The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-04
Does Not Comport With Our Importance
as q Nation.
SALARIES PAID ARE TOO SMALL
Some Of the Distinguished Men Who
Have Represented the Sovereignty
Of the Republic at the Court OF 81.
James..Our Ambassador Always a
Much Sought for Man Socially.
What 10 Done at the American Con.
sulate Gene raj. .Drcss and Official
COstume.
From the Strand Magazine.

uc uuty VI Oil <hhiSAANo'. ~-'.
bassadOr upon his arrival in London IS
to obtain an Interview with the Secre-
tary of State for Foreign Affairs, ana
to deliver to him Il copy OF ms letter
of credence. The secretary of the en-
bassy usually notifies the foreign sec
retary Of the ambassadors arriVal,anu
in this way, prepares for the interview.
Afterward, on a day fixed, the secre-
tary Of state presents the ambassador
to the sovereign, to whom the ambas-
sador delivers the original letter OF
. credence. On the same day, or as soon
as convenient, the ambassador begins
q series of social calls upon the secre-
tary Of state and members of the royal
circle. The ambassadress. meanwhile,
pays Visits to the wives, and in this
way the social intercourse which con-
tinues throughout the ambassador $
term of office is Immediately establish
ed.
Important as the duties of the am
bassador in the transmission of mes
sages from the Department of State
to the British government may be at
q certain time, a great part of his lab
or and that of his subordinates consists
In attention to social and court f,inc-
tions, and the most successful minis
tcrs of the past hundred years have
been those who have most punctilious-
ly attended to their performance. a
glance at the diary of John Quincy
Adams will show that the London
evenings Of that noted man were
spent in society. He danced talked,
played cards and made himself gener-
ally agreeable to those about him. His
diplomatic success was accordingly
enormous. The triumphs of Motley
and Lowell We're gained in the same
way, and MIR. Bayard's present pres
tige in England is due greatly to his
popularity in the social world. The
diplomatic battles of the present day
are won at dinners and in quiet talks,
and he who most ably represents the
United States in London is he who fol-
lows his governments instructions
and omits mo occasion to maintain
the most friendly personal and social
relations with the members of the gov
ernment and of the diplomatic body at
the place Of residence"
PERSONAL TACT VALUABLE.
In such a work the value of personal
tact, courtesy and education cannot be
overestimated. The demands made
upon them are continual. whether at
the dinner table or on the platform,
at the country house or at court. In
the possession of these qualities the
ministers whom the United States has
sent to England, from the AdamSes to
Phelps and Lincoln, have been pecu-
liarly fortunate, and to the present
ambassador title which has belong
ed to Mr.. Bayard since his country
rose to the first rank among nations
has been left the heritage of a position
which is well-nigh priceless. For years
the american minister occupied
unique place in London. His speeches
were quoted, and his presence sought
when other diplomatists were appar-
emily neglected. The traditions have
been maintained by Mr.. Bayard.
Society, however. costs money, and
London IL a most expensive place to live
In. Consequently. the niggardly salar-
les which the United States gives to Its
diplomatic agents In London quickly
disappears, leaving them to depend up
on their own private purses for the
wherewithal to maintain the dignity of
their government Many protests have
been made by the past ministers, from
John Adams down. but these forcible
presentations of a disgraceful fact have
had little influence with the home gov
ernment. Adams at one time wrote to
Jay asking him to consider that the
single circumstance Of presenting a
family at court will make difference
of several hundred pounds sterling in
my inevitable annual expenses" but
nothing was done to relieve the minis
ter from the inevitable" The money
goes In variety of ways. If the queen
holds a drawing room or the Prince Of
Wales a levee, the diplomatic corps Is
expected to be present, and court dress
costs anywhere from two hundred dol
lars. Besides this. the family of the
ambassador Is expected to be present
and every one in London society knows
that the bill for lady's court dress is
almost as long as the train. Ambassa-
dors with a goodly number of daugh-
ters are accordingly at distinct finan-
cial disadvantage. The ambassadress,
moreover, Is supposed not to appear
twice at a drawing room in the same
dress, and this rule imposes an addi-
tional financial burden Then there are
dinners to be given, receptions to be
held on Washington's birthday and
Fourth of July, the regular weekly re-
ception which Mr.. Bayard now gives
to his cOmpatriots to be maintained,
and turnout to be supported in or
der that too much of the governments
time may not be wasted in the city Of
dreadful distances.
HEAVY EXPENSES.
OF money which a necessary attention
a small salary. The present wage Is
$17,60O How sorry this pittance looks
beside the $32, 500 and the sumptuous
mansion which the British govern
ment gives to Sir Julian Pauncefote,
its representative in Washington.
There Is little doubt, however, that
an ambassador would willingly bear all
the expenses which fall upon him. as Is
the case with others of his rank, If the
house in which he lived belonged 70
his nation. The United States in this
respect stands in a unique and unen-
viable position. All other nations give
to their ambassadors a mansion which,
through continuous use by successive
ambassadors, becomes the real en-
bassy. The American ambassador, on
the other hand, is forced to hire a, fur
nished house. He does not dare to buy
a mansion, or to furnish one, because
he knows that his term Of office may
not last longer than four years; and he
cannot feel sure that his successor will
relieve him from the burden of a costly
mansion. If congress were the least
DIT sensitive to appearances, it would
quickly put an end to the Furnished
house" system. and give to the ambas-
sador q mansion Of which the nation
might be proud.
THE COURT COSTUME.
what shall I wear at court?" is
question which has puzzled every en-
voy which the United States, for ma-v
seasons past, has sent to England, All
very amusing are the stories told OF
the ministerial struggles with this most
important matter of dress. The trouble
has been due to the strictness of the
rules which govern the court functions,
as well as to the restrictions put upon
the ministers by congress. OF the one.
II is well known that the official court
costume is a detail which has to be
rigidly conformed with. else q guest
cannot pass her majesty. When Mr..
Dallas was in London he took two great
military dignitaries of the United
States to court, but one of them was
mt o11owad IN na ha nnao,, t~on....