Evening star., 1896-07-25

house. He does not dare to buy a mansion,
or to furnish one. because he knows that
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 bit sensitive to appearances 1t would
quickly put an end to the Furnished
house" system. and give to the ambassador
a mansion of which the nation might be
proud
The Court Costume.
What shall 1 wear at court?" is ques-
ton which has puzzled every envoy which
the United States. for many seasons past.
has sent to England, and very amusing
are the stories told Of the ministerial strug
giles 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 restric
tions put upon the ministers by Congress.
Of the one, 1t Is ell known that the official
court costume Is a detail which has to be
rigidly conformed with, else a guest cannot
pass her majesty. When Mr.. Dallas was in
London ne took two great military digni-
taries of the United States to court, but
one OF them was not allowed to pass the
queen because he wore a black cravat, had
no chapeau and no sword. The minister
thereupon withdrew gracefully with his
friend.
Resarding the provisions of Congress
upon this point of costume, the printed
rules instruct officers to conform ito the
wearing any uniform or official costume not
previously authorized by Congress" The
taste of Congress has been expressed in
1avor OF the simple dress of an American
cltizen, and there have been several off,
cial hints that the dress which Franklin
wore at the court of France ought to be
taken as model Evidently Congress for
got tnat the reason for Franklin's appear
aice In Quaker dress, with home-knit
woolen stockings, was due, not to an aus
tere democratic feeling In our minister, but
10 general curiosity in the court to see
the American who had so quickly sprung
into popularity
Mr Buchanan was one of those who did
not know what to wear. He was perfectly
"iilhS 10 accord with the wishes of his
government. but he early discovered that
the simple dress of an American citizen"
Was very nearly that of the upper court
servant. At one time, the. efore he thought
OIL putting on "Cnited States buttons" and
a. another time or donning the civil dress
u george washington. He sacrificed the
buttons because plain dress sword had a
more manly and less gaudy appearance:
ana ne abandoned the WASHINGTON costume
q 60 tei ioohIns at the Stuart portrait of the
hls' fresicent. Buchanan finally appeared
al levee. as he says, in lust such
u@ress @ as l nave worn at the Presidents a
hunQfed times" The Costume consisted of
d nlack coat. white waistcoat, black panta-
ioohs ana dress boots, with the addition of
d very plain. black-ha ndIed and black-hiIted
dresS sword. 1t was a victory for Mr.. Bu-
Sidhdn $ conscience, but the costume must
Tase T slVen the lord chamberlain a twinge
me present court costume is such as might
De worn In Washington at the presidential
mansion. and Is merely the usual evening
dress of black broadcloth, silk stockings
anu low shoes.
The Embassy.
Inc embassy is the place through which
the government of the United States con-
verses and consults with the government
OF Great Britain-the ambassador acting as
so-petWeen Many of these negotiations
require the greatest secrecy. and it Is there
lore not surprising to find the embassy a
very saodued sort of place with several
rooms which the ordinary visitor never
sees. The embassy is at 123 Victoria street
ABOUT ilve minutes walk from Westminster
Aooey. and in close proximity to the otticas
vi the British government. 1t is NOT an
imposing building. In fact, 1t ia nor a
puiiulhs at all. but rather first-foor fiat
In a row of mansions" Democracy bos
stamped itself upon the exterior and ;rta-
Iitf' Tor there is nothing about our en-
DasSy which would lead the most parsi-
mohlous OF Americans to charge his for
e'Sn representatives with luxury and ey
travagance.
IN one of the invisible rooms sits Mr.
Bayard. Although he is not by nature an
exclusive man. he Is. through force of cir
cumstances. compelled to hide himself froy,
the large body of visitors who seek tba
embassy. and the lucky ones who see him
are those who have come upon govern
nleht business Consequently. the Ameri-
can tourist who goes to Victoria stree,
rarely finds it possible to pay his ..re
spects to the ambassador. This is as II
Snouid be: for. during the summer season
the embassy Is the objective point of ali
americans who want to get into the houSe
Oh commons or the royal stables or VIII
wish a multitude of other things which
they think the embassy can secure. If tn.
AMBASSADOR were. in person. to meet ali
these demands the government -hnsiness
would never be finished
Ihe consulate is closely connected with
tne business world and is situated at ~ St
helens place, Bisnopsgate, right in the
H@art of the city of London easy Of ,c
cess 10 the thousand and one shipners and
merchants VIZ need its help every week
or the year. We sno.. say nothing of the
smallness of the place ana ::s meanness
OF appearance. but will try to si,,:r the
connection between the tonsuI and the
american citizen abroad. The duties of
the consul are varied enough to keep him
emphaticafly busy. If two ships belonging
to the United States collide ar sea tbe
consul receives the protests and renortr
OF the angry captains. If an American
chiid Is born or a citizen dies in London
the consul authenticates the birth and
death. He administers estates He senjs
home shipwrecked or unemployed sailors
and other destitute persons He acts az
arbitrator In commercial disputes between
ms ieiIoW -countrymen, and he certifies TO
the value OF every invoice of foreign goods
above certain amount shipped from Lon
don to the United States His snare time
he spends in collecting information upon
commercial. economic and political mat
ters for the benefit of his government. For
nearly all of this work. besides his regular
salary he gets fees. which in the case of
LONDON are said to be worth about $40 Ool
Notwithstanding his importance the con
SUI Is not diplomatic agent Of the Init ted
states He Is sent to his post for mercan
the purposes. and as a protector Of his
Ieiio~-clt1Ze rs in the district he represents
FOR these reasons. he possesses no llDIo-
matte immunity. Unlike the ambassador.
VINO. according to the old-time custom is
supposed to contain within his person the
sovereignty of his monarch, the person of
the consul Is not inviolable He paws taxes
cut the ambassador does not He is subject
10 the laws of the country, whereas the
ambassador possesses immunity from civil
jurisdiction, and he, as we'll as the least of
his official suhordinates and servants can
not be sued, arrested or punished.
As at the embassy, a friendly welcome
always awaits the traveller at the consulate
and everything is done by the officials 70
make his stay in London pleasurable and
prontable- The sweetness of democracy
may be tasted in both places for there Is
little red tape, and the accessibility which
has been marked quality in official per
sonases in the United States is also to he
n OF II