PAUNCEFOTE, pans'fut. Lord Jur_JAN(1828 1902.) A British diplomat, born in Munich, Germany, of English parents. He was educated at Marlborough College, in Paris, and in Geneva, and was called to the bar in 1852. Three years afterwards he became private secretary to Sir William Molesworth, British Colonial Minister, and on the death of his chief, the following year. Pauncefote went to Hong Kong. where he prat Heed law successfully, and in 1866 was made Attorney-General of the colony. He was ap pointed the first Chief Justice of the federated British Leeward Islands in 1874, knighted and made Assistant Under-Seeretary for the Colo nies the same year, and in 1876 was given the corresponding position in the Foreign Office, lie was3 made Permanent Under-Seeretary of State for Foreign Affairs: in 1882. served as British Commissioner to Paris in the Suez Canal nego tiations in 1885, and was appointed Minister to the United States in 1889. llis title was
changed to _Ambassador when that office was created in 1893, and he was lie first to hear that title in this country. Queen Victoria made him a Privy Councilor in 1894. In the Bering Sea. the Venezuelan. and other difficulties be tween Great Britain -and the United States, Pauncefote's large experience, knowledge. and tact in dealing international affair.; were powerful upon the eoneiliatory side, and his friendliness to the United States was shown in his efforts to have the Claylon-Bulwer Treaty abrogated. Ile was a British delegate to the Peace Conference at The Hague in 1899, and for his services there was raised to the peerage as Baron l'auneefote of Preston.