Asquith, Rt. Hon. H. H., Prime Minister of England, 1908-1916. Born in 1852, and entered the British Parliament in 1886. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, and was admitted to the bar, Lincoln's Inn, 1876. In the course of the Home Rule debates, he rose rapidly to the first rank in the House. He was entrusted with the conduct of the Disestablishment of the Church of Wales bill in 1894. On the defeat of the Rosebery Ministry in June, 1895, he resumed practice at the bar. He was one of the most effective speakers on the liberal side during 1903 and, 1903-05, in opposition to Mr. Chamberlain's fiscal policy. Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1905-08. He introduced minimum wage bill, 1912; in 1915 organized new coalition cabinet; in 1916 proposed compulsory military service bill, which at once became law.

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