The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-30
British Ambassador to the United
States Dies at Davos-Platz,
Switzerland.
He Succeeded Lord Pauncefote at
the Washington Post and Was
Very Popular.
An Old Friend Of the Presidents
Who Sends Message Of
Coincidence.

ZerlanQ.
His death was announced at to-days
session of the Alaskan boundary commits
sion by Chief Justice Alverstone. II was
supposedly due to rapid consu1hption'
from which the ambassador Is known 70
have suffered from the time or MS ap
pointment to Washington.
Lord Alverstone's Tribute.
Counsel was In the middle Of his argu-
rnent before the Alaskan boundary com
mission when Lord Alverstone sudoenl9
held up his hand. stopped the proceedings
and with Intense emotion, said:
..The members of the tribunal nave
iust learned with the deepest sorrow or
the death of Sir Michael Herbert VINO IN
behalf Of Great Britain negotiated ana
signed the treaty by which this tribunal
was constituted and under which 1t Is
at this moment sitting. IScannot trust
myself to express the feeling Of grief
which this announcement has caused
to every member of this tribunal and to
many others who had the great
privilege Of Herbert's friendship.
worthy successor to the great men who
have filled the high office he held. he
brought to his duties not only great
ability, but the most charming personal
gifts. I and others here have, In the
course Of our public life, been brought
into close official and personal con-
nection with him. 1t is no exaggera-
ton to say that no man ever brought to
the discharge Of his duties higher ideals
and few, II any. greater qualifications.
His majesty and the British nation have
lost a devoted public servant and many OF
us have lost a cherished personal friend
Mr.. Dickinson Speaks.
The dramatic silence which followed
was broken by Jacob M. Dickinson, of the
American counsel, who rose and ex-
pressed In behalf Of the bar and people
of the United States intense sorrow at
the death Of the man whose qualities
Lord Alverstone had SO fifty described.
In token of respect for the deceased, Mr..
Dickinson moved an adjournment.
Sir Edward Carson, solicitor general,
of counsel for Great Britain in seconding
the motion referred with emotion to Sir
Michael Herbert's public and private
character. The commissioners after
wards rose from their seats and the sit
ting was suspended until tomorrow.
A dispatch from Paris on Sept IL said
that Lady Herbert, wife Of the British
ambassador at Washington was devotedly
nursing her delicate husband back to
health. Lady Herbert was formerly Miss
Leila Wilson, daughter OF Richard T. Will
son, the New York banker, and Is related
to the Vanderbilt, Ogden, Goelet and AS
tor families.
AZ the Death Bed.
Lady Herbert was with her husband
and Sir Michael Herbert's brother, the
Earl Of Pembroke, and the Countess Of
Pembroke, were also at his deathbed.
Lord Pembroke telegraphed to Foreign
Minister Landsdowne announcing the am
bassadors' death and asking the foreign
office to arrange with the Swiss and
French authorities for permission to
transfer the remains thru their territories
to England. The funeral will probably
take place at the family estate at Sal
1sbury. a'- +,
Ambassador Choate with Lord
Landsdowne, paying his usual visit at the
time the telegram announcing the am
bassador's death arrived. Its contents
were communicated to the United States
ambassador who expressed sympathy in
behalf of this country.
Sir Michaeps Career
Michael Herbert was born in London in 1857
and was educated at Oxford. Early in life he
showed fondness for political and diplomatic
dent in political economy and law Finishing
his course at Oxford, he began studying for the
British diplomatic service, and received In 1879
British embassy in Paris. Continuing his
studies he passed with credit course in public
law and was then appointed second secretary to
the Paris embassy, from which place he was
transferred to Washington, under Lord Sackville-
West. 1t was shortly after coming to this
Miss Leila Wilson, whom he met in Paris sew
eral years before, and to whom he was married
in 1883.
In the early fall Of 1893 he was transferred
to The Hague where he remained until pro-
NOTED to the position of first secretary under
Lord Currie to the British embassy at Con-
stantinople. This Is considered one Of the most
difficult stations in the diplomatic service a
hotbed of intrigue, where all the diplomatic bat
ties of the great nations of Europe are fought.
He Is Decorated.
In this trying position Mr.. Herbert served
with such skill and satisfaction that he was
made Companion of the Bath, high honor.
Later he went to Rome, serving under Sir
Augustus Paget.
Receiving the appointment as British agent to
attend the tribunal on arbitration in the Vene5-
uelan boundary question, he acquitted himself so
well that he was made minister plenipotentiary
in the British embassy at Paris this rank be-
ing conferred only upon secretaries attached to
''frst-class posts" in the British diplomatic
service.
Mr.. Herbert Is an old friend Of President
Roosevelt, and when the president was civil
service commissioner and the new ambassador
secretary of the British embassy at washineton
both took their daily exercise together. gal.
Looping over the city on horseback, and nearly
every day played baseball, boxed, fenced and
took long walks over the Maryland hills.