Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-31
It MAY BE HERBERT
SUCCESSOR TO LORD PAUNCEFoTE
HERE.
He is Now Nominally Secretary of the
British Embassy at
Paris.

A dispatch from London Yesterday SAYS:
Mr.. Michael Henry Herbert who is
nominally secretary to the British embassy
at Paris, will probably be the next British
ambassador to the United States, in sue
cession to the late Lord Pauncefote.
Mr.. Herberts appointment will probably
not be announced until the remains of
Lord Pauncefote arrive lin England. The
only question in regard to Mr.. Herbert S
selection is the approval of King Edward.
The Associated Press understands that his
majesty is taking a keen personal interest
in the matter of Lord Pauncefote's success
sor but he will not be asked officially to
confirm or disapprove the candidate of the
foreign office until the period of time dur
ing which the government pays respect to
the late Lord Pauncefote has elapsed
While there is no reason to believe that
King Edward will object to Mr.. Herbert,
who has the official backing of both Eng
lish and American diplomats, there must
always remain element of doubt in the
matter until the suggested appointment
receives the royal sanction, and especially
in view of the acute attention. (which his
majesty has given to this important pro-
motion.
The matter of Mr.. ,Herberts going to
Washington has been still further COM
plicated by the unexpected delay in send
ing over Lord Pauncefote's remains The
British government, officially, fully expect
ed Lord Pauncefotes body would arrive in
England prior to the coronation of King
Edward and it is not a little disconnected
by the receipt of dispatches announcing
that the obsequies in England will not oc-
cur until July.
The determination to select Mr. Herbert
as ambassador to the United States was
reached after many consultations with
those who are best fitted TO voice an opin-
ion in the matter. While noninally Secre-
tary to the British embassy at Paris Mr.
Herbert was really minister plenipotentiary
to France, and as such he frequently acted
in most important crises in the absence
of Sir Edmund J. Monson, Great Britain
ambassador there,
Mr.. Herbert's marriage with Leila,
daughter of Richard r Wilson of New
ly related to the Vanderbilts, the Ogden
Goelets and the Astors, will not in any
way interfere, according to opinion here,
with his usefulness as Great Britain's am
record at Washington as charge daffares
from 1883 until 1889, and secretary to
the British legation there from 1892 to
1893, and his work as British agent on the
Venezuelan commission, eminently fit him,
SO official belief incines, for his proposed
new and important duties.
At Paris Mr.. Herberts present position
is somewhat curious, for, while holding the
rank of a full-fedged minister he has to
take second place when Sir Edmund j.
Monsoon, the ambassador, is resident in
France.
A curious feature connected with all the
British diplomats who were considered by
the British foreign Office as possible can
didates to fill the vacancy at Washington
is that they all have American wives. Sir
Henry Howard who is now Great Britains
minister at The Hague, and who was for
many years attached to the British lega-
ton at Washington, married Miss Riggs of
Washington; Sir Francis r. Plunkett, the
British ambassador at Vienna, married
Miss Morgan of Philadelphia; Lord Curzon
of Kedleston, viceroy of India, married
Miss Letter of Washington; Austin Lee,
Great Britain's commercial attache to
France, Belgium and Switzerland, married
Miss De Wolf Smith of New York and
Alan Johnstone the British charge DAT
flares at Darmstadt. married Miss Pinchot
of New York
Before the new ambassador at Washing
ton takes up his duties the salary attached
to the position will probably be put upon a
par with the highest paid in Great Brit
aims diplomatic service: namely. that
which is paid the ambassador at Paris,
$4,000 year.