Move to Japan

Hugh Matheson, of Jardine Matheson Traders in Japan, was authorised by Hirobumi Ito (later to become prime minister of Japan and one of the Chosu five) to hire six members of staff for the Imperial College of Engineering. Matheson apparently approached his distant cousin, Lewis Gordon, who had been the first Professor of Engineering in the University of Glasgow (1840-1855) and Gordon, in turn, approached McQuorn Rankine his successor in this post. Rankine made a number of suggestions of members of staff for the ICE, one being that Henry Dyer, his most distinguished student, due to graduate in 1873, should be appointed Principal of the College.

In April 1873 Henry Dyer accompanied by Mr Hayashi (later Viscount Hayashi, the Japanese Minister in London) set sail from Southampton. In his book 'Dai Nippon', Henry Dyer mentions that his time on the voyage was spent mainly in writing the Calendar for the College which, on his arrival in Japan, was accepted without change by the Acting Minister of Works (Yozo Yamao). According to the Japan Weekly Mail of June 7 1873, Henry Dyer arrived in Japan from Hong Kong on June 3 aboard the British Steamer Avoca accompanied by Mr Hayashi and other staff for the ICE.