Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-02

Guiding the new minister, were In uniform
Colonel Symons escorted Sir Henry to the
blue room, where the President and 'Secre-
tary Hay were in waiting.
The exchange of Fluctuations began at
once, the speeches having been prepared
In advance, as usual. At the conclusion of
the regular function the President and the
new minister talked for short time in q
personal way and then the party departed.
Sir Mortimer's Appearance.
Sir Mortimer Is about fifty-three years
old nearly six feet tall, with a fine ply
sique, rudy complexion and gray hair and
mustache. He has had an active and dis
tingushed career: he was called to the bar
at-Lincoln's Inn in 1872 A year later he
entered the Bengal civil service He was
political secretary TO Lord Roberts during
the Kabul campaign of 1879 was foreign
secretary to the governor general of India
from 1854 to 1894; conducted a mission to
Afghanistan In 1898 and was British minis
ter to Persia from 1894 to $780, when he was
sent as British ambassadors 10 Spain.
Sir Mortimer has found time to make q
few books. He edited the History of the
Sir Henry Durand. and published In 1879;
he wrote the Life of Sir Henry Durand,"
published in 1888, and Helen Treyeryan,"
published in 1891
Jealous Sportsman.
The new ambassador has been a Jealous
sportsman since boyhood. He rowed in
England. but as he went out to India a
quarter of century ago he had to give up
that sport. He has played polo constantly,
and If he chooses to play will easily take
rank among the best men In this country.
Foot ball he played until he was forty.
Il regret very much" he said the other
day. ITO learn that I have arrived at the
close of your foot ball season. / am
anxious to see your game, study 1t, and
compare 1t with ours, from which it varies
in many of its features
Il am much interested in your game of
base ball, too, which. l am told, Is much
quicker and more exciting than cricket One
detail of your game has for years seemed
wonderful to me. and that Is pitching the
curved ball. To an outsider the idea seems
quite impossible. but. of course, It is well
vouched for. Your pitcher seems to stand
nearer to the batsman than our bowler does
at cricket.
"a bowler by holding his finger on the
seam of the cricket ball at the moment of
delivery. will give 1t a cut or spin. SO that 1t
will bound at a tangent, but the curved ball
is beyond u.s.
The Alaskan Decision.
When asked about the decision Of the ar
bitration commission in our Alaska boun-
dairy dispute with Canada, Sir Mortimer
said:
Il am sure that in the end Canada will be
content, even Pleased. With the decision. OF
course, the Canadians are at the moment
rather sore 1t Is only natural that they
should. having lost their contention. Ma
tons do not like to lose. any more than in
divduals: but Canada will become recon-
ciled to the situation in time
The settlement of the boundary in this
way was stride forward in the advance
ment of the arbitration idea. 1t Is a grow
ing idea. although the growth Is slow. 1t
must be slow. yet arbitration Is steadily
gaining ground. Great Britain and France,
you may recall. only recently concluded q
treaty by which certain contested matters
shall be settled by arbitration"
Lady Durand was Miss Ella-Rebe dauRh-
ter or Teignmouth Sandys. b. G. S. and was
married to Sir Mortimer in 1875. They have
son and daughter. the latter, Lady Amy
Josephine, being a great beauty. 1t Ii prob
able that Lady Durand and her daughter
VIII join the ambassador in this city about
Christmas time.