New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
PRIVATE SECRETARIES.
THEIR PROMISE AND POTENCY.

Were 70 10 asked 70 indicate the surest road
10 fame future and cminence in England, |
should unhcsitstngly declare that il was to be
found in the fulflmcnt Of the varied delicate
and multfarious Duties of a private secretary to
some man who has either already achieved dis
tincuon or else who IS on the eve Of doing go
n is Indispensable however, that the private
secretary in question should be person OF birth
and breeding possessed Of the same degree Of re-
nuemcnt and education, as well as Of the same
code Of honor and social usage as his chief
ONLY then can he become the alter ego OF his
principal, and appreciate men and things from
similar standpoint, and relieve him not only OF
much work. bnt also o. all excessive strain upon
the mental faculties. Indeed good private
secretary should not only render it unnecessary
for his master "a give specific Instructions eN-
ccpt in mates Of great importance. but should
even "a far A. possible, do his thinking for him,
and act as specie, of living and FORMULATING
memorandum book In one word n private sccrc
tary should constitute the memory of his chief.
I am led 10 make these remarks by the signal
honors which have just been bestowed upon two
men I'm England. who have spent the most notable
and largest portion Of their respective career In
the capacity OF private secretary. Sir Philip
Curric who has been decorated by the Queen
with the Grand Cross OF the Bath, only four
years after having received the Knight Com
Membership or second class Of that ancient order
was for many years the private secretary Of
Lord Salisbury, while Mr.. Alfred Miner. who
has been appointed 10 the presidency Of the Board
~ Inland Rcvenue-an Office carrying with II a
salary Of 81, 900 ycar-won his spurs IA pri-
va,e secretary OF Mr.. Goschen. the Chancellor Of
the Exchcqucr Rapid has been the advance
mcnt Of Sir Philip who is now the permanent
head OF the Foreign Office establishment the
career Of Mr. Miner affords a yet more striking
illustration Of the advantages that may he
derived from a private sccrctaryship. MI. Miner
has not until now been a member Of the civil ser
vice He acted as sub-cditor Of The Pail Mall
Gazette after leaving Oxford, and only abandoned
journalism TO lccomc the private secretary Of
Mr. Goschcn So efficient and faithful were his
services TO the latter that when the Under Sec
retaryship of State for Finance in Egypt became
vacant Mr.. Goschen at once nominated him for
that lucrative post. At Cairo his work aud his
tact-that sine qua non in the baggage of every
privatc sccrctarv-gavc great satisfaction 20 the
Khcdivc's Government, as we'll to the author
ties In Downinc-st, and now that Lord 1ddes
leigh has retired from the craftsmanship OF the
Board Of Inland Revenue which is regarded as
one Of the chief piums Of the British civil ser
vice young Mr. Miner, who Ia barely thirty
seven, has been appointed OH the nomination OF
Mr. Goschcn to the office.
The latter was held mp till about eighteen
months AGO by Sir Msernon West, who was long
one Of the favorite private secretaries OF Mr..
Gladstone Another Of the Grand Old Mans for
mer private secretaries is Sir Reginald Welby. the
Permanent Secretary OF the Treasury post which
carries with il a salary Of $4,000 year. Yet
another of Mr. Gladstonc's private secretaries IL
Permanent Under Secretary OF Stafe for INDIA,
while the Crown Agent in London for the colonies,
Sir Frederick Ommanney, was a private secretary
of the late Lord Carnavon when the latter was
Secretary OF State for the Colonies The Con
troler Gencraship Of the National Debt. the Secre-
taryshp Of the PostofCe several of the Commits
sonerhips OF Prisons the Secretaryship Of the Gov
eminent Department OF Public Works. and indeed
almost every OF the best berths IN the civil
service of the British Crown are held by men who
are indebted for their good fortune to the fact
of their having fulfilled the duties OF private
secretary TO some Statesman or politician of in
huence and power The late Earl of Beaconsield,
AS is well known. even went to the length of per-
suadlng the Queen to confer peerage upon his
private secretary Monty" Cowry, now Lord
Rowton.
Lord Rowton is by no means the only ex
private secretary who possesses seat In the
upper house Of Parliament. Indeed, there Is
scarcely single peer taking an active part IN
politics who has not learnt the ropes OF pubic
life in the position Of private secretary and
whenever a young man of family Is destined by
his relatives for "a political career, he Is usually
attached TO the person of some statesman or
administrator assistant private secretary.
The best known. and. to my mind. the most