Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/643

 Pasha, and in his power to carry through the measures of reform which he was introducing. But the suggestion, which was made in some organs of the press, that he failed to give Lord Salisbury, the senior British plenipotentiary, full and loyal support, or that he encouraged the Turkish government to resist the demands of the powers, was warmly repudiated by him, and must be dismissed at once by all who had any knowledge of his character. The proposals of the conference were refused by the Turkish government, who simultaneously with the opening of the conference had proclaimed the grant of a constitution to the empire, with representative institutions. The conference consequently separated without result. A further conference held in London in March 1877 presented demands which were again refused, and war was declared by Russia on 24 April. Elliot, whose health had suffered much during the continued strain, was granted leave of absence at the end of February, being replaced by the appointment of Sir A. H. Layard [q. v. Suppl. I] as special ambassador ad interim. At the close of the year Elliot was appointed ambassador at Vienna, where he took part in the critical negotiations which ensued between the conclusion of the treaty of San Stefano and the meeting of the congress at Berlin. In March 1880 he reported to his government the resentment caused in Vienna by Gladstone's attack, during his Midlothian campaign, on the Austrian government, and their desire for some disavowal, which Gladstone subsequently made (, Life of Lord Granville, ii. 200-3). Elliot remained at Vienna till his retirement on pension in January 1884. The rest of his life was passed mainly in England. In February 1888 he caused general surprise by publishing in the 'Nineteenth Century' his recollections of the events connected with the deposition and death of Sultan Abdul Aziz, and the efforts made for constitutional reform by Midhat Pasha. The article gave great umbrage to the reigning Sultan, whose subsequent policy he severely criticised. He died at Ardington House, Wantage, on 30 March 1907. His portrait by von Angeli is at Minto House, Hawick. A good photogravure is in 'The British Museum of Portraits'; a set is in the art library of the Victoria and Albert Museum. A cartoon portrait by 'Spy' appeared in 'Vanity Fair' in 1877. He married on 9 Dec. 1847 Anne (d. 1899), second daughter of Sir Edmund Antrobus. By her he had one son, Sir Francis Edmund Hugh Elliot, G.C.V.O., K.C.M.G., British minister at Athens, and one daughter.

 ELLIOTT, CHARLES ALFRED (1835–1911), lieutenant-governor of Bengal, born on 8 Dec. 1835 at Brighton, was son of Henry Venn Elliott [q. v.], vicar of St. Mary's, Brighton, by his wife Julia, daughter of John Marshall of Hallsteads, Ulleswater, who was elected M.P. for Leeds with Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1832. After some education at Brighton College, Charles was sent to Harrow, and in 1854 won a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1 856 the civil service of India was thrown open to public competition. Elliott, abandoning his Cambridge career, was appointed by the directors, under the provisions of the Act 16 & 17 Vict. c. 97, one of fifteen members of the civil service of the East India Company (Despatch, 1 Oct. 1856). He was learning his work unattached to any district, when the mutiny broke out at Meerut, and he was then posted on 12 June 1857 as assistant magistrate to Mirzapur in the Benares division of the N.W. Provinces. That large district of 5238 sq. miles was the scene of fierce conflicts with the rebels. Elliott led several small expeditions from headquarters to quell disturbances, was favourably mentioned in despatches, and received the mutiny medal.

In the following year he became an assistant-commissioner in Oudh, where he served in Unao, Cawnpore, and other districts until 1863. In Unao he gave early proof of his industry by collecting information about its history, its folklore, and its families. He published in 1862 at Allahabad for private circulation 'Chronicles of Oonao,' believing 'that a knowledge of the popular traditions and ballads gives to its possessor both influence over the people and the key to their hearts.' When this treatise was printed he was serving in the N.W. Provinces, and in the following year (Sir) Richard Temple [q. v. Suppl. II), wishing to strengthen the administrative staff of the Central Provinces, then under his control, secured Elliott's transfer, entrusting to 