LORD OROMER'S SERVICES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 30

LORD OROMER'S SERVICES.

GRANT RECOMMENDED BTZT THE KING. LONDON, July 25. The King sent a Message to Parliament l , signed *>y his own hand, recommending a grant of £50,000 to Lord Cramer in recognition of his eminent services to tba Empire in Egypt. In its issue on April 15 the Tribune said : " What is to be Lord Oromex's reward? On every >side the desire SB expressed that the services of th© great pro-Consul shall be recognised by the conferment of some signal honour to mark the nation's gratitude upon the completion . of a memorable epoch in the history of the Empire. What form the reward ahali take is already the subject of keen dis* cussion, but such a wealth of honours has been heaped upon Lord Cramer durinjr hi* diplomatic career that the choice of elera* tion has become 6omewhafc circumscribed* He is a member of the Privy Council. Ha has received the Grand Gross of die Order* of the Bath and the St. Michael and St. George. He is a Knight Commander of ihoStar of India, a Companion of the Ordet* of the Indian Empire, and one" of the 1$ British members of th© Order of Merit; Finally, ' during hjs administration lie has been successively created baron (1892); vis* count (1898), and earl (1901). Among the many suggestions which are being throws " out the most oeneral appear to be that Lord Cromer'^dßl be jfiven a further step in the peerafifl^B« receive a. money. g''"»lAs far as can^oe ascertained there is no prceedent whatever for the grant of » sum of money to a retiring diplomat. It has often been done m the case of a military commander fresh from a. successful campaign, and the eases of Lord Kitchener and Lord Roberta are still fresh in tiha public mind. But the great civilian is not similarly favoured, and the case of Lord Dufferin is decisive as to tbe practioe an such occasions. Lord Dufferin h*d rendered unexampled services to this country during his occupancy of the offices of Viceroy or India, Governor-general of Canada, ami Ambassador at St. Petersburg, Constantinople, Rome, and Paris, but thought notoriously a poor m&n, he received no financial recognition beyond the customary pension on his retirement from the Diplomatic Service in 1896. Not only did he noti receive a grant on leaving the Paris Embassy, but he was lot specially honoured! in any way. There is, however, an honour far transcending that of a step in tba, peerage which may fittingly and with sufficient precedent be conferred upon Lord Cromer. In well-informed quarters th« belief is entertained that he will be offered the Garter. By tradition the Garter is the highest honour in the grit of the King, and its conferment upon Lord Cromer would have an international sig--nificance, seeing that it is the <wder associated with sovereignty. The precedent W a very striking one — that of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, ' the. Great Elohi,' who received the Garter in 1869 in recognition of his services as Ambassador at Constantinople. Stratford Canning's Garter was especially noteworthy because it was one of the extremely rare instances of that favour being} bestowed upon a peer below the jank of an earl." _____^_____