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GIFFABD— GILBEET.

ceiving the title of Actual CJotm- cillor of State. For his many im- portant services at the latter post^ during a period of five years, the Emperor decorated him with the Order of St. Anne of the first class. On Aug. 1, 1863, he was made Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Tehe- ran, where he remained till 1869. His residence at the Persian Court is said to have greatly contributed towards the consolidation of its friendly relations with Russia. He was then made Privy Councillor, and decorated with the insignia of St. Vladimir of the second class. M. Giers was appointed in 1869 Minister at Berne, where he remained three years (being suc- ceeded by the son of Mnce Gort- chakoflF) ; and was then transferred in the same capacity to Stockholm in the room of M. Daschakoff. While acting as Ambassador in Sweden he received the high Eus- sian Orders of the White Eagle and St. Alexander Nevsky. When the Swedish King went to Eussia in 1875, Privy Councillor Giers was called to St. Petersburg and remained near his Majesty throughout his stay. Soon afterwards, in Dec, 1875, he was appointed Adjunct to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of th,e Asiatic Department, with a seat in the Senate. In this capacity he had to direct his atten- tion to the controversies which periodically arise in Central Asia between Eussia and England ; and he generally contrived to terminate any negotiations on such subjects to the advantage of the former Power. In 1876 the direction of foreign affairs was altogether con- fided to him during the absence of Prince Gortchakoff ; and again in 1877, for seven months, during the war with Turkey. The late Em- peror, on returning from Bulgaria, expressed his thanks to M. Giers for his able direction of the Minis- try ; and created him an Actual Privy Councillor. While Prince

Gortchakoff was attending the Berlin Congress, M. Giers for the third time took his place ; and as the Imperial Chancellor was nev^ afterwards able to transact business for any long period, and was almost constantly abroad for the sake of his health, it may be said that from the conclusion of the Treaty of Berlin M. Giers was, to all in- tents and purposes, the sole guar- dian of the foreign affaxn of Eussia. In April, 1882, on the retirement of Prince Gortchakoff, he was advanced to the post of Minister for Foreign Affairs. M. Giers is married to a Princess Kantakuzene, who is a niece of Prince Gortchakoff.

GIPFAED, Sra Habdinoe Stak- LEY, M.P., son of the late Stanley Lees Giffard, LL.D., barrister-at- law, was born in 1825, and educated at Merton College, Oxford (B.A., 1852 ; M.A., 1855). He was called to the bar of the Inner Temple in 1850, and went the SouiJi Wales circuit. He obtained a silk gown

I in 1865. He twice unsuccessfully contested Cardiff in the Conservar

I tive interest — ^namely, at the elec- tion of Nov., 1868, and again at the general election of Feb., 1874. He was appointed Solicitor^General in Mr. Disraeli's administration in Nov., 1875, when Sir John Holker was promoted to the Attorney- Generalship. On this oocaaioii be received the honour of knighthood. He finally succeeded in ^tting a seat in the House of Commons in Feb., 1877, when he was elected for Launceston. He went out of office with his party in April, 1880. GIGLIUCCI, CouNTBss. (See

I NOVBLIX).)

I GILBEET, Sir John, B^., President of the Eoyal Society of Painters in Water-Colours, was bom in 1817. In 1836 his first exhibited picture, a water-ooloor drawing, **The Arrest of Ijord Hastings by the Protector, Eichard Duke of Gloucester," was in the

I Suffolk Street Gallery, and an oil painting was in the Eoyal Academy,