The historic times. [volume] (Lawrence, Kansas) 1891-1891, 1891-10-03
THE SCIENCE OF TRIPLES.
How the Clerical Portion Of Dipio-
macy Is Conducted
Manner OF Preparing and Sending Oficial
Documents in the De-
partment OF
State.

Ever since the department of state
was first organized it has been the reg
ulation that all it's letters should be writ
ten on the same kind of paper-a fine
blue-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 half and
the lines must not be permitted to en-
croach upon this margin, in order that
press copies may be taken to greater
advantage. In the British foreign Of
fee the style Of handwriting employed
IS required to be Just the same always,
says a writer in the Washington Star,
and the particular affcctation assumed
in this matter is Il series Of dashy curli-
queues, with each pair of letters sepa-
rated from their immediate neighbOrs.
It 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
neateso and clcarest 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 cogumuni-
Gated about; but now the invarl-
able rule IS to give each sub
ject a separate letter. In Old times,
when wax ragged and. vessels were
liable u search and capture on the high
seas b. enc party or another to
the c011--5, I'll such documents were
sent in triplioatc, q copy on each of
three shlDs, 50 chat one might be sure
to reach Us destination. Modern cable
improvements having done away with
these pcrils no more than q aD~le copy
is ever transmitted. The olu rule was
that minister addressing a 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 eft cetera marks; but
this has become obsolete. Even di-
plomacy progresses, and the time may
yet arrive when the typewriter will be
put into requisition for such purposes.
All ulSpdGcncS Oh luUcTHdlIOHt1 tIu-
portance are written by Mr.. Blaine
, with his own hand. Each conlmu1ica-
ton of the sort he indites in the shape
of a rough draft, which is apt to be full
of corrections and interlineatio1s.
This goes to copyist who produces it
in fair and beautiful script ON the big
sheets of u fine linen paper already de
scribed. Next it is copied into the
record books after the secretary Of
state has signed it; but il it is to be sent
by telegraph, the pretty copy on linen
paper is omitted, the record book only
preserving a transcript of it for future
reference, if needed. A single wire
connects the office with the Western
Union, and 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. tie polvglot
official translator for the department.