The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-03
a VERY COSTLY HONOR.
The British Ambassadors FOOts the
Bill of Many Purse Straining
Functions

From the London News
] have reason to believe that Lord Sal
isbury would have been glad to prolong
Lord Dufferin's term of office had he
shown himself inclined to stay. None
Of the very wealthy nOblemen from among
whom Lord Salisbury thought Of select
ing an ambassador cares for the post
They prefer to spend their fortunes in
their own way to dashing about money
in Paris. for It would come to that.
OF course, 5000 a year seems a mag
nificent salary but II is hard now to make
ends meet on 1t. Lord Lyons had $4,000
and was hospitable on Il, but his circle
was very restricted compared to that OF
Lord Dunerin. He saw only a narrow
set of English friends, and his dinners
were for them and for the great per-
sonages merely of the official world. He
gave one ball which cost 1900, and a gar
den party to celebrate the queens jubilee.
He spent freely on his horses, and after
the Meternichs went away had the best
appointed equipages of any member of
the corps diplomatique. There was no
Lady Lyons, and therefore no heavy
dressmakers bills to pay. A British am
bassadress Is expected to dress handsome
~
The grand dinner to the president of
the republic begun by Lord Lytton makes
great hole in the present salary of 20 900
year. If Lord Salisbury could find a
very wealthy nobleman, of pleasing man
ners, with great name, willing to spend
his fortune here there might be advantage
in sending him as ambassador to Paris,
but the fall in the value Of land has di-
mintshed the number of such peers 1t
should also be remembered that although
Lord Salisbury ts out of concett with the
| diplomatic service, great noblemen sent
to Paris to negotiate sometimes make
grave mistakes.
The best men were a long way back
namely, Portland and Bolngbroke, and,
in the reign of Louis XIV, Lord Albemarle
The Duke of Bedford. who had nothing
| but trumps in his hand, made in 1862 a
fearful blunder in dealing. with New
foundland. That mistake of his has been
a constant thorn in the side Of British am
bassadors ever since Ferry took Office in
Lord Whitworth did not shine by his dis
erection and Lord Stuart De Rothsay was
not apparently prepared for any of the
great French events that took place when
he was ambassador Lord Castlereagh was
certainly not a success. At the congress
Of Vienna Talelyrand said that he bored
everyone with his colorless prolixity and
conceit.
! 1t was very hard, seeing in what deep
grooves the English foreign Office moves
! for British diplomacy to show brilliant re-
suits. French diplomacy has certainly
been very successful within the last
! twelve years, but it is too soon vet to saw
| whether in distinguishing themselves the
| diplomatists of this country have been
ioi ny pclue uaiisSrOuS cOmDlnatlonS
against France. French foreign minister's
who are also premiers, whip and spur their
| diplomatic agents to strenuous action in
| order TO be able to deal with an unfriend-
| ~ Interpolation. This has been a cause
| Of European restlessness, and NAV be
! traught with perilous consequences to
! France.
The French foreign Office can command
results by disposing as it pleases of large
| sums of money. The British foreign office
| secret service fund is spent almost entirely
| in helping the widows and orphans of dip
| lomatists.