GREGORY ett K A (1807.57) was one of the chiefs of the liberal opposition in Moldavia under the Hospodar Michael Sturdza (1834-49). whose selfish policy was subservient to the designs of Russia. In 1849 the Sultan appointed him Hos podar of Moldavia. Hampered during a part of his tenure by the Russian occupation, he was able to accomplish much when freed from this impedi ment. He organized a good police system. aug mented the effective force of the militia, founded schools for superior and secondary instruction at Galatz, Hush, and elsewhere, promulgated an ad ministrative code—the first great step toward the reform of abuses—increased municipal resources, and at his own expense built aqueducts an.l printed important historical manuscripts. He brought about a radical reform of the peniten tiary system, the abolition of serfdom (1855) and of the censorship of the press (1856), and the establishment of foreign merchant companies for the navigation of the Pruth and the Seretli (1856). He encouraged the growth of a spirit of unity among the peoples of Moldavia and Wallachia. In 1856 Gregory was superseded in his office and went to reside in France. He
committed suicide, August 26, 1857, at Meudon.
JoN GHIKA ( 1817-97), a nephew of Alexander X., was born at Bucharest, and after studying at Paris became, in 1842, professor of mathematics and political economy at the University of Jassy. Having become a member of the national party which opposed the establishment of Russian dom ination in Wallachia, he was one of the leaders of the revolution of June, 1848, which resulted in the overthrow of the Hospodar, George Bibes co. He was sent by the short-lived Provisional Government as diplomatic representative to Con stantinople, where his exceptional abilities gained him the favor of the Sultan, who in 1856 made him Prince of Samos. He returned to Wallachia in 1857, served in the Ministerial Council under Prince Alexander John Cuza, and was twice Premier under his successor, Prince Charles of Hohenzollern, 1866-67 and 1870-71. From 1881 to 1889 he was Ambassador at London. He died at Bucharest, May 4, 1897.