Craigie as Ambassador to Japan is an event of some Significance.
Assistant Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office since 1934, he ranks immediately after Sir Robert Vansittart in the professional diplomatic hierarchy, His appointment is intended a compliment to Japan.
Stiff and spruce, with a straight back, military carriage, brushed up moustache and horn-rimmed glasses, Sir Robert L. Craigie is one of the hardest working men in the service. The L. stands for Leslie, by which name he is addressed by his friends.
Hongkong, Sept. 7.
Mr. R. G- Howe, former Counsellor of the British' Embassy at Peiping, who will act as Charge d'Affaires in China until the British Ambassador, Sir Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen, has fully recovered, arrived here at 11.30 this morning in the Imperial Airways Dorado en route, to Shanghai.
Mr, Howe declined to comment on the Sino-Japanese situation saying: "I did not catch up with the news, but I know that indignation in England after the wounding of the Ambassador is very high."
To-night Mr. Howe will leave for Shanghai in the British destroyer, H.M.S. Darihg—Reuter.
Name Perpetuated During the war he was a Secretary Jat the British legation in Berne. There he met the American Minister, Mr. Pleasant Stovall, a newspaper proprietor from Savannah, Georgia. During the war he directed his papers by daily cable from Berne.
Americans always believe in getting full value out of family names and even in making them work overtime, Mr, Pleasant Stovall had a daughter. She was called Miss Pleasant Stovall. At the end of the war, Mr. Craigie, as Sir Robert then was, married her.
On the death of her father Lady Craigie inherited a large share of Mr, Stovall's considerable fortune, Five months ago Sir Robert Leslie Craigie was appointed our Ambassador to Tokyo. It was interesting because Sir Robert had never before held an Ambassadorial post. For many years he was Foreign Office expert at Naval Conferences, Recognition comes to him at the age of 53, which is comparatively early for so important a post.
Until 1931 Mr. Cragie. as he was then, was a Foreign Office official
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.