The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-15

at.ired IN tweeds and knickerbockers. II
Is added In the dispatches from St Peters
burg that during an informal exchange OK
views which preceded the issue Of the i'm
perial circular now IN the hands OF the
state department at Washington. Amoas-
sador Tower earnestly requested Count
Muravier 10 secure the adoption of as
plain a dress fer foreign diplomatic officers
as was consistent with the requirements
in order TO make II accord with American
views upon the subject 1t is asserted that
the Muscovtte authorities, in Difference TO
this suggestion. decided upon q court cos
tune Of dark blue cloth. instead OF one OF
black velvet. as originally contemplated.
1t Is difficult; 20 understand why Anhas-
sador Tower should have considered 1t ne
cessary to make any suggestion. For there
is In existence United States law. almost
universally ignored but never repealed.
which prescribes a court costume for
American diplomatic and consular officials
abroad. 1t was enacted In 1sA9 and is as
follows:
The uniform for the diplomatic and con-
sular representatives of the United States
TO be worn on all visits Of ceremony 10
the authorities of the place and on all 9TH
er proper occasions consists OF the foaow-
ing parts and appendages, namely: A blue
cloth dress coat. single breasted. with
standing collar. having the front from the
collar TO the extremity of the skirt, and
embroidered in gold, not more than two
inches wide, representing a vine Of olive
leaves. There should be upon the coat ten
gilt navy buttons in front. one navy but
cum four under each pocket Zap. one on
each hip and on the folds, two On each
side Of the lower extremity, and CORE
spending buttonholes in front. extending
the width of the embroidery worked in
gold thread. The vest should be white,
with ten small gilt navy buttons in front.
four under each pocket flap. The trousers
should be of blue cloth. lined with gold
lace. or white knee breeehes. with gold
lace and shoe buckles. The headdress Is
TO consist of a cooked hat, furnished with
gold loop. golden tasseis and black
cockade, having golden eagle In the Gen.
ter. The sword worn with this uniform
should have gilt mountings and be sus-
pended from a white swordbeit, with navy
trimmings"
Just why this uniform thus prescribed by
congress. which is so thoroughly in keep
ing with the ceremonial dress OF the iiplo-
matte and consular representatives of all
other nations, including the French repub-
lie. has never been worn within the men,
CRY OF the present generation II is difficult
to say. At the time when il was enacted,
however. the only important republic rep
resented at the courts of the Old World
was that OF Switzerland whose diplomatic
and consular officials invariably wore
it may be presumed that inasmuch as the
uniform prescribed by congress was expen-
sive, costing some S700 or more, and COM
ing out of the representatives. own pock-
ct, he took 1t upon himself to ignore the
regulations on the subject and 10 follow
the example of his colleagues. the repre-
sentatives of Americas sister republic,
namely, Switzerland. on the plea that plain
evening dress was more democratic and in
keeping with the spirit OF republic than
uniform. 1t was certainly somewhat I'M
reasonable to expect man who was per-
haps TO receive a salary of $1,000 or 5000
during brief period of four years to de-
fray out Of his stipend not merely his house
rent and the cost of entertaining his coun-
trymen visiting the capital In which he
was stationed. but likewise to spend 800
upon a uniform for which he would have
no further use as soon a 8 his term of office
expired. In this way the law on the sub
iect Of diplomatic and consular uniforms
became not merely obsolete. but entirely
forgotten. and II is evident that Ambassa-
dor Tower was unaware of its existence,
since otherwise he would not have re-
quested Count Muraveff to modify the re-
quirements for the court of st. Petersburg
New York Tribune.