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Carteret (JOHN EARL GRAN- VILLE British)
JOHN, EARL GRAN- VILLE, British statesman, born April 22, 1690. He received his education at Westminster School and Christ Church College, Oxford. Entering the House of Lords in 1711, as second Baron Carteret, he espoused the side of the Whigs, and in 1714 made his first speech in the House of Lords in support of the Protestant Succession. In 1719 he was appointed by Stanhope ambassador extraordinary to Sweden, and succeeded in arranging two treaties of peace, the first between Sweden, Hanover, and Prussia, and the second between Denmark and Sweden. In 1721 he was appointed to one of the two foreign secretaryships, that for the "Southern Department" of Europe. In 1724 Carteret was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, serving until 1726, and again from 1729 to 1730.
Though he came into collision with Swift over the Drapier prosecution the two became warm friends before Carteret left Ireland. Between 1730 and 1742 Carteret took the lead in the House of Lords of the party opposed to Sir Robert Walpole. When this opposition succeeded in overthrowing Walpole, Carteret became the real head of the administration, but was driven from power by the Pelhams in 1744, about a month after he became Earl Granville on the death of CARTESIANISM his mother. He died in London, Jan. 2, Gisco, invaded Sicily, reduced first Se-