New-York tribune., 1910-08-29

after Schaal. and there lis another by
Corbut. There is also another of
Houston's fine prints-Kingsley a vet
eran of Dettingen. Fontenoy and Min
den. painted by Reynolds. McArdell,
another excellent engraver is repre-
sented by a mezzotint of William
Hoare's portrait of Vice Admiral Dobbs
OF the Carolinas. The mezzotint of Sir
John Moore. whose experience in Amer
lea was short. is by Charles Turner, a
truly great engraver
There is an exceedingly rare print of
the New Hampshire loyalis' Robert
Rogers. This was the Incian fighter
who gave name to the slide at Lake
George by one of his hairbreadth es-
capes After prolonged service in De-
troit and the back settlements he suf
fered from neglect and imprisonment,
but his diaries. printed in England.
caught the eyes Of George III and he re-
ceived an appointment as Governor Of
Mackinaw, whence he was sent in irons
to Montreal for trial .for plotting with
the sSpaniards- After his acquittal he
raised a regiment of Queens Rangers
for service in America, and on account
OF his loyalty was prescribed by the
patriotic revolutionists.
Even more interesting is the story
connected with Chevillet's French line
engraving of Sir Charles Asgill. The
young English officer was ordered to
America in ISL barely in time to be
captured with Cornwailis at Yorktown.
While he was a prisoner he was sud
denly held as a hostage by Washing
ton. An American officer had been
hanged by company of loyalists in re-
taiiation for the death of one of their
own people. Washington demanded
that Lppincott. the officer suspected of
being responsible for the outrage, should
be tried by British court martial, or
when Sir Henry Clinton demurred Cap
tain Asgil1 was brought under penalty
of death. When Lippincott was &C
quilted the fate of the young English
man was apparently sealed, although
Washington only needed a good pretext
for releasing him. Captain Assill's
mother appealed to the French Prime
Minister and TO Louis XVI and Queen
Marie Antionette 10 intercede for his
pardon. and he was finally released by
order Of Congress and allowed TO return
TO England.
Sir George Cockburn was in his cradle
when the Boston tea party came of. but
during the War of 1872 he was one of
the most energetic of the naval marti-
nets Dispatched with a fleet to Ber-
Tnuda. he made descent upon the
Chesa peake. destroyed military stores at
Havre de Grace, Georgetown and wher-
ever he could find them. and after Bla-
densburg entered Washington with Gen
eraI Ross and burned the town He was
planning equally destructive operations
against New Orleans and other ports
when the war came 10 an end. He sub
sequently conveyed Napoleon to St
Helena; but apparently he regarded the
burning of Washington as his principal
exploit In the mezzotint at Dorchester
House after HalIs's portrait of the ad-
mirar there is a background of burning
buildings and clouds of smoke; and that
is n indication that he was proud Of his
share in the destruction Of the American
capital The engraving is a good one. by
Charles Turner, famous for his splendid
plates Of the great Turner's master
pieces and having an individual style
from the partial use of point
In reserving the diplonatists, states
men and royalties of this unique assem-
blage of prints for another letter, I may
add that Mrs. Reid virtually began the
collection by purchasing half a dozen or
more OF them a few years ago a
birthday present for the ambassador.
From that time she has interested her
self in enlarging the collection from
French. American and English sources,
and has been as active and persistent in
the discovery of prints and relics Of
Revolutionary times as he has been him
self. Print shops have been ransacked
for them all over London. Paris and
many provincial towns. The collection
is designed for their New York home as
treasure trove from their prolonged resi-
dence abroad. L N F