The New York herald., 1871-02-11
TEE BRITISH COMMISSIONERS.

Additional Sketches Of the Eunli-b aud Cana
dian Delegates-Thrir Qualifications for the
| Work Before Them.
| WASHINGTON, Feb 10. 1871.
The following are some points about the English
| Commissioners The English Commissioners appear
to have been selected with special reference to the
subjects which VIII come under discussion, and In
this respect they to have the advantage of the
American Commissioners.
| EARL DE GREY AND RIpoN
| is comparative young man. about forty-two years
old. He was formerly well known in the House OF
Commons by his courtesy title or Lord Goderch.
While in the House OF Commons he acted with the
radical party. Upon succeeding to his title as Lord
Kisson he took his seat In the House of Lords Sub
sequenty falling heir to the older title OF Earl de
| Grey, he has assumed the double title by which he
| is now known. Since he has occupied q seat in the
| House OF Lords his name has not been very prom
| ncnt He Is regarded man OF fair abilities.
/ SIR EDWARD THORNTON, X. G. NJ. g.,
the present British Minister, is courteous gentle
| man, and was promoted to the mission here by
regular gradatons, commencing in the Foreign ONCE
| and gradually rising in the diplomatic service. uo
| is regarded as safe II not brilliant man.
SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD, x. G. b.,
Is the present Premier OF Canada and is conceded to
be the foremost statesman OF the Dominion. man
OF studous habits, he unltes with suavty Of manner
and plausbllity talents OF very high order and great
determination OF character. Possessing keen insight
| into human nature, and certain personal mag.
| netism, he has generally succeeded In carrying out
his plans as much or even more by the warm friend
ships he nvokes as by the strength OF his arguments
AS one Of the provincial delegates in 1865 TO Eng
land to adjust the terms OF the confederation Of
provinces, he was at recognized the leading
man OF the delegation ana carried or whatever
honors belong to the establishment Of the Dominion
| BY birth Highland Scotclman, he has resided In
Canada since his boyhood, and before engaging in
politics possessed OF the largest practices the
| bar He has only recently recovered from long
and dangerous illness, and it is understood contem.
plates soon retiring from public life, the Chief
Justiceship of the Supreme Court OF the Dominion
| tribunal which Is about to be established-being
supposed to be his objective point His Canadian
admirers are now engaged in getting up testi-
monla in his behalf which, 1t is desired, shall reach
the sum Of 100000.
| SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD
is thoroughly conversant with the questions OF the
fisheries and all other Canadian questions. lie win,
therefore, probably be regarded as an authority on
these subjects by his fellow members OF the British
| commission He s about 1fty-six years old. His
title is tfat OF Civil Knight Companion OF the
| Bath, received IN 1867 acknowledgment by the
British government OF his services chief Of the
| colonial delegation TO adjust the establishment OF
| the Dominion OF Canada.
/ JOHN ROSE, X. c. N. G.,
also Scochn1an by BIRTH but has resided In Can
ada since his early childhood He is lawyer by pro-
| fessOn, having amassed competence in Montreal
| by his practice, principally in commercial cases.
| He recently Minister OF Finance OF Canada, and
resigned that position in the OF 1866 enter
the banking house OF Morton, Rose Co., of London.
Since his residence England he has had the honor
Of Knighthood conferred upon him as q reward tor
| his Canadian services. He Is q Knight Commander
| CO
and inconspicuous Order, recently restored, VIII
the avowed object Of rewarding co.onai and
other officers. The number Of members in
the Order of the Bath being strictly lim-
tied, the Order Of st. Michael and st.
| George the numbers of which are unlimited, has
been found very convenient. Sir Edward Thornton
is a member Of this order. Sir John Rose is very
courteous, mild.mannered man, said to be very
tima in his public acts, and 1t Is supposed that both
he and Sir Edward Thornton will probably vote on
all questions with the majority of their colleagues
His wife is an American lady, very much resembling
Mrs. Fish in ch@arastsr @ and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS M c.9 mens
| .. Mr.. MONTAGUE BERNARD
man q DECIDED ability He Is Professor Of Inter
national Law at oxford, and is known ii connection
with American questions as the author OF ponder
GUS work on the neutrality of England during our
civil war, publication supposed to have been writ
ten at the instance of the late Lord Clarendon. The
| work takes the extreme English view Of the case,
and is labored effort to prove that the United
States have no Just OF complaint. He is about
| forty.three years old.
LORD TENTERDEN
With the exception OF Sir John A. Macdonald, per-
| haps the ablest man In the English Commission Is
| Lord Tenierden, the Secretary. He has very re-
Gently come to his title, beilg better known Mr.
Abbott OF the Foreign ONCE. He Is the author OF
| the famous 'Notes and Observations ~ presented by
Lord Clarendon In answer to Mr.. Fish's despatch OF
| the 2sth of September 1860, upon the Alabama
| question. He Is also about forty y.three years old.
| 1t will thus be seen tnat on the British Commits
| sion are two men who have made the Alabama and
kindred questions their peculiar study, while upon
the fishery and other Canadian questions the leading
| Canadian statesman Is placed In charge.
Earl de Grey and Ripon and tue Masonic
Fraternity.
| To THE EDITOR THE HERALD:-
The appointment OF Earl de Grey and Rpon, the
| Masonic Grand Master OF England, as president OF
| the English members OF the commission on the
| Alabama claims and his visit to this country, Will
| afford the Fraternity an eligible opportunity to
testify their appreciation Of his merited eminence
| as Mason and his noble benevolence as
a man. The public and the private life Of the Earl
| has been distinguished for q liberal and enlight-
ened cooperation with every measure for the public
| good and for the exercise of bountfu and bene-
| fcent charity. His brother Masons in America will
do well 10 avail themselves OF this occasion to tcs.
| tify their fraternal regard for the worthy Grand
Master OF England and for his estmablc virtues and
| shining talents. l make this suggestion because
| believe that Masonry Is calculated more than a,iy
other Institution to unite the nations OF both CONT
nents the bonds Of mutual good will ana common
| brotherhood. Yours. respectfully,
| STEPHEN ENGLISH, 1877 Broadway.