Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1891-08-06
THE SCIENCE OF TRIPLES.
How the Clerical Portion of Diplo-
macy Is Conducted.
Manner Of Preparing and Sending omcial
Documents In the De-
partuent of
State.

Ever since the department of state
was first organized it has been the reg.
ulation that ailits letters should be writ
ten on the same kind of paper-a fine
bloe-white linen = about the size of
foolscap. Before beginning to write the
left-hand edge Of each sheet must be
folded over for one inch and a half and
the lines must not be permitted to en-
croach upon THO margin, in order that
press copies may be taken to greater
advantage. In tho British foreign Of
fce the style Of handwriting EMPLOYED
is required to be just the same always,
says writer in the Washington Star.
and the particular affectation assumed
IN this matter is a series of dashy curli-
queues, with each pair of letters sepa-
rated from their immediate neighbors.
1t would be interesting to know what
individual-centuries ago, very likely
originated this peculiar hand for perpet-
uation ever after. No such uniformity
is aimed at in Washington, the only OBJ
Ject sought being the execution of the
neatest and clearest script attainable.
Before the days OF the telegraph It was
customary to make each dispatch, for
the sake of condensation, include as
many topics as were TO be communi-
Gated about; but now the invari-
| able rule is to give each sub
Ject separate letter. In old times,
when war ragged and vessels were
liable TO search and capture on the high
seas by one party or another to
the conliet, all such documents were
sent in triplicnte, copy on ench of
three Ships so that one might be sure
70 reach It's destination. Modern cable
improvements having done away with
these parils no more than single copy
is ever transmitted The old rule was
that "a minister addressing q note to the
government to which he was accredited
must never under any circumstances
write more than four lines OF the body
of the letter on the FIRST page the rest
OF the space IS to be taken up exclusive
ly with titles and ct cetcra marks; but
this has become obsolete. Even di-
plomacy progresses, and the time may
yet arrive when the typewriter win be
put into requisition Tor such purposes.
All dispatches of International i'm
portance are written by Mr. Blaine
with his own hand. Each communicar
ton OF the sortbe indites in the shape
OF Ia rough draft, which is apt to be fun
Of correcti9hs and tSteriineations
& r,.ia g0ss tcyF copy J.. GIN n1u5iures X
\ in sfsEir ant hcantlfiil script on the bii,
sheets Of o fine, linen paper already de-
scribed. Next it Is copied iuto the
record books, after the secretary of
state has signed it; but If 1t is to be sent
by telegraph, the pretty copy on linen
paper is omitted, the record book only
preserving transcript OF it for future
reference, If needed A single wire
connects the Office with the Western
Union, aud an operator is always on
hand to receive and transmit messages
to all parts Of the world at cut govern
ment rates. When the dispatches ar
rive, they are handed over by the chief
clerk to the officials for whom they are
properly intended, and such Of them as
require translation are given for that
purpose TO Mr. Thomas, the polyglot
official translator for the department.