The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-03
HoNoRs OF ENGLISH PEERS.
a Confusion of Titles in the Old
Aris toe rncicS.

From the London Tid-Bts.)
II is more than little astonishing to no
tice the disparity in the number of titles
which different English peers enjoy. The
Duke of Athol is so richly endowed that
he could give a title to each of twenty one
different men, while still retaining his
dukedom.
The Duke of Argyle ranks second in the
list of men of many titles. In addition to
his title as duke. he holds seventeen titles
as baron, viscount, earl and marquis. to-
gether with a knighthood over 900 years
old.
The Duke of Hamilton has sixteen titles
to spare, and the Duke OF Buccleugh and
the Marquis of Butte could each spare ff
teen, while retaining the rank by which
they are known.
On the other hand. the Venerable the
Rev. the Earl of Devon as no second title
of peerage, and the Duke OF Somerset even
has only one barony TO add TO his straw
berry leaves.
In spite of the unlimited range for choice
of title. many of our peers have titles
which they share with several others. No
fewer than five nOblemen are Lords How
ard, and the same number are entitled to
pose as Lords Hamilton. There are tour
Lords Grey. and the same number of
Lords Stuart or Stewart; while of Lords
Bruce Boyle, Hay and others there are at
least three
This confusion of titles is the more diii-
cult to understand, as there are 50 many
counties still unappropriated. Embryo
peers may have Il choice of the counties
of Dorset. Gloucester Hampshire, Middle
sex, Monmouth, Oxford and Shropshire.
Scotland has nine unattached counties.
ireland has six and Wales two; no fewer
| than two dozen counties thus being avail
nj 10 fpr In,
/ OF towns patiently waiting selection by
ennobled brewers and others. there ia an
embarrassing number, including London
and Liverpool.
In many cases a mans accession 10
| title brings no new dignity to his family.
Although the young Earl of Rothes sue
/ ceeded his grandmother in the title five
years ago, his mother still remains Mrs.
/ Leslie and his sisters the Misses Leslie.
| For some time after his succession the
| Duke OF Portland's mother remained plain
/ Mrs. Bentinck
/ The brother of the last and the uncle
! of the present Earl OF Caithness cannot
| prefix the Honorable" to his name; and
| although the Earl OF Loudoun succeeded
| to six baronies in addition to his carbon,
! his father remained Mr.. Charles Abney
! Hastings until he in turn was ennobled.
There are several curious cases In
| which a young son has become peer ba-
| fore an elder one and a son even before
/ his father.
/ When the Duchess OF Sutherland del
ten years ago her second son became a
/ peer as Earl of Cromartie four years be
/ fore his elder brother, the present Duke,
| was entitled to sit in the House OF Lords
When Susan Baroness North died y
1854 her son succeeded her in the baroLj
and took a seat in the House of Loris,
while his father, Col North, sitting
in the lower chamber.
The Marquis Of CRANKY. as Lord Man
| ners of Haddon, sits with his father II
the House of Lords; Lord Curzoa is a
! peer as well as his father. Lord Sears
dale. and Lord Campbell sat in the Gilded
Chamber with his son. Lord Stratheden,
who inherited the title from his mother
While some of our peers were born
when George III was King" and while
Earl Nelson has worn his coronet two
years longer than our Queen has had a
crown the Duke OF Leinster has not yet
reached his teens, and Lord Carbery is a
little boy of six, the age at which Sir
Arthur Kennard succeeded TO his baron
! etcy.
Some of the privileges conferred on
peers are quaint and interesting. The
right of Lords Kinksale and Forester to
retain their hats in the royal presence is
well known. 1t is less known that Lord