Major Thompson sought to redeem his reputation by entering the continental army. He applied to General Washington, then at Cambridge, for a position in the artillery, but his enemies had preceded him and his services were declined.

Deeming it imprudent to longer remain at home, he left Woburn in October, 1775, boarded a British vessel at Newport, by which he was conveyed to Boston, where he remained until the British evacuation. He then sailed for England bearing despatches to Lord Germaine, announcing the fall of Boston. Altogether Major Thompson was a bearer of bad news, friendless, poor and but twenty-three years of age, yet he so impressed Lord George Germaine with his intelligence, graceful manners and knowledge of American affairs that he was at once taken into his employ. In less than three years from the time of his arrival in London, he was advanced to the position of under secretary of state.

Judge Curwen, a tory refugee from Salem, Mass., then residing in London, wrote in his journal:

This young man, when a shop lad to my next door neighbor, ever appeared active, good natured and sensible; by a strange occurrence of events he is now the Under Secretary of State to Lord George Germaine. His income arising from this source is, I am told, near 7000 Pounds a year. He is besides a mem ber of the Royal Society.

Thompson made a series of experiments to test the cohesive attraction of different liquids, the results of which he communicated to Sir Joseph Banks, as a means of introduction to that eminent naturalist, then president of the Royal Society. This self-introduction was so successful that he was placed in Sir Joseph's intimate circle of friends, and he soon became one of the most active members of the Royal Society.

His activities were prodigious. He made a careful study of military details; advised and procured the adoption of bayonets for the fuses of the Horse Guards for fighting on foot; extended his experiments with gunpowder; determined the proper position for the vent in fire arms; measured the velocity of bullets and cannon shot; determined the rapidity of combustion and pressure of gunpowder; published a pamphlet on naval architecture; made a series of experiments. in firing broadsides with the frigates of the Channel Fleet, commanded by his worthy friend Sir Charles Hardy; cultivated the acquaintance of men of station and distinction everywhere; and in addition to all of the above as under secretary of state-he had the oversight of the details of recruiting, equipping, transporting and victualing, the British forces.

When the official news of the surrender of the British forces at Yorktown reached London, Lord George Germaine and his under secretary were obliged to resign, because of the fall of the administration of

Lord North. The friendship of Viscount Sackville secured for Thompson a commission of lieutenant colonel in the British army, and he sailed for New York to command a regiment of cavalry, but contrary winds compelled the ship to enter the harbor of Charleston, S. C., where he remained for several weeks, finally reaching New York in January, 1782. The war soon being at an end, he left for England in the following April, after seeing but little actual service in America.

Having been advanced to the full rank of colonel, and there being no activity in the British army, he determined to add to his fame by volunteering in the service of Austria against the Turks. On receiving permission from the King to visit the continent, he left England, still holding his commission and drawing the half pay of a colonel.

He was now thirty years of age, strikingly handsome, with bright blue eyes, dark auburn hair, nearly six feet in height, athletic, a grace

ful horseman, a skillful swordsman, spoke French and German, thus possessing all the accomplishments of a veritable Admirable Crichton.

When crossing the Channel his fellow voyager was the historian Gibbon, who, in writing to Lord Sheffield, described his companion as "Secretary, Colonel, Admiral and Philosopher Thompson." On arriving at Strasburg he found a military review in progress, commanded by Prince Maximilian of Bavaria, then field-marshal in the service of France. Thompson had taken several blooded horses with him from England, and he appeared at the parade mounted on one of his English thoroughbreds in the full uniform of a colonel in the dragoons. He at once attracted the attention of the prince, who invited him to dine, and was so delighted with his company that he asked him to pass through Munich, giving him a letter to his uncle, the elector of Bavaria.

Although he spent but five days at Munich, he so captivated the elector that he was earnestly invited to enter his service; but still desiring to engage in military service, he continued his journey to Austria. At Vienna he was presented at court, mingled with the first society, and received the most flattering attention. While still at Vienna he received another pressing invitation from the elector of Bavaria to return to Munich.

Finding that the war with the Turks was at an end, and deciding to accept the elector's offer, he returned to England for the purpose of obtaining the king's permission to serve the elector. In granting his request, George III. conferred on him the title of knighthood.

This soldier of good fortune now entered Bavaria as Sir Benjamin Thompson, soon to be privy counselor of state to the elector. Only twelve years had elapsed since he had taught school in small New England towns, and only fifteen years since he stood in the streets of Boston selling fire wood that he had cut with his own hands and hauled to town. On his arrival in Munich, his energy and enterprise were allowed full scope. He at once began reforms in the army by improving the arms, clothing and sleeping quarters of the troops. For the production of supplies he established military workshops, employing soldiers that had before been idle. The subject of idleness and pauperism engrossed his attention, and he addressed himself to the solution of their causes and the remedy. Schools were established in all the regiments for teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. The soldiers, their children and the peasants were taught gratuitously. As a result, ignorant, idle soldiers became intelligent laborers, proud of their work.

Thompson was the inventor of our modern system of charity organization. Bavaria was swarming with beggars. He proposed to make them industrious and self-supporting; to make them happy first and virtuous afterward. A large building called the House of In

dustry was equipped for spinning and weaving cloth. A series of halls was fitted up for clothiers, dyers, saddlers, knitters, etc. The military workshop besides giving labor to the soldiers at good wages had also paid a revenue to the government. The House of Industry for the poor proved equally successful.

Thompson says, "The beggars not only infested all the streets and public places, but they even made a practise of going into private houses, where they never failed to steal whatever fell in their way. These detestable vermin swarmed everywhere, and they had recourse to most diabolical arts and most horrid crimes in the prosecution of their infamous trade." He had a large building fitted up in the neatest and most comfortable way.

The rooms were clean, warm and well

ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN FOUNDED BY RUMFORD.

lighted. Food was served, teachers provided for those who required instruction, and generous compensation for all labor performed. In this asylum for the poor and unfortunate, no ill usage or harsh language was permitted. On New Year's Day, 1790, 2,600 beggars in Munich and vicinity were arrested. Thompson made the first arrest with his own hands; all were treated gently. They were gathered at the town hall and informed that they must beg no more. They were promised comfortable rooms, food and remunerative work if they would labor. His House of Industry and his system of dealing with poverty accomplished what was intended, and mendicity was subverted in Munich.