New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-24
A HOME OF TREATIES
THE FRENCH PALACE OF THE MINISTRY
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. WHERE THE
pI-ACE COMMISSIONERS WILL Mrrr

Is.
The Palace Of the Ministry Of Foreign AHa,,.
where the United States and the Spanish Pea.
Commissioners are to meet does not. az far a. y.
bare walls are concerned, afford many hstories,
"reminiscences Its foundation stone was Isu
by Guizot In 1S43 and its construction. delav.a
by the revolution of 1918. was not comple,.s
until 1852 But this spacious edihce. dessn.s
/ by the architect Lacornee. and erected on IN.
| Ouai d'Orsay. with It's principal facade overlook
| ing the Seine is one Of the most imposing monu.
! ments of Paris and may be described a. thu
alma mater OF diplomacy. for 1t is the depo..
| tory Of the traditions OF statecraft and Of IN.
! ternationaI correspondence extending in an un
| broken chain from the days Of Henri ~, when
| Sully raised diplomacy to the level OF a science
| Through the courtesy Of NJ Delcasse, the pres
! ent Minister Of Foreign Affairs The Tribups
| correspondent was enabled 70 visit in detail th,
| teaIously guarded sanctuary. where. besides
| manuscript in the handwriting Of Sully. Richie.
| lien Oliver Cromwell Mazarin. Colbert. Tursot
| Necker Benjamin Franklin John Adams slas
| Deane Jefferson. Napoleon, Taleyrand. Gusot
Metternich Palmerston, THEIRS. BeaconsheA
| and Bismarck, there may be seen in the various
| apartments used for daily current AFFAIRS relcs
| and pieces Of furniture OF the highest historical
! interest In the room on the first floor where
| the Minister does most Of his work. and where
| he usually receives his visitors Is beautiful
| Louis XIV centre-table finished In russell and
! gold upon which was signed In Paris on Sep
TENDER g. 1888. the treaty Of peace between the
United States and Great Britain. by which
| George III recognized the Independence OF the
American Colonies and by virtue OF which the
United States assumed place among the fam.
| uv NJ nations This memorable treaty. signed
| nm heba,f Of the United States by the then Peace
Commissioners, John Adams. Benjamin Frank.
lin and John Jay. and in behalf Of Great Britain
bv David Hartley. the British Commissioner.
was preceded by a provisional convention OF ar.
ticles OF peace concluded by the American and
British Commissioners at Paris November &c.
1882. and likewise signed by them on the same
table which Is now used by NJ. Delcasse as the
centre piece Of his working cabinet. This pro-
v,sional convention was embodied in the final
treaty Of September 3. 1888. and forms IN fact
the basis Of that treaty. 1t would Indeed be Q
singular but by no means improbable colnc.
dence II this famous table. once the personal
property OF Louis XIV should again do duty upon
an historic occasion and he employed by the
American and Spanish Peace Commissioners In
1898 for signing the preliminary articles OF
agreement and subsequently the defnitive treaty
which when ratified by Congress and by the
Cortes, will officially terminate the war between
the United States and Spain
THE PALACE DESCRIBED.
The Palace OF the Ministry OF Foreign AZ.
fairs built In the style OF Louis XIV, With
tendency to initiate the more picturesque
Renaissance architecture OF Francis I, extends
from the Chamber OF Deputies 70 the esplanads
OF the Invalides, now being transformed 70 form
part Of the exhibition OF 1900. tall and grace
full iron railing with gilded tips separates the
Ministry from the street. Two broad and state
~ flights OF steps and two arched carriage
WAYS at each end indicate the principal en-
frances The building rests upon foundation
rising several metres above the ground. forming
an airy we-lighted basement, occupied by the
spacious Kitchens pantries, storerooms ana
meat larders, which all models OF their KING
The outside front OF the ground floor Is orna'
mented by rows of Roman Dorlc columns. and
the facade Of the story above is similarly deco
rated with Ionic columns. heautlful stone
balustrade surmounts the edifice. Circular PINK
marble medallions placed between the columns
were intended 10 bear the sculptured escutch'
cons Of the great Powers OF Europe ana Amer
lea. but for some unknown reason this plan
was never carried out. and these f1ne maroa
medallions remain intact. on the ground moor
are superb suites Of state apartments In the
STYLES Of Louis XIV and Louis XIV. The large
dining room. with its dead cold ceiling and cor
nice decorations with panels by Boucher
brought from the now torn down Wasram man.
sion on the Rue Neuve des Cspucines. which
served as the palace OF the Ministry Of Foreign
Affairs from 1872 until 1853. is considered one
Of the finest banqueting halls in Paris The
do oka a
garden OF four acres in extent which with Its
groups OF fine elm trees. gigantic ferns, clusters
of rose bushes. tulip beds white marble nymphs
terraces and fountains. is all contained IN tne
Enclosure Of this vast building and its depend
encies.
Opening from the state dining room Is ths
superb Salon des Ambassadors. where the
Peace Commissioners of the great Powers aite'
the Crimean War; In February. lsJ6. held theii
sessions. and finally drew up the Treaty or PAR"
OF that year and which formed the cornerstone
OF the political situation in europe until tne
Franco German War OF 1S10-71 The Tnira
Empire was then in its apogee. and many OF INV
provisions OF the Treaty of Paris Of lSJo. notS
bly, those relating to privateering and ISSUING
letters OF maraue are still In force. larss
canvas by Dubuffe, representing the sitting"
this celebrated Congress. hangs on the casters
wall Of the Salon des Ambassadors ana c'"'
tains capital portraits OF the commissioner
among whom were Count Walewskh t"eI
French Minister OF Foreign Affairs; LORD C'''
endon. Lord Cowley. Count Orion oaio.
Brunow, Count Buol-Schauenstein ana 'o."'
Cavour. In neighborinS room may ne sec" '"'
large bronze inkstand which was usea Q" Wv
occasion of the signature Of the treaty ~ 'O''
nection with the Congress Of Paris. the ion."
ing incident is related: February 30 lo'o'
dinner was given at the Ministry OF Fo'e'e'
Affairs by Count Walewski, at when all '
plenIpotentiares We're present. and later !" Wv
evening there was a reception at when uo'e'
"grandes danes insisted upon WISHING '