Evening star., 1923-09-05
Memorial to Maj. Andre Defaced
By American Tourists in London

the neighboring town of Amherst. takes
its name from the first Lord Amherst.
who, after distinguishing himself at the
battles of Dettinger and of FonteneS,
and figuring under. Frederick the GreaI
in the seven years war, was appointed
the commander in chief of the British
forces in America and intrusted with
the conquest of Canada, on the compile
ton Of which he was appointed gov
ernor general of all British North
America, dying after his return 10 Eng
land as commander -ehief of the
British armies.
Although the peerages Of Lord Am
herst are. therefore, comparatlveN
modern, yet his family is a very an
cient one, claiming descent from Ger
tain Gilbertus of Hemmehurst. in Kent.
who figures in the so-called pipe roll
of 1915; while the name of Rogerus de
chartulary of Bayham Abbey, in the
reign of Edward II. the name being
transformed into Amherst in the twen-
ty-fifth year of the reign of Edward III.
X 81
Following the example of Lord Rose
berry, who last year transferred tn,
possession Of his great estate of Ment
more, in Buckinghamshire, to his eldes,
son and heir, Lord Dalmeny. and of
the Marquis of Lansdowne. who decided
ms scotch estate 10 MS elueSI SON. lettl
Kerry, the Earl of Powys has just
turned over the ownership Of his ances.
trail estate of Stychs in Shropshire.
where his ancestor, the great Lord
Give of Indian empire fame, was born,
to his eldest surviving son, the nine
teen-year- Lord Give. The object
of these real estate transactions. III
these respective instances, is to escape.
in this perfectly legal and legitimate
manner, the colossal death and success
sion duties where great estates are
concerned. and which, added to the
other burdens of annual taxation on
land, as the result of war expenditures,
have rendered the ownership of great
estates well-nigh ruinous.
The principal country seat of the
Earl of Powvs, where he has recently
been entertaining the Prince of Wales.
is Powys Castle in Montgomeryshire.
the Castle of Garde Doloureuse" OF
Sir Walter Scott's novel, The Be
trothed," formerly known as Red Cas-
tie. being built of red sandstone. 1t is
of great antiquity. having originally
been the seat of owen Ap Griffith. the
last Welsh sovereign prince of Powys-
Gwenyn. The latter's descendants
having become extinct in the male
line, the castle passed, through the
distaff side of the house. TO the Her
berts, a junior branch of the great
family of which the Earl of Penn
bert Earl of Powys. also a marquis
and a duke of Powys. The great Lord
Gives son. married the only sister and
sole heiress ofTthe last OF the Her
berts, Lords of Powys, becoming
Powys Castle and of all the landed
property connected Herewith, with
the result that he was created the
first Earl of Powys of the Give line.
1t is to the great Lord Gives vic
largely indebted for It's possession of
the mighty Indian empire.
Lord Mostyn, the only other peer be-
side Lord Sinclair who was elected
to membership of the Royal Yacht
Squadron the other day. and who,
like him, holds a sailing masters
license, is the head of one of the most
ancient and illustrious families of
Wales. and holds the title Of vice ad-
miral OF North Wales and of Car
narvon. A frequent visitor to the
United States, he is thoroughly identi-
fed with Welsh life, presides almost
every year at the national bardic
gathering known as the Eisteddf fod,
and is descended. like the Tudor
kings and, consequently, like George
V. from Marchudd Ap 'Cynan, Lord of
Abergeleu, cotemporary Of Rhodri
Mawr. King of Wales in the ninth
century. He still uses today as crnst
the "Saracen's head. erased at the
neck, arg, environed about the tenn,
pies with a wreath" which was the
principal heraldic device of the
founder of his house in the ninth
century. Lord Mostyns chief country
seat is Mostyn Hall. in Fiintshire.
where the family have resided sirire
the fifteenth century. and there is no
ancestral home In the United King
dom more rich in ancient, manuscripts.
especially those affecting the history
OF Wales, =