself as a coal merchant, and in 1862 published pamphlets on the export coal trade and on the inland coal trade of England.
After some unsuccessful attempts to enter parliament in the radical interest, Plimsoll was returned for Derby in 1868, and from the first devoted himself to the question of mercantile shipping. In 1870 he opened his campaign by proposing a resolution condemning unnecessary loss of life and property at sea, and insisting upon the compulsory load-line as the reform to be advocated. This resolution, and also a bill which the government had introduced on the same subject, were withdrawn owing to pressure of business; but Plimsoll kept the question, before the public. In 1871 he introduced a bill on the lines of his resolution, and again had to withdraw it. In 1872 he published an attack on shipowners entitled 'Our Seamen.' This work raised a storm of controversy, and resulted in such an awakening of public feeling that an address was passed calling for the appointment of a royal commission. Under the chairmanship of Edward Adolphus Seymour, twelfth duke of Somerset [q. v.], who, having himself been first lord of the admiralty, possessed technical knowledge of shipping, a powerful commission sat in 1873 and examined many witnesses, including Plimsoll himself. The report of the commission did not support his favourite idea of a fixed load-line, but nevertheless he introduced another bill in 1874, and was defeated by a majority of only three. The government was now obliged to deal with the alleged grievances, and brought in a merchant shipping bill in 1875. This was so materially altered in the course of debate that Disraeli resolved to withdraw it. In protesting against this action, on 22 July 1875, Plimsoll violently attacked the class of shipowners, and caused a scene in the House of Commons. He admitted that the expressions he had used applied to members of the house and refused to withdraw. He was ordered to retire by the speaker, Henry Bouverie William Brand (afterwards Viscount Hampden) [q. v.], and Disraeli moved 'that the honourable gentleman be repri-
