New-York tribune., 1902-05-25
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
REPRESENTED GREAT BRITAIN IN THIS
COUNTRY FOR THIRTEEN YEARS

COUNTRY FOR THIRTEEN YEARS.
Lord Pauncefote Of Preston was made ambassa-
dor to this country from Great Britain 1893 For
four years previously, Sir Julian Pauncefote he
had been Minister Penipotentiary and Envoy
Extraordinary, having succeeded Lord SackviIle in
1889 He was the third of Robert Pauncefote
esq., OF Preston Court, GIoucestershire The family
name, with the motto "PenseZ Forte" OF great
antiquity and pre-eminence, as appears from the
many notices Of it in Domesday Book Lord
Pauncefote born at Munich on September 1s
1923, and was educated Marlborough College and
at Paris and Geneva. He originally destined
for the Indian army. and had received a cadetship
in the Madras Light Infantry, when. for family
reasons. he decided to throw up the appointment
and to follow the legal profession. He accordingly
entered at the Inner Temple. called TO the
bar in 1852 and joined the Oxford Circle For a
short time afterward he filled the office OF private
secretary at the Colonial once TO Sir William
Molesworth, Secretary of State for the Colonies.
But on the death of the Colonial Minister In 1855
he returned to the bar and practised a convey
ancer.
In 1862 a prospect held out to him of extern
sive practice in Hong Kong. which was the centre
Of much trade well as place OF great political
and international interest. He proceeded to Hong
Kong. where he at once attained a large practice
and in 1865 appointed attorney general OF the
colony. As attorney general he became. officio
member of both the executive and the legislative
councils of Hong Kong and took active part IN
the general government OF the colony. while continu
Ing MS legal practice After acted various
periods chief justice of the Supreme Court Of
Hong Kong he accepted, in 1S73 the chief Justice
ship OF the Leeward Islands
On his return TO Englsnd the dignity OF knight
hood was conferred him. In 1874 he assumed
the chief justiceshp of the Leeward Islands and
proceeded at once to open the Federal Supreme
Court and to put the whole administration in work
ing order. AS chief justice Of the newly federated
Leeward Islands he supplied the most pressing
requirement by preparing for the new colony as he
had for a
of civil procedure suitable to the peculiar condi-
tions % the islands, and embodying a great part
of the rules Of procedure in force in England under
the imperial judcature acts.
In 1875 he returned England, and at that time
the Office of Legal Assistant Under Secretary of
State at the Colonial Office became vacant and
offered him by the Earl OF Carnarvon and he
accepted it. He also asked shortly afterward
by Minister to take the chief justiceship
Of Ceyon, in succession to the late Sir Edward
Greasy. but. his health having been somewhat i'm
paired by long residence in the tropics. he declined
that appointment He continued his services to the
Colonial ONCE Legal Assistant Under Secretary
of State until 1876 when, in pursuance of the
ommendation Of a committee of the House of Com
mons il was decided by the government to create
the post Of Legal Assistant Under Secretary Of
State at the Foreign Office. That post was offered
by Derby. then Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs. to Sir Julian Pauncefote. who transferred
his services from the Colonial to the Foreign Ofice
In the Beaconsfied administration he was made
Commander
mander of ST. Michael and St George, and after
ward in the Gladstone administration, he was ap
pointed Permanent Under Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs in succession TO Lord Tenterden
He discharged the responsible duties of that post
from 1882 to 1889. He selected by Earl Gran
vilIe IN represent Great Britain first delegate.
Jointly with Sir Rivers Wilson, X c. M G.. C. b.,
on the Suez Canal International Commission. which
sat in Paris April. May and June. 1885. and for
his services on that occasion, as well as In recogn-
tiop of the value placed his work Under Sec
retarv of State for Foreign Affairs, the queen
conferred on him. on the recommendation of the
MARQUIS of Salisbury, the Grand Cross OF the
order of St. Michael and st. George
IL 1sss he was made a Knight Commander OF the
order of the Bath and the following year began
bis service as minister 10 this country IN 1879 ne
ms the head of the British delegates 10 the Peace
conference at The Hague The Queen then made
him the first Baron Pauncefote of Preston
In the thirteen years that Lord Pauncetote rep
resented Great Britain at Washington he had no
reer i'm the diplomatic corps IN personal popu-
iartv with the American people and in cordial
a1otions with the United States Government He
vas interchangeable in his efforts to cement more
cioSey yraroittIng r in cuItivating that harmony OF
atfitude on the part OF the United states and
ccdhsspicuousiy exhibited in the Chinese crisis and
~ The Hague Conference. AS the dean or the
corps at washington for nearly ten years. ne was vas
cIoie 10 the State Department frequently as the
common naepofiations that have been carried on
| by this government with others until he came me
fitd States possessed in the council of nations.
Tta Fritish Embassy until his recent failure in
| health, had enjoyed social distinction second
~ 70 that of the White House, due his own
rayc,ous o,dy qualities and cultured cordislity His de-
SSotion TO his duties in this country. which he was
o,Id 70 regard his life work. frequently
proved by mis- retention of the post for after
| he had reached the age when he could have re-
20 cornDaratiVe at home the
| occunancv of his seat In the House of Lords,
nsSera he was assured of prominence in Prvy
| Co',ncu ~ his sovereign. At time, when
eSLaS ybv he continued his often annoying tasks
a sror1 home he is said to have replied prompt
" and with some emphasis II feel at home here.
al" "a I5a,incefote's most important negotia tions
s,n~a no came 10 Washington. in March 1889 have
I - he conducted leading the settlement
Of The long standing Behrins Sea controversy. the
@ @AI,EIo ~; en- of the Clayton -Bulwer convention He
was The first foreign representative be recog-
n~ ~ W occasion of his visit TO the White House