Sir Rutherferd Alcock, a British diplomatist, born in London in 1809. He was a surgeon in the navy in Portugal in 1833-4, inspector of hospitals under Sir de Lacy Evans in Spain, in 1835-'7, and auditor of accounts of the English-Spanish legion in 1839-'44. He was afterward consul successively at Foo-Chow, Shanghai, and Canton, China. In 1859 he held the joint offices of consul general and minister in Japan. As a result of his energy in resenting Japanese outrages upon Europeans, attempts were made upon his life in 1860 and 1862. On his return to England he published " The Capital of the Tycoon, or Narrative of Three Years' Residence in Japan " (2 vols., London, 1863). He was made K. C. B. in 1863. From 1865 to 1871 he was envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary and chief superintendent of British commerce in China. He is also the author of "Medical History of the British Legion in Spain" (1838), "Life's Problems" (2d ed., 1862), and other works.