How I became a governor

Front matter

ill

HOW^^ m

SIR RALPH WILLIAMS il

Preface

It is a simple matter to write a book if you have plenty of material as I have had, but the preface puzzles me. It should be, I think, like Sam Weller's love letter, just enough to make you wish for more.

I have dealt with many lands, many peoples, many personalities and many personages. I have ventured, with all humility, even to criticise some of the systems of government of our Empire, both at home and abroad.

I have tried to be courteous in my references to others and to avoid hard words, knowing full well that I myself am as open to criticism as are those upon whose doings I have commented.

I have endeavoured as far as possible to eliminate the personal element, and to write of matters which are of general interest in connection with the countries in which I have served.

I have told many stories, having, I trust, avoided the pitfall of chestnuts, and I could have told a great many more had I not exercised considerable restraint.

Those who have read my manuscript protest to

me that it is interesting throughout, but they look

upon it with the kindly eye of personal friendship.

The reading public is often elusive and hyper- *^ b

X PREFACE

critical, and it takes very little to bore it to extinction.

The book has been a labour of love to me, and my hope is that there is at least something which may commend it to all, and may serve to pass away an hour or two pleasantly on a dull day.

It is in this hope that I submit myself to the reviewers and to those who pay me the courtesy of reading the story of my life.

RALPH WILLIAMS.

St James' Club,

London, April 191 3.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I am indebted to the courtesy of Messrs Elliott & Fry of London, Messrs Barnett of Johannesburg, Mr Pedrotti of Bulawayo, and Mr HoUoway of Newfoundland, for permission to reproduce some of these illustrations.

RALPH WILLIAMS.

Chapter I Ancestry And Boyhood

PAGE

Family History — The Parys mines — My grandfather — Anecdotes of Wales — The Skerries rock — A galaxy of legal talent — Two picturesque old aunts — Travelling sixty years ago — My father — An old-fashioned squire — Charles Waterton — The Magistrates' bench — " Drawing the parson " . i

CHAPTER H

EARLY REMINISCENCES

Our village schoolmaster — Old-fashioned Sundays — The King's School at Chester — Randolph Caldecott — Beaumaris School — My stepmother — Offer of a Naval cadetship — Entrance to Rossall — Sir John Gorst^Meyrick Beebee — Poem on the Gracchi — I embark on the law — Stories of the assizes — Baron Channell — Welsh juries — Typhoid and scarlet fever — Election stories — I go to London — Reminiscences of London — Irving and Toole play together — Grenville Murray and his paper — Paddy Green — I decide to emigrate — The sea chest • • . . . .15

CHAPTER HI

LIFE IN AUSTRALIA

Sail for Melbourne in Peter Siuari—Amva.1 at Port Phillip — Melbourne Pilots— Stories of Melbourne— Society in Melbourne— Jock Moffat — Scandal in Victorian Parliaxii CONTENTS ment — Neil Black of Glenormiston — Charles Ryan — Superintendent Hare — I start for Benerembah — A voyage on the Murray and Murrumbidgee — Arrival at Benerembah — Life in the Australian bush — Stories of bushrangers — The Tichborne claimant — Stray missionaries — James Tyson— Visit to Tasmania— Anthony TroUope— Buried treasure — Sir Hercules Robinson — Stories of Australian Governors ,.....• 3°

CHAPTER IV

LIFE IN PATAGONIA

Association with Gordon — Leave Sydney in Alexander Duthie for London — Complete voyage round the world in a saiHng ship — We sail for South America in Garonne — Adventure at Lisbon — Captain Chaworth Musters^E vents of voyage —Arrive at Monte Video — Arrive at Punta Arenas in Straits of Magellan — Start for the Pampas — The Patagonian Indians — Orelie Antoine the First- — Leave Patagonia— Life in Monte Video — Visit to an Estancia — Narrow escape — Return to England in Cordillera , 50

CHAPTER V

HERE AND THERE

My marriage — Life in Quebec — The old Tandem Club — Two Canadian Prime Ministers — Niagara — Running the rapids — French habitants — Visit New York — Rip Van Winkle — Return to England — Trip in Switzerland — Round the Mediterranean — Life in Jersey — A flat in London — Stories and anecdotes of Life in London — Jefferson Davis — A journey through Spain — Charles the Fifth . • -63

CONTENTS xiii

CHAPTER VI

FIRST JOURNEY TO SOUTH AFRICA

PAGE

Selous' book — First journey to Africa — Arrival at Cape Town — Society in Port Elizabeth — Visit Grahamstown — A Wedderburn wagon— A trip to Natal — Am joined by my wife and son — Start from Grahamstown on trek to Victoria Falls — Trekking through the Cape Colony and Orange Free State — The Caledon River — First experience of the Boers — President John Brand — Life in Bloemfontein — Leave Bloemfontein ...... 73

CHAPTER Vn

TO THE VICTORIA FALLS

The Orange Free State — Arrival at Potchefstroom — The buried flag — Captain Baillie — A faithful dog— Journey northwards — Arrive at Shoshong — Tati and its ancient remains — The Lees of Mangwe — Visit Bulawayo alone — Bulawayo as it was — Story of Umsiligazi — Lobengula — Elephant Phillips — Return to Mangwe — Departure for Victoria Falls — -Dangerous meeting with Matabele impi — Running a "thirst" — See elephants — Arrive at Pandamatenka — Jesuit Missionaries ...... 86

CHAPTER Vni

LIFE IN THE FAR INTERIOR

Visit the confluence of the Chobe and the Zambesi — Start for Victoria Falls on foot — Arrival at Victoria Falls and life there — First Englishwoman to reach the Falls — Mr Arnot — Fever and trouble — Lions in camp — Nearly over the border line — Recovery and start on return to Bulawayo — Mr Thomas the Missionary — Old Bulawayo — First meeting with Selous — The rebel towns — The great hippopotamus case — Anxious time in Matabeleland^Lobengula's wives — Departure from Bulawayo — Return to Port Elizabeth . 99 xiv CONTENTS

CHAPTER IX

THE BECHUANALAND EXPEDITION

PAGE

Life in London — The Working Men's College — I join Sir Charles Warren^The cause of the Bechuanaland Expedition— Murder of Bethell — Second journey to South Africa in Grantully Castle — Life on board — Visit St Helena — A High phurch cleric — Popular demonstration at Cape Town — Sir Hercules Robinson — General Sir Leicester Smyth — Dame Europa's School — Special Correspondent of the Standard— Vik with the expedition — First meeting with Cecil Rhodes — Historic conference withKruger at Blignauts Pont- — Inniskilling Dragoons — I arrive in Stellaland as Special Commissioner to the filibusters — Groot Adrian de la Rey — Life with Rhodes in Vryburg — Rift with Sir Charles Warren — March to Mafeking — Search for the body of Bethell at Rooigronde — The British Lion in Bechuanaland—Lord Milner as Sub-Editor— The Maiden Tribute of Modem Babylon . . . . . . iii

CHAPTER X

WITH CECIL RHODES

Cecil Rhodes — His plans for the North — Determination to tap the Lake system of Central Africa — Rhodes in England — Journalistic duel with Warren — Appointed British Consular Officer to South African Republic — Visit to Amsterdam — Sir Evelyn Wood . . . . . . 1 30

CHAPTER XI

BRITISH AGENT AT PRETORIA

Arrive at Cape Town for the third time— Muddle as to my appointment— Early discomforts at Pretoria— President Kruger supports me— Am gazetted as Consul-General ad interim— "Wie. suzerainty— Appointed Diplomatic Agent

CONTENTS XV with letter of credence from the Foreign Office — President Kruger and "de oude vrouw"— A quaint Executive — A secret conference — "Village tales" — -Early days in Johannesburg— Two notable banquets — Story of David Benjamili — Sir William Baillie Hamilton — My forecast of the subsequent rebellion of the diggers — Stories of early days in Pretoria — Dr Leyds . . . . . 139

CHAPTER XII

PRETORIA

The Grobler Mission — Only the old story of the credit going to the wrong man — Rhodes in Pretoria — His prophecy as to Kruger — The Swazi imbroglio — Sir Francis de Winton's mission — I visit Barberton — A great reception — Witwatersrand, the rush for wealth — My letter to the Chamber of Mines — Snubbed by the Colonial Office — A model Governor — " Send for Twigg " — Pope Hennessy — Sir Henry de Villiers ...... 157

CHAPTER XIII

PRETORIA — continued.

African strikes the Whale rock — Sir Arthur Havelock — Sir Frederick Carrington — Mr Merriman — The first English Cricket team — Rhodes and the team— A breeze with the Bishop — Stories of the President — Corruption in the Transvaal — Exposure of swindlers — Thomas Atkins — Leave Pretoria for England — Rhodes' famous dinner-party — Dr Jameson — Concessions from Lobengula— Rhodes and Home Rule — The Charter granted — Chartered Company in Mashonaland — The passing of Lobengula — "Greater love hath no man" — End of my third fjerlod of service in Africa ........ 173 xvi CONTENTS

CHAPTER XIV

GIBRALTAR

PAGE

Sir Jacobus de Wet— I accept the Colonial Treasurership of Gibraltar— Gibraltar— Sir Leicester Smyth— Sir Cavendish Boyle— Sir Lothian Nicholson— My beautiful home in Gibraltar— Wreck of the Utopia— Funeral of Sir Lothian- Captains before Colonels— Sir Robert Biddulph— The Duke of Cambridge— " Oh, I am a regular old Tory "—Mr and Mrs Chamberlain— Mrs Austen Chamberlain . . 190

CHAPTER XV

GIBRALTAR — Continued.

Am appointed Captain of the Port — A delightful post — Smuggling into Spain — Lord Ripon — Kindness and courtesy of many Admirals — Lord Walter Kerr — Captain Mahan — The Duchess of Cleveland — a coal-heavers' strike — Outrage by the Riff pirates — A terrible outbreak of scurvy — Algeciras Fair — The Calpe hunt — Captain Joshua Slocum — The fortifications of Gibraltar — Mr Laird Clowes — Suggested abandonment of Gibraltar — Tangier — ^The Bishop's hat — Ballyhooly — Sir Henry Jackson — Accept Colonial Secretaryship of Barbados — A sad good-bye . . . 206

CHAPTER XVI

BARBADOS

Sail for the West Indies— Barbados— " Cromwell's bauble" — Black and coloured men — Redlegs — Sir James Hay — Too many officials — "Soup tickets" and their holders — A Governor and a Colonial Secretary — The injustice of appointing naval and military Governors — " The Colonial Secretary's Dream" — Sir John Fisher's abandonment of the Colonies — " Three virtuous women " . . . 226

CONTENTS xvii

CHAPTER XVII

BARBADOS — conttnned.

PAQK

The great hurricane of 1898 — A fight with disaster — Typhoid fever — Collapse from overwork — Barbados and its formation— Hurricane in Montserrat and the Leewards — Cruise in H.M.S. Indefatigable — The Island of Nevis — Nelson's marriage in Nevis — Extract from the marriage register of St John's Church — Visit to the Leeward Islands — St Pierre and Mont Pelde — The Empress Josephine — Outbreak of Boer War — Enthusiasm of Barbados — Sir Conrad Reeves — Sir John Pope Hennessy — Obeah — Murder of Archie Pile — Strange secretiveness of the negroes ....... 239

CHAPTER XVIII

BARBADOS — Continued.

I act twice as Governor of Barbados — Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford — The death of Queen Victoria — I proclaim the accession of King Edward — Arrival of Sir Frederick Hodgson as Governor of Barbados — My wife's illness, and our sudden departure from Barbados — How I won the love of the Barbadians— Quaint negro characters — The sugar industry — The Imperial Department of Agriculture and Sir Daniel Morris — Chat about Barbados — Negro weddings — Discipline in the United States Navy — Codrington College — Arrival in England — ■" Your friend Milner" — Lord Milner and his Ministers — Mr Schreiner — General Sir William Butler — Sir John Ardagh's report — The Boer ultimatum — Lord Milner's visit to England — I accept Resident Commissionership of the Bechuanaland Protectorate — Departure for South Africa for the fourth time ...... . 254 xviii CONTENTS

CHAPTER XIX

BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE

PAOS

Cape Town in war time — By train to Bloemfontein — Sir Hamilton Goold Adams— Martial law— Arrival at Mafeking — Ungenerous criticism of General Baden-Powell — The story of the Protectorate — Something about the Jameson raid — Basutos as Policemen — Reorganisation of the Police — The Paramount Chiefs — System of jurisdiction — Chief Khama — Visits to the Chiefs — Trial by me of case of murder, and death sentence — The Mount Nelson in war time — Lord Methuen and his Staff — Two brave young officers — General de la Rey's telegram — A Cape Colony legal functionary — A visit to Lord Milner— " The Kindergarten " . , 270

CHAPTER XX

BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE — continued.

Death of Cecil Rhodes — I am a guest of the Rhodesian Government— Scenes at the funeral — "When that great Kings return to clay" — Rhodes' grave in the Matoppos — The Wilson Memorial — Mr Ewald Esselen — First meeting with Lord Kitchener — Johannesburg in war time — Peace declared — What the Boer Leaders thought — Repatriation — Mr Chamberlain visits Mafeking — A story of " My Lords Commissioners" — Second visit to the Victoria Falls — A train journey to Salisbury ..... 287

CHAPTER XXI

BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE — continued.

Take leave to England- — How the Protectorate is governed — Two semi-official cartoons — Murder trial in a thunderstorm— German South-West Africa — German war with the Herreros — Arnold Hodson — Cattle disease in Rhodesia — The Tati concessions — Farewell to Lord Milner — Lord Milner's work in Africa — Lord Selborne as High Commissioner — Missionary work and its results — Native superstitions — I decline the Governorship of British Honduras — Lord and Lady Selborne visit the Protectorate— A great game drive — A delightful trip . . 302

CONTENTS xix

CHAPTER XXII

THE GREAT BATAWANA CASE

PAOB

The great Batawana case — Start for Lake N'gami — The Chief Khama — Across one hundred and eighty miles of desert — The Botletlie River — Lions on the road — Arrive at Lake N'gami — Lake N'gami as it was and as it is^Entrance into Tsau — Greeting from the Batawana — Inquiry opened — The marriages of Lecholatebe — A royal wife — The claimant Matibi — Moremmi and Sekgoma — A notable tea-party — The old queen — " Matibi is the Chief" — Conclusion of the inquiry — I give my decision — "And Morena was right in what he spoke " — My Basuto Police . . 324

CHAPTER XXIII

LAST DAYS IN AFRICA

Anxious days at Tsau — -Receive offer of Governorship of the Windward Islands — Keeping the peace — Golf at Tsau — The Makoba — Arrival of Matibi at Tsau — Installation of Matibi — Dramatic scene with a witch doctor — " Good-bye, people of the Batawana " — Crossing the Botletlie — The Mababe Flats — " How do you find your way ? " — A successful journey — The Chobe marshes — Linyanti — A fine lion — Arrival at Kazingula — Crossing the Zambesi — Arrival at Victoria Falls for the third time — Find myself gazetted Governor of the Windwards — Good-bye to Bulawayo — A happy homecoming — Lord Selborne's greeting — Farewell to Mafeking — Sekgoma and the Habeas Corpus — An escape from the minions of the law — Leave South Africa for probably the last time . . . . .345

CHAPTER XXIV

PREPARATIONS FOR THE WINDWARD ISLANDS

An interview with Lord Elgin — Mr Winston Churchill — The Colonial Office and its methods — Why not amalgamate ? The rubber stamp — ^Sir FraAcis Hopwood — Preparations

XX CONTENTS

for the West Indies— Duties of a Private Secretary — "Tommy Fitzherbert "— The Royal Mail— Generous reception at Barbados — Grenada — Successful Education Act — St Vincent— St Lucia— The great St Lucian folly . . 361

CHAPTER XXV

THE WINDWARD ISLANDS

The St Lucia Riots of 1907 — The striking coal-heavers — Street fighting — Midnight landing at St Lucia — A morning stroll — Wild scenes in the market-place — The attack on Cul-de-sac — Shooting the rioters — Scenes at Roseau — Frustration of a concentrated attack on Castries — Arrival of the Gelderland — Wild ride to Dennery — "Obey the orders of the Governor ! " — " Have you got a whisky and soda among you" — Arrival of rehef from Barbados — Belated arrival oiH.M.S. Indefatigable — "What an anticlimax" — An anonymous letter and its results — ^Appreciation of the Colonial Office — "A Reminiscence of the St Lucia Riots" — A visit to Trinidad — The Stars and Stripes — Recalled to Grenada by attempted murder of the Treasurer — West Indian newspapers and their ways — Honoured by the King — To England on leave — Lord Crewe — Back to the Windwards — Appointed Governor of Newfoundland — Last days in Grenada — "Be firm, Robert, be firm " . . . , ... 379

CHAPTER XXVI

NEWFOUNDLAND

Preparations for Newfoundland — Arrival in Newfoundland- Hearty welcome — Local option — ^A warm-hearted people — "It's a fine job yeVe got anyway" — A self-governing Colony — Sir Edward Morris and Sir Robert Bond — Politics in Newfoundland — The spoils to the victors — Newfoundland electors— Meagre salaries of officials— The Royal prerogative — Denominationalism paramount — To the devil with the sewing-machine — A loyal people . , . 404

CONTENTS xxi

CHAPTER XXVII

N EWFOU NDLAN D — Continued.

PAGE

The Newfoundland Fisheries Question — The case with France — A Colony bartered away — Lord Lansdowne's Treaty — Newfoundland gets its own again — The case with America — The Hague Arbitration — Sir Robert Reidandhis sons — Short-sighted prejudice — A noble gift to the people — The partition of Labrador— Canada and Newfoundland — Confederation— It is not a plank in any political platform — Would destroy the last practical link which binds Canada to the Mother Country — The great Northcliffe papermills — Lord and Lady NorthcliflTe — Mr Albert Reed— My A.D.C. Captain Gale — Salmon fishing in the Codroy Valley — Hints on salmon fishing — The American "sport" — A cruise in the Government steam yacht Fiona — A lovely coast-line — Visits to the outports . . . 418

CHAPTER XXVIII

NEWFOUNDLAND — continued.

Dr Grenfell and his Deep-Sea Mission — His headquarters at St Anthony — Brilliant surgeons and gentle ladies — A wonderful community — Esquimaux dogs — Battle Harbour — A cruise up the coast of Labrador — Major Cartwright — Our burning train — The tercentenary of John Guy in Conception Bay — The death of King Edward — I proclaim the accession of King George — Great Coronation doings — The King lays the foundation-stone of a Seaman's Institute in St John's on his Coronation day by electric communication— On leave to England — A happy motor tour — A week-end at Balmoral — The King and Queen — Return to Newfoundland for the last time — Second cruise in the Fiona, thus completing the circuit of the Island — Visit Toronto in May 191 2— Visit Halifax in July in H.M.S. Sinus — Commander Peary and the North Pole — Departure from Newfoundland — Arrival in England — Received by the King — The Motherland and the Colonies — -Conclusion 434

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Sir Ralph Williams, K.C.M.G. {Photogravure) . . Frontispiece

PAGE

South Africa, showing the Author's Journeys of 1883-84 and

FAOD FACE 14

Aber Rectory .....

The Author, aged 21 .

Venus, a faithful companion to the Victoria Falls

Return of the Author and his Wife and Son from the Victoria Falls, 1884 ......

The Grange, Gibraltar .....

Lady Williams ......

Head Quarter House, Mafeking .... The Commissioner of Bechuanaland starting on tour (p. 304)

Cecil Rhodes' Funeral in the Matoppos .

Cecil Rhodes ......

Chief Khama ......

Government House, Windward Islands .

Grenada .......

Government House, Newfoundland, in Summer and in Winter 408

The Governor arriving at Grand Falls as the guest of Lord Northcliffe .....

Miss Dean Salmon-fishing in Newfoundland Government House Party going a-fishing

Mr Fitzherbert, Private Secretary ; Captain Gale, A.D.C. A burnt train in Newfoundland .

28 88

288 290 328 370

426 } 430

} 438 xxiv

HOW I BECAME A GOVERNOR

CHAPTER I

ANCESTRY AND BOYHOOD

What an interesting life yours must have been. Why don't you write something about it ? So say one's friends ; but has it been interesting ? That is the question.

Life i= made up of trifles so light that it would almost seenv^dle waste to jot them down. I have never been p^aic enough to keep a diary. Except as a record that is sometimes convenient for reference, a diary has always seemed to me but a dreary tale of lost opportunities serving to remind us of our halfwasted days. But, despite this lack and of long strings of useful facts, memories come back now and again, and from those memories I will try and tell the story of my life, and how I passed from the old country rectory in Wales to the Government Houses of the Protectorates and Colonies, in which it has been my lot to serve and ultimately to govern. Every self-respecting Welshman has a pedigree. Most of us remember the story of our countryman who, finding the Ark over full and Noah unable to carry him, called out, "If you can't take me, for heaven's sake take my pedigree."

The Welsh Princes Llywarch ap Bran and Hedd Molwynog may both claim me as their descendant, and family records show that this claim is founded upon a good and reasonable basis.

A

2 ANCESTRY AND BOYHOOD

The family of Williams of Treffos in Anglesey to which I belong cannot go farther back than a certain John ap Rhys, whose son William John ap Rhys was a substantial yeoman of the parish of Pentraeth in Anglesey. I remember many years ago hunting for some papers in the diocesan registry at Bangor and accidentally coming across the original note of a "faculty" for his pew in the parish church of Pentraeth being granted to William John ap Rhys, yeoman, my great, great, great, great-grandfather, a faculty being a possession which in old days indicated a considerable amount of importance in the holder.

His son was Humphrey Williams, the prefix " ap " for the first time dropping out. Old Humphrey was a large yeoman farmer and lived to the age of ninety-four. We have his family Bible still, and the quaint marginal notes made by him about the time of the famous (or infamous) Oates and Bedloe plot indicate his intense Protestantism, for page after page contains the assertion, "The Church of Roum is not the trew Church."

He had a son Owen, who married Jane Lloyd, the heiress of Treffos, which place and property ultimately became my father's.

These two, Owen and Jane Williams, were the common ancestors of the Williamses of Temple House (General Owen Williams and his well-known brother Hwfa and their equally well-known sisters) and ourselves.

Old Owen had two sons, Tom and John, both remarkable men in their way — the elder a solicitor, the younger a parson.

Tom, known far and wide throughout Wales as "Twm chware teg—" Anglice " Fair Play Tom—" from whom come the Williamses of Temple House, amassed very great wealth, and the accident of his doing so was curious. He owned a piece of land near Amlwch in Anglesey which constituted a part of a small hill

THE PARYS MINES 3

known as " Parys Mountain," and on that land he found copper of what he believed to be extraordinary richness. The adjacent land was owned partly by the Pagets (now Marquises of Anglesey) and by a parson named Huy^hes. Old Tom succeeded in getting these two owners to join him, and started the Parys Mine, he being the largest owner and the working partner.

So rich was the mine that I have heard my grandfather say that in one year the partners shared a profit of half a million sterling, a truly vast sum in those days.

Old Tom started smelting-works in Swansea and a bank (long known as the old Bank of Messrs Williams & Company) in Chester and some of the Welsh towns.

It is interesting to remember that the well-known family of Hughes of Kinmel come from this Welsh parson,

A former squire of Kinmel was created Lord Dinorben, an honour which local gossip used to say was given to him in return for the privilege accorded to the old Duke of Sussex of spitting on the drawing-room carpet at Kinmel. This peerage died out in the second generation.

Old Tom bought very large properties in Wales and in Berkshire and went into Parliament, and my grandfather has told me that at one time he controlled eight seats in the House of Commons. He had a son Owen, and ultimately a grandson Tom, Colonel Williams, who was for many years "Father of the House of Commons." Colonel Williams himself was a remarkable man, with many peculiarities, one of which was to keep his clocks at sun time, and it is stated that when railways were first started he always arrived at the station a quarter of an hour late, and then damned the station-master for his Radical innovations in keeping Greenwich time.

To return for a moment to the other brother

4 THE KING AND THE BISHOP

John. He succeeded as younger son to his mother's property of Tr^ffbs. After the usual university career he took orders, and, on the 25 th of October' 1 763, was appointed private chaplain to the Princess (Frederick) of Wales, the mother of George the Third, who was Princess-Mother at the time. We still have Lord Bqston's letter apprising him of the appointment. Later on he was appointed to a living in the diocese of Bangor with the unpronounceable name Llanfair yng hornwy, which was then the richest living in the diocese. There is rather an amusing story as to his holding of this living. In the fulness of time he wanted to retire in favour of his younger son James, and asked the then Bishop of Bangor, Bishop Majendie, to make the appointment. But the bishop wanted the living for his own son and declined to hear of it.

It happened shortly afterwards that George the Fourth, the grandson of Princess Frederick, went to Holyhead, and was there met by all the magnates of the neighbourhood, including Bishop Majendie and old John, my great-grandfather.

The king recognised the old man when he was presented, and talked of bygone days to him, finally saying, "And is there anything that I can do fbr you, Mr Williams?" The reply is said to have been, " I am an old man. Your Majesty, and I should be glad to retire in favour of my son, if the bishop will appoint him," on which the king, turning to the bishop, said : " Your Lordship will oblige me in this," the old courtier bishop bowing to the ground, with war in his heart.

But the appointment had to be made, and was made, and my great-uncle, the well-known Chancellor Williams, held the living for very many years ; and it is pleasant to think that his son, now a very old man, holds the honoured positipn of Chancellor of the diocese to-day.

My grandfather, John Williams of Treffos, was

A LUCRATIVE APPOINTMENT 5

the eldest son of the old parson squire of Treffos, and the nephew of old Tom.

Of my grandfather I have heard it said, that if a letter had been addressed " John Williams, Wales," it would have gone straight to him. Be that as it may, he was a man of singular ability and prominence.

As a boy it chanced that, for the earlier years of his life, he was the heir to all old Tom's vast wealth, and he was sent to Eton at a very early age. In due course he left Eton, and before going to Oxford was sent to St Andrews (of all things in the world) to learn French. St Andrews was full of French refugees at the time, and hence its reputation as a seat of French learning.

A direct heir was born later, which put my grandfather out of the succession, and made it necessary to do something else for him.

And something very substantial was done, for while at St Andrews, as a boy of eighteen, he was surprised by a visit from his uncle, who had posted all the way from London to see him, and who, after talking to him about his lost succession, and after gauging his capacity, told him that he had got him the appointment of Receiver-General of North Wales, a post worth close upon ;^2000 per annum, the duties of which simply consisted of four circuits a year, each of which circuit occupied a period of only three weeks — twelve weeks' work in the year! Verily those of us who work hard and long for our salaries may sigh for "the good old times" and the luck of the boy of eighteen.