Mr. Childers.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 14, 18 December 1880, Page 125

Mr. Childers.

When Mr. Gladstone won his first great Arictory at the polls in IS6B, the discomfited Tories found some consolation in stigmatising all who ■differed from them as Radicals, by which they meant something very bad indeed. Mr. Childers, the new First Lord of the a dmiralty, they especially delighted to honour with this epithet, and a few others, such as " self-made," only they used, a less polite equivalent. As a matter of fact, Mr. Childers comes of an old Yorkshire family, the Childerses of Cantley Hall, near Doncaster. The present head of the house owns between thirteen and fourteen thousand acres, which bring him in a pleasant rental of close on £19,000 a year. After this, needless to say that Hugh Childers, albeit born to the destiny of younger sons, holds no dangerous opinions. He believes in fox-hunting, classes Dissenters with poachers — taking a kindly view of the feelings of both — and is convinced there is no country like England, and no county in it to be compared with Yorkshire.

Mr. Childers was born in Brook-street (surely tliis circumstance ought to re-a*sure Conservatives iilarmecl for our ancient institutions) some fifty-three years ago. His father was a clergyman, the Rev. Earclley Childers, who married a daughter of the late Sir Culling Smith, of Bedwell Park, in Hertfordshire. One advantage, common to most boys of his social position, Hugh was denied, having never been sent to a public school. In due course, however, he was entered at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was lazy and popular. lam afraid he knew more about rats than dynamics, and if he burned the midnight oil, it was not to read Paley by its pleasant light. At length the inevitable examination day came round, and Childers, with enough talent to have been among the first six ■wranglers, and a first-class in classics into the bargain, was placed as fourteenth Senior Optime. He wasted little time in regrets, but resolved to go and seek his fortune in Australia, which lie did forthwith, setting sail the same year. Between leaving Cambridge and bidding farewell to England, he married a daughter of Mr. Walker, of N orton, in Worcestershire. Within a few weeks of Mr. Childers' landing at the Antipodes, the eyes of the whole world got suddenly fixed on Australia, and soon every man who lacked money, but could aff>rd the passage, was hurrying thither. Gold had been discovered on the 12th of February, ISSI, and for many a year to come there Avas a career open to every youngster of spirit, whether he took to mining or not. Mr. Childers plunged at once into local politics— no bad way of making money. " Honi soit qiii mal y pense. " In August of this year, Victoria declared itself independent of New South Wales. Mr. Childcrs, who had been returned to the Legislative Assembly as member for Portland, was offered and accepted a seat in the first Victorian Cabinet. The place he held was that of Commissioner of Trade and Customs. After five years of office, he had obtained a very distinct reputation as a man wiio would stand no nonsense — who knew all about electioneering tactics, and could beat colonial politicians at their own game. As it was, however, the ingenious Victorians considered "the Hon. Hugh Childers" as a little too virtuous for their wicked country, and re-olved to send him into dignified exile as A gent- General for their interests in London. He returned to t- ngland accordingly in the spring of 1557, but had no idea of remaining satisfied with an Agency. Having entered himself at Lincoln's Inn, he ate some dinners, which was pretty easy work, and tried to read Williams on Real Property, which was more difficult. He was never called to the Bar, though at that time he could have donned wig and gown without undergoing the preliminary horrors of an examination. Mr. Childers has been heard to say : " I could do a good many things, but I'm sure I couldn't pass another examination. "

In 1859 Mr. Childers contested Pontefract, was beaten, petitioned, and unseated his opponent. A new election was ordered, and Mr. Childers was returned. He has represented Pontefract ever since. Lord Palmerston, who was then Premier, was quick to discern the stuff of which the young member was made. Nevertheless, he advanced him cautiously. First of all, Mr. Childers was Chairman of a Select Committee on Transportation, and member of the Royal Commission on Penal Servitude. The reports of the Committee and tlie Commission were alike his work, and many of Ids suggestions have been acted on by successive Governments. In 1564 lie was named a Lord of the Admiralty, and next year promoted to be Financial Secretary of the Treasury How well he discharged the duties of this post is still remembered. Mr. Ward Hunt, who succeeded him in the advent of the Conservatives to power in 1866, felt constrained to compliment the ex-Secretary in the House on the admirable order in which he had left his department. He had clearly made it a point of honour that the political antagonist who tuok his place should find it carefully dusted. In a little more than two years Mr. Childers was placed at the head of the Navy. There is no saying to what eminence he might have risen, but for failing health. But in 1871 he was obliged for this reason to retire from the Admiralty ; not, however, till he. had left his mark on that venerable institution. The efforts of the First Lord had been mainly directed towards the suppression of his colleagues. It is noteworthy that the Sea Lords proved more malleable than the Civil Lord, who happened to be Mr. G. O. Trevelyan. The Admirals had a wholesome awe of the Parliamentary Minister, and, moreover, were accustomed to be dictated to by landsmen, while the " Competition Wallah" respected nothing and nobody. Mr. Ward Hunt, who (though not directly) succeeded Mr. Childers at the Admiralty as well as the 'Treasury, found the Sea Lords less disposed to obey his orders than he could have wished. They had recovered their spirits during the mild .ascendancy of Mr. Goschen ; and were not afraid of the portly Northamptonshire squire, who looked too good-humoured to get into a rao-e. Mr. Childers sustained a cruel loss while in •office, a son of his, a lad of great promise, having been a midshipman in the ill-fated " Captain^"' -which went down in September, 1870. Mrs

Childers, it was thought, never quite recovered from the blow. She died in 1575. • a less tragic incident of Mr. Childers' tenure of the Admiralty deserves mentioning, as showing the free and easy ways which may be acquired by residence in youthful communities. •Mr. Gladstone had a difference with Sir Spencer j Robinson, which he terminated with characteristic energy by turning the Admiral out of his place. But there arose a question about certnin documents that woxxld have justified one official or condemned another, and which were not at first forthcoming. The fact was, the First Lord had taken them with him one evening to a music-hall, and quietly perused them over a sherry cobbler and a cigar, the while Mdlle. Feuillevolante sang one of her most inspiring ditties. Unfortunately, on leaving, he forgot ail about the State papers. They were duly restored on demand by a barmaid ; and as nobody had been the worse for their loss, so no one was the better for their recovery. But the Prime Minister nearly had a fit. It was whispered at the Carlton Club that about this time Mr. Childers received several tracts, the handwriting on the wrappers of which were familiar to him ; and hints were given of a solemn interview in which the First Lord of the Admiralty took a pledge before the First Lord of the Treasury that he would never more enter a music-hall. "At least, never be seen in one," suggested his sorrowing, but indulgent, chief. In 1572, Mr. Childers a^ain became AgentGeneral for Victoria, and returned to the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the same year. A twelvemonth later he made way for Mr. Bright. From : 74 to ; S0 he was little heard of. Administi ation rather than declamation is his forte, and several members of the party who had made more noise in opposition than Mr. Childers, were as much surprised as pleased to see him quietly stepping into the War t -ffice the moment a Liberal Ministry was formed. Mr. Childers is the first Member of Parliament ever elected by ballot. It was at the bye-elec-

tion in August, 1572, after he liad accepted the Duchy. His connection with Pontefract has been a pleasant one, though Yorkshire folk hold that in one contest lie hit below the waist. Lord Pollington, son of the Harl of Mexbonmgh, the Tory candidate, having provoked Mr. Childers by some unwarrantable statement, the latter, insead of holding his tongue or quietly giving the real facts of the case, published a private letter of Lord Pollington's, written some years previously, in which that gentleman begged Mr. Childers to help him to a place of profit under the Crown. It was ill-done ; even the " Spectator " was obliged to administer a gentle scolding. But we are none of us perfect, and, on the whole, Mr. Childers has deserved well of the country.— Truth.

— Linen-band collars are worn with the Jersey costume. — Cream sateens are sometimes trimmed with the same material, but are not a patch on those made up in pompadour. — Whatever you do, ladies, don't keep pins about your waists. Poor J.s ringers have been a perfect picture all the week. — There is a likelihood of something new coming out soon, in the shape of tinsel shoes and stockings. — A nice adornment for the crown of bonnets is a spray of flowers, worked either in jet or coloured silk. — A consignment of pompadour and spangled fans have arrived. Everybody is going to buy one. — Ladies appear to be getting tired of carrying about imitation Chinese pigtails, and very few are now to be seen. — Now ladies, be guided by me, and don't get any of those horrible, ugly looking, spotted prints. — Several small public dances came off last week, but none were of sufficient importance to claim remark in this column. — Next week I purpose criticising the millinery and dressmaking show windows, Avhich Avill then have been done up for Christmas. — One of the best made and neatest costumes visible this season, is a princess-robe of striped galatea. The skirt is trimmed with deep pleating, kilting up front, and long revers. — Another young lady has actually been supplied with a "Tarn o' Shanter" of becoming proportions. It is made of black velvet and silk cord, with a bird at the side. — The young lady, who is so anxious to have her new get-up noticed in this column, need not trouble to toddle up and down opposite the Observer office. " Eva" is not there