The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-05
AS TO DIPLOMACY.
WHAT FOREIGN DIPLOMATS DO IN
TIE way OF woRK AND PLAY.

times abuse.
From the Washington Star.
If, as is predicted, the pope sends nuDcio
20 represent the holy see at Washington ,
a picturesque figure in gold-emtroidered
official robes will be added to the
brilliant picture which the assembled
diplomats compose On state occasions.
After ALL these foreign gentlemen
are here largely for ornamental
purposes. The British minister, Sir Julian
Pauncefote, for example, resides at the lega-
tion on the corner Of Connecticut avenue
and n street princi pally 70 act as a means Of
communication between this capital and
London. There is no reason, except tradi-
tion, why Secretary Of State Foster aud
Lord ROsebery should not transact all bust
ness between the two nations directly. Be-
fore the days Of the telegraphic cables and
quick mails diplomacy was a science requir-
ing great ability. but now the responsibility
resting upon an agent Of a government
abroad has been reduced 70 almost nothing.
The latter has no latitude for individual
action, and be never does anything OF i'm
portance on his own responsibility He
simply transmits messages to and fro.
NO EXACTING WORK.
So far as work is concerned the position
of q foreign minister plenipotentiary at
Washington is not at all exscting. He sends
dispatches now and then TO his home gov
eminent and from time to time addressee
communications 90 our own Secretary
OF State. Such communications are called
notes Sometim es they are on official busl-
ness, while occasionally they are requests
for permission to land certain wines or
other dutiable merchandise free of duty
for the diplomats private use. The SeCre-
Of fak Ehn ms n ha
tary Of the Treasury, and the favor is always
granted. This privilege Is said to have
been abused more than once, one secretary
Of legation having been accused Of being
in partnership with q wine merchant
The minister could not ask the
Secretary Of the Treasury directly
for such courtesy. He has
no right to communicate officially with any
officer Of the government except the Secre-
tary of State. That official takes him to
call Oh the President when he first arrives.
IL would be graves breach of pro-
priety for the minister to visit the President
or write direct to him on any international
business
SOCIAL DUTIES.
The duties of a foreign minister in Wash
ington are largely Of social nature. Nat
urally his most intimate relations in that
way are with the Secretary Of State and
high officers of that department. He calls
on other officials and is called on by them in
accordance with certain unwritten rule
which make up the code Of diplomatic etis-
Quette. He pays the first visis to each of
the members of the cabinet, while senators
take the initiative in calling on him. Mem
bers of the House are not exactly In his set.
If they call he returns their visit, but he
would hardly invite ordinary representa-
tives to his entertainments. Among the ex-
ceptions to this rule are always the gentle
kzF kka
foreign affairs, with which he is anxious to
keep on the best Of terms, for obvious rea-
soma. However, any resident Of this city
who calls at the legation gets q card In res
turn. According TO established custom the
British minister gives ball each year on
the night Of the queens birthday, as well as
sundry diplomatic dinners. He finds it
necessary TO keep his invitation list care
fully weeded, on account of intrusive per-
sons, who call in platoons on reception days.
Lady Pauncefote soon found it desirable to
abandon regular reception days, because
the house was fairly stormed by the mob.
HOW THEY CLIMB THE LADDER.
There are no such gay butterflies Of
fashion in Washington as the secretaries at
tached TO the various legations. They have
80 little 60 do that they can devote them
selves almost exclusively to social enjoy
Tnent. At the British ministry four of them
divide among themselves the routine work
the whole Of which is about enough to &C.
cupy one spry typewriter. Assisted by two
clerks, they write and copy the minister's
dispatches, etc. The young men who occupy
such positions are always well born and
usually well bred. They are in training for
higher places in the diplomatic service. A
third secretary Of legation here may be pro-
NOTED in regular course TO be second secre-
tary at Rio, then first secretary at Quito.
next charge d'affaires at Bankok, subse-
quently minister plenipotentiary to Hayti.
and 80 on until, perhaps, he attsins the
dignity Of full-1edged ambassador at the
court OF great European power, The posi-
tlon OF ambassador for a monarchy Is the
most dignlhed attainable by any man who
has to work his way up in the world He is
a-little king, being regarded actually as an
incarnation OF sovereignty and treated in
all respects as If he we're a king residing in
foreign country. An insult to him means
war.
1t is a long road however, from a secre-
taryship of legation to the post of ambassa-
dor. The pay of these diplomatic small fry
&c very small, as Is the case with all subordl-
nate places in the diplomatic service OF
foreign nations. To get along at all they
they must have private incomes As rule,
they live modestly, not residing at the house
of the minister. They 60 much into society,
partly as q matter of expediency, depending
on the dinners of others rather that on those
which they can buy for themselves An ex-
ception TO the rule above mentioned is the
Chinese legation. which has much larger
staff than any other Ia Washington. There
are twelve secretaries and all of them live
with the minister at Stewart castlen on
Dupont circle.
OUR SECRETARIES ABROAD.
Secretaries Of legation for the United
States abroad are much better paid
receiving from $500 10 $2,24O.
Their places are pretty secure.
President Harrison has not changed
more than two or three of them.
But with them there is no prospect of pro-
motion and no career ahead, so that there is
not much contention for the situations.
Quite commonly military attache and a
naval attache are attached to each legation,
Uncle Sam employs such agents in London,
Paris and elsewhere. Ii is their business TO
gather information respecting army and
navy matters for the benefit of the home
government. in order that the latter NAV
be acquainted with everything that is latest
in offensive and defensive machines and
methods, etc. Their dispatches are addressed
directly to the bureau of military infor-
nation and the bureau of naval lntelh-
gence here, which digest all such material.
They can adopt any means they choose for
getting hold Of secrets, so long as they are
not detected. That was the fatal mistake
which Can't. Borup made recentlv az Paris