Evening star., 1923-10-28
New Lord Hotham Involved
By Grim Family Tradition

queen was constantly demanding his
presence at Osborne. her seaside home
on the Isle of Wight.
Then there was Sir Charles Hotham,
sixth baronet Of his line. who was
dispatched to Berlin in 1880 to carry
through a double matrimonial pro-
posal. by which the kings of England
and Prussia were to exchange their
eldest sons. All the tact of Sir
Charles, the devotion of the young
ster who was destined to figure in
history as Frederick the Great for
land. and the contemptuous patience
of George II with the semi-maniac
king. Frederick William I of Prussia,
could not bring off this arrangement
Carlyle's description of the affair is
in the nature of classic. and one
cannot refrain from the belief that he
must have had access to the official
dispatches and private correspondence
of Sir Charles, especially in the de-
scription of the Prussian queens en-
treaty to the British envoy to assist
her in restoring some measure OF
sanity to the distracted and utterly
impossible court Of Berlin.
Sir Charles mission was finally
sage which George II ordered him to
leave with Frederick William. in pre-
senting his letters of recall, to the eff
feet that 'The King Of England will
trouble no further respecting any
thing whatsoever that concerns the
King Of Prussia, or his family"
sixth baronet, was high in the favor
Of George II. the Hothams OF the
reign of that monarch's grandson,
George III, were equally appreciated
by that sovereign. especially the
eighth baronet, one Of five brothers
who, each of them, played an i'm
portant role in that era. The baronet
himself was one of the principal and
most trusted members of the house,
hold of the king. holding the Office
Of groom Of the bedchamber. George
great that he insisted upon appoint-
ing Col. (afterward GEM George
Hotham to the extremely delicate
charge Of the education and control
of the then Prince of Wales. Another
fame as great naval commander
and was elevated to the peerage as
the first Lord Hotham. Still another
brother, who became the ninth baro.
net, was elevated to the Episcopal
bench as Bishop of Clogher, while
Beaumont, who succeeded his brother,
as second Lord Hotham, was for
thirty years a baron of the court
Of the exchequer. and on his re-
tirement from Office received the
kings final tribute, II have known
many Hothams, and / have never
known one of them who was not
man of honor"
OF Sir Charles Hotham, the old ad-
miral Of the fleet. now In his eight
ieth year. it may be said that no man
has ever been prouder OF his profess
sion than this typical sea dog. and
great granddaughter Of the first Lord
Hothafn, the companion in arms of
Nelson, and his intimete friend until
they quarreled violently on the SUBJ
ject of the execution of the Italian
patriot Caraccioli, by orders Of Nell
son, at the instance Of King Ferdf-
nand, and especially Of the dissolute
Queen Caroline and her equally licen-
tious friend, Emma Lady Hamilton.
OF Sir Charles 1t Is related that, be-
ing a sincerely pious man, he In
variably, when ahoat, took on his
UNIFORM coat, with all its gold lace,
when engaged in his private devo-
tions, in order that he might not feel
himself too muoh on q footing of
equality with the Almighty and might
approach the throne OF his Maker In
a becoming state of humility and sub
mission. It may be of interest to add
that the same story il now current
about a popular and very gallant ad-
miral of the United States Navy, the
fascinating picturesQueness of whose
language and resourcefulnesS ap-
preaching genius in the choice OF his
expletives would never convex to the
general public the idea that he is at
heart a deeply ana sincerely religious
man. -