The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-21
New British Ambassador to
Mexico, Charles M. Marling,
Is Not Pleased With the Job. II
Is Said.
THERE IS NO way OUT OF Il
Besides 1t Is q Promotion OF
Some Consequence.
He Has Been 25 Years in the
Diplomatic Service.

London, Feb. N.-CharleS Murray
Marling. the prospective British minis
ter to Mexico, is not likely to be kept
there long if British diplomatic tradi-
tions are followed. 1t is considered that
one term in Latin America is the usual
chosen that part Of the world as his
special sphere and such is not Mr..
Markings case. His liking has been
the near East and it is no secret that
he does not relish the idea Of going to
Mexico. but like all officials in the
diplomatic service he cannot very well
decline a promotion to be minister
when it is offered.
If he finds troublous times in Mexico,
however, he will not suffer from mex
perience. For nearly Is years he has
served in the Balkans and Turkey. He
is a careful diplomat, and the foreign
office feels safe in sending him any
where. While he has not attained any
high office and is still a councillor Of
embassy at the age of 81 years. he has
scored many successes.
A Cambridge graduate, he entered
the diplomatic service as an attache in
1888 and in the following year was on
to Athens, the first OF his foreign ap-
pointments. Later in Constantinople.
where most of his career has been
spent, he acquired such a knowledge Of
the Turkish people and their language
that the foreign office awarded him a
special allowance and gave a round of
duties at Rio Janeiro and at Paris, for
a few years, as sort of holiday.
When the Cretan question became
acute and the powers had to step in to
prevent Crete from leaving the Otto
man empire and joining her fortunes
with Greece, which was only accomplish
ed after the recent war. Mr.. Marling was
| sent to Athens as charge d'affaires and
when each power sent a representative
| to Crete he went there as consul gen.
| eral.
Still more delicate duties awaited him
concerning the Anglo-Russian negotia-
tions in regard to the spheres of in
fluence in Persia. The British policy
as decided upon by Sir Edward Grey
did not. meet with the approval OF
British diplomats. To give Russia a
hold on Northern Persia. instead OF
as buffer states between Russia proper
and India, a treaty was signed which
gave Russia an open road to India, ac-
cording to these officials. It was hard
to find diplomat who would go tC
Teheran. Mr.. Marling was chosen fol
the post. the duties of which were
neither easy nor pleasant. He had tc
deal with a Russian minister. who al
sBritishers in Persia and the nearby
countries believed was getting the
better Of their country and who
they believed under the cloak of the
the Anglo-Russian treaty was trying te
get troops to Teheran. and eventually
Russianize the whole of Northern
Persia. 1t was a delicate situation but
Mr.. Marling came out OF it well. The
Russian troops never got to the capital
the way was smoothed for the British
minister and Mr.. Marling was rewarded
with a special allowance for his knowl-
edge Of Persian, a promotion to a coun
cillorship Of embassy and made a Com
panion CT the Order of st. Michael ani
st. George.
An increasing number Of street ac
cidents has caused the London count!
council to be swamped with demands
that the antiquated ambulance service
Of the metropolis be improved. Will
the exception of the one square mill
under the Jurisdiction OF the city o
London. the English capital has n,
wheeled ambulances of any kind. A
certain street corners throughout tn
various boroughs stretchers are KEEP
in boxes, the keys to which are in tn,
possession of the nearest patrolman
In case Of accident the victim mus
secured to carry him to hospital
When no hospital il within walkinl
distance, the police may commandee
a cab. These primitive measures
since the advent of the motorbus jug
gernaut, have involved the death o
saved II they could have been rushed
to the hospital in wheeled ambu
lance.
The dominion's royal commission
which is holding hearings on tn
cable has written into its record tn
testimony of experts who take ISSUE
! with the opinion held by Postmaste
General Herbert Samuel that such Al