New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-13
DIPLOMATIC TOBACCO.
IMPORTANCE OF CIGARETTES AND SNUFF IN
FOREIGN POLITICS.

six months IMPRISONMENT with nara labor for
having purloned the young Minister g1id snuff
box from off his desk at the Foreign O'hc' may be
regarded AS an evidence of the fact that tobacco
retains its place and importance as piece of
Diplomacy machinery" as the late Lord Ampthill
was in the habit of describing 1t. often wonder
if those who are accustomed 10 wax eloquent on
the subject of the alleged pcrnicious elects OF the
herha nj -otina" realize the important part which
il has played during the last two hundred years
in the history of the world, its influence upon the
course of political events having been almost IN
variably of beneficial character Not onW have
ifs narcotic proprrics tended 10 soothc the angry
passons of those intrustnd with the conhu OF
international relations but il has also afforded
thcm the opportunitv of thinking before they
smoke and allowed time for thos" second thoughts
with. in diplomacy and staiccraft at any rate
are ALWAYS the best. People are often disposed 10
make fun of the so-callcd pipe OF peace, ana TO
regard il as a mere form of speech, originating
with the red Indians. But tobacco, whether in
fine form of a pipe Of cigarette or OF snnh has
over provcd a powerful and effective aid TO the
maintenance OF peace, and IA such ITS Us" de-
serves TO be fostercd and propaga'ed ny all pa
triotic and aw-abdng citizens, in lieu oil being
condemned noXious.
Lord Poscbcrv's retention Of the snufboX IA
mart of his diplomatic equipment is thoroughly III
accordance with that regard for tn" classical ira
ditions Of "ranccn regime mingled with his
taste for progressive and enlightened REFORM
which contributes so mn h TO render his character
interesting and attractive. MT, az general
rule the cigarette may be said TO have supplan'cd
the pinch of snuff in diplomacy, and the man who
could formerly conceal his embarrassment ana
collect his thoughts for an appropriate answer
durine, trc Sow and stately process OF taking "a
priso- is now enabled to do so whli' pr'a'h'nF
cut nicely dstanccd rings of fragrant Turkish 10
bacco Indeed. a cigarette proves perhapn Il more
cfcctual ally in a moment Of difficulty than ~"
piuch of snuff for. whereas you cannon lhlch-
nitely proonc the process Of naling the latter II
is always possible TO gain time with 'iearc'"'
Nv letting il co ont and Chen having TO rcli2ht H.
To-day there is scarcely any foreign Minister OF
diplomat who is not provided with his c'3ar''''
box which he regards, not in IN" llght oil an on
lee. of personal luxury. but aS part ana parc"i
Of the most indispensable paraphcrnalia OF MS
profession. II is worthy Of note that IN" hu'-
slams who devote more attention ana l'npor'a"'
70 the study Of diplomacy than any other Euro
pean nation, are always provided WIN inner 'I'"
rcttcs than any of their foreign colleagues ohc
Of the reasons why the late khediNe "t E1Np' was
subicctcd TO so much bullying and badscrihe by
thr various Ministers and tonsuis a''r'dlh" I"
his court was because his cigarettes were so 'N-
crrablc that it required the strongest do>c "l
courtesy possible 70 make even a pr'''hc" "'
smoking them the result being that II" ha' I"
bear the fun brunt Of every hlsagr'"a"" ni''
thought that came 10 the mind OF ms foreign WIZ
or. his cigarettes Offering no nhuc"n'h's LOT
,hom to reflect before speaking. and tending more
over 70 irritatc rather than 10 soothr their thPT
With the exception Of Lord Rosehcrv ther"
o., loli.vo no Other diplomats who still adhere
IA the ne of the snuilb box. say" tho>" ia '"'
o,.,lov OF the Vatican State Department. True.
the present sscetic-looSug Secretary 81 state anu
his PREDECESSOR. the Jolly little Cardinal Jaropihi'
shaved no Discrimination either Z" CIGARS Ut
oi,o-.,,.s Inn, as rule the majority Of the
prcla,es I'm The dirloma'i" and lay service "i we
po,o have remained faithful 10 the snunhoN insi
in the same wy a. they RETAIN more INA" '"'
other qcvcrnmcn: officials Of Europe. In" prime
nlas Of Diplomacy and stat"cralt taught ~
Machiavell ,
7, !. rs.culiar f,ct IN connection with this that
ali the Iadic. who haze achieved fame ~
dinlomacv such - Nine Il" Novikon. Princess
Iise T,onbc,skoi. Nine Nuhar Pachl, frin-
ccss Wettcrnich and the late Princess hopolh
cr. bovc all been inyctcrat" conslII"rS "l
oir,rot.os and each las awaited herself WIN
s;g,aI advantage OF thc opportunity nhord"i IN
,oyino with fragrant papillcfto TO reflect ne
fore sp.aking which women. alas, 80 rarely d''
No. that they are hl any MONS, TIE ONLY
Fu,oneon ladies who smoke. Indeed. the NJ" o.
,he cigarette among the fair sex Is becoming
anita ~ prevalent on the Continent ana eve
IN Fucland as was the Use OF snuil IN IN" iaSt
century by our crcatgrandmothcrs. IN" li'''r'
h.iro anxious 20 avoid sOilinc their fingers. were
wont 10 us, spoon whcr"with to i"ch 'h'ii
dainty no-trils, and in an old com'dF' 'hu'''
" An Act Al Oxford produced ~ DrurN i'n'
!, london toward the end OF the last century
the heroine i made To cNcla'n ~ III" p'an "
thc piece offers her his snullboX, " spoon l"''
is very gallant. For Ia see som" peep" III"
their FAT fingers into bon II rs hoA'o"S IL
eating without fork.
In those days, too. III" qualities OF 'o""c'"
no , preventive Of violence and as sil'gu"i'
NJ ncacc were generally recognized. For he-
oordinc 10 the German historian Jacoby, when
o,or a member of our circle bctrays signs OF
,,od tomncr one OF his friends holds forth hi-
oruGbox and we all have too much s"Ii-controf
even under the most trying circumstances ever
IN resist its power" Even those ladies' VINO hl
not take SNUFF kept boxes Tor tue PURPOSE VI
avoidinr ouarrcls among their admirers ana "
was universally regarded "a one OF fhc most
cfIlcacious aids to the maintenance oil lilehulJ
and agreeable intercourse
Apparently it is with the hope Of encourhg-
ing ladies who are not. like Nine q" NoVlRon
and Princess Troubetskoi, profcss"d diplomats. TO
reflect before they speak, and thereby 70 avert
goodly portion of the trouble when n''ai's
man. that the Russian Minister OF Ways ana
Means is cndcavoring 10 increase the use oil 10
bacco among women by providing them with
special smoking compartments on all the Mnsco'
wife railroads And we even find that solemn
and august functionary, Speaker Peel. OF III"
British House Of Commons. the living embodi-
mcnt Of all that is most time-honored. old
fashioned and ultra-Icspcctable In the English
Parliament. turning q deaf ear TO the protests
raised in certain of the London newspapers against
the now frequent spectacle of ladies in full even
ing dress sitting out on the terrace of the House