Evening star., 1924-01-19
by THE MARaUIsE DE FoNTENOY.


King George has just appointed as his
minister plenipotentiary to Venezuela
Andrew Percy Bennett, who spent a
number Of years in the United States
as consul in New York at the close
of the last century, having begun his
consular career In Manila just three
decades ago. His opportunity may
be said to have come when he was
transferred to the diplomatic service
as commercial attache of the en-
bassies of Vienna, of Rome and of
the legations of Athens and Bucha-
rest, which brought him under the
eye Of King Edward. who thenceforth
who did much to promote the social
career Of Bennett and of his very
attractive Rumanian wife in London
society. Indeed, both of the Ben
netts and, subsequently,. their daugh-
ter. now advantageously married, and
who inherited most of her mothers
charm and good looks, acquired a
firmly established position in London,
which was due to royal good will and
to the fact that they were nice look
ing, agreeable and clever people
rather than to any special advantages
of birth. During a portion of the
war he served as consul general at
Zurich, which, by reason of its being
the neutral rendezvous of the prin-
ctpal agents of the belligerents and
the headquarters Of foreign espion-
age. proved a post of the utmost i'm
portance, On the restoration of peace
came his reward In the form of ap-
pointment as minister to Panama, and
now he has been promoted to the
more lucrative mission of envoy at
caracas with a salary of $4,000 and
an Official residence and allowances.
Let me add that he is fairly well
off, is able to maintain a permanent
home in London at Devonshire ter
race, Hyde Park. belongs to the St.
James Club and graduated with hon-
ors from Christ College. Cambridge.
He has hosts Of American friends, and
a still larger army Of acQuaintances
In the United States. and II is natur-
ally calculated to promote the friend
ly relations between this country and
Great Britain to have as English
of the Latin republics of the western
hemisphere q man who is so imbued
with such strong sympathies for the
government and people of this great
republic.
One of the three great private
banking firms Of London. which has
been in existence for over 200 years,
adjoining the admiralty arch in the
West End Of tho metropolis, has just
passed out Of existence through its
absorption by the Royal Bank of
Scotland. Throughout its London
career it has been known as Drum
mond's Bank, and before that 1t did
a big business in Edinburgh and at
Amsterdam.
II I call attention to the fact 1T is
due to the many American associa-
tions Of the Drummonds. and espe-
cially Of the bank bearing their
name, the partners of which have
been until now George. Maldwin,
Charles, Frederick and Alexander
Drummond. OF these, Maldwin, for
merly a soldier and captain of the
King's Royal Rifles, is married to the
former Albertine Hack of Chicago,
widow of Marshall Field and mother.
young Lady Edmondstone. She and
her husband make their home at
Cadland, a beautiful spot on the
South sea coast near Southampton.
George Drumfnond, another partner
in the bank. formerly an offlcer OF
the LIST Life Guards and badly
wounded at the battle Of Yyres. Is
married to a very charming Irish
woman, Kathleen, the eldest daugh-
ter of T. Grattan Holt Of Bally Girls
tai. Another of the brothers, Alex
ander Drummond, is married to the
former Pauline Chase, known as the
pink Pajama Girl" and also as the
peter Pam OF 1904 and 1906. she
"a the daughter of DR.. D. B. Bliss
ana fhe late Mrs Bliss Of Washing
ton, D. C.. Mrs. Alexander Drum