SIR AUCKLAND GEDDES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sia,—You object to the appointment of Sir Auckland Geddes to the British Embassy at Washington on the. ground that he "spent a large part of his life in Canada," and that he " married an American." Both charges seem to me to be groundless. Sir Auckland was in Canada as a Professor at McGill University for less than a year, from the time he left the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, in the autumn of 1913 till the outbreak of war in 1914, and that is hardly a " large part" of the life even of a man of only forty-one. Again, Lady Geddes is not American, but Irish. Her grandfather, Mr. Ross, of Belfast, was founder of the well-known firm of mineral- water makers. Her father is or was, I believe, the firm's representative in New York, but that would not make her an "American." Let us hope that when (or if) Sir. Eric gets the Paris Embassy yeti may be more accurate.—I am, Sir, itc., Northern Counties Club, Londonderry. Bet-swam
[We are very sorry that we greatly overstated the time Sir Auckland Geddes has lived in Canada. But Lord Belmore misunderstands our misgivings about Sir Auckland Geddes's appointment to Washington when he writes of our bringing " charges." It is no offence to live in Canada or to marry an American. On the contrary, both may be the-very best things
a man could do. We said, however, that in our opinion Americans like the diplomatic renresentativeS of foreign countries to be as unlike theinselves as possible in every way.- -ED. Spectator.]
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