BARING, the name of a family of English financiers and bankers. The firm of Baring Brothers was founded by FRANCIS BARING (1 i 40-1810) , whose father, John Baring, son of a Lu theran minister at Bremen, had come to England and started a cloth manufactory at Larkbear, near Exeter. Francis Baring was born at Larkbear, April 18, 17 4o. In 177o, in conjunction with his brother John, Francis Baring established a banking-house in London, and before he died, in 181 o, had so developed the busi ness that he was regarded as the first merchant in Europe. He was for many years a director of the East India Company, and chairman in 1792-93, receiving a baronetcy for his services. From 1784-1806 he sat almost continuously in parliament as a Whig. He left five sons, of whom the eldest, SIR THOMAS BARING (1 7 7 2 1848), was a well-known art-patron and collector. The control of the business passed to his second son, ALEXANDER (1774-1848), better known as Lord Ashburton. (See ASHBURTON, ALEXANDER BARING.) After the death of Lord Ashburton in the year 1848 the affairs of the house were managed by THOMAS BARING 1873 ), the son of Sir Thomas Baring. Thomas Baring represented Huntingdon in parliament from 1844 till his death. His elder brother, Sir FRANCIS THORNHILL BARING (1796-1866), sat for Portsmouth from 1826-65. From 1839-1841 he was chancellor of the exchequer, and from 1849-52 first lord of the Admiralty. In 1866 he was created Baron Northbrook, the barony being converted in 1876 into an earldom in favour of his eldest son, Thomas George Baring (1826-1904). The latter, the 1st earl of Northbrook, is best remembered as viceroy of India, which office he held from 1872-76, but his last public position was first lord of the Admiralty (188o-85) . With the death of Thomas Baring, Edward Charles Baring (1828-97), son of Henry Baring, M.P., and grandson of Sir Francis Baring, became head of the firm of Baring Brothers, and in 1885 was raised to the peerage as Baron Revelstoke. The house of Baring then stood at the height of its prosperity. During the following years a large amount of English capital was advanced to the Argentine Re public, Barings undertaking the loans and guaranteeing the in terest. Through the continued default of the Argentine govern ment, Barings became seriously involved, their heavy obligations precipitating a general financial crisis. Towards the end of 1890 it became known that the firm was on the eve of suspending pay ment, with liabilities amounting to £21,000,000. The prompt action of the Bank of England, which in conjunction with the leading joint-stock banks of the United Kingdom took over these liabilities, averted further disaster, and the firm of Baring Brothers was subsequently reorganized as a limited company with a capital of f I,000,000. Besides those already referred to, various other members of the Baring family have achieved public dis tinction, notably Charles Baring (1807-79), bishop of Durham, and Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer (q.v.).