The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-20

corner occupied by the banking firm of
Corcoran & Riggs, purchased IN the early
COS by the minister from the Prussian
court, Baron Gerold BY the transfer of
the Fifteenth street property to Maj. Fer
guson, the minister of the United States
TO Sweden and Norway who owned a
very large and magnificent house on Mas
sachusetts avenue between Fourteenth
and Fifteenth, the German emperor &C
quired a piece of property in which his
future ambassadors can dispense the hos
pitalities for which they have been noted.
The total cost of this building, including
the ballroom, which was subsequently
erected on the western side of the build
ing. was almost S145 900. Other embassies
and legations owned in Washington by
foreign powers are those of Japan, Next
co. Corea and Austria, the latter having
made the last purchase. Last winter Mr..
Patenotre, the French ambassador nego-
tiated with the heirs of Admiral Porter for
the purchase of the Porter mansion on II
street. but owing to a disagreement be-
tween the admiraPs heirs the sale was not
concluded and the French government
continued TO rent the property as before.
The ambassadors and ministers from the
great foreign powers and their attaches.
while unquestionably men of ability and
position in their own countries, are not
the skilled diplomats sent to the other Ed
ropean courts where diplomatic differences
are frequent and only the subtlest of diplo-
macy can succeed in quenching for mo-
ment the spark of menacing war which
seems ever kindled. Nevertheless, al
though these attaches in the embassies
and legations here are not always men
of great distinction, their salaries are
commensurate with the dignity of their
positions, and in all cases no matter Of
which country. are two, three and even
four times as large as the American repre-
sentatives holding the same relative posi-
tons in the country from which they
came. The military attaches Of the United
States IN foreign countries, unless they
are independent of their salaries at home.
would often be placed In very question:
BILE positions Europe, where one nation
abuts upon another and the constant pos
sibility of war leads to continued improve
merits in war instruments, Is fitting
school for the young army and naval Of
ficers of the United States. Europe is
continually experimenting, and the United
States, while paying nothing for the in
formation, takes advantage OF all these
experiments and profits by the results. 1t
is the naval and the military attache OF
the United States who furnishes all of this
valuable material to the war and navy de-
partments. All military attaches in Eu-
ropean legations and embassies are obligea
to live somewhat extravagantly. The po-
sition occupied by officers in the armies
in Europe IS a nlRn one, ana THIS, coupled
with a diplomatic mission, gives the milf
tary attache a certain position which for
elgn military men in this country do not
have.
The military attache Of the United States
at any foreign court, IL he wishes to get
the desired information in regard 70 ord
nance, supplies or other military facts.
must entertain continually; he must pre-
serve the position which has been assign
ed him by the people whose country he
visits at any cost TO his own pocket-book;
he must have an office. servants, horses,
carriages of various descriptions, box
at the opera and other such superfiuities,
the money for which, at least, $4,000 a
year, practically goes into Uncle Sans
treasury, for that Is the price for some in
formation which is obtained Attempts
have been made recently by several MILL
tary attaches at European courts to have
certain allowances made and certain new
perauisites granted, but the war depart
ment, because Of the lack Of appropriations
for such purposes, must continue 40 turn
a deaf ear 10 such appeals, as has the con-
gress Of the United States 20 the petitions
OF the ambassadors and ministers. Va
rious bills have been introduced into con-
gress from time 10 time for TIE purpose OF
relieving the situation. both IN respect TO
the ambassadors and 30 their attaches, a.
though the needs Of the attaches-most OF