The Washington herald., 1906-12-02

]
/ brother.
The Presidents dinner to the Diplomat
ic Corps, set for early In January. is one
Of the first formal affairs that will take
place at the White House. This function
is outside OF the control Of either the
/ President or his Cabinet, so far as the
etiquette which governs 1t is concerned.
which Is provided for by long standing
/ laws, generally observed in all civilized
countries. When a question arises and
there must be some deviation from the
usual course, the matter is settled by the
dean Of the corps, who is the last appeal
on all subjects concerning that body. At
this dinner only the ambassadors. minis
| ters, and charge d'affaires are included.
The secretaries and attaches are never by
any chance asked. no matter how high
their rank or how distinguished they may
/ be IN character Indeed, II is an unwrit-
ten law that the subordinates shall not be
/ invited TO meet their chief at small social
| gatherings, such as a dinner or breakfast,
/ and the hostesses who are sticklers for
/ etiquette never offend in this way The
only guests outside the diplomatic circle
asked TO the diplomatic dinner are the
Secretaries Of State, Committee on For
eign Relations OF the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs OF the
House. Although when men are in excess
some Of the society young women are in
vtted to fill the table. The return OF Baron
des Planches again places him at the head
OF the Diplomatic Corps. and he viii es-
cort Mrs. Roosevelt to the coming dinner,
while the President viii take out Madame
Hengelmuller. whose husband ranks next
to Baron des Planches. The positions in
the Diplomatic Corps being determined by
the length Of service Of the ministers and
ambassadors. The ranking order of the
ambassadors now Is: italy, Austria
France, Germany, Great Britain. Brazil
Rcssia, Mexico, and Japan
The Jenkins of one Of the New York
papers was hauled up by his editor the
other day for using the term "ambas-
sadress," in speaking of the wife OF one
of the ambassadors. The editor con-
tended that there was no such title. but
the editor was wrong. As a matter Of
fact, the wife Of an ambassador has not
only an important social position. but an
official position as well, and shares the
rank and prerOgatives Of her husband as
she does his inherited title on marrying
him. She is entitled to be addressed as
ambassadress, and at all the foreign
courts, and. certainly in one instance in
Washington, the visiting cards Of the
wife of an ambassador reads Madame
- TAmbassadress de -" Like her
husband, she cannot be sued for debt
7a fFEc r.F
capitals could tell many thrilling tales in
this regard-and is immune from arrest.
Ambassadresses are permitted to sit In
the presence Of the Pope. and, at their
reception in Spain, they are kissed by the
Queen, and are entitled 10 sit at her right
hand In word. these fortunate women
receive everywhere the same nonOrs as
their husbands, but 10 no one but the
wife OF an ambassador are those privi-
leges accorded. The eldest daughter. sis
ter, or niece holding the place Of mistress
Of an ambassadors household is denied
these distinctions. This question which
was discussed and caused much friction
whenever a WidOwer or bachelor was
accredited TO q country, was finally and
definitely settled by Queen Victoria. after
consulting with the European courts.
The wife Of an ambassador. however.
often assumes more than her right. and
heated controversy invariably follows.
as witness the Pauncefote-von Holleben
incident at the last New Years recep-
ton given at the White House by Presi-
dent Mckinley. in 1901. when Lady
Pauncfote in the absence OF Lord
PauncefOte, dean Of the corps. and en-
titled to lead the line OF diplomats into
the reception-room. took her husbands
place, which belonged by right TO Baron
Won Holleben, who. ranking next 10 Lord
Pauncefote, was entitled in his absence,
70 act as dean. On seeing Lady Paunce-
tote at the head Of the line Baron Won
Holleben was at a loss how TO act in the
matter. and so meekly followed in her
train. This incident reached the ears Of
the Kaiser. who Is q stickler for the
strict observance Of etiquette. and was
one of several reasons which resulted in
Baron Won Holleben's recall and his rele-
cation to a position in the colonial Office
in Berlin.
The present military attache OF the
British Emb assy. Count Edward Wnfred
Gleichen. is about to retire. after less
than a years service, and will be sue
ceeded by Maj. B. r. James, Of the Royal
Warwickshire Regiment. It Is generally
understood that Count GIeichen's recall is
at his own request. and no wonder can
be felt that this accomplished officer, who
is related to both the royal families Of
England and Germany and has played
an important social role. both in London
and Berlin, should find life at this demo-
cratic capital wearying
Count Gleichen, whose military title IS
lieutenant colonel Of the Grenadier
Guards, is the son of Prince Vic
tor OF he-Lahgenburg, the
son Of Princess Fedora. only daugh-
ter ot Prince Emich Charles, reign
ing Prince of Leinigen, by Princess Vic
toria Of Saxe-COburg-Saalfe who after
ward became the Duchess of Kent and
mother of queen Victoria. Prince Victor
was, therefore, half nephew to Queen
Victoria, and his son, the present Count
Gleichen, is her grandnephew and cousin
to the King or England He is a first
cousin also OF the Emperor OF Germany.
since his aunt, Princess Adelaide of
was the mother of Emperor
Williams consort
The life of Prince Victor. Count Gleich-
ems father was full of romance. When
a LAD barely in his teens he ran away from
the boarding school in Dresden, where his
parents had placed him, and was given
billet in the English navy by his aunt,
Queen Victoria, which he entered as a
in 1SiS at the age OF fifteen.
From this time until his retirement on ac-
count of illness, some twenty years later,
his record was a brilliant one, and he es-
pecially distinguished himself In the Cri-
mean war.
It seems far cry from military to
an artistic career yet upon leaving the
navy Prince Victor devoted himself to
sculpture. and finally established q studio
IN his apartments in st. James Palace.