New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-01
MEMORIAL FOR DRAKE
Queen EIizabeth'S Famous Ad-
miraI to Have a Monument.

mlrdl 10 have q MOIluIIlcill.
Copyright 1913. by the Brentwood Company
OF all the great naval heroes OF Eng
land there is none whose name calls UP
so many romantic associations and exer-
cises so strong a hold upon the magma
ton as that Of Sir Francis Drake. Yet
there exists at the present time no monu-
ment or memorial Of any kind TO recall
the services which he rendered TO his
native land.
This extraordinary and wholly unac-
countable neglect is about to be repaired
a national committee has been formed
under the presidency Of the First Lord
Of the Admiralty. Winston Churchill. and
the first meeting thereof took place last
week at the London residence Of Premier
Asquith's brother-in-law. Lord Glencon-
ner.
II is a movement which cannot fall
also 10 interest people In the United
States. and will probably be used to re-
vive the activities OF that extraordinary
association known as the Drake Society
the members Of which, embracing several
hundred American alleged descendants Of
~ll r IdINls lIdhts are Dflll vi ObAh'iAAiin
poss sion Of the estate Of their illustrious
ancestor The estate so they declare.
consists OF landed grants to the great
navigator accumulations Of rentals and
money in Chancery 10 the extent Of some
500. 600.
The association has in the past en-
ployed numerous agents TO push its claims
in England, agents who have accepted
money for their services, but have failed
to accomplish anything. Indeed. these
Drake millions have been kept dangling
before the eyes OF credulous people in
America for at least twenty-five years
past. and the story concerning them has
been utilized by shyster lawyers and
other unscruplous individuals TO swindle
hundreds Of people Of modest means out
Of thousands and thousands OF dollars
which they could III afford to lose.
For the millions Of the great Sir Francis
Drake are as much a myth as the story
that he left any descendants.
The claims are based on the suppOstion
that Sir Francis left two sons. John and
Francir The latter and older one Of the
two. e is asserted inherited his fathers
property. and passed 1t on to his heirs,
his branch Of the family, however, be
coming extinct in ,l7i9: whereupon the
property. as well as the title. according
TO the story. should have reverted 10 the
descendants Of John. the younger son OF
the famous sea fighter. The members OF
the Drake association Of the United
States claimed 10 be the lneal heirs and
descendants Of this John Drake, and 1t is
on this pretension that they base their
demands.
Now. the English official standard
/ "Peerages." "Baronetages' and an
alogous works Of reference. both OF the
present day and Of the sixteenth. seven
tenth and eighteenth centuries, demon
strato tina. queen Euzabeths great ad-
miraI. Sir Francis Drake. although twice
married died without children. BY his
will. which bears the date of London
May l.. 1896. the original Of which is on
nlc 10 thi, day AT Somerset House. IN
London. and shown % visitors on pay
mcnt of a small fee. he declares that
being childless" he beqgeaths his landed
rrorertv. consisting Of auckland Abbey
IN the County OF Devon. 70 his nephew.
. Francis Drake. the son Of his elder
brother. Thomas, who IS named executor
II the will. This Is sufficient in Itself TO
disuose ~ the claim Of the Drake asso-
citation of tho United States and 10 prove
that under no circumstances can It's MEM
beers possibly be regarded as descendants
Of the admiral
The latters older nephew and heir
Francis Drake. was created baronet by
James I. and the harOnetcy, as wei as
the property. passed down, either from
father TO son or from uncle 20 nephew,
until the end OF the eighteenth century
when the barouetcy became extinct
/ through the death without issue IN 1885, OF
Sir Francis Henry Drake. the NTH baro-
net, on his demise the Drake estates
comprising auckland Abbey near Nelver-
ton. went I, his nephew, the second ana
! last Lord HeathAeld OF Gibraltar
/ Lord Heathhelds mother was Anne
Drake sister of the nth baronet She
married Sir George Elliott who for the
Gallant defence OF Gibraltar was created
the drst Lord Heathheid. Anne Drake
and the first Lord Heathheld had. besides
/ this only son who died as second and last
Lord Heathheld. a daughter named Anne
Elliott. married 70 John Drayton Fuller
| ~ Ashdown House. Sussex. Their son,
Thomas Fuller, inherited on the death OF
his uncle. the second Lord Heathheld. not
only the Elliott property but also the
/ Drake estates. and in accordance with the
terms OF the will OF the ffth baronet
assumed the name and the armorial bear
iugs Of the Drake family. He was dis
tinguished veteran Of the Peninsuldr
wars. and partly for his services under
Wellington in Spain and Portugal and
partlv bv reason Of his ownership Of the
| Drake estates was created bdronet by
! George " az the beginning of his reign.
! He also died without issue. and on his
demise the Drake bdronetcy and estates
went 10 his younger brothers son. Fran
els Fuller. He too. was Obliged 10 secure
| a ROYAL license I'm 800 20 assume the sur
name and arms OF Elliott and Drake
which converted him from Sir Francis
Fuller into Sir Francis Elliott Drake.
! The present Sir Francis has no SON
only a daughter married 10 Lord Seaton
and IL is understood that when he is
gathered 10 his fathers the Elliott and
Drake estates will pass to her. AS She
| too. has no children. II Is probable mat
| she may on her death leave the family
! estate, I'm Devonshire 20 her cousin The
/ ,dora Rriscoe. whose widowed mother Is
tina oldest sister Of Sir Francis Elliott
! Drake.
Theodore Briscoe will probably. IN ac-
] ...t,t thu uguAl custom in SQCn