The evening times., 1897-12-20
H0MEsf0R0qRDRL0
Sherman Ravsrs Purchasing
Buildings for Embassies.
Congress TO Do so
Salaries Of Amerfca.s Representa-
tives Abroad Barely Sufficient To
Meet Their Necessary Expenses,
Cost In Differ ent Countries to Pro-
vide Official Residences.

Secretary Sherman VIII probably call at
tention of Congress tiits>wtnter tothe neces-s
sity of either Increasing the salaries nr al
administers to the more efmportantcountriss,
or else that provision he made for the pui-
chase ofsuitab bic resitlencssfor ificisjs,-
such as most governments, maintain in the
leading capitals of Europe. .officiaIs Of the.
atsDcpartnentha ha We frequently urg-ti chat
Cur diplomatic corps should be placed on an
equal footing with that OF other firht-cla.-s
powers 80 far as salaries and residences are
Concerned.
An elaborate statement recently pre-
pared by one Of the assistant secretaries
OF the State Department, shows Just what
1t would cost to purchase buildings ut the
leading scats of government for United
States representatives.: and also what
countries are I'm pt ssession OF their own
legation buildings abroad. While most of
the leading powers own their buildings In
Washington. the practice OF purchasing
such property has bcen OF recent date.
and only within the last six years has any
power but Great Britain exercised ruIl
which the Resident OF its minister stands
Now, not only Great Britain, but 6 Germany.
Brazil. Mexico anu Japan have purchased
large residences, and two other govern
ments are understood to lie negotiating.
In contrast to the liberal provision made
by even second-rate powers for its Tor
eign representatives is the meager appr,-
priations allowed byaCongress for It's
a single capital OF Importance does this
Government either own its embassy or
legation, nor does tie representative Ie-
ceive any money in addition to his salary
for the entcrta inment VI those whom he
must invite to his residence. At several
unimportant places abroad 1t holds resi-
dences or else has the la nd on which they
can be built. At Toxic. bangkok, Korea,
Tangisr aBd Tahiti this government has
small residences for ns, mtntzters and con-.
.sul-generai. At the, latter post it has n
consular agent, and, at Toxic a minister.
At rangkok there IS y consular representa-
tive.
1t is at the fint-oiass missions. where
the expenses Of our representatives are
heavy and it is incumbent uron them To
maintaiL a certain amount Of form and
elegance OF living. trat the State Depart
ment h iieves the Government should pro-
vide substantial residences fer its ENJOYS.
AS a rule tie minist ers to London. Paris.
Berlin and st. Petersburg haye been men
OF little meaLs, and on tie salaries OF
SIT Zoo allowed tfs filst class missi,ns it
has been all that s4m3 could do to meet
the necessary expenAes. Mr.. Bayard and
Ambassador Eustis fadl tie teyond their
salaries. while Minister breckenridge. who
has just presented his letters OF recall at
st. PetersbnfE. hsssclbhahlyef6t ts6l,ar
beyond what lie received from the Coz
eminent.
Ambassador Uhl had proha bl morenoney
thanany fPresident Cleveland IS Ia st foreign
representatives. Gen. Horace Porter Is said
to be wealthy, and can well afford to main
tain the dignity Of the United States ct
Paris, while Ambassador Hay is equally
well provided. whi.elaw Reid entertained
ona more laborate scale than any American
representativethis Government has ever sent
to Paris, perhaps excepting Mr.. Morton.
Efforts made for years to secure govern
ment buildings broad have been opposed tn
the ground that it would be undemocratic
to set up fine establishments for our iep-
resentatives, and that 1t was not demanded
ofany OF IL EN- that they live In any differ
ent style than they would in this country.
An American ambassador and minister, a
statement shows, has no pefquiites, and is
allowed but a small number of officials and
clerical hire. lie is compelled to pay for Ids
own quarters and is expected also to live in
the best part of the capital to which he is
assigned.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British am
bassador to this Government, draws a
salary of $4,000 u year. is provided with
a spacious residence in one Of the IA shior-
able quarters. and has an allo vance uf
about 81 q, ,0OU, which he uses In entertaining
during the gag season. The German and
Russian ministers are also well provided
with allowances and residences. In every
capital of importance in Europe the con-
tinental p,wers control their own official
residences
To purchase premises In foreign capitals
for United States diplomatic offices, the
State DDepartment estimates that the price
will vary from S25, 900 to $500, 900. From
estimates gathered abroad by onr minis
ters 1t is shown that suitable resid .aces
can he purchased In Austria for S. I4S, 900;
in Belgium for from S26, 900 to $50, 900, and
in China for S35 900. At Paris an EN-
bassy will cost $500, 0,oO0,. and in Berlin
from $225, 900 to $500, 900. according tothe
location. A proper embassy in London
will cost between $4,000 and $500, 600,
and in Athens about $50, 900. In she Meth
eEiands oneran be ecured for 81 9, 900, and
in Portugal for 100000. In st. Peters
burg a fire establishment for the AmerI
can minister will cSst the United States
between 100000 and 100000. Sweden
and Norway can provide one for $40, ,OCO,
and Switzerland one fsr $40, 900 Turkey