New-York tribune., 1909-10-20
MASTER OF ToRPII1cHEN.

That Great Britain still adheres to her oldtiua
policy Of sending the younger OF her best and
Oldest families the seas 10 win fame and
fortune and assist in the development and welfare
of her vast colonial empire Is shown by the long
list OF sons of peers who have lost their lives while
serving their county in Africa To a roster which
includes the names OF the Earls Southesk and Car
isle Lord Kensington. the Marquis of Dufferin ana
the Earl of Beauchamp must now be added that
of Lord Torphichen. whose eldest son. the Master
of Torphichen. has Just succumbed in his twenty
ffth year. fever while acting as Assistant Conn
missioner Of Nyasssland.
Lord Torphichen's peerage the only one that
can recall which owes it's existence the Knights
~ St John. Sir James SandIIands was ar the
time Of the Reformation master OF the Scottish
Asngue, or branch, of the Order of the knights
Hospitaers Of the Temple sometimes known as
the knights Of st. John and also Knights Of
Malts, and as such had enjoyed a place in Psriia-
ment not ONLY among the prelates but among
the greet barons. in right Of the lay bsrony of
Torphichen which was comprised in the property
a. the order
Sir James was led by his fathers close intimacy
with John Knox the reformer, 10 become
convert 10 the doctrines of the Reformed Church,
snd, resgning his ecclesiastical Office and posses
Eons 70 the Crown in 1884 received Immediately
thereon from Mary Queen Of Scots grant con-
frning him, his heirs and assigns the lands
and the baronies belonging to the order in Scot
land. He therefore continued 10 BEAR longer
IS precepuor OF the Order Of St. john but in his
right the title OF Lord 81. John OF Torphichen
which had constituted of the many dgnities
of his predecessors in Office. UnmindfuI OF the
~ celibacy which he had been compelled to
give joining the order, he married Janet Murray
q Pomaise. but dying without issue, his title OF
Lord ST. John Of Torphichen. which was eventually
shortened into Lord Torphichen passed 10 his elder
brothers. son James, succeeded second
lord. Since then the barony OF Torphchen has
descended IN the male line. the present peer being
the twelfth since the reign OF Queen Mary.
OF course the history OF the Sandilands goes
very much further back; for the first Lord Torphi-
e6sn IN order to have been preceptor Of the Order
- ST John the time OF the Reformation. must
have then been able TO show at least eight gen.
srstions OF exclusively noble ancestors, both on
the fathers and mothers sde genealogical quail
hcstions OF this kind being then. to-day indis-
peussbl 20 knghthOod OF the order. In fact, the
family ~ Sandilands takes its name from its
earliest possession Of the lands of Sandiand in
- Douglasdale which James OF Sandiland in tile
fourteenth century obtained by marriage with
Alonors. sister Of William. first Earl OF Douglas
The son 81 this marriage, who also bore the name
~ James, married Princess Joan, daughter OF
King Robert II.
The present Lord TOrphichen divorced his wife,
daughter OF Lieutenant General Charles +. Cor
don. some twenty years ago. BY his marriage
Vth her he had daughter and three sons, the
second of whom now becomes Master Of Torphi-
chen Master being the title always given 20 the
eldest eldest surviving sons OF peers in Scot
land