New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-18
USE OF ENJOYS.
Some Notable Cases Where AmbaS-
sailors Hare AUerted Var.

Sir Edward Malet. whose state of health is Civ
ing rise to serious anxiety the part of his
friends, and who is in his SEVENTEEN year, is
well known on both sides OF the Atlantic For.
although he attracted most attention during his
term Of Enthusiastically at Berlin, yet he spent
portion Of his diplomatic at Washington. and
was serving here the staf of Lord Lyons
throughout the Civil War and was with him at the
time of the Trent controversy, which brought the
two countries to the very brink of war. If hostil-
tiles were averted at that time it largely
owing TO the sagacity of Lord Lyons and to the
discretion which he used in delaying compliance
with the peremptOry instructions which he had
ceived from home. At times such these. when
there is q disposition bettle the value of ENJOYS
and to argue that their services could be dispensed
with and their business transacted directly by wire
and by letter between the Foreign Offices OF the re-
spective countries, 1t is we'll to recall the
occasions on which these public servants have pre-
vented the outbreak of sanguinary conflicts. entail
ing the loss of thousands of lives and the destruc-
ton Of millions of property. Lord Lyons is case
in nont Had il not been for his deferrng to the
personal request OF Secretary Seward that he would
proong for twenty-four hours the time appointed
by the British Government for the liberation of
the Confederate emissaries Mason and SdelI war
would undoubtedly have ensued
Another instance of the same kind ia furnished
by Sir Edward Maet at the time when he was
hrst secretary of the embassy and charge
aHalres at Constantinople 1t may be remem-
bered that after the Congress of Berlin the Turk
ish government displayed considerable reluctance in
conforming itself to that portion thereof which
provided for its surrender Of the control OF Here
govina and Bosnia to Austria. Finally the Aus
trlan government lost patience and gave orders 10
its Ambassador, Count Zchy. 70 break off dipo-
matte relations and leave Constantinople at the end
OF forty-eight hours if by that time the Porte had
not agreed to surrender the provinces in question
The Turkish Cabinet. presided over by Khaireddn
Pacha Grand Vizier could bring itself to tho
surrender and offered instead 10 make other terri
torial, frontier and boundary concessions to Aus
tria- Malet was summoned 10 the palace and was
requested by the Grand Vizier, by the ministers
and by the Sultan to at once telegraph 10 his gov
eminent urging II 10 intervene in the matter and
10 induce Austria to accept the Turkish proposals
Maet drew ND the dispatch requested and
after having read II the assembled Council.
asked permission 70 add a few words. He said:
Il willing send this dispatch but I thor
oughy dsapprove Of IT, You are about to make a
hole IN the Treaty of Berlin, and you know Russia
we'll enough to know that she will take advantage
thereof to follow suit and avail herself as
a pretext to make further holes in the treaty,
which the great powers will be unable TO prevent
If they permit you to alter the terms Of the agree
Inent'
This warning created a rofound impression upon
the Turkish statesmen. They requested him to wait
before sending off the dispatch. withdrew
other room, and then, after consulting with the
Sultan returned and asked Malet TO destroy the
dispatch. the ground that they had determined
10 comply with Austria's ultimatum. Had 1t not
been Tor the remarks which the British charge
d'afares 4 critical moment addressed to the
Ottoman council Of ministers war between Austria
and Turkey would undoubtedly have ensued few
hours later the Austrian dispatch boat lying ready
with up and Count Zlchy's baggage on
board TO carry him away the following morn
ing
There are plenty OF other instances OF an anal
oEous character which could be cited to show the
use Of ambassadors. and it is we'll that their ser
vices in the interests Of the preservation Of peace
mo cd yre hey %
mere costly and superfuous hgureheads
Mslet is old man. in feeble health, and
there is little in his appearaI recall his former
prowess a gymnast. and the time when he broke
his lex. British diplomatic agent and Consul
General in Egypt while engaged in the performance
of his favorte feat OF leaping horizontal fashion
like horse. over the backs OF a row Of dining
room chairs and landing all fours. 1t was at
Cairo. by-the-bye. that he had such extraordi-
nary demand made upon him by the late General
Gordon, OF China and Khartoum fame. Gordon,
who strong mixture OF saint and knight
Grant. had been very fond OF the late Lord
Vivian and took such exception tC the deTOgatory
criticisms passed upon that peer by Nubar Pacha
that he actually challenged the latter to duel and
insisted that Malet should act his second. In
asmuch as Nubar was at the time. If not Prime
Minister. any Of the greatest dgni-
tares of the Khedviate to which Malet aC-
credited the situation extremely embarrassing.
and II was only by dnt OF the utmost diplomacy
that Malet succeeded in assuaging the wrath of
Gordon in persuadng him to withdraw his chal-
lenge and In reconcng him 10 Nubar.
Malet who owed much of his success am
bassador Berlin the fact that his father, the
late Alexander Malet, had been one OF the closest
friends Of Prince Bismarck and that he himself
had known the great Chancellor from his earliest
childhood was offered peerage retiring from
the diplomatic service years ago, but de-
cined for two reasons The first of these that
if he had accepted a peeraGe his wife would have
been compelled thereby TO sacrifice her rank and
precedence as a dukes daughter and to descend
to the rank Of her husband. The other reason
was that his family is of such antiquity that
no new peerage could possibly add To its prestige,
For William MaIet the founder of the family, was
the cousin and companion in arms of King Harold.
and was intrusted by lis other kinsman William
the ConquerCr with thu burial Of the Saxon
Kings remains after the battle OF Hastings while
his sons figure in "Doomsday Book with the prefix
OF 'princeps." prince" to their names.