BENTINCK, Lord WILLIAM ETENRY CAVANDISTL a general officer and statesman, uncle of the preceding, and second son of the third duke of Portland, was born 14th Sept., 1774, and became an ensign in the Coldstream guards in 1791. Having served with dis tinction in Flanders, Italy, and Egypt, he was in 1803 appointed governor of Madras, where lie advocated several useful reforms; but his proscription Of beards and the wearing of turbans and earrings by the sepoys when on duty, led to the ninthly and mas sacre of Vcllore, and his own immediate recall. In Aug., 1808, he was placed on the staff of the army in Portugal under sir Harry Burrard. Subsequently selected to proceed on an important mission to the supreme Junta of Spain, he accompanied the under sir John Moore in its retreat, and at Corunna commanded a brigade. He next com manded a division of lord Wellington's army, and shortly after was sent as British min ister to the court of Sicily. and commauder-in-chief of the British forces in that island.
At the head of an expedition, he landed in Catalonia in July, 1813, penetrated to Valencia, and afterwards laid siege to Tarragona, but was repulsed at Villa Franca. Early in 1814, quitting Sicily, he repaired to Tuscany, published at Florence a procla mation inviting the Italians to shake off the French yoke, and afterwards made himself master of Genoa. Between 1796 and 182G, he held a scat in parliament as member for Camelford, Nottinghamshire, and Ashburton. In 1827, he was appointed gov.gen. of India, and sworn a privy-councilor. His policy in ludia was pacific and popular, and his viceroyship was marked by the abolition of sutti (q.v.), and by the opening up of the internal communication, as well as the establishment of the overland route. After his return in 1833, he was elected M.P. for Glasgow. Ile died at Paris, June 17, 1839.