A HIGH PURPOSE.
It was my privilege as a very young journalist to enjoy the friendship of the late Lord Revelstoke when he was still the Hon. John Baring and not long after he entered actively into the affairs of the famous firm of Baring Brothers, and it would be true to say that from the first day of his entry into business life as a young man up to the moment when-at the call of duty he went to Paris a few months ago to represent this country at the Repara- tions Conference, he was the most indefatigable of workers. They must have been particularly arduous and -trying labours in those early years following 1890 when the young partner was busy retrieving the fortunes of his firm. When, however, with the passing of years, and largely due to hii own exertions and forcefulness of character, the position of Barings stood higher than ever in the world of finance, his energies never relaxed. For by that time those energies, originally inspired by the pur- pose of preserving the traditions of a great firm had become blended with a devotion to all that the City of London itself represented in the matter of sound finance. As head of the leading Financial House in the City and also as a Director of the Bank of England, Lord Revel- stoke had exceptional oppo rtunities of acquiring a first- hand knowledge not only of the local but of the inter- national financial problems of the time and also of exerting a great influence upon the manner in which those problems were dealt with. It is probably known, however, to-com- paratively few how great was the power that he wielded or how wisely he used his opportunities. And this power, while it was due primarily to his great abilities, force of character, and inimitable tact, Was," I am sure, strengthened at every point by his -love for working in the background, lelieving that in that manner far more real Old could be accomplished than by any attempt to seek the limelight •
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