New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-04
WEALTH VERSUS AMBITION.
THE RICH AS PATRIOTS AND HUMANE
TARIANS.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: Lady Ahordcen'a hopes as to the mission OF
the Kiondike nurses, published in The Sunday
Tribune call to mind incident in that woman 8
family that TO seems % interest az this time
as showing that the appreciation of Americans now
EXPIRE. SEQ by the English people is due TO the visits
Of intelligent and hCnes' BritoDs to the United
States ana personal contact WITH the Yankee. as
well as demonstra,inG-as Ncw-York's Roosevelt
and others are dong-that wealth and station are
not Synonymous with dudeisIl. Indifference or lack
OF ambition 10 be a. cful.
In 1864 George Gordon sixth Earl OF Aberdeen.
become OF age and succeeded his father TO the fam
lly titles In 1866 he sailed from Scotland with the
avowed intention o. visiting his uncle. Sir Arthur
Gordon then Governor of the British Province Of
New Bruins wick Possessing q natural love OF the
sea- that voyage aroused in him a spirit Of advent,
L.e ana dcslic TO see more OF the world. as well
ing and education. for the duties OF a seaman, 50
that. should circumstances ever demand his SER
vices the water. ne would he prepared. After a
short visit to his !nCe went TO Boston, where
he rcma ned for time at a hotel with a friend the
Earl OF Gosford. II was AT that hotel he dropped
George Osborne began his nc as d sal or shipping
in 1906 il the BIS A. Nylie In 1857 he one OF
the crew OF the schooner Arthur Burton, and made
the trip to Vera Cruz From that Time up r 10 10
various ports between Boston and the Gulf.
In that year he shipped a. first mate OF the Hera
for Melbourne Australia. intending that to be his
last voyage. when he would return 10 his home and
ba ses washed and los, s s
brother. John Campbell Gordon. compelled to
prove TO the satisfaction OF the Scotch Court and
the House Of Lords that tho sailor known a.
George Osborne" lost at sea. was George Gordon.
sixth Earl Of Aberdeen before he could succeed TO
the Scotch and English titles as the seventh Ear
OF Aberdeen. Some OF the letters written TO his
mother b. the sailor Earl show how strongly ne
liked America and Americans. and intimate how
ignorant the English people were OF US as people.
In one these letters he wrote:
Il will say this o, England: That the more see
OF other countries the more convinced DO become
that England Is tho stupid. pig -head~'. stick
in ihe-mud OF them all" And in another he wrote;
You ought certainly TO come 10 America for a
short period just to what noble country 1t Is"
iIc condemned The people who visit country for n
few days and weeks and think they know oil! about
or these he wrote:
Let them get behind the scenes. and then their
eyes Will be opened then they will make good reso-
luions FOR the future: then they Will begin TO know
little themselves: then they Will understand wnnt
makes a man and hrotner."
But for h.s unfortunate death England might
have learned in 1870 what she has begun 20 learn In
1905 of the American people. II may be thought Of
George Gordon that ne was naturally hcadstrong
and adventurous. but that not the He
was a young possessing the better traits Of
human nature fopd Of mechanics. moral. temperate.
truthful and even deeply religious. There are
scores OF such young in America. and thor
wealth Will not change thel- nAtures. Truly yours.
Washington. ID. C.. July IL j. r. NJ