Evening star., 1898-02-12

and all the details of equipment. guns pow
der and many other points which are Greek
to the civilian. How great latitude may be
exercised in the methods of collecting such
information has long been q debated QueS-
ton among diplomats. Lieutenant Co!well
appears to be well posted. His den in the
embassy offices is crowded with nautical
volumes, documents and naval parapher-
MALTA, which gives it a ship-like air. Here
he PAGES his deck, ruddy, broad-shouldered,
with a suggestion of the briny in his stride,
while confidentially limiting to an American
who predicts direful things for the United
States of America in case war with naval
power befall OF his inbred conviction that
the Yankee navy. ship for ship and man for
man, can give odds to any armada On the
seven seas He is the hardest working man
in the embassy, and the beia:ed passerby
may often see the midnight oil burning
from his office windows. Frequently he
packs his trunk and vanishes from the face
of the earth, his nearest friends processing
profound ignorance of his whereabouts.
After a few days he reapDears and his
cabin is stacked with more documents and
stranger devices of war, but where he has
been only he knows and perhaps also the
mysterious men who slide in daily to hold
whispered councils of war. For one whole
week the naval attaches from the conti-
mental embassies were in conclave in Lieu
tenant Colwelrs Office. and the American
newspaper correspondents, be it written
down to the credit of their patriotism, de-
MED themselves the luxury of heating the
Shb4SS with q AASSh !" "di Stoic.
The Social side.
The most attractive phase of the diplo-
matte life. however. and the line of duty
which appeals most strongly to aspirants
for Office is the social one The families of
the present embassy are taking more con-
spicuous places in London society than
most of their predecessors have filled. In
deed, the Mckinley administration is likely
to 1s Ix,f
of it's diplomatic establishments. for Gem
eral Draper has chartered the most magn1tt-
cent palace in Rome. and is dazzling the
Italians by the splendor of his entertain
ments. General Porter has the finest diplo-
matte residence in Paris. and Mr.. Bellamy
Storer is said to be setting the pace for the
four hundred of Brussels. Colonel Hay has
tented the big town house of Lord Lans-
downe, on Carlton House terrace, within a
stones throw of Marlborough house. with
Mrs. Mackay his next door neighbor and
the German embassy, Lord Lonsdale and
William Waldorf Astor in the same row.
fine view of St. James Park, with it's foun-
tains. lakes and drives, with the foreign
office and other government buildings Op-
posite and the towers of parliament and
Westminster abbey rising beyond all form
ing beautiful picture on the rare even
ings, when the sun strikes the scene.
MIR. White and Mr.. Carter have fine resi-
dences in Belgravia, and during the winter
self in its country houses, Mr.. White
charters ii handsome place near Windsor
whence he makes daily trips by train to his
desk in the embassy If any citizens con-
slider all this out of tune with the republi-
can simplicity which Benjamin Franklin
adhered TO abroad they may have the con-
ISOLATION that the government is not taxed
for it. because the salaries of none of the
officials mentioned would meet their rent
bills. Moreover, Americans would doubt
less prefer to see their representatives hold
ing their own wherever they may be. The
families of the embassy in London appear
to be personae gratae in the most desirable
houses of England. Colonel and Mrs. Hay
and Mr.. and Mrs. White have been invited
twice to dine with the queen, the highest
mark of social distinction attainable in
England. one rarely extended to any diplo-
mat but ambassador. and seldom to him.
1t was probably to Colonel Hays advan-
tage that he came to England heralded as
literary man rather than diplomat for
nowhere are literary attainments held in
higher esteem, and the circle of a literary
mans popularity in England is wider than
any others except the champion cricketer
Certainly 1t was to the advantage of the
look trade. London booksellers have learn
ed TO take lively interest in the advent of
an administration in the United States as
an opportunity for new editions and expect
TO emblazon their windows with portraits
of the new American minister and placards
of his books. The shelves of every book
store are packed with the Poems of John
nay IN Noiumes ranging from the sixpen-
ny pocket edition to full morocco. Every
Englishman knows the ambassador primari-
ly as poet. though most of his verses are
products of his younger days, and they
are surprised to be told that he Is the au-
thor also of a historical work, which the
average American looks upon awesomely
as one of the books he intends to read
some day as he does Paradise Lost and Glib
bon.
No Prfmrose Path.
Despite the popular presumption to the
contrary. the footsteps of diplomats are not
always along the primrose path. One Gay
spent in the offices of the embassy. which
are in Victoria street just below the alb
bey. would convince a taxpayer that some
of them earn their salaries. Perhaps it is
because in republican theory an official Is
servant Of the people that We Americans
expect from them so many services that a
Errnnean Wha holda his nfficoxa x..ax. A.