New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-03
The Geneva Arbitrator.
Msgnincsnt Set. Of silver TO ID. Presented
by the Government to Each Of the Ar BIZ
traitors Of the Geneva Conference from
Italy, Brazil. and Switzerland.


Three sets of silver, TO be presented Oh be.
half of the United States Government To each
OF the arbitrators of the Geneva conference
from Italy, Brazil, and Switzerland have
just been completed by Tiffany s. Co., Of this
city, by order of the Secretary OF State.
Neither of these gentlemen would accept OF
compensation for his services from either this
| country or England. The order for the man.
ufacture of these sets was given to Tiffany &
Co. carly in January last, and with strict
order that no outside parties should know for
what purpose they were TO be made. The
sets, which arc exactly alike, are composed OF
solid silver OXidized, and for beauty of de-
sign and artistic finish have probably not
been surpassed. Each set consists of two
candclabra, a pair of vases, and large punch
bowl. The latter is twcnty-four inches in
height and eighteen inches across the top.
The inside is lined with gold, and on the
sides are two Ggure-hcads Of Bacchantes
Each of the candelabra is thirty-onc inches
III height and represents a female figure sup
porting twelve candlesticks. The vases are
fourteen inches high, and on each side arc
two categorical figures representing commerce
and agriculture. The combined weight Of
the three sets is 1854 ounces.
Engraved on the front of the first centre
piece is the following inscription in English /:
"The United States of America to Count
Frederick Sclopis, the arbitrator named by
His Majesty the King of Italy under the pro-
visions of the treaty between the United
States and Her Britannia Majesty, concluded
at Washington May s, 1871, as a mark of
their appreciation of the dignity, learning,
ability, and impartiality with which he dis
charged his arduous duties at Geneva"
On the second the name of Visc0mtc
~ to-, ,ho .In
Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, is engraved,
while on the third is that of Mr.. Staempiii,
the arbitrator named by His ExcclIcncy the
President Of the Swiss Contcdcracy
The work on the first set was completed
March 18th and Immediately sent to Sccrc-
tary Fish at Washington for examination,
and elected the following reply from him:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, March Il, 1873.
-HessrS. Tiffany s. Co., tnic" Squae, n. y. i:
GENTLEMEN: The box containing the pre-
scntation set for Viscount Itaiuba was de
livcred here this morning by Adams Express
Company. l desire to express my aatisf,c-
ton with the design and execution Of the
several pieces, and to thank you for the eX-
quisite workmanship, which | think docs
credit not only to the manufacturers, but to
the country. The set is returned by Adams
Express Company this afternoon. Very
shortly you will receive the wishes Of the
department as to the shipment Of the three
sets.
l am, gentlemen, your obcdicnt servant,
HAMILTON FISH.
The silver will be sent to Minister Wash
burne, at Paris, April Sd, and will be for
warded by him to each OF the Ambassadors
Each set will be put in a separate case made
especially for the purpose, and built Of solid
mahogany, with brass mountings heavily
gilt. The dimension of each case is four feet
in length, twenty-eight inches wide, and
twenty-five inches deep. On the outside on
plate is engraved the name of the owner.
The inside is lined with green velvet, and is
divided into different apartments for each
piece of silver, which will be fastened so that
no accident in transmission can occur.
The silver was placed oil exhibition yester-
day afternoon for the first time, and was mi
nutely examined by Il number of competent
judges, who pronounce it one of the most
elaborate pieces of workmanship ever pro-
duccd. After the receipt of these cases by
to show its recognition of the arbitrators'
services in some similar way. Tiffany & Co.
will send with the cases letter to each of
the recipients requesting them to have the
three sets placed in the Vienna exhibition as
a sample of American workmanship. The
cost of the sets is not known, and the manu-
facturcrs are not at liberty to inform any one.
They will be on exhibition until next Tues
day, when they will be placed in the cases
ready for shipping.-New York Worid, eth.