The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-15
LORD COWDRAy
ASSUME CHARGE
OF AIR WARFARE
Noted For Organization
Abilities, Peer is Paid
Signal Honor.

London, Jan. 15-Lord Cowdray
who has just taken over the OrganiZa-
ton and development of Great Brit
aims aerial warfare with the an
nOunced purpose of maintaining the
present air supremacy of the entente
allies, is better known to the public
at large as Sir Westman Pearson,
which was the name he bore before
his elevation to the peerage several
years ago. For many years he has
had the reputation of being one of
England'S greatest business organ
izers This reputation has extended
across the Atlantic, for in America
Lord Cowdray is widely known in
nancial and industrial circles by rea
son of his successful competition with
the Standard Oil Co. for control of
the Mexican oil fields.
In 1889 Lord Cowdray paid his first
visit to Mexico, thereby making the
opening wedge in that republic for
the English firm of IS. Pearson &
Son, Limited, of London Porfirio
Diaz then safely intrenched in the
presidency of Mexico, took a wonder
full liking to the young engineer.
From that time until after the over
L
sons were never without some great
MeXicon contract on their hands. The
first Pearson scheme in the republic
resulted in the DRAWINGS of the valley
around the City of Mexico. In the
years that followed they built rail-
roads and electric lines, harbors and
waterwOrks; they acquired interests
in mining properties, investments in
jute, and finally-the biggest transac-
ton of them all-they secured 500, 900
acres Of And/ containing the greatest
oil lands in the world.
The deal in the Mexican oil lands
led almost Immediately to the British
government taking a close interest in
the Pearson firm. For several years
previous the British admiralty had
been developing its warships along
oil-burning plans, with the intention
in time of replacing the coal-burning
apparatus entirely with the new fuel,
placing oil stations all over the globe,
SO that its dreadnOughtS might be
cared for in time of war
In England and the possessions Of
the British Empire there were not
enough oil fields to provide the sup
ply necessary to carry out these plans.
But the Pearsons. with their wonder
ful supply of oil fields, offered just
the opportunity. Therefore, the Brit
ish government lost little time in es-
tab1ishing a close relationship with
Lord Cowdray and his firm. The re-
lationship gave to the firm more than
the merely nominal protection a gov
eminent owes it's subjects; it made it
a fo1 lx1 inv ho 70
of the empire.
In the organization and direction
of the industrial end of the present
war, which many experts have de-
clared to be of even greater import
ance than the operations in the field.
the British government has frequently
sought the advice and opinions of
Lord Cowdray, and no surprise was
created by the announcement. that he
had been appointed to the important
position which earlier in the war had
been filled by Earl Curzon and later
by Lord Sydenham.
The new air chief is as remarkable
In appearance as he is in his sue
cesses. To the casual observer he
presents all the appearance of
typical English country gentleman.
Closer inspection, however, discloses
the vigilance of his eyes, the air of
natural-borng ruler of men land
ph1egmatic manner that is also quite
self-cOnfident.
Lord Cowdray is noted for his tao
iturnity. One of the few public in
terviews he has given amounted to
these words: II never talk about my
business. Talking is a sign of weak
ness"
Personally he owns 100000 acres Of
land in England and $4,000 acres in
Scotland. There is no way of ap-
proximating the size Of his fortune,
but it is known to go far into the