CHALMERS, George, Scottish antiquary: b. Fochabers, Elginshire, 1742; d. 31 May 1825. Having studied law at Edinburgh, he removed to America in 1763, where he practised that profession for upward of 10 years, till the colonies declared themselves independent.
being a keen Loyalist, returned to Great Britain, where he was in 1786 appointed to the office of clerk of the Board of Trade. Previous to his appointment he had published 'Political Annals of the United Colonies' (1780) ; 'Estimate of the Comparative Strength of Great Britain During the Present and Four Preceding Reigns> (1782) ; and
volume of his 'Caledonia> (1807), in quarto, displayed a vast extent of erudition and re search. It professes to be an account, his torical and topographical, of North Britain, from the most ancient to the present times; and the original intention of the author was, that it should be completed in four volumes 4to, each containing nearly 1,000 pages. Chalmers left the remainder of his great work nearly ready for the press; and it was subse quently published complete, with numerous an notations. He also wrote a 'Chronological Account of Commerce and Coinage in Great Britain' (1810). Throughout he displays pro found research into the history of Scotland and is still considered authoritative.