Evening star., 1898-06-22

eminence. Both. his grandfather and father
held high and influential positions under
the government, and in his own career he
has followed in their footsteps. He was
born in st. Petersburg about fifty years
ago, and was educated at the Imperial
Lyceum of the capital, that famous school
at which almost all of the sons of Russian
noblemen receive their training. He was
an unusually brilliant scholar, and was
graduated at the early age Of eighteen and
shortly afterward entered the foreign Of
flee, department of the government with
which he has been connected in some ca
pac1ty ever since.
Diplomatic Promotions.
After serving in the foreign office during
the years in which occurred some of the
most important events of Russian history,
the latter fifties and early Sixties he was
made consul ct Berlin and sent to Ger
many. He remained in Germany for a
number of years and was then transferred
to Denmark. but in course of a short time
he was raised to the rank of minister resi-
cent and stationed at Hamburg. From
Hamburg he was transferred to the cap
ital of China, where he stayed for almost
SIX years and where he was successful in
rendering his country most valuable SER
vice. He was there during the Japanese
Chinese war, and negotiated the treaties
MElch have proved SO advantageous to
sions of territory to her. From China he
was accredited TO Washington, as his coun-
trys first ambassador here and after
Spending several months in st. Petersburg
he started for America via Liverpool,
reaching Washington, stated above, last
Sunday.
This is not Count de Cassini's first visit
to our shores. When he was commissioned
to China six years ago he travelled through
the United States enroute to his post of
duty. He made the trip slowly and spent
some time in the principal cities meeting
many prominent officials and making quite
a study of our form of government. This
of course will be of advantage to him now
He also has the good fortune to know sew
eral of the other diplomats of the corps.
While in Denmark he and Minister Brun be-
came friends, also the case with Min
lister Grip, whom he met in Norway. Count
de Cassini will be decided acquisition to
the diplomatic corps. He is a man of great
wealth, his years of experience at other
important diplomatic posts will give him in
fiuence here, and as he is fond of society
and of most hospitable intent. he will un-
doubtedly make the new embassy a social
center
Accompanied by His Niece.
In this he will be ably assisted by his
niece Mile. Marguerite de Cassini who ac-
companies him. and who has made her
home with him since the death of her par
ents, which occurred during her infancy.
She laughingly told a representative of The
Star who called upon her yesterday that
she was almost afraid to venture to meet
the people of Washington after reading the
highly colored reports of her accomplish
ments in the American newspapers, some
of which credited her with being twenty
five years of age and a wonderful linguistic
prodigy. The truth is, she is a charmingly
pretty young girl, not yet eighteen, and
while the papers may have exaggerated
somewhat. it is evident that she has an un-
usual gift for the languages She re-
Russian, of course, and French, German,
English, and while in China she learned to
speak and write that most difficult of all
languages-Chinese-wit luency. and in