ELGIN AND KINCARDINE, Earl of, Governor-General of India. James Bruce, eighth earl of E., was b. in Park Lane, London, in 1811. He was educated at his father's seat, in Fifeshire, and afterwards went to Christ church, Oxford, where he was first-class in classics, 1832; became fellow of Merton, and graduated'zi.A., 1835. He entered public life in 1841, when, as lord Bruce, lie was returned at the general election on the conservative interest for Southampton. A petition was presented against the return, and the election was declared void. Before, however, a new writ could issue, lord Bruce had succeeded his father (who enriched the British museum by the invalu able collection of sculpture known as the "Elgin marbles," q.v.) as earl of Elgin. Those who remember his early parliamentary and pre-colonial career, state that he gave early promise of oratorical distinction, and assert that if he had thrown himself into the poli tics of the day, he would have taken a high position as a parliamentary debater. By succeeding to a Scotch peerage, however, he was, in his own words, "expelled from the house of commons without being admitted into the house of peers." Being offered the governorship of Jamaica, in Mar., 1842, by the earl of Derby—then lord Stanley—he went to Jamaica, where he administered the affairs of the island with so much ability and success, that in Aug., 1846, the governor-generalship of Canada was tendered to him by earl Grey, then secretary of state for the colonies in the administration of lord J. Russell. Lord E., still finding himself in the same position as a Scottish peer, accepted the office, and went to Canada. His administration of the government of Canada will ever be a bright spot in our colonial history, and a model to future governors of English depen dencies. He found Canada governed by cliques, and torn by intestine feuds. With admirable tact and entire success, he inaugurated a system of self-government, which has rendered the provinces of British America a support to the British throne, in place of being a source of weakness. 'Under his government, Canada made such strides in importance and prosperity, that between 1847(in the beginning of which year he entered upon his government) and 1855, when he returned to England, the revenue of that great British possession quadrupled itself. During his administration, he successfully nego tiated a treaty for reciprocity of trade between British America and the United States, which admitted the whole produce of British North America to be brought into coin petition with the products of the United States in their own markets. This treaty, till it was renounced by the United States in 1866, put an end to the risk of collision as to the fisheries between this country and America, which lord E. described as the most
serious risk which had presented itself during his public service. His popularity was great, not only in Canada but the adjacent states, the citizens of which offered him ova tions. He was now a peer of the United Kingdom (having been summoned to the house of lords in 1849), and was appointed lord-lieutenant of Fifeshire. In 1857, the affair of the lorcha Arrow, and the bombardment of Canton, by sir John Bowring, led lord Palmerston to invite lord E. to go to China as plenipotentiary extraordinary. An army was equipped to carry out the policy prescribed by the British government, and he started on his mission. But before he could approach his destination, and when he had barely left England a month, the Indian mutiny broke out. Lord E. did not hesitate a moment in preferring the safety of India to the success of his Chinese negotiations. He dispatched the Chinese expedition to lord Canning's assistance, and the English in India were thus enabled to hold their ground until further reinforcements arrived. After thus consigning himself to an inaction of several months, lord E. proceeded to China, and in 1858, in conjunction with baron Gros, the French plenipotentiary, he negotiated the treaty of Tientsin, which promised to give Great Britain a freer access to China than she had ever enjoyed before. He found time, before his return, to negotiate a treaty with Japan, under which English manufactures are admitted at low rates of duty, and a British minister is permitted to reside at Jeddo. On his return home, he was appointed postmaster-general. He had scarcely time to become acqbainted with his duties, before the treachery of the Chinese, in firing upon the British squadron from the Taku forts, led to the organization of another Chinese expedition, and to lord E.'s second mission to China. A combined English and French force penetrated to the capital, and enabled lord E. and baron Gros to dictate a peace under the walls of Pekin. On the expiration of viscount Canning's term of service, the governor-generalship of India was offered by lord Palmerston to lord E. (1861), and accepted by him. He died in India, Nov., 1863. Lord E. (who was the representative in the male line of the great Scottish house of Bruce) was twice married: in 1841, to the daughter of Mr. Cumming Bruce, M.P. (she died 1843); and in 1846, to the daughter of the first earl of Durham, by whom he had a son, Victor Alexander, present earl, born 1849, and other issue. Lord E. was K.T. (1847), privy councilor (1857), G.C.B., civil, extra (1858).