New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-01
MP. Layard In Office.

The most striking bit of news by the
Africa, is that of the appointment of Mr.. lay
ARD, of Nineveh:memory, to the Under Secretary
ship OF Foreign Affairs. This is one of the first
acts of the new Foreign Secretary, Lord Gran
vile, and is of good augury for his career. 1t is
an era in politics at which even Mr.. Carlyle
might relax his frown, when man is appointed
to office for no other than that he is fit for
it. Mr.. Layard has had experience in diplomatic
life. He was for long time Attache to the
British Legation at Constantinople, and his ca
reer in the East has displayed, not only the
shrewdness of the sapan, but the indomitable en-
ergy of a man of affairs. One who has, like Mr.
Layard, grappled with The thorny side Of things
and has proved his courage, and has achieved
success before the world, is eminently worthy of
that public recognition which he has new re-
ceiyed. This act of Lord Granville is England
saying to Layard what Englishmen had already
said in chorus-"You deserve well of your
country"
In his new position as a subaltern of the For
eign Secretary, it may be fairly presumed that
Mr.. Layards sphere Of operation will lie among
the affairs OF countries in which he is personally
most interested, and of which, by long familiar
ity and research, he knows probably more than
any other Engishman. The Importance of the
situation will be better understood upon reflect
ing that the Eastern Question, and especially
upon which Great Britain will be brought in
contact with Russia. The peace of the vast,
fertile, and almost deserted Syrian region
is preserved by the unwillingness of either
of the three great Powers to take the first
step toward occupation or toward the dis
turbance of the present state of things. 1t
is of the last importance, therefore, that Eng
land should have no gold-laced puppet but
man of practical experience and executive
talent, to look after her interests in that
part of the world. Russia contrives to main
tain an ascendency at Jerusalem by endow.
ing literally the Russian Church there, which
is under the especial patronage of the Car,
and thus she influences Syria. The Rus
sian policy is to obtain territory upon the Medi-
terranean. The English, within quarter of a
century, have dislodged the French from those
shores, and have entirely superseded them in
Egypt. The importance of India to England is
the measure of the Importance of constantly
increasing English influence in the Medterra
mean and the adjacent countries and if Lord
Granville-who has yet his spurs to win--means
to conduct his foreign administration in man
ner at once so independent and sensible as this
appointment indicates, there is no doubt that
those spurs will be of the purest gold.
But there is something more than individual
in this matter. In the person OF Mr.. Layard,
Science. Literature and Art are honored BY the
State. 1t is a strain run Plates Republic LEI
Int. the prose Of daily politics and life. 1.-THE
tools to those who can use them, was the maxim
of the greatest Ruler of this century, and this
act is an acknowledgment that the interests Of
various countries are manifold and complex, that
there may be other relations than those purely
political,-that a man has not shown himself
incompetent for practical action, because he has
impaired new luster to the generous studies and
research OF his country, and that he is not neces
sarily unfit TO do one thing well, because he has
achieved brilliant success elsewhere. 1t is q
fine denial OF the Lombard-st. theory that DTsra
eli cannot be good Prime Minister, because he
is good author and recalls the time when John
Milton was made Private Secretary in the same
department. and the Parliament of England vo-
ted him thousand pounds for his defense of the
English people.