The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-23

enc OF tho Emperors courtier, in4
CURED ms 10 tho meaning OF tho letters
c. A. on each button OF his gorgeous
uniform. and MIR ward cleverly re.
Piled that they stood in honor Of tho
friendship OF China and Amorica: thai
in order to give tho greater honor To
China the c had been giyon precedence
over tho a. which explanation delights
cd the Oriental
Congress PASSES Law.
sun greater embarrassment was
created fifteen years after fInrcy's or.
Ger by CongreHss joint resolution for
any. uniform or official costume" not
previously authorized by our national
Leg lSl3turc. This resolution. offered
" Charles Sumner. left little 10 tho
discretion OF our ministers. and APP
peared 10 be ironclad in It's structures.
rs = result, Charles Francis Adams.
our minister to London remained abb
s"nt from the next drawing room he
cause OF wha- one famous British
to wear And, our ENJOYS at other
courts encountcrcd similar obstacles
until the mOUarChs OF Europe became
representatives.
w Wh liz ,, bePJa Jam! Eranklins appear
DRESS with h0mo-knit stockings has al.
WAYS been played up In print as an
fNamPte. OF democratic simplicity. tho
icrics in Quaker iull dress, which had
=, .rmVurt nresS IN the time Of Charles
more ms appj2rei made Framslin even
France than hc would have been in
the court dress OF his period
Franklin nnh the Court Wig.
When Franklin was first presented to
me NlnS OF France he is said to have
worn q suit OF black velvet. with knee
had ordered court wig, but when tho
haiydresscr appeared with it 1t proved
TO be too small; After the man had
Americans head the latter complained
mat it was too small, whereupon tho
hairdresscr. angrily throwing 1t upon
the Noor. exclaimed;
MONSIEUR that is impossible 1t lie
not tho wig which is too small; it Is
The head which is too large"
When presented TO George III. our
- SAID 70 have worn Il coat embroid-
cred With lace long SIX hose and
mats wore at other courts Is not re-
corded In history, but tho need OF
uniformity in their. apparel was after
some years appreciated by the State
Department.
This was just after the inauguration
OF IaHes Monroe, VINO as our minis
need Of bringing this order out of the
s;trtoriai chaos into which our diplo-
court dress thon decided upon for our
ministers consisted OF a blue coat lined
With, white silk: 4 straight cape. en-
ca: buttons plain. or. il th,es9 CO. could be
! had. with the artillerist's eagle stamped
! upon them; Guns embroidered in the
same manner as the cane: white cash
mere hreeches gold knee buckles;
white silk stockings and gold or gilt
bras. with Il black cockadc having an
eaSle attached, and a sword. For oc-
embroidery and n white ostrich plume.
sewed around the brim OF the chapeau
! WAS prescribed.
But when Andrew Jackson camo in
democratic simplicity" the state De
partment recommended. but cid not
| coat with a gold star on each side Of
/ the collar: near it's termination: under
C.1tnSs OF nlaSk' niue or white, at tho
| chapeau bras; a black cockade and
eagle. and y steel mounted sword. WITH
Secretary Marcy.
Mamy, American authorities on inter
masculine full dress is inadequate for
1 our ambassadors and ministers at Eu-
ropeaA courts, principally because ie
is the Garb Customarily worn by court
j servants. When Lambert Tree was
minister to Belgium he attended a
a cup OF coffee I'm in his ha lI'" When Mi'n 4.
| sold laced and brass buttoned attache
OF another legation. installing him for
hand and carried 1t away. And one
/ OF the arguments in favor OF court
/ by the Cars chamberlain was that
/ plain evening clothes would cause him
! the humiliation OF being mistaken at
! court 70" one OF the upper servants"
! TO Offset such advertisements some
! OF our ENJOYS who were veteran officers
! OF the Civil War have awaited them
! selves of the statute permitting them
| TO wear. ut court. the uniform OF their.
| military rank.
Thus. when hc was minister to Tur-
| key, General Lew Wallace appeared at
| the Sultans court in his old military
uniform.
| Copyright. 1919. by John Elfreth
Watkins)