The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-14
First Lord of Admiralty Is
Elected an Elder Brother of
Trinity House.
ny LA MAnoUIsE DE royrENoY

BY la MAheuIsE DE FoNrENoT.
N/INSTON CHURCHILL. arst lord
Wv Of the admiralty, is delighted
For by his election as an elder
brother Of Trinity House. nc has ac-
CURED. for the first time, naval rank,
and the right 10 wear a naval uniform,
true. neither the uniform nor tho
rank arc as fine az he could wish
For. although the principal grade in
the navy Sc that OF admiral OF the fec.
the equivalent OF field marshal In
the army-ths elder hrothership of
Trinity carries with It. by virtue of
royal warrant published las; December
merely the rank OF captain of thu
royal navy. and the uniform attached
TO that Office. save in few minor
and insignificant details.
From henceforth, therefore. winston
Churchill. who takes his position as
first lord OF the admiralty so very
seriously that ne g constantly board
ing battleships In order to supervise
naval operations and manoeuvres,
about which he knows little or moth
ing. professionally speaking, viii be
able TO don at least a naval garb IN
stead OF an unGress Yeomanry uni
form. suggesting the famous Horse
Marine.
The Brotherhood of Trinity House is
so little known abroad that il re-
quires some explanation. and ALWAYS
recall the curiosity of n distinguished
Frenchman present at n levee at ST.
Jamess Palace. who was puzzled by
the naval uniform worn by the late
Lord Salisbury. then Prime Minister,
in MS capacity az an elder brother OF
Trinity. He put the question IN French
TO an English Acquaintance whose
knowledge of the Gallo tongue was
peculiar. but not extensive.
"Oi vous savez." explained this In
dividuaL 'aue Lord Salisbury est lie
frere aine de In Tr!nite."
ITEMS! ITEMS. exclaimed tho
puzzled. yet courteous Frenchman
"mais o'est une position vraiment re-
marquable ca.
II may be said that Trinity House.
the name OF which Is familiar to
every seafar!ng man. is ono 1t the
Oldest departments OF the British gov
ernment. In the same way that the
Royal College OF Heralds is permit ed
TO maintain itself In existence by
means OF charging heavy fees for the
registration OF nobiliary titles. for the
grants OF armorial bearings. genoa
logical researches and the manage
ment OF state functions. SO has Trinity
House been allowed for several cen
turtles 10 raise large revenues by levy
ing pilotage and lighthouse dues on
all vessels entering British ports. In
return for this Trinity House has un-
dertaken ever since SIS foundation al
about the time OF the discovery OF
America by Christopher Columbus. to
erect and maintain lighthouses, 10
place buoys. and TO furnish efficient
pilots in all British ports and Brit
ism waters.
a charter Of Incorporation to Trinity
House. But there Is evidence 10 show
that the Institution was In eXis tence
for several hundred Years previous to
his reign. indeed, as far back es In the
time OF Alfred the Great, though un
der different names. To give It It.
full modern name. it should be
called the Guild OF Fraternity OF the
most glorious and undividable Trn!ty
OF st. Clement commonly called the
Corporation OF Trinity House"
Early in the seventeenth century
Trinity House was intrusted with the
responsibility o. surveying shipping
built. hired or purchased by the gov
eminent, and 81 1913 Il vessel named
the Mayhower was offered for sale TO
the government. but was rejected as
and on the report OF the brothers OF
Trinity House. 1t was this very snip,
thus turned down ~ Trinity, which
subsequently brought the Pilgrim
Fathers u. America.
The headquarters OF the Corporation
of Trinity House are situated on Tower
Hill. adjacent to the Tower OF Lon
DON and were built at the end OF tho
eighteenth century from designs by
Samuel wyatt. being the third homo
OF the corporation. The tlrst house was
destroyed by the great fire OF London
In 1856 The courtroom OF Trinity
House is magnificent chamber,
adorned with rare old portraits. with
relics of the Spanish Armada. and with
fiags taken by sir Francis Drake and
other celebrated English commanders
from the enemy.
The actual work OF the corporation
is done by half dozen professional al
elder brethren, and by still larger
number OF the younger brethren. ell
of the Iattcr being retired yea faring
men, mostly men who have served
with distinction in the merchant navy
Trinity House has. however, always
made point OF honoring statesmen
and great soldiers, who could not boast
OF any naval knowledge, by eieotng
them to the elder brotherhood. Thus
the Iron Duke OF wellington was elect
ed an elder brother of Trinity after
the battle of Waterloo The great
Prime Minister BILLY" Pitt was like
wise an elder brother. so too were
Lord Palmerston. w. f. Gladstone and
Lord Beaoonsfeld. the latter of whom
on one memorable occasion turned up
ut a levee In the gold epaulettes, and
anchor embroidered seafaring coat Of
a Tripity brother. but with tho gold
laced trousers, the court sword. and the
chapsau of n privy councillor, the re-
marknble appearance which he thus
presented creating CONSERVATION
among tho court officials and no end
OF amusement I'm the royal circle.
To-day. Lord Rosebery. Arthur Bal
fourS Premier AEquith, Prince Arthur
OF Connnught, the Duke of Connaught.
Lord Crewe. Lord Selborne and Austen
Chamberlain. are all elder brothers.;
and so TOO, Is Sir Ernest Shackleton,
the Antarctic explorer, who was elect
cd on his return from his last eXpcdl-
ton In the South Polar regions.