LAMBERMONT, AUGUSTE, BARON Bel gian statesman, was born at Limelette (Brabant) on March 25, 1819. He entered the seminary of Floreffe, but soon left the mon astery for Louvain university, where he studied law, and prepared himself for the military examinations. On the outbreak of the Carlist War, Lambermont was entrusted with the command of two small cannon, and he also acted as A.D.C. to Colonel Durando. For his services he was decorated with the Cross of the highest military Order of St. Ferdinand. Returning to Bel gium, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1842, where he served for sixty-three years. He was one of the very first Belgians to see the importance of developing the trade of their country, and at his own request he was attached to the commercial branch of the foreign office. The tolls imposed by the Dutch on navigation of the Scheldt strangled Belgian trade, for Antwerp was the only port of the country. The Dutch had the right to make this levy under treaties going back to the treaty of Munster in 1648. They clung to it still more tenaciously after Belgium separated herself in 1830-31 from the united kingdom of the Netherlands—the London Conference in 1839 fixing the toll pay able to Holland at 1.50 florins (3s.) a sou. From 1856 to 1863
Lambermont devoted himself to the removal of this impediment. In 1856 he drew up a plan of action, and prosecuted it with untir ing perseverance until he saw it embodied in an international con vention at Brussels in 1863, and on July 15 the treaty freeing the Scheldt was signed. For this achievement Lambermont was made a baron, and a monument was erected by the city of Antwerp to his memory. Among other important conferences in which Lamber mont took a leading part were those of Brussels (1874) on the usages of war, Berlin (1884-1885) on Africa and the Congo region, and Brussels (189o) on Central African Affairs and the Slave Trade. He was joint reporter with Baron de Courcel of the Berlin conference in 1884-1885, and on several occasions he was chosen as arbitrator by one or other of the great European powers. He died on March 6, 1905.