Colonial Despatches

Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, the fourth Earl of Carnarvon, was born on 24 June 1831 and educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford.1 He succeeded to the earldom of Carnarvon on his father's death, 9 December 1849, and joined the House of Lords.2 He served as undersecretary of state for the colonies from February 1858 to June 1859, as colonial secretary from June 1866 to March 1867, and again from February 1874 until he resigned over policy in the latest Russo-Turkish war in January 1878.3

On 19 February 1867, he introduced a bill in Parliament to create a Canadian confederation, and in April 1877, he introduced a similar bill to create a confederation in South Africa.4 The former was succesful, but the later was not, with great consequences for both colonies.5 The Conservatives were defeated in 1880, and Carnarvon served as lord lieutenant of Ireland from 6 July 1885 to 12 January 1886, which position and required him to reside in Dublin.6 He continued to sit in the House of Lords until his death in London on 28 June 1890.7

A sensitive man of strict principles, he believed in the value of education and a British Empire where colonies and mother country, rich and poor, lived in harmony.8

• 1. Peter Gordon, Herbert, Henry Howard Molyneux, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• 2. Ibid.
• 3. Ibid.
• 4. Ibid.
• 5. Ibid.
• 6. Dictionary of National Biography (London and New York: Oxford University Press, 1900-) 9, pp. 646-52
• 7. Peter Gordon, Herbert, Henry Howard Molyneux, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• 8. Dictionary of National Biography (London and New York: Oxford University Press, 1900-) 9, pp. 646-52