New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-19
THE NEW BRITISH ENVOY.
SIR JULIAN PAUNoEFoTE sKETCHED By
Mr.. EDMUND YATES.
HIS DEN IN CROMWELL PLAcE.Y E BOON
cRAMMEp WITH STATE SECRETS new
THE DIPLOMAT LOOKS, WORKS AND
TALKs-A SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
tBI CABLE TO THE TRmUNEJ

London, March 16.-Sir Julian Pauncefote,
K. G. B, G.. G. NJ. g.. lives in Cromwell Place.
AS the clock of the neighboring church strikes 10
sedate messenger from the Foreign Office, bear
Ing green calico bag filed with red morocco
dlspatch-boxes Of various Sizes announces his ar
rival at one of the most unpretending houses in
the street By ring loud enough TO disturb the
after-breskfast meditations of Sir Charles Lopes,
six doors away, II he has not already set out for
the High Court OF Justice. Not one of the thou
sands who drive in Summertime through Thurlow
Place, on the way 10 HurlinSham, is probably
aware Of the important part which the modest
home Of the Permanent Under-Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs In South KenSington has
played in contemporary history during the last
few years. It viii not be until the emissaries OF
Downing Street cease their morning visits and
take the bag Of boxes elsewhere that people will
realize the fact that Sir Julian Pancefote trans
formed into Minister Plenipotentiary, has really
crossed the Atlantic TO pOuf oil upon the tsoubed
waters at Washington. For three hours every
working day there is ceaSeless exchange OF com
municatiOns between Arlington Stress the Foreign
Office and the Permanent Under-Secreta g abode,
and it is not until luncheon arrives that the stal
vart guardian of hundred State secrets can find
time TO see anybody but official visitors.
Aue uau arc. occupied Dy
grave men, with green bags across their knees who
maintain q decorous silence and view your
approach with suspicion until Sir Julian's CHEEKY
welcome convinces them that he has determined
to make an exception in your favor. Standing
up In the midst Of crimson dispatch boxes, from
which protrude oblong pink, green and white
lhbels-signifying "extreme urgency" i'm
portant,' and mot pressing" respectively-the
na,vlv oppointod nritisb Miniufar drne lopora
of his den. You carefully pick your way amidst
the papers scattered over the carpet to O seat iu
comfortable armchair by the fire. There is
o great deal in Sir Julian Pauncefote's work.
room to remind you of his judicial labors in the
far East, well as Of his prolonged sojourn in
Downing Street The grOtcsque bamboo tobacco
jars close to the door were purchased many years
ago in bazaar in Canton. The carved cedar
wood box came from Hong Kong. Above the dwarf
bookcase, almost filed by handsomely bound
collection OF papers, hang photographs Of his
chiefs. Lord Iddesleigh separates tho present
Premier from Lord Granville. Lord Derby, in
spite Of his perpetual frown, enjoys the cOngenial
society of Lord CsFnsrvon The deep sofa, over
which skins have been careleSsly thrown, has
been pushed into q corner TO make way for the
dispateh-boxes, ana almost entirely hides the
second bookcase The oak overmantel is wholly
given up 10 works Of reference Joseph Bona
parte, King Of Spain, in regal robes looks down
on the wax model Of the jockey, Mason, on
Adventure Sir Julian regards with especial
affection the faded photograph OF his gallant
soldier nephew, Robert LAchInBnn Falksnau, who
fell over eighteen years ago, OF Mars Ia Tour,
where Count Herbert Bismarck was wounded.
A fine seventeenth century mezZotint bronze stat
nette of Cbasseur dAfrique and fancy
portrait OF st. Cecilia are almost the only objects
which have no immediate connection with the
owners career.
You stand close 20 the desk at which he writes,
with The new cabinet key dangling from his watch
chain. Sir Julian gradhes your curiosity con-
oerning the manner in which the slips marked
lord Salisbury" Sir james Ferguson
sVliers.7 and other officials, facilitate the de-
livery Of correspondence, or the reasons why the
crimson lspatch boxes assume three distinct sizes
according 10 their contents The awe-insplring
ospeet Of the sober black case devoted to secret
Daners. on ton OF the nest OF drawers, forbds in
discreet questions, but Sir Julian, II he only had
tho leisure could relate great deal that is anus
ino about the contents OF the pigeonhole marked
- madp or the curious variety OF his morning S
wo,l,. which has ranged from an international COM
nIication OF considerable gravity down to the
arrest Of n British pickpocSct in partibus'
In snite OF the exigencies Of the ominous pink
tabels which abound both on the floor ana the
desk. Sir Julian contrves to hnd time TO tell you
something about the traditions OF his ancestors
and tho story OF his own active life. There were
panncefotes In the West OF England when the
- Domesday Book was written. One Sir Grim
haId pauneefote was knighted by Sir Edward
Rohpn AT the taking Of Gloucester Castle during
the Wars OF the Barons, and obtained from him
tho uoncels which have constituted the armorlal
bearinos Of the family ever since Sir GnmpAld
married an heiress in the church of Much Cowarne'
On uorcfordshire There Is still to be seen an eingy
% tbe pauncefote who sailed with Prince Edward
o. uupis IN 1910 and was taken prisoner Dy tne
Sarocens and whose wife Is supposed to nave oD-
toIroa bis release by sending her right hand as q
rorso,n to the Infdels. This incident gave rlse
70 the legend Of the couped' hand. which Is still
,unlicitly believed OF Much Cowarne'
The Pauncefotes possessed their characteristic
rotto pensez Forte six centuries at least
before Julian Pauncefote was born at MUNICH
trs, s,xtv-one wears ago. An education Mt farls
and Geneva Qnve him practical knowledge Oh
foro,gn languages and lucky accident LED MN
N evchanpe a military cadetship IN Madras Tor 10
rcrsjc Studies in the Inner Temple. Sir william
Moleswortb first introduced him to the Colonial
once and diplomacy. He praetised diligently
as conveyanccr at home before lie wen1 70 hons ss
Kono to become the Attorney General and drart
a Code q, Civil Procedure. The year s72 brought
him the Chief JustiCeship of the Leeward Islands
and and Knightbood After successfully o2ening the
Federal supreme Court, putting the whole judicial
admiristration In working order and giving the
Lecward Islands Civil Code, Sir Julian returned
to Enrland 70 succeed Lord Knntsford as the legal
assistant 70 the Under Secretary of State at the
Colonial Office
The Chief Jnsticeship of CeylOn could not tempt
him 70 return to the tropics. Two years later
ord Derbv offered him the newly created legal
Assistant Under-seCretarys at the Foreign Of
fee Lord Beaconsleld gave Linn The ribbons oil
the Bath and the Colonial Order. Lord Granville
selected him to succeed Lord Ienteruen as tne
Permanent Under-Secrctary Of State for Foreign
Affairs. His good work on the Suez Canal Inter
national Commission made him a 6. G. NJ G.
During six years Sir Julian hss watched over