The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-06-08
DIPLOMATIC DISPATCHES.
How They Are Guarded and Counter
Guarded In European Courts.

How They Are Guarded and Counter
Guarded In European Courts.
To abstract a paper or steal dispatch
from one of the embassies is not by any
means an easy matter. To say that it
would be an impossible feat would SAVIOR
of exaggeration, for in these days of scien-
tifc burglary there is nothing impossible
under the sun. Up to the time of writing,
however, such an instance is unknown.
In the encourage of every embassy there
are one or more private detectives who
are invariably gentlemen of official or mil
itary rank. Notwithstanding. papers of
comparatively infinitesimal importance are
environed with the same precautions as
Others of untold value. The documents
are all inclosed in an iron safe. the key OF
which is held by the ambassador or min
lister only, the latter taking all response
bility and acting as charge d'affaires In
the absence of the former.
Dispatches do not remain long at the
embassies. At given date, the length OF
which varies according TO the respective
distances of the countries represented, a
special messenger is sent to fetch them.
/ A weekly call is made at the British en-
bassy, but at the American and foreign
ones naturally longer interval Is allowed
1
TO elapse.
The messenger from the foreign Office
brings bag which is fastened with pat
ent lock and cannot be opened except by
the key in possession of the ambassador
or the charge d'affaires. When the bag Is
cleared of its contents, the return dispatch
es which the ambassador sends to his gov
eminent are placed in It and carefully con
cealed. IL is then closed and returned L
the messenger, who conveys it to the min
} lister for foreign affairs, who opens it will
a duplicate key.
i. II the documents are Of special impor
, lance, they are not intrusted to the ordi
nary messenger. Some one in the imme
diate encourage OF the embassy take
charge of them instead. No one is allowe'
access TO the chancery Office in which the
; are placed. and visitors are only receives
: in rooms dedicated to the purpose.
r Precautions are carried TO such an eS
) tent at several embassies that If a secreta
nv cannot personally ask for instruction
from his hierarchical chief he is oblige
to inclose his queries in a special locke
box. which can only be opened by the dr
plicate key at its destination, and the II
plies are returned in the same manner.
il the rule in each embassy that the dii
patch box can only be handed to one of III
secretaries and must never by any chanS
T be given into the custody Of a stranger.
9 Sworn translators are now only emplo,
ed i'm certain embassies where the dipl'
matists do not speak or understand Frencl
Even the Chinese legation has now di
pensed with a sworn translator, as the fir
5 secretary invariably speaks and unde
}, stands the language perfectly.
N There are other precautions TO be o.
T. served besides those concerned with Il
Z possible confscation of papers. There
= the fear of indscretion in those intimate
d connected with the legation to be guard'
y AGAINST. and for this reason members
= the diplomatic service are debarred in nea
n ly every instance from marrying any OF
q sot of their own nationality. Prince 81
- marck made this the rule in Germany, al
e there are very few exceptions to it, II
diplomatist is retained who is married
!. foreigner. he is carefully transferred
Re anv country but that Of his wife, the re
* son being that there are still few ladi
who fail TO act up to the old maxim tn
"discretion is the better part Of valor. "
London Tit-Bits.