The New York herald., 1871-11-23
SHALL WE FLY OUR FLAGS7
A Narrowing Tale Of Consular
Perplexities.
Conelave Of the Foreign consuls Of New York.
Unable to Solve the Question, what Are We
Going To Do About Ity'-rhs British
Consular Mind Greatly Agitated.
Rather Severe on the Russian
Consul.

The outside world knows but little OF the deep
perplexites which have agtatcd the foreign Con
suls OF this CITY for the past lew days. And yet in
looking at the cause OF the fuss one
cannot help smiling at all tnis "tempcst In tea
pot" as will he seen by the i0llowlng:-
Preparations were ripe for the reception OF the
Grand Duke, yet the Consuls were kept IN Oflcial
ignorance even OF the very existence OF the dsrln
gushed young Russian. The question to be decided
whether they should ny their several nags from
sunrise TIL sunset IN salutation OF the young scion
OF the Imperial Romanofls, whom they would have
been only too glad to honor, but about wnom they
had been studlously Kept In the dark. In their
utter helDlessness they said to each other and
each TO himself individually, "What are we going to
d0s" Shall we resent what seems q rudeness on the
part OF the Russian Consul in notifying Us OF the
Grand Dukes arrival by keeping our fa.s entirely
hidden from pubic WOW, or shall we only Ill part
express our dissatisfaction 20 The last question
Iatnered a aost OF subqucstions. "shs each Of Us
hoist his dag when the Prince passes Dv Ms official
residence. and dip IL thrice or rwce only once,
or dip II not at ALL but hoist It, and than
hoisted take IL In a2an?"
But the British consul, OF oil others. was prey to
mental agoDv In the attempt solve lhe vexed
problem It IL said ne lost Sleep appetite and peace
OF mind, Without arriving at q definite cohcu sion.
Again and again he called his colleagues together
to confer upon the SUBJECT At these conferences
Ut Is well to these proceedings from obli-
Won for tho benefit Of contemporaries and future
generations) long windod discussions arose, Dg-
rellied, unwhoesome looking volumes, bound In
regulation cali, were taken from their dim seclu-
sion, and with all the minuteaess OF diplomatic
chlcanery precedents sought ID o and contra, as the
individual opinion happenei 10 be- III order to
reconcile the conicung views, aud 80 grow on TO
point" But not content with Lnese discussions,
letters passed turning the aspects OF the
Case and each contradictng the Otner IN such =
distressing Wy thai the gentleman most perturbed
instead 0. hosting his mag, sneer despair,
thought OF hosting up himself bodily ana SO make
make up his mind whether 10 ny the nag or not.
In order 10 get 1T the pith and marrow Of the con-
tns tro,ersy mEaALD reporter Called on tne itaiian
out what the Iorelgn fraternity had at last coa
Guided 40 40 about It." He was courseously re-
ceiyed by the Sign0r, vivacious, lOquaclOus gen.
tleman, who answered all MS auestt0i5 with cheer
full alacrity. The conversation ran as follows:-
REpORrER-l see YOU don't ny your Nag in honor
OF the Prince. Is 1t true that neither you any oi
your colleagues are gong TO MOIST ~
from sunrise TILL sun.et, as we should have done II
we had been properly notified OF the Grand Dukes
been doing greater honor to the Grand Duke it
had invited us to take part In the reception. We
pay our respects 10 the Prince. This would nave
looked decidedly more imposing tnah the reception
Ds small f the eoy Sa OF NOR 70 G sS
we received any invitations Besides. the russian
Consul, who mas not even yet PAID his customary
visit To his colleagues, has given us no iIttmatiOu
whatever or the Grand Duke's arrival. Under the
circumstances, therefore, We dii not know what to
REPoRTER-Then. you are not going to ny your
IfALIAN CONsuL-Well, we shall hoist our nag-at
least shall mlne--as the Grand Duke passes by, and
dip It three times. and then draw it IN ~ avn. l
suppose al my colleagues VIII do tire slme We do
nor intend TINS slight to the Prince be IL well
understood but we cannot show courtesy where It
uncal.ed ior, viii not be appreciates Well to
tell you the whole Of the matter. we nave been
gwen 70 understand that we are not wanted at ALL
ferences ON this subject ai Mr. Archibald rs house,
and that their uec5lOnS were as iOiiUws: decision
No. /, ave shall not ny our nals.n on maiurer
decision 40. :. I'VE nad better Gy
our Dars, because II might give olcnce 10 the hua-
sians.n ,lpun tnis udjournineat and reircshnlcnts
to he followed uy decision No. out not Bu2il
eve shall not dy our nags. offence or no offence"
ITALIAN CONSUL tdeDrecalingiy)-Wcil, MR. Archt
bald has greatly ugated the matter, anu there
have been some discu AMI letters passing Uus
you hai better not dwen on tna:. All can say is,
that we have taken no action IN the matter. because
we did not know what TO do.
The next visit OF the HEHALD reporter was to Mr.
Archibald, the British Coisu who by the way, isa
nervous little Old gentleman, anu the following con-
versaon took placc:-
REPORTER llisconcerted bv the Consul's restless
am reporLei OF the HkRAi.D, SIR. Are
you going 70 NJ your nag sira
BRITISH CONSUL !abrupllyt-Who no sent yous
REPORTER tgreatly embarIassed)-Wcli, The editor
BaiiIsH Cons OIL rudely) ly)-what business is that
KgpowrER There you take me at q disadvantage,
sir. Bur | ASK You ctvn question, VIII you give
me civil answer
Here Mr. Archibald switched or iatn his private
room, murmurlng something which iaight nave
soun,ied ike eratiOn,i or come Ino The
reporter preferred To take tue latter Interpretation
ana followed MIN into the consular sanctu'n, re-
suRing:-
"Lxcuse me; Will you fly your nag, sir, or''-- =
BRITISH CoSsU,,-On bother No Yes. There is
time enough TO do that The Prince won't land
he going 70 andr Hoist my nagf Why. certainly
shall horst II.
BRITISH CoNsuL-You havey lie l. gong to hoist
his nas when the Prince passes, isn't Lcs
REtokTEk-ics anu DIP II three times.
BRITISH CoSsUL--Dip' shan't dip mine.
REPoRTER--I am told there has been u great deal
OF discussion on the SUBJECT There have been let.
BRITIsn CoNsuL-who told you sos don't care
Here Tie conversation, which was mutually disa-
greeaDlc. broke or and The reporter Withdrew.
Tnc last visit OF the HERALD representative was
to the Spanish Consul, received MIN with great
courtesy, but was somewhat reserved ON tue sub
ect Oi the iagS
REpoRrEg-i presume, sir, you have not been
notified Dy your Russian colleague or ne Commit
tee, or the Grand Dukes reception, anl cOnse
quently Will not display Your iagi
SPANISH CoSsuL-As tar as the gentlemen OF the
committee are concerned, tney have perfect right
TO be hosptabe OF not just as they choose That Is
q private matter. Regarding the nags, the same
rule IA observed by c0nsuis as by men OF war OF dIf
When one OF them Intends TO display his bunting
ana nre salute on q certain day, lie sends timely
notice TO the other men o. war ana me Iaier dress
on the appointed day, and when sne
salute Is fired bY the man0i-var that
gave notice, repeat H. gun Tor gun. Ths etiquette
holds oooi ior tue consuis OF dncrelt nations. As
the Censuis OF New YORK had received no notice
from their Russian colleague OF the expected arrival
oil the Grand Duke It was very natural that they did
not KNOW what to do.
REluRrgR-l hear The Russian Consul has not ycs
paid the customa VISIT to any VI MS colleagues.
SPANISH C1NsUL--i have not the honor of his &C.
quaintance, because he never ciued Oh mt.
AS the Grand Duke passed by tile different Consul
ltes Tue HERALD reporter OBSERVE! that the Italian
Consul hoisted his Tag and waved 1t three tunes
while every other Consul simply hostel mis- and
lrew 1t In again. Tue soreiy trcubLei British Con-
,u was however doomed TO anotner tudcation.
His dag i'weut up like rocket and came down like
suck.' lie had 1t noisted, bul tue rope gave way,
and as the Grand Duao passed by the British Con-
'uate 1t fell from second story window on the
THJ uEwAPK ARMORY QUESTION,