Aberdeen, George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th earl of
(1784–1860). As prime minister during the
Crimean War
Aberdeen paid a high price for underestimating public anxiety about the conduct of the war. Yet he had a long career of public service behind him. Educated at Harrow and Cambridge he first made his mark as a diplomat. In 1828 he became foreign secretary in
Wellington's
administration and in 1841 was again foreign secretary under
Peel
. He achieved some improvement in Anglo-French relations, and settled the long-standing border dispute between Canada and the USA. He ended the war with China by the treaty of
Nanking
in 1842, which leased Hong Kong to Britain. Aberdeen loyally ...