The Washington herald., 1911-02-15
Possessions of Titled English Landholders

Great Britain's old nobility. I cite Burke
to write the opening chapter IN the story
of the dukes of Bedford:
The political merit of the first pen
sioner OF the house of Bedford was that
of being concerned, as a counselor of
state, in advising and in his person
executing the conditions of a dishonOr-
able peace with France; by instigating
A tyrant to injustice to provoke a peO-
pie to rebellion: by giving his hand to
the work and partaking OF the spoil with
prince who plundered a part of the ma
tiOnaI church of his time and country;
by being prompt instrument of ruler
who oppressed his people. His grants
were from the aggregated and consoIi-
dated funds of judgments and from pos
sessions voluntarily surrendered by their
lawful prsprietOrs with the gibbet at the
door"
Among his plumber of church lands.
John Russell, favored by Henry VIII
and making most of the boyhood of the
latter's ten-year-Old successor, Edward
VI, laid hands on acres of land adjoin-
ing the budding metropolis. To-day they
lie in the center of London-thorough-
fares and squares. yielding fabulous
rents. Unearned increment was aug
mented by a simple device, much in
favor with titled British landowners. In
stead of selling building sites outright,
they granted leases. generally for ninety
nine years. At the end of the time.
not only the land but the buildings re-
verted to them.
The recent death Of the eighth Earl OF
Egmont. Sir Augustus Arthur PercevaI.
Viscount PerCevaI of Kanturk. Baron
Perceval of Burton. and Baron Arden
of Lohort Castle, Lord Lovel and HOl-
land. Baron Arden, and a baronet of
Ireland, whose wife was Kate Howell,
of South Carolina, drew public attention
to rare romance of the peerage. The
noble lord, whose loss deprived Lord
Lansdowne of a supporter in the heredi-
tary chamber. had filled many parts be-
for he succeeded to that of an earl.
Born in New Zealand. as the son of d
clergyman, he was, while a boy, sent
to England and served his time in the
training snip Conway, and later obtained
humble position in the Liverpool Office
of the White Star Line. Thence he
went to sea and earned a certificate
he married a barmaid. He drifted into
the service of the fire brigade, where
he stayed six years. Becoming keeper
of Chelsea Town Hall. he. upon a memoir
able occasion, utilized his experience with
the fireman's hose. Following an cleo
ton in Chelsea, the hall was crowded
to welcome the victorious candidate. who,
as Tory, naturally had the sympathy
of the scion of the old nobility. A body
of Liberals obtaining admission TO the
hall and creating a disturbance, the hall
keeper took short but effective measures
to restore order. He just turned the fire
hose upon them, and in an incredibly
short period of time cleared the han.
The. proceeding, we'll meant. was mis-
understood. The noble hall keeper was
summoned for assault, was mulcted in
fines and costs amounting to IA guineas.
and lost his situation. In turn he took
to addressing envelopes, worked in a
salt mine, and finally became a re
mittance man" in South Africa Thence
by the death OF the seventh earl, he
was recalled to England and became a
belted earl, with 34,0 600 acres of land and
rent roll approaching 10000 year.
By comparison with some of the rec
ords of the peerage cited, the late Earl
Egmont had little to be ashamed Of
must be admitted that at his best he
was not exactly the ideal parsonage as
sociated in the lay mind with heredi-
tary legislator. FLANEUR.
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