Rosebery, ARCHIBALD PHILIP PRIMROSE, EARL OF

Rosebery, ARCHIBALD PHILIP PRIMROSE, EARL OF, was born in London, 7th May 1847, was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, and succeeded his grandfather as fifth earl in 1868. He entered parliament in 1871, acquired in unusual measure the goodwill of the democracy, and was everywhere welcomed as an effective and entertaining speaker. In 1874 he became president of the Social Science Congress, in 1878 Lord Rector of Aberdeen University, and in 1880 of Edinburgh. From 1881 to 1883 he was Under-secretary for the Home Department, and in 1884 became First Commissioner of Works. In Mr Gladstone's next short administration (1886) he was Secretary for Foreign Affairs, an office he held till the fall of the government six months later; but even in that short period he established for himself a high reputation. In 1883-84 he visited Australia; and he has strongly supported Imperial Federation. In 1884 he moved for a select committee to inquire how best the efficiency of the House of Lords might be improved. He presented a magnificent swimming-bath to the People's Palace in the east end of London, in token of his interest in all movements for the social improvement of the people. In 1889 he was elected by the City Division to the London County Council, and was successful and assiduous as its first chairman till he resigned in 1890. He was re-elected and acted for a few months in 1892, till the political duties of an approaching general election led to his resignation. When Mr Gladstone resumed office in 1892 Lord Rosebery again became Secretary for Foreign Affairs, displaying, as on the former occasion, a tact and firmness that secured the approval of all parties. On the resignation of Mr Gladstone in 1894, Lord Rosebery became the head of the Liberal ministry. He failed to secure unanimity in his cabinet and to conciliate the hearty support of the various sections of his party. His government lost the confidence of the country, and soon after he resigned a general election (July 1895) returned an overwhelming majority for the new Unionist government of Lord Salisbury. In 1896, finding his opinions on the Armenian problem more in accordance with those of Lord Salisbury than with Mr Gladstone's, he resigned his leadership of the Liberal party to obtain more freedom in giving expression to them; his view being that a European war should not be risked on this question. When the Fashoda difficulty with France became acute in 1898 he by his speeches strongly supported the government as expressing the resolution of a united nation; and a large section of Liberals continued to look to him as the future leader of the party. In 1878 Lord Rosebery married a daughter of Baron Meyer de Rothschild (died 1890). In 1891 he published a monograph on Pitt in the 'English Statesmen' series. He is keenly interested in Scottish history and Scottish literature, and as president has taken active part in the work of the Scottish History Society. Two addresses in connection with the Burns Centenary were printed in 1896. In 1896 a collection (unauthorised) of his political speeches was published, and in 1899 another of Appreciations and Addresses, dealing with Burns, Burke, London, Town Councils, &c. His Peel (1899) appeared first in The Anglo-Saxon. Lord Rosebery, who till 1900 kept an extensive racing stud, in 1894 and 1895 won the Derby with his horses Ladas and Sir Visto. He is LL.D. (Cambridge, 1888), K.G. (1892), and K.T. (1895). His Napoleon: the Last Phase, appeared in 1900. There are Lives of him by Miss Stoddard (1900) and T. F. G. Coates (1900).