WEST, Lionel Saekville Saekville-, British diplomatist, born in Bourne Hall, Cambridgeshire, England, 19 July, 1827. He is the fifth son of George John West, fifth Earl Delawarr, and Lady Elizabeth Sackville, younger daughter of the Duke of Dorset. He was educated by private tutors, entered the diplomatic service in 1847 as attache to the legation at Lisbon, and was appointed first paid attache at Berlin in 1853, and secretary of legation at Turin in 1858. He was transferred to Madrid in 1863, in 1867 promoted to secretary of embassy at Berlin, and during the absence of the ambassador in 1868 and 1869 acted as such at Paris. He was appointed minister to the Argentine Republic in 1872, was minister to Spain in 1878-'81, and in the latter year was appointed minister to the United States, which post he held till November, 1888. He was made a knight commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George on 26 June, 1885, and in August, 1888, grand cross of the same order. He is a lineal descendant of Thomas West, third Lord Delawarr, who was governor of Virginia in 1609, and from whom the state of Delaware takes its name. By the death of his brother Mortimer on 1 October, 1888, he succeeded as second Baron Sackville. During the presidential canvass of 1888 he wrote a letter in answer to one that purported to come from an English-born citizen of the United States, resident in California, who asked his advice with regard to voting, having reference to England's interest in a reduction of the tariff. This letter, being published, created much feeling in both countries, and caused his dismissal in November.