The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-26
A VERY COSTLY HONOR.
The British AmbassadOP FOOts the
Bi1l Of Many Purse Straining
Functions.

Functions.
I have reason to believe that Lord Sails
bury would have been glad to prolong Lord
Duherin's term of Office had he shown him.
self inclined to stay. None of the very
wealthy noDlemen from among whom Lord
Salisbury thought of selecting an ambassa-
dor cares for the post. Ihey prefer to
spend their fortunes In their own way to
dashing about money in Paris for 1t would
come to that.
cent salary. but it is hard now to make
ends meet on it. Lord Lyons had 10000
and was hospitable on 1t. but his circle was
very restricted compared to that of. Lord
Dufferin. He saw only narrow set of
English friends and his dinners were for
them and for the great personages merely
Of the Official world. He gave one ball
which cost $4,000 and garden party to
celebrate the queens jubilee. He spent
freely on his horses and after the Meter
nichs 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 ambassadress is expected
to dress handsomely.
The grand dinner to the president OF the
republic begun by Lord Lytton makes
great hole in the present salary OF 5000
year. If Lord Salisbury could find q very
wealthy nObleman, Of pleasing manners,
with a great name, willing to spend his
fortune here, there might be advantage in
sending him as amba ssador to Paris, but
the fall in the value of land has diminished
the number of such peers. It should also
be remembered that, although Lord Sails
bury is out of conceit with the diplomatic
service, great nOblemen sent to Paris to
negotiate sometimes make grave mistakes
The best men were long way back
namely, Portland and Bolingbroke and, in
the reign of Louis XIV. Lord Albemarle.
The duke of Bedford, who had nothing but
trumps in his hand made in 1862 fearful
blunder in dealing with Newfoundland.
That mistake Of his has been a constant
thorn in the side of British ambassadors
ever since Ferry took Office in 1883.
Lord Waitworth did not shine by his
discretion 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 vas
certainly not a success. At the congs IS
of Vienna, Tallerand said that he bored
everyone with his colorless prolixity and
conceit.
1t was very hard, seeing In what deep
groove the. English foreign Office moves
for British diplomacy to show brilliant
results. French diplomacy has certainly
been very successful within the last twelve
years. but 1t is too soon yet to say whether
in distinguishing themselves the diplo-
matists of this country have been forced
into being dangerous combinations against
France. French foreign ministers, who,
also premiers. whip and spur their dip
lomatic agents to strenuous action in order
to be able to deal with unfriendly in
terpellation. This has been a cause of
European restlessness,. and may be fraught
with perilous consequences to France.
The French foreign office can command
results by disposing 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
lomistS.-LOndon News.