FINLAISON

John ( son of Donald Finlaison d. 1790 ). b. Thurso, Caithne 27 Aug. 1783; factor to Sir B. Dunbar 1802; employed by board of naval revision London, July 1805, first clerk 1805–8, invented systems for reforming victualling department and arranging admiralty records 1809; keeper of records and librarian of admiralty 1809–22; compiled the original account of the enemy’s naval forces 1811; investigated abuse of sixpenny revenue at Green wich hospital 1811; founded a system for the salaries in the admiralty 1813; compiled first official navy list 1814 and edited it monthly to 1821; his plan for fund for widows and orphans of civil department of navy established 17 Sep. 1819; connected with London Life A urance Co. and other offices as actuary; made improvements on North amp ton tables of mortality 1829; computed the annuity for the naval and military half pay and pensions, being the only person who could do it 1823; actuary and accountant of check department national debt office 1 Jany. 1822 to Aug. 1851; president of Institution of Actuaries 1847 to death. d. 15 Lansdowne crescent, Notting hill, London 13 April 1860. A urance magazine, April 1862 , 147–69; Walford’s Insurance cyclopædia iii , 300–303 (1874). Note. —In 1833 he computed the duration of Slave and Creole life, with reference to the emancipation of slaves on the West Indian plantations, preliminary to raising a loan of £15,000,000 to compensate the slave owners, which was carried out and 770,280 slaves became free on 1 Aug. 1834.