New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20

rIfi- COURT NEWSMAN AND HIS ANf"'-
CAN IMIrATORS - EMBASSIES AND
HOUSES. WITH COMMENTS ON
RrPrrBfLcAN SIMPLICITY.

M most striking anomaly VI NV 49,
tiors at st. Jamcs's and Buckingham '''"''
r. thu close correspondence IN costume "
,y.oo American diplomatic representatives and
the Court Newsman. At leV'c carry !" '''e
or,e,,oon the American Ambassador. the Sec
rotary ~ the Embassy and the Sec"nu 'e''
o,,oa, in ordinary evening dress. At drawing
an, thcv have the same dress. with opera nat
,r,c- brceches and silk stockings All other Am
hassaIOrS secretaries and attaches are III "'p'o
r,,ti. rost-mc sanctioned by their govern
rents. or If they are military or naval on'ceiS
,bcv IRE privileged To wear their uniforms So'o
, an, decorations The Court does not at
,,mp, to regulate the dress Of diplomatists on
,he, siors since they are supposed to nave
a distinctive uniform Of their own. ouls'ue
e., di,,o,ratic circle Court etiquette is rigidiy
enforced There is black velvet costume KNOW"
&c Cou,i dress and this has to be worn by Eng
:u,bnan or foreigners attending these functions.
Tho American diplomatic representatives can
not appcar in this Court costume. and they nave
no uniform Consequently they are compelled 10
,dr,ss like the Court Newsman.
This is tho purveyor Of Court intelligence wh"
sands in the outer courts. notebook in hand to
g., down the names OF visitors as they arrive
f,r presentation. He IL attired in evening dress
q, \ lcvf. or at a drawing room He is there on
a business errand. and Is not allowed 10 wear
ordinary black velvet like gentleman. cos
tpr,, has to be provided for him sufficiently dIs-
inactive To betoken his calling and il is plain
evening Iress He is the only person al 4 ievee
or lrawing-room hahited in this way. with the
SINGLE exception of members of the United states
Embassy Not long ago writer for an Aneri-
can magazine wished 10 describe these court
functions and to illustrate his article by sketches
or kodak photographs. He was allowed 20 go 1"
buckingham Palace habited like the court
Ncwsman and the American Ambassador oc-
casonally an artist is favored with the prV'-
l.ec Of entrance for the purpose OF sKetchine
tho scene for an English pictorial weekly ne
also appears in evening dress. like the Amer
car diplomatic corps
Tho Diplomatic uniform Of the various Embas-
s,cs and Legations differs only in details OF Color
and gold lace embroidery. The ordinary e'ee
drcss OF Ambassadors and Ministers conSis's oi
q d,rk ,,,uc black or bright blu" Louis WI
cutaway coat, with sleeves collar ana oreaS'-
,,..c,s embroidered in gold or SILVER ei1p'ei"9
distinctly Of their countries ana IOhS 'lou'c' y
ucually white with gold lace stripes IN" uii-
form Of the secretari for leVeeS IS '' the sd'"'
form but is less elaborate IN design. for IRA"
ing-rooms or evening parties at Court inc same
coat is worm With white buckSkih T'''hcS ANA
,,hi,,. silk stockings If these diplomatic repre-
acn;atives are military or nava officers 'h'S arr
likely TO wear tneir regular uniforms IN place
Of heir cuiaways and white trousers or DUCK
skin breeches and silk Stockings The same
privilege is enjoyed by other visitors entitled TO
wear military. naval or other uniforms. These
,o,. ha substituted for the regulation Court
drcss If plain black velvet. OF Of the older ana
more ornate pattern.
The precis. effect of republican simplicity III
,,. case of the American diplomatic representa-
tiv.s il to render them the most conspicuous
figures at a Court function. They have no uni
form. and consequently must fraternize IN cos
tune with the Court Newsman and the hired
walters The naval and military attaches OF the
Embassy wear their uniforms and are on terms
OF equality with British or European army or
navy officers. There is no just ground Tor dis-
elimination against the members OF the Ameri-
can diplomatic service in this respect They Also
are H. the service of the Government They
ought to have uniform of some kind for Court
functions. so as to be placed on level OF equal
rv with their associates in other Embassies and
Lepations There was once diplomatic uni
form of this kird. simple in style but distinct
I've and whenever it was worn the members oil
the service were less conspicuous than they are
now in evening dress al levec or drawing room
The French diplomatic representatives, have
a uniform Of their own. and republican insttu-
lions do not appear 10 be compromised by H.
AT any rate. they are less grotesQue figures on
state occasions in European capitals than their
associates from Democratic republican America
Ii is not Il question of wearing the livery OF a
foreign Court. for this is never done by any
diplomatic corps in any capital No Court ever
undertakes To dictate or regulate the costumes
Of foreign diplOu,atists whose uniforms are al