THE LATE SIR JAMES FERGUSSON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8831, 18 January 1907, Page 1

THE LATE SIR JAMES FERGUSSON.

The Right Honourable Sir 'James Fergusson, who was killed in the Jamaica disaster, during a long and distinguished career, played an ; important part in the affairs of Great Britain botii at Home and in the colonies. He wa6 a son of the late Sir Charles Balrymple Ferguson, oi Kilkerran, .Ayrshire, Scotland, on whose death in 1849 he succeeded as sixth Baronet. His mother was & daughtor of the Right Honourable David Boyle, Lord JusticeGeneral of Scotland, and he was consequently related to Lord Glasgow, who was Governor of New Zealand in the nineties. He was born in 1832, and was educated at Rugby and University College, Oxford. Haying entered the Army in 1850 as an ensign, he became successively lieutenant and captain in the Grenadier 'Guards. He served in the Crimea, being wounded at Inkerman, and received a medal with three clasps and a Turkish medal. While serving at the front in 1854, he was returned to the House of Commons in the Conservative interest for Ayrshire, and continued to represent the constituency till 1857, when he was defeated. He was again returned for the same seat two years later, and sat till 1868. He retired from the Army in 1856. He was' Under-Secretary for India from 1866 to 1867 in the third Derby. Government, and Under-Secretary for the Home Department in the first Disraeli Ministry from the latter year till 1868, when, having been sworn of the Privy Council, he was appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of South Auatra^ lia, and held office from February, 1869, to February, 1873. Responsible government leaves but little to the initiative of the Governors of self-governing colonies, but Sir James was deserving of considerable credit in connection with the establishment of cable communication between Australia and the construction of the overland telegraph line between Port Darwin and Arelaide resulting from the encouragement which he gave to Mr Strangways when the latter was Premier of South Australia. Sir James married, in 1859, Lady Edith Christian Ramsay, daughter of the Earl of Dalhousie, and this lady died in 1871, during the tenure of his government of South Australia. Two years later he married a South Australian lady, Mies Olive Richman, of Wambanga, who died in 1882, and in 1893 he married for the third time. From June,- 1873, to December, 1874, Sir James M r as Governor of New Zealand, when he resigned and returned to England, being created K.C.M.G. in the^ams year. ■'[ In 1875 he. uneu.ccesßf uk , ly contested Frome, and in 1878 his efforts to enter the House of Commons, as member for Greenook were also-un-sucoessful. He- was appointed Governor of Bombay in 1880, and continued to fill that office till 1885. He was created C.C.S-I. in 1885, and, being elected for North-East Manchester at the general election in that year, "continued to represent the constituency till January of last year, when he was defeated. In August, 1886, he was appointed UnderSecretary of State for Foreign Affairs in Lord Salisbury's second Administra,tion, continuing to fill the office till September, 1891, when he was appointed Postmaster-General in succession to Mr Raikes. He filled this position till the fall of the Conservative Government. Besides filling many important public positions, Sir James played a more than usually active part in business circles. He has filled the position of captain of the Royal Scottish Archers (Queen's bodyguard) ; director of the Caledonian Railway Company (1855-68) ; director of vlie London and North- West Railway Company (1866V68) ; director of the Glasgow and ; South- Western Railway Company (1875-78) ; director of the P. and 0. Steamship . Company (1886---91); director of the Royal Steam "IVlail Packet Company (1892) ; and director of the National Telephone Company (1896). For some years he was also a director of the Bank of New Zealand. He was the owner of 21,000 acres, and his principal recreations were fishing, shooting, yachting and cycling. ;

and Quito. Forty thousand people buried in one second. November 19, 1822— Coast of Chili permanently raised. January 11, 1839— Martinique Island -damaged Half of Port Royal destroyed. April % 1851, at; Valparaiso^-Three hundred nouses destroyed. April 16. 1854— San Salvador destroyed. March 22. 1859, at Quito— Three thousand persons killed. December 8, 1859, at San Salvador*— Many buildings destroyed and great loss of life. Maich 20. 1860, at Jlendoza— Two-thirda of the city levelled, and 7000 persons killed. August 12 and 13, IS6B— Arequipa.. Iquique, Tacna/ Chencha. and other towns in Peru and Ecuador destroyed. IVenty-flve thousand lives lost, 30,000 persons rendered homeless, damage to property £60,000,000. September 9, 1871, at San Salvador— Very heavy shocks. March 1& and 27, 1872— Several towns in California damaged. March 19, 1875, at San Salvador— Thirty killed, the rest escaping owing 1 to timely ■warning. ' . May 9 and 10, 1877— Earthquake^ and. tidal wave at Callao. > September 13, 1838. at Valparaiso— About 203 persons perished. October 27. 189'i— Severe shock throughout the Argentine. April 17, 190&— Terrible earthquake at San Francisco. '„,',. August 16 and 17, 1306— Earthquakes, and fires at Valparaiso, Santiago and other Chilian oitiea. .