The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-07
The Late Austen Henry Layard.


Austen Henry Layard, who died Thurs
day in England. was born in Paris. March
5. 1917. After studying law for time he
set out on a course of travel with friend,
in 1889. After visiting various parts of
Northern Europe he proceeded through
Albania and Roumania to Constantinople,
where he acted as correspondent of Lon
don newspaper at one time. Later he
travelled through different parts OF Asia.
and while there learned the Arabic and
Persian Languages. He always made it
point TO explore the spots which were sup
posed to have been the sites of ancient
cities, and when at Mosul, near the mound
of Nimroud, he examined carefully the
spot which both history and tradition
point out as the birthplace of the wisdom
of ths West" When Mr.. Layard heard
that NJ. Botta, a Frenchman, had been
carrying out excavations at the cost OF his
government. and had found great num-
Der of curious marbles. he became very de-
sirous of making similar discoveries. In
1s45 he returned to Constantinople, where
ne laid his views before Sir Stratford Can
ming, who generously offered to share the
cost of excavations at Nimroud. In the
following autumn Mr.. Layard went to
Mosul and began to work on spot that
had not been previously disturbed. Here
he succeeded ultimately in exhuming
some of the numerous wonderful
specimens of Assyrian art which
enrich the British Museum. For
some time the government did not appre-
ciate Mr.. Layard's researches. April 5,
1s49, he was appointed attache to the en-
bassy at Constantinople. and was for
few weeks in 1852 under-secretary of state
for foreign affairs under Lord Russell's
first administration.
In 1853 he was presented with the free
dom of the city of London as a recogni-
ton of his services among the ruins of
Nineveh, and went to Constantinople with
Lord Stratord de Radcliffe. He was re-
turned as one of the members in the
Liberal interest for Aylesbury in July,
1852, and while in the house of commons
became the advocate of more decided
policy on the Eastern question, on which
subject he made several energetic and i'm
pressive speeches. At the general election
for parliament in 1857 he was defeated
and was also unsuccessful York in 1859,
but was returned as one of the members
for Southwark in 1860 In 1850 he pub
lished "Nineyeh and Its Remains," and
and in 1853 second part of the book. In
1888 his monuments of Nineveh" and
an abriged addition of "Nineveh and It's
Remains" appeared. In 1855 and 1856 Mr..
Layard was elected lord rector of Aberdeen
university, and in June, 1861, became I'M
der secretary Of state for foreign affairs in
Lord Palmerston's second administration,
and retired on the fall of Lord Russell's
second administration in 1866. He was
appointed a trustee of the National Gal
lery in 1866, and was chief commissioner
of works in Mr.. Gladstone's administra-
ton December, 1868, when he was added to
the privy council. until November, 1869,
when he retired from parliament on being
made envoy extraordinary and minister
pleDipotentiary at Madrid. In April,
1877, he succeeded Sir Henry Elliot as
ambassador to Constantinople. On the
re-establishment of ordinary diplomatic
relations with the Sublime Porte Mr..
Layard was chosen by Lord Beaconsfield
for the post of ambassador, and arrived at
Cnnstantinople on April "a. 1877. In June.
1878, Just before the assembling of the con-
gress of the great powers in Berlin, the
Order of the Grand Cross of the Bath was
conferred on him. When Mr.. Gladstone
returned to power In 1880 Sir III. Lay ard
received leave of absence from his post at
Constantinople, and was shortly after
wards succeeded by Mr.. Goschen, who
went out as special ambassador.