The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-31
Its Possession by Viscount Cor
mansion Stands in Way Of
His Elevation.
DIX Ia MARaUIsE DE FONTI1NOY.


n equally authoritative standard
works of reference, concede to
Viscount Gormanston possession of the
Irish barony 6f Birlningham This
| stands in the way of tho elevation of
Joseph Chamberlain to tho House of
Lords ms Earl of Birmingham. on his
| retirement from tho representation OF
the city of Birmingham in tho House
| of Commons.
Tho cable dispatches in abiding to
tho letter which he has just addressed
70 his constituents, announcing his re-
fremont from tho House of Commons,
| likewise mentions tho impending be-
stowal upon him OF an carldom OF
Birmingham.
Now. 1t is n long established rule that
no ono on his elevation to tho peerage
should adopt title that Is already in
use. or even that has belonged In the
past to n family still In existence
Thus. when tho late William e. Glad
stone was offered by queen Victoria
an earldom, and was ready to accept
1t, providing that no could call himself
Earl of Liverpool-his native city, and
where his family had been established
for gencrations-the then Lord
Hawkesbury opposed tho project. on
tho ground that the carldom of Liver
pool had last belonged to his maternal
grandfather, and that he looked for
its eventual revival in his own person
The Grand Old Man did not venture
to combat this contention by Lord
IIawkesbury. and stated that. since he
could not become Earl of liverpool he
preferred TO remain in the House OF
Commons as plain William Ewart
Gladstone. tho most illustrious com
moner of his day. A number OF years
afterwards. tho late Lord Hawkesbury
was raised by King Edward to the
earldom of Liverpool
Lord Curzon. the former Vlceroy OF
India, on being raised to tho Deerago.
ala not venture 10 adopt tho title of
Lord Curzon, until he had obtained the
permission of tho Earl of Howe. who
Is tho head of the house of Curzon. and
whose minor titles Include both a
o2rony and viscounty of Curzon.
Lora Gormanston might, if appealed
TO by Joseph Chamberlain, in n similar
Fashion. be willing to accord to him
the permission to adopt the title Of
Earl of birmingham, were it not that
ms rights to the barony OF Blrining-
ham have frequently been questioned
by genealogical experts. These claim
that the barony of Birmingham was
assumed without proper warrant or
authority by the late Viscount Cor
mansion. so long Governor OF Tas-
mania. Tho late Lord Gormanston ap-
propriated 1T on tho ground that the
irst Lord Gormanston. that is to say
the Lord High Chancellor OF Ireland
under King Richard H., had married
Margaret, daughter OF Walter dc Birm-
lngham.
Walter de Birmingham's peerage,
however. was not q barony OF Birm-
ingham, but barony of Athenry.
which, until the death in the eigh-
teenth century of Thomas Birming-
ham, twenty second Baron Of Athcnry
and also Earl of Louth. was the pre-
mier barony of Ireland, antedating that
or kinsale by a number of years On
the death OF this Thomas Birmingham
the only heirs in the male line of sue
cession were the descendants of 4
younger son OF Richard birmingham,
sixteenth Lord Athenry. These were
John Birmingham, of Dalgan, and OF
Cioondargan, and Captain John Birm-
! inGham, of Ashgrovc and Ballintava,
who were cousins
John birmingham, OF Dalgan, made
an effort to obtain the family honors
by proving his descent. But as the
procedure required to establish the
rights to such honors before the Com
mttee OF Privileges OF tho House of
Lords is terribly expensive, having
amounted in some instances TO $780,
600, and even to $4,000, he allowed
tho matter to drag on until his death
without issue in 1902. That left his
cousin. Captain John Birmingham. of
Ashgrove' above mentioned. as sole