OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3004, 11 October 1911, Page 27

OBITUARY.

FAMOUS AMERICAN ADMIRAL.

VANCOUVER,, October 2

Rear-admiral Schley, of the United States Navy, who was a prominent figure in the Spanish-American War, dropped dead at his club in New York. The late Admiral Schley sank Admiral Oervera's fleet in Santiago Harbour in July, 1898. He was born in Maryland in 1839, and served through the Civil War, also in the Pacific, China, and South America. In 1884 he commanded an expedition to the Arctic, and rescued Lieutenant Grealy, the explorer.

Winfield Scott Schley was born in 1839, and was appointed acting midshipman in 1856. He graduated at the Naval Academy in 1860, and served on the frigate Niagara on duty to China and Japan in that year and the following year. He was promoted to the rank of master in 1861, and to lieutenant in 1862. He served in the West Gulf blockading squadron from 1861, and was in the engagements leading to the captuire of Port Hudson in 1863. He remained in southern waters until 1864, and from then until 1366 he was en the Pacific station, as executive officer on the gunboat Watered. He suppressed an insurrection amongst the Chinese cooiios on the Chinchi Islands in 1864-, and in 1865 he landed 100 men at San Salvador to protect the United States Consulate and Custom House during the revolution. After becoming lieutenantcommander in 1866, he. spent three years on duty at the Naval Academy, and then served on the Asiatic station participating in the attack on the Salee River forts in Korea in 1871. In 1872 he was placed at the head of the Department of Modern Languages at Annapolis. In 1874 he was promoted to the rank cf commander. He then served in Europe, on tlie West Coast of Africa, and on the South Atlantio stations, and in 1884 he took command of the Greeley relief expedition, rescuing Lieutenant Greeley and six survivors at Cape Sabine, for which he was awarded a gold ■watch and the thanks of the Legislature of his native State (Maryland), and a gold medal by the Humane Society of Massachusetts. After serving in various branches of the service, h& became captain in 1888. He commanded the and settled the trouble in Valparaiso (Chili), when several American soldiers were stoned by a mob. He carried Eriokson's body to Sweden in 1891, for which he- received a gold modal from the King of Sweden.;Subsequently he commanded the New York, and in February, 1898, he was promoted to the position of commodore, and placed in command of the flying squadron on duty in Cuban waters in the war with Spain. He was in immediate command at the destruction of Adm:ral Cerveia's fleet off Santiago on July 3, 1898. In the following month he was promoted to the rank of rearadmiral, and was presented with a gold sword 'by the people of Pennsylvania, a silver sword by the Royal Arcanum, a gold and jewelled medal with the thanks of the Maryland .Legislature, and a silver service, etc.

DOWAGER LADY SEAFIELD. LONDON, October 6. The Dowager Countess of Seafield is dead.

October 7.

It is reported that the Countess of Seafield made a settlement where"by the estates will now revert to, the earldom.

[There are two Dowager Countesses of Seafield, the one being Nina, who lived hi Oamaru for so many years, mother of tlya 11th Earl, and the other being Caroline, of Banffshire, mother of the Bth Earl. There is every reason to think that it is the latter whose obituary notice appears above. The deceased, who belonged l to the Protestant branch of the clan Grant, frequently entertained King Edward' at her principal seat. Castle Grant. She possessed the ' Seafield estates (which she greatly improved', the forests alone yielding £50,000 a year), comprising Oullen House in Banff, her favourite home of Castle Grant (Strathspey), Balmacaan in Invernesshire, and Grant Lodge in Elgin. She was very desirous of educating the present earl and his brother, but her overtures in that direction were, unfortunately, rejected. She was very wealthy, supported many philanthropic institutions around her'estate, and was greatly beloved toy the tenantry and clahfolk.]

SIR CHARLES LAWESWITTEWRONGE. LONDON, October 7. The death is reported of Sir Charles Lawes-Wittewronge, the sculptor. [The deceased sculptor was the second baronet, and was 73 years of age. The second part of the surname was ad'dsd by Royal license in 1902. He was in his student days a prominent athlete, winning races at Eton, and rowng events at Cambridge. He also held the National Cyclists' Union paced records for i-mile, 1, and 6 to 25 miles in 1898-1899.]

MAJOR-GENERAL HOAD. MELBOURNE, October 7. Major-general Hoad, Chief of the General Staff of the Commonwealth Military Forces, and ex-Inspector-general, is dead. Ho recently suffered from a nervous breakdown and obtained six months' leave but his death was unexpected. Major-general Hoad rose from the ranks.

HON. E. L. BATCHELOR. MELBOURNE, October 8.

The Hon. E. L. Batchelor, Minister of External Affairs, died suddenly v/ti'-s on a walking tour near Warburton; accompanied by a party of prominent public men. The body will bo taken to Adelaide for burial. The House was asked

to adjourn till Tuesday as a mark of respect. While assisting to convey the body to Warburton Mr Justice Higgins slipped attd fell and seriously injured his ankle. J-robably a bone is broken.

Mr Batehelor was born at Adelaide on April 10, 1865, and started in the teaching profession in 187? Subsequently he entered the Government locomotive workshops. Ho was connected with 'the Adelaide Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers for eight years, and was president for four years. He was also president of the Railway Association, and secretary and president of the- United Labour party for some time. He entered the South Australian Parliament in 1893 as member for West Adelaide (says Johns's Notable Australians), and retained his seat until 1901. Ho was leader of the Parliamentary Labour party from 1897 till 1899, in which year he joined the Holder Ministry, taking the portfolio of Education and Agriculture. In 1901 he resigned to enter the first Federal House of Representatives. Mr Batehelor was Minister for Home Affairs in the Watson Government in 1904, and he had charge of the Department of External Affairs in Mr Fisher'a Ministry. -* , October 9.

As he was walking Mr Batehelor remarked that he had not had much exercise lately, and was not feeling in good form. He then fell forward dead.

Mr Fisher was greatly affected by the news. He described Mr Batchelor as an ideal Minister, and a most popular man with the Labour party. The newspapers pay tributes to the deceased Minister's sterling qualities. ADELAIDE, October 9.

Tl.j South Australian Government is carrying out the arrangements for Mr Batchelor's funeral.

SYMPATHY FROM NEW ZEALAND. WELLINGTON, October 9. The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) to-day sent a cable message to Mr Andrew Fisher (Prime Minister of Australia) and his colleagues and one to Mrs Batchelor expressing sorrow and sympathy at the sudden death of Mr E. L. Batchelor, Minister of External Affairs. In the course of conversation with a Times representative Sir Joseph Ward said he knew Mr Batchelor personally. The deceased gentleman was of the ) three representatives of the CommonwealthMinistry at the recent Imperial Conference, in London. Sir Joseph Ward said good-bye to him on his departure for Australia. Mr Batchelor and his colleague, Senator Pearce (Minister of Defence) returned to Australia by way of Siberia. Anybody who had had the opportunity of meeting Mr Batchelor must have been struck with his practical commonsense. He was a very honest man, and took a very deep interest in the work of the conference. " I feel," said Sir Joseph Ward, "that I am right in saying that all who had the opportunity to meet him there formed a very high opinion of hie capacity. I am very grieved indeed to hear ■ of the sudden ending of a promising man."