Gerald le Grys Norgate

“ Smith questioned India's fitness to grow cotton. The visit generated in him a lifelong interest in India and its people. He travelled back slowly by way of the Levant, Constantinople, and the Danube, and greatly improved his business prospects. Toward the close of his career he recommended the growing of cotton in British Africa, Egypt, the Soudan, and Scinde. On 1 Jan. 1864 the firm of Smith, Edwards & Co., cotton-brokers, was launched, and three months later Samuel Smith also became head of the Liverpool branch of James Finlay & Co. ”

“ From boyhood Bain showed an aptitude for languages, with a preference for those of northern Europe, and although he was only out of England for four brief periods in Denmark and Sweden in 1884, in Salies de Bearn and Pau in 1886, in Paris for a short time a few years later, and in Germany and Switzerland for some weeks in 1908 for health he acquired, unaided, a high degree of proficiency in no less than twenty foreign tongues, including Russian, Swedish, Hungarian, Finnish, Polish and Ruthenian. ”

“ On his return to England Finch-Hatton occupied himself in financial work. But his chief interest was in imperial politics. He was one of the founders of the Imperial Federation League, and for some time acted as its secretary; he was also secretary to the Pacific Telegraph Company, formed for the promotion of cable communication between Vancouver and Australia. When, in the autumn of 1885, he contested East Nottingham as a conservative he strongly advocated imperial federation as a prelude to free trade within the empire. Finch-Hatton was defeated by a majority of 991. ”

“ A 'writing editor' with an extremely able pen, he was the first provincial editor to bring a newspaper published far from the capital into line with its London rivals alike in the collection of news of the first importance, and in political comments on the proceedings of parliament. He successfully challenged the views of 'The Times' as to the sea-worthiness of the Captain, which was sunk with its designer, Captain Cowper Coles [q. v.] , on 7 Sept. 1870; and he obtained early intelligence of Gladstone's intended dissolution of parliament in 1874. ”

“ From 1872 onwards O'Conor professed his adherence to home rule and supported Butt in his motion for inquiry into the parliamentary relations of Great Britain and Ireland in 1874, though admitting that federal home rule would not satisfy nationalist aspirations. He also acted with the Irish leader in his endeavours to mitigate the severity of coercive legislation, though declaring himself not in all circumstances opposed to exceptional laws. ”

“ Finch-Hatton always preserved his interest in Queensland, and as permanent delegate and chairman of the London committee of the North Queensland Separation League rendered energetic service to the colony. In 1885 he published a readable record of his Australian experiences in a book entitled 'Advance, Australia!' containing a sympathetic estimate of the 'Blacks' (aborigines) founded on individual intercourse, and thoughtful surveys of the sugar and mining industries. ”

“ After leaving the ‘Standard’ in 1884, Williams was for some time connected with the ‘Morning Advertiser,’ but soon became war correspondent of the ‘Daily Chronicle.’ He was the only English correspondent with the Bulgarian army in the brief war with Servia in 1885. In the Greco-Turkish war of 1897 he was attached to the Greek army in Thessaly. In a contribution to the ‘Fortnightly,’ June 1897, he attributed the defeat of the Greeks to the disastrous influence of politics. Williams's last service in the field was in Kitchener's Soudanese campaign of 1898. ”

“ Hole was long a rose-grower, and he came into general notice as promoter and honorary secretary of the first national rose show, which was hold in the old St. James's Hall on 3 July 1858. Thenceforth he was an enthusiastic organiser of flower-shows. At Caunton he grew upwards of 400 varieties of roses, and afterwards at Rochester had 135 in his deanery garden. He edited 'The Gardener's Annual ' for 1863, and came to know the leading horticulturists in France and Italy as well as at home. The establishment of the National Rose Society in December 1876 was largely due to his efforts ”

“ In 1868 Weymouth was the first to receive the degree of doctor of literature at London University, after a severe examination in Anglo-Saxon, Icelandic, and French and English language and literature. ”

“ To his effort was almost entirely due the important Act of 1889 for the prevention of cruelty to and better protection of children, which allowed a child to be taken from parents who grossly abused their power and to be entrusted to other relatives or friends or to an institution, whilst the parents were obliged to contribute to its maintenance. ”

“ Long a prominent member of the Merchant Company of Edinburgh, he was elected master in 1869, and held the office twice subsequently. In this capacity he was chiefly responsible for the scheme by which the educational foundations of the corporation were reformed. The reforming scheme, which was described in a paper read by Boyd before the British Association in Edinburgh in 1871 and subsequently published, provided for the conversion of the buildings of the four hospitals (George Watson's, James Gillespie's, Daniel Stewart's, and the Merchant Maiden Hospital) into day schools ”

“ Williams did his best work as war correspondent. For the ‘Standard’ he accompanied the headquarters of the French army of the Loire at the beginning of the second phase of the Franco-German war (1870) , and was one of the first two correspondents in Strasburg after its fall. In the summer and autumn of 1877 he was correspondent on the staff of Ahmed Mukhtar Pasha, commanding the Turkish forces in Armenia. Williams remained almost constantly at the front, and his letters were the only continuous series which reached England. ”

“ Smith, after being educated at the Borgue parish school and at Kirkcudbright, entered Edinburgh University before he was sixteen, and spent three sessions there. In spite of his literary tastes, he was apprenticed to a cotton-broker in Liverpool in 1853. ”

“ O'Conor was much interested in antiquarian studies, and published in 1891 'The O'Conors of Connaught : an Historical Memoir compiled from a MS. of the late John O'Donovan, LL.D., with Additions from the State Papers and Public Records.' He was for many years president of the Antiquarian Society of Ireland, as well as of the Royal Irish Academy. He was president of the Irish Language Society, and procured the insertion of Irish into the curriculum of the intermediate education board. ”

“ There was no male issue. Lovelace's daughter, Ada Mary, by his first wife, succeeded to her father's barony of Wentworth. The earldom of Lovelace devolved on his half-brother Lionel Fortescue King, son of the first earl by his second wife. ”

“ Ill-health did not deter Wilkins from original work in historical biography which involved foreign travel. Patient industry, an easy style, and good judgment atoned for a limited range of historical knowledge. ”

“ WILLIAMS, CHARLES (1838–1904) , war correspondent, was born at Coleraine on 4 May 1838. On his father's side he was descended from Worcestershire yeomen (of Tenbury and Mamble) , on his mother's from Scottish settlers in Ulster. Educated at Belfast Academy under Reuben Bryce and at a private school in Greenwich, he went for his health to the southern states of America, where he took part in a filibustering expedition to Nicaragua, saw some hard fighting, and won the reputation of a daring blockade-runner. ”

“ JAPP, ALEXANDER HAY (1837–1905) , author and publisher, born at Dun, near Montrose, on 26 Dec. 1837, was youngest son of Alexander Japp, a carpenter, by his wife Agnes Hay. After the father's early death, the mother and her family moved to Montrose, where Alexander was educated at Milne's school. At seventeen Japp became a book-keeper with Messrs. Christie and Sons, tailors, at Edinburgh. Three years later he removed to London, and for two years was employed in the East India department of Smith, Elder and Co. Smith Williams, the firm's literary adviser, once took him to see Leigh Hunt. ”

“ Through life Cooper delighted in the companionship of children, whose psychology he carefully studied. He aided Benjamin Waugh [q. v. Suppl. II] , the philanthropist, in practical efforts to protect children from cruelty or corruption. ”

“ Through life he devoted his leisure to hawking, being introduced to the sport by William Brodrick of Belford, Northumberland, afterwards of Chudleigh, Devon [see Salvin, Francis Henry, Suppl. II] . In Northamptonshire he enjoyed his first experience with a kestrel-hawk, equipped with a hood of home manufacture, and he afterwards flew sparrowhawks, merlins and peregrines at pigeons and larks. ”

“ On 15 May 1870 Reid returned to Leeds, to act as editor of the 'Leeds Mercury.' The paper rapidly developed under his alert control. In 1873 he opened on its behalf a London office, sharing it with the 'Glasgow Herald,' and arranged with the 'Standard' for the supply of foreign intelligence. His policy was that of moderate liberalism. ”

“ Maclear was twice married: (1) on 10 June 1857 to Christiana Susan, daughter of J. Campbell, rector of Eye, Suffolk (she died on 31 May 1874, being predeceased by an only daughter) ; and (2) on 27 Dec. 1878 to Eva, eldest daughter of William Henry D'Olier Purcell, vicar of Exmouth; she died on 1 March 1890, leaving three sons and a daughter. A portrait by Mr. Sydney P. Hall, unveiled on 5 Dec. 1902, hangs in the hall of the new King's College School at Wimbledon.
Maclear enjoyed a wide reputation as a theological writer. ”

“ MACAULAY, JAMES (1817–1902) , author, born in Edinburgh on 22 May 1817, was eldest son of Alexander Macaulay (1783–1868) , M.D. and F.R.C.S. Edinburgh, who in his later years removed from Edinburgh to practise in London, and was author of a 'Dictionary of Medicine designed for Popular Use' (Edinburgh, 1828; 14th edit. 1858) . James was educated at the Edinburgh Academy; A. C. Tait [q. v.] , the future archbishop, was among his schoolfellows. He then proceeded to Edinburgh University, where after taking the arts course, he devoted himself to medicine. ”

“ In the 1880 election at his suggestion Gladstone was invited to contest Leeds as well as Midlothian. With W. E. Forster, Reid's relations were always close, and he vigorously championed his political action in Ireland during 1880-2. The Mercury' under his editorship continued to support Gladstone when he took up the cause of home rule. Whilst at Leeds, Reid was also on friendly terms with Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton, at whose house at Fryston he was a frequent guest. ”

“ After education at a private school at Highgate, Schütz Wilson was for ten years in a commercial house in London and thoroughly mastered French, German, and Italian. Subsequently assistant secretary of the electric telegraph company, he retired on a pension when the business was taken over by the post office in 1870. ”

“ MILBANKE, RALPH GORDON NOEL KING, second Earl of Lovelace (1839–1906) , author of 'Astarte.' born at 10 St. James's Square, London. on 2 July 1839, was second son of William King, afterwards King-Noel, first earl of Lovelace (1805-1893) , by his first wife, Ada Augusta, daughter of Lord Byron the poet [q. v.] . The father, who succeeded as eighth Baron King in 1833, was created earl of Lovelace on 30 June 1838. He was lord- lieutenant of Surrey from 1840 to his death in 1803, and interested himself in agricultural and mechanical engineering. ”

“ But he gave much time to field sports, especially fishing, otter-hunting, and cricket, becoming also an authority upon wrestling, and in spite of defective eyesight one of the finest fly-fishers in England, with an unrivalled knowledge of angling in the Lake district. He made his chief reputation, however, as a breeder of dogs. In 1869 he first formed a kennel, and his pack of Fellside terriers became well known to otter-hunters. But fox-terriers were his especial fancy In 1871 he won the cup at the national show at Birmingham with a dog (Mac II) of this breed ”

“ John revisited England with Brooke, and after returning to Borneo became chargé d'affaires in Hayti in January 1863. He remained in the West Indies twelve years. During his residence in Hayti the republic was distracted by civil strife, and by a war with the neighbouring state of Santo Domingo, and St. John frequently took violent measures against native disturbers of the public peace. ”

“ Michael's Eve’ (1892; 2nd edit. 1894) was a serious society novel. Then followed ‘The Forbidden Sacrifice’ (1893) ; ‘John Ellicombe's Temptation,’ 1894 (with the Hon. Julia Chetwynd) , and ‘The Holy Estate: a study in morals’ (with Capt. Francis Alexander Thatcher) . With another Cambridge friend, Mr. Herbert Vivian, he wrote under his own name ‘The Green Bay Tree’ (1894) , which boldly satirised current Cambridge and political life and passed through five editions.
Wilkins's best literary work was done in biography. ”