DIPLOMATIST DEAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13839, 27 August 1908, Page 5

DIPLOMATIST DEAD.

LOSS TO THE FATHERLAND BARON VON STERNBERG. "GRATITUDEBEYOND THE GRAVE." By Telegraph —Press At*Dciatjon.-Copjrsgai. Berlin, August 25. The death is announced at Heidelberg of Baron Speck von Stern- : burg, formerly German Ambassador 1 at Washington. The Kaiser, in his message of condolence to Baron Sternburg's brother, says :—" I sincerely mourn a : splendid Ambassador. His services to the Fatherland ensure him my gratitude beyond the grave."

MESSAGE PttOAl ROOSEVELT.

-FEARLESS AND SINCERE." . A FRIEND TO AMERICA. (Received Angmet 26. 10.4 C p.m.) New York, August 26. President Roosevelt has telegraphed to the German Charge d*Affaires as follows it— "I am shocked and grieved at the death of Baron von Sternburg. He was not only my intimate personal friend, and one of the most fearless, sincere, and loyal men I ever met, but as a diplomatist of signal ability he served Germany with fervent patriotism, yet showed such an intelligent goodwill towards America that it would be difficult to over-estimate' the value that he did in strengthening and bringing closer the ties of friendship between the two countries. " I mourn the loss for my own sake deeply, and regret it for the sake of the people of the United States."- ■ ""■" -:\\

That Baron von Sternbure was, as President Roosevelt says, a great diplomat, is ] generally recognised : exactly how -'great Is I only known to those who have the destinies of nations in ! their keeping.? ■ But this, much is certain, that had it not been | for his consummate tact and that sigrif.l I ability to which the President of the;] United States refers, grave difficulties \ might have arisen on more than one occa- ■' sion. ■ ■ :': : ''- x , Bition Herman von Sternburg was born at Leeds, England, on August 21, 1852, and thus it will be seen that he had only just passed his 56th birthday. The son of Baron Alexander and Martha (Shaw) Speck-Stfrnbing, he at an •early age began the study of international law, .; political economy, and the military and naval ..sciences, with a view to entering >ttio diplomatic service. He fought through the Franco-German war in the 2nd, Saxon Dragoons, and remained in active militaiy service until 1885, when he, was appointed military attache to tiw German Legation in Washington. He was reappointed in 1889, and was then transferred as major to the general staff. Joining: the diplomat ie service. the following year, he was transferred as first secretary to the Legation in Pekin. Subsequently he was Charge d'Affaires at Belgrade, and in 1838 became first secretary to the German Embassy, in Washington. 'The same year he was appointed High Commissioner in connection with the Commission which was set up to deal with the then vexed question of the division of Samoa. In 1900 Baron von St-ernburg was Consul-general of Germany for British India and Ceylon, and three years, later lie was acting in the capacity of Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy-extraordinary to Washington «»n special mission, being appointed Ambassador to the United S'-ates in July of the same year, a position he held up till some little time ago. / ' Among the Baron s decorations were the following:—Grand Cross Order of Ctowj, Ited Eagle (2nd class); war medal FrancoGerman war, 1870-1 Cross of Military Merit (Saxony); Star of the Order' of Francis-Joseph (Austria) ; Star of the Order of Double Dragon (China): Star of toe 'J'akowo (Servia); and Cross of the Order of St. Anne (Russia). He married, iu Loudon, a daughter of America, Lillian May Langham, of Louisville, Kyi "