English Veterians.

Hastings Standard, Issue 250, 18 February 1897, Page 4

English Veterians.

The Daily News, while commenting upon Ml- Gladstone's eighty-eighth birthday, pointed out that the venerable statesman is by no means the only notable English veteran. On the contrary, a great number of octogenarians and some nonagenarians can be counted now in various spheres of activity. In the House of Lords, for instance, there is the Earl of Mansfield, who, at the nge of DO, can claim to be the oldest

peer of the realm. Lord Armstrong, founder of the great linn at Elswick, is still hale and hearty at 86, though he is said to have been very weakly as a child. The Duke of Northumberland is 815. Lord Cranbrook, who as Mr Gathorue Hardy, ousted Mr Gladstone from his seat for Oxford Cniversitv in 1h0">, and sent him

■' unmuzzled " to Lancashire, is 82. Lord Gwydyr is HO, Lord Lridport, who has been Lord in Waiting to the Queen, is 82, and Earl Fitzwilliam is 81. Lord Esher, the Master of the ltolls, who has been a judge for 28 years, is also 81. Some of these peers, however, are still young beside Mr C. I'. Villiers, the Father of the House of Commons, who is i)l. Perhaps the next oldest member of she House of Commons is Sir John Mowbray, who is Hi. Sir Isaac Holden, who, like Mr Gladstone, retired from Parliamentary life at the last general election, is 89. Sir George Grey, the "Grand Old Man of New Zealand," is Hi, Sir Thomas Acland, Mr Gladstone's eontemporary at Oxford and life - long friend, id 87 ; Sir llenrv Hosemer, the inventor of the steel rails that bear his name, is h;< ; Sir James Paget, the distinguished surgeon, is HiJ ; MrGlaisher, the well-known meteorologist, is 87 ; Dr Kyle, ISishop of Liverpool, is 8() ; Admiral sir Alt ■xander Milne is 90, and Admiral Sir Henry Keppel *7. Mr Gladstone's friend, Canon Carter, of Clewer, is a year older than Mr Gladsloiii and equally vigorous. This is uis in!* ,i tu'g list of veterans, and some i-f e"> m havi shown that it is |K>ssil»li in it ih-i \ iiltaire's ideal of living long vwilm it growing old