Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19

1 wooden ONCE structure was erected In
what had been the garden.
For more than a quarter of a CEN
fury the residence was only a legation
Then in 1893. when by act Of Congress
nations of the first rank were permit
ted to send Ambassadors to the United
States. 1t became an embassy-the first
in Washington, as its occupant. Sir
| Julian Pauncefote, later Lord Paunce-
fote of Preston, was the first Ambas-
Sador.
Occupants Recalled.
The entire list Of Official occupants
of the mansion is as follows: Sir Ed
ward Thornton G876-l88D, Lionel S.
Sackville West. later Lord Sackville
188l-1889}, Sir Julian Pauncefote, later
Lord Paunccfote C889-1902), Sir
Michael H. Herbert Q902-l903), Sir
later ViScount Bryce 1907-19l2), Sir
Cecil A. Spring Rice O912-l918). Earl
Reading 1918-1919). Earl Grey of Fall
lodon I9l9-1920), Sir Auckland Geddes
Q920-l924) and Sir Esme Howard
U924-l930).
Practically all OF these distinguished
diplomats were noted for their hospi-
| tally. A countless list of famous en-
tertainments of different varieties were
held at the embassy. Many an evening
the streets near the house were filled
with curious crowds of plain Washing
tonians or visitors to the city who as
sembled to watch the long lines of car
riages rolling up to the door and dis
charging eminent men and women in
vited to attend one function or an
other in the palatial apartments within
the quiet brown walls of the celebrated
establishment. Here the Spanish In
fanta Eulalia and her husband we're en-
tertained. May "a, 1893. Here, too, the
Prince of Wales was a guest at a for
NAL dinner, November 10, 1919. Before
the first of these dates. and even after
the second of them, the embassy was a
society objective of almost unparalleled
| rank. To have been a guest there was
TO have been approved" as entitled to
the highest social consideration.
Linked With st. Johns.
No sketch of the now vanished man.
sion would be adequate If omission were
made of St. Johns Church, H street,
where the Ministers and later the Am
basSadorS almost invariably attended
service. 1t would be accurate to call
ST. Johns the Embassy Church" Lord
Pauncefote's daughter was married
there. February "a, 1900-'the most
fashionable company ever assembled in
Washington" attending. The funeral Of
Lord Herschell was held there, March,
l899 Bishop Satterlee and DR.. A.
Mackay-Smith officiating. There, too,
| we're held the memorial services for
Queen Victoria February 2, 1901, at
which Bishop Satterlee gave the ad-
dress, and for King Edward, May 20,
1910, when Bishop Harding conducted
the service.
The corner stone of the new embassy
Massachusetts, avenue near Observatory
Circle, was laid by Sir Esme Howard,
June 8, l928-the SD birthday ami
versary of King George v. The design
was the work of Sir Edwin Lutyens
and the associate architect was Fred
erick H. Brooke.
Perhaps no other evidence Of the vast
growth of the Capital is more readily
| available than that which is to be OBJ
tanned by comparison between the
beautiful old residence of Britain's Am
baSsadors with the magnificent new
palace which is now their home. Only
in q city like Washington could such a
thing have happened. Old Washington
| was q fine town, but the new WASH
ington. still in process of development
will be the most beautiful capital in
the world. AS usual, the British are
keenly alive to the trend of the times
The new embassy, like the old, sets a
pace in its own particular field How
long will it be before third British
embassy will be needed?