Evening star., 1924-07-05
ALVEY A. ADEE DIES;
NOTED DIPLOMAT

NOTED DIPLOMAT
Continued from First Page.)
constant companion in his last days.
and a nephew, Commander Montrose
Adee of the United States Navy. sta
toned at the Washington navy yard.
They are both children of David
Graham Adee of this city, a distin-
guished author, who died several
years ago.
Arrangements for the funeral are
not completed, but interment probably
will be in one of the cemeteries near
this city.
Tributes Are Paid.
AS an official token of respect to
the memory of Mr.. Adee, the State
Department was practically closed
today. all employees who could pos
sibly be spared from their duties be-
ing excused in the morning, and the
national flag on the building was dis
played at half staff during the day
Secretary Hughes paid the following
personal tribute to the memory of Mr..
Adee:
THE death of Alvey A. Adee brings
to an end a service which is unparalleled
for its length and efficiency in the his
tory of the Department of State. Mr..
Adee entered the diplomatic service
fifty-four years ago, and he held for
nearly thirty-eight years the position
of second assistant secretary of state.
He was a man of broad scholarship,
rare diplomatic insight, and for init
mate knowledge of our foreign rela-
tions easily held first place. During a
long period, and until his health failed.
he was the constant and the most trust
ed adviser of Secretaries Of State. 1t
is not too much to say that the gov
ernment has never had a more faithful
and competent servant.
He was a member of the Metropoli-
tan and University clubs of WASH
ington.
Acting Secretary Of state.
The history of the State Depart
ment during the last sixty years
could not be written without almost
daily reference to Alvey Augustus
Adee.
From the position of secretary Of
legation in 1870. he rose in sixteen
years to second assistant secretary
of state. Because this place was non
political, he chose to remain in it
rather than accept the first assistant
secretaryship, a political post.
Not only in times of great inter-
national strain, was he often called
upon to act as Secretary of State, but
he was the author of many state
papers upon which rest the fame of
several lofty figures that have filled
the portfolio of state. His personality
was so impressed on the methods of
business of the department that no
innovation ever was attempted with
out his Endorsement.
A Versatile Omcial.
OF the hundreds of government Of
ficials, none was more versatile than
Mr.. Adee. His scope ranged from
international law to photography and
included a knowledge of many sci
ences. Although he never was grad
uated from any law school, he fire.
quently was consulted by lawyers
who presided over the State Depart
ment. He passed on every official
note that left the department and
thus placed the communications on a
high literary plane. According to
tradition, he wrote almost all of the
Thanksgiving day proclamations. His
mastery of English may have been
due in a measure to the fact that he
was a close student of Shakespeare.
American manufacturers of photo.
praphic devices frequently consulted
him before entering upon the making
of new article. He attained emf
nence in the field of micro -photog-
raphy. particularly in the study of
diatoms.
Due to his connection with the de-
partment in Washington and his ex-
tensive foreign travels, he became ac-
quainred with diplomatists, crowned
heads and leaders of thought in all
parts of the world. Almost every
summer, often accompanied by his
old friend. Alexander NJ. Thackara of
the consular service. he would travel
in Europe. frequently by bicycle, col
lectiIfg various specimens and photo
graphing ancient castles and ruins.
N Y, November 27, 1912. Suffering
from impaired hearing from his birth,
a Limitation so severe as to make
his subsequent intellectual develop
ment the more remarkable he re-
ceived his education from private
an aptitude for modern languages,
which he further developed by a long
pedestrian tour through Europe in
1857. In 1899 he received from Yale
the degree of M. A., honoris causa.
He studied civil engineering with
his uncle until 1869, when, at the
invitation of Gen. Daniel Il. Sickles,
then minister to Madrid, he accom-,
panied him in nominal capacity of
private secretary in order to enjoy
q ohAct eOJoQTH III OpAlA. TQuS he
was associated with John Hay, at
that time secretary of the Madrid
legation, and upon Mr. Hays retire.
ment, in 1870, Mr.. Adee became regu-
larly attached to the diplomatic sery-
Ice as his successor. He remained at
Madrid seven years, covering a mem
orable period Of Spanish history. from
the downfall of Queen Isabel to the
Bourbon restoration under Alfonso
XII. During this time he took an
active part in the settlement of the
Virginius controversy, which ayerted
a threatened. war with Spain.
Promoted By Cleveland.
In 1877. owing to impaired health.
Mr.. Adee was transferred from Mad
rid to the Department of State, where.
after a few months of preliminary
service, he was promoted to chief Of
the diplomatic bureau. In 1855 Presf-
dent Arthur appointed him third as
sistant Secretary of State and under
President Cleveland he advanced to
second assistant Secretary He was
present at the signing Of the peace
protocols between the United States
and Spain in 1888 ana was appointed
Secretary Of State ad interim, from
Sapfember II IN 90 NJ that vao. ~