The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-02-07
Military and Naval Attaches
Generally Enjoy Them.
MAI. HEfSTAND'S EASY BILLET
As Military Attache to the American En-
bassy at Paris He viii Enjoy Special Ad-
vantagss During the ExpostioB-Matter
of Uaiform Does Not Trouble Our fight
Ing Representatives American Dipio-
mats Wore Motley Attire in Old Days

an officer may enjoy sojourn abroaC
under exceptional social and official al
vantsges.
Mai. Heistand is the lucky man select
{ 60 as military attache at Paris, wher'
/ Brig. Gen. Alfred T. Bates is now com
+ biuing the duties OF his London post with
/ those Of the French mission. The de-
! tail Of an officer from the military estab
/ lishment 10 duty at a foreign court is :
/ practice comparatively few. Formerly, II
/ WAS customary 10 send a military mar
/ abroad on occasions to keep ''au couranU
with war matters i'm other countries
! Now, following the lead Of various for
( eign governments, the United States send
naval or military officers to London
Paris, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Brussels
Rome, Vienna, Lisbon, The Hague
Berne. Mexico, Peru, Brazil. Venezuela la,
Picking. and Toxic
The war with Spain made many vacaG-
cies in these positions, the men holding
them coming home TO fight the battles of
their country, SO that there is not now a
full complement. In Switzerland. Lieut.. j..
X. Williams IS the military attache: at
London and Paris Brig. Gen. Alfred T..
Bates; at The Hague, Maj. James y
Nheelan: in Portugal, Lieut.. 5. L. ii.
Si0Cum; in Peru. Capt James b. Hickey
AT Carraccus, Lieut.. q. l.. Collins: at Rio
de Janeiro, Lieut.. James a. Shipman.
Maj. Heistands Billet.
Maj. II. o. Heistand, VINO is slated for
the military berth al the Paris embassy,
Is now on duty in the Adjutant Generals
Office. He came 10 Washington with the
Mckinley administration. and his stay in
Paris will b. a prolonged one Mrs. Heis-
rand Will accompany her husband to his
new post of duty. particularly desirable
one Just now at the advent of the great
exposition. Military and naval attaches
are appointed by the President. Upon
reaching the designated post, they are
presented by the Anne liCan Ambassador
or Minister to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs. who. in turn, presents them TO
the Minister of War or Marine. accord
ing as the attache is OF the army or
navy branch. IL is expected that ne shall
place himself on an agreeable footing
win the military authorities of the coun-
Try TO which he is sent, so that he NAV
gather ali valuable information that may
legltim2tely be acquired for the informa-
ton division of the two branches of the
service at home. He is further expected
TO keep his eyes and ears open to all that
may be Of value 10 the War and NAVY
Departments. The reports of the mill
tary attaches are made TO the Adiutant
Generals office
l. Is the invariable rule in placing these
attaches 10 consult the Ambassador or
Minister OF the particular post designated.
as TO whether or not the officer selected
would be persona grata" at the mission.
and no one is ever sent to whom the
Minister accredited has the slightest OBJ
lection.
The trouble with Spain. however.
brought annoyance 10 our attaches, both
in that country aid in England In Lon
don, about n year ago, the Spanish Am
bassaaor lodged with the British Foreign
ONCE an official protest against the con-
tinuance of Lieut.. Colwell, our naval at
tache, charging him with conducting a
secret news system. That the matter
was explained satisfactorily by the State
Department, is proven in tie fact that
Lieut.. Colwell is still in London on spe-
ciai service.
The friction between our Minister TO
Madrid and his military subordinate had
10 be referred 10 the War Department.
and it was made the subject Of a ruling
by Secretary Alger that, of course, is yet
in force, though amy sentiment is strong
ly against 1t.
Our Minister at the coUrt of Spain is
sCed en- order TO the military attache.
which the latter declined 10 obey. The
whole controversy was officially reported
&c the Secretary of War. no rendered a
decision 10 the effect that military at
taches at the legations of the United
States abroad are required to comply with
all the requests made OF them by the
ANA bassador or Minister 10 whose lega-
ton they are detailed, and failing TO do
so. Will be requested to ask for their re-
call.
Matter of Uniform.
There is balm in Gilead" for the mill
tary attaches wheE it comes to the ques-
ton Of dress for State ceremonies. He
doesn't have TO keep awake nights think !
ing on a subject that has so often vexed |
the representatives of the United States /
abroad, for he has his full dress uniform !
at hand. and it is the one prescribed by |
The subject Of dress has been q matter /
Of harassins uncertainty 10 the chief of /
foreign mission from the days of Franklin /
10 the present day. IL is remembered I
that d special scrt OF millinery, "a comSin- /
= ion Of gilt buttons and small clothes had 1
to BE- contriyed for Mr. Breckenridge. 10 4
enable him 10 be present al the coronation /
ceremonies OF the car of Russia.
FrJnklin's simple black evening dress 1
IS said 20 have been the result OF an i'm I
oerutiye summons 10 the French court, (
when ne was entirely unpr pared as far
as his wardrobe was concerned. he .
sJated his Flora McFlimsey condition and /
Eas told 10 come II once in anything he
happened 10 be wearing"
Diplomats III Motley Attire.
This sci precedent that was followed
negotiated the treaty OF Client arrayed
themselves with = distinctive gorgeous
less that became the recognized diplo-
matte uniform of our Ministers abroad
or some years after the conclusion Of
peace. An old picture shows the cos
ume TO have been a blue coat with elab-
,rate geld lace trimming, white knee
,reeehes. white silk stockings. large gold
AIcklrs al the knee, low shoes ornament
q with big buckles. u cooked hat with
cJCkaGe ana that distinctive mark of
gentleman OF the day-a swoTd-Was car
led This picturesque costume was con !
iderably modified under the regime of
i-n. Jackson, who did not, like Madison
nd Monroe, insist upon a diplomatic uni
orm. the wearing OF such being left to
he taste Of the incumbent. This is shown
y the following instructions from tne
secretary OF State, Van Buren,, anent the
natter. 10 the United States representa-
ives al foreign courts: 1T Is 10 be IN
ersIo0i however, that the use Of this
arJicular dress = not pres ,ribed by the
resident II Is barely suggested by his
Erection as an appropriate and a conv--
lent uniform dress for the use Of our
fin. tiers and other diplomatic agents OF
he United States"
The liberty given by Jackson subse-
uently led 10 a remarkable assortment
costumes, each Minister wearing a
r-ss TO suit his Individual taste. until in !
ONE instances. considerable ridicule Was
KCitea 81 the "get-up' OF the American |