American journalist, born in Downington, Chester County, PA, on the 20th of November 1840. He was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia and the New Orleans high school. He began his newspaper career as a copy-boy on the Philadelphia Press, and when the Civil War began he was sent as a correspondent to Virginia. In 1864 he was with Banks on his Red River expedition, and after the war he returned to Philadelphia and was given editorial charge of the Press. He made two unsuccessful attempts to start a paper, and in 1871 went to Europe as a correspondent of the New York Herald. For the latter paper he went with President Grant around the world, and when he returned to New York took a position on the editorial staff. On March 15, 1882, he was appointed United States minister to China, and filled the post until Mr. Cleveland became President in 1885. He published Around the World with General Grant.
