New-York tribune., 1910-07-15
Lord Arnnstronu's Treasures.

Lord Armstrong, the recent sale of whose
wonderful collection Of pictures-two of
Millais's masterpieces. Chill October and
The Boyhood of Raleigh" bringing more
than s25,0Go apiece-at Christie's, I'm Lon
don, has been attracting such worldwide
attention, is the grandnephew and heir of
the first Lord Armstrong. who founded the
great ElsWick iron works and who NAV
be described as having been the English
krupp, since for many years he was the
so-cGlled Cannon King not only OF Great
Britain but also of many other nations,
and the inventor Of the cofiing and rifling
principle in the manufacture Of ordnance.
The dispersal of the ma gniacent collection
OF paintings. nearly all of the modern
school, 70 which tie old lord devoted much
Of his wealth, Is due to the fact that his
heir, the present peer. came TO financial
grief about & year or so ago through un-
fortunate speculation, and the shipwreck of
the fortune which he had received from his
grandunele has had the effect of com
pletely alternating from his name the ELS
wick iron works. which have turned out
so many men-of-war, as well as great guns.
/ battleship armor. steel bridges and railroad
material, during the last half century to
well-nigh every government and country
Of the world
The late Lord Armstrong the founder Of
the works in question, was not q seff-made
man IN the sense that he was Of plebeian
origin. for his father was the wealthiest
corn merchant of Newcastle-on-Tyne and
serVed a number of terms of ONCE as
Mayor Of that city. Yet old Lord Arm
strong never claimed any ancestors. nor
added any gems OF mythical genealogy to
the pages of Burke" devoted TO his name
His shield and supporters bore reference
only 10 his trade, the supporters being two
stalwart smiths, armed with huge ham
mers. while the motto, Forts in Arrnis''
C'Strong in Arms, in allusion TO his name
and to the excellence of his artillery. is
probably the most appropriate 10 be found
in the entire records of the Royal College
of Heralds. The late Lord Armstrong was
created peer of the realm in 1887 and
died without issue In 1900, when his barony
became extinct.
All his affections were centred In his
grandnephew. William Watson, 10 whom
Re bequeathed his entire fortune, his own
ersilip of the great EIiswick iron works
end shipyards, as well as his country seat
Of Crasside, near Rothbury, and BAN
Castle a grand old place in Northumber-
land. The late Lord Armstrong; only sis
ter married Sir William Watson judge of
the Court OF Exchequer and a veteran of
the Pennsular War and of the battle of
Waterloo. His son was John Watson, and
his son, in turn. was William Watson. who
three years after the death OF his grand
uncle had the latters title revived in his
faver BY the Unionist government Lord
Armstrong is man Of about forty-seven,
is member Of the Carlton Club which, of
course, indicates that in politics he is a
Conservative; married a daughter Of the
late General Sir John Ayde, of Tel-el-Kebir
celebrity, and has two children year
before his gTanduneie's death he obtained.
st the lstter's suggestion, the authority Of
the crown TO assume the name of Arm
strong. in addition to his own patronymic
of Watson.
MARQUIsE DE FoNTENoY.