The Washington times., 1906-07-22
LEGATIONS OWNED
BY MANY NATIONS
Few Diplomats in Washing
ton Now Live in Rented
Houses.
FRANCE TO BUILD NEW HOME
. Several Fine Embassy Buildings
Planned 10 Soon Be
Erected.
FRANCE TO BUILD NEW HOME

The recently completed purchase Of
the property on $ street between
Twenty-second and Tweuty-Jhird streets.
KaIorama Heights 10y the German gov
eminent. on which il IS stated they in
tend erecting "a palaual embassy build
ing that Will cost i'm the HelghbOrhOOd
of $1,000 is a further step in the di-
TectiCn of owning their own embassies
that was hrst undertaken by the Brit
ish government in the erection OF the
elegant structure on Connecticut avenue
long familiar 20 the residents OF Wash
ingtou, and which has been the home
OF So many delightful representatives. of
our English cousins for nearly two
score years.
The fashion then set has been fol-
lowed boy many other OF the countries
whose representatives are accredited 90
this Capital. and there are now nearly
q score of the homes of the foreign le-
cations that are owned by the countries
who oc. upy them and several OF them
that were specially designed and built
for THEN uses. Others have bought
houses owned by wen-knoWn people and
made many alterations TO accommodate
the changed conditions.
The German government has long
owned the ma jestiC building at li35
Massachusetts avenue, in which Baron
Speck Won Sternburg and his handsome
wife have entertained in the most law
ieb manner. and it Is a mark of the
high respect which the ambassador and
his sovereign entertain for this country
that although the present building de-
signed and built expressly for use as a
legation. is not now considered Of suf-
ncient Importance. and tie German gov
ernment will spend a large sum Of
money i'm "a modern embassy.
France to Build New Home.
Several years ago the French govern
r7ent purchased a large lot Immediately
opposite the ground purchased by the
German government. and the architect
who designed and built the French lega-
ton building at Pekin was instructed
10 come 20 this city on his way back
10 France 20 design the plans for a new
building Immediately after there came
q change of ambassadors, and the mat
ter was delayed, although il is under
stoCd that in the near future the build
ing will be commenced. The French
government acquired 5000 square feet
OF ground at an approximate cost Of
10000. which is but little less than
their nciShbOTs. the Germans, have Sc
cured.
The government of Mexico was also
among the first 10 become the posses
sors Of a plot of ground in the city of
Washington over which the flag OF thai
country could float, and during the in.
cumbency IF the late Senor Romero, the
NeXican govern. .ment purchased the
ground and built the very attractive
legation building, ln2 I street The
popularity eHfoved by the minister and
his charming wife was SO great that the
house soon became one of the noted
ones Of the city. and under the charge
OF the present ambassador is still a
pivotal point around which centers the
wealth and intelligence of the country
When China first decided TO make her
legation here an important feature of
dlplomatic life the ministers rented
some Of the finest houses TO he found
But China was not long in discovering
the advantages of owning its own prop
ertv. and so II came about that archi-
tects were commissioned 10 prepare
plans for a suitable building. and the re-
suit was the erection of the splendid
home of the Chinese legation. at the
corner OF Nineteenth and Y streets, in
the new neighborhood which has so
rapidly and elegantly improved. The
architecture of the building Is along the
most graceful lines. with just a sugEes-
ton OF The pleasing designs so popular
with the people of the Flowery King
dom.
The Italian Embassy.
The honae of the Italian embassy. az
400 New Hampshire avenue. is well
known as the home of the late Senator
Hearst Probably no house In the city