FOREIGN DIPLOMATISTS IN LONDON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11401, 19 April 1899, Page 3

FOREIGN DIPLOMATISTS IN LONDON.

A GLANCE' AT THEIR EVERY-DAY . - LIFE.

The foreign diplomatists in London constitute, quite a society of their own, in which there are grades. The Austrian and Russian Ambassadors are distinctly the social heads Formerly Rustem Pasha, the Turkish Ambassador, was a very leading light, but his successor has not taken such a prominent position. The last French Ambassador, Baron de Courcel, stood very high in social estimation; but it is impossible to say yet what his successor will do. The American Ambassador is usually thought more of by London society than by his diplomatic colleagues, but the growing importance of the United States may alter this.

Most of the leading embassies are owned by the State they represent. The Russian is known .as Chesham House, and consists of three houses knocked into one, at a corner of Chesham place. Tho reception rooms are very spacious. .Austria owns a very large house in Belgrave Square, Germany one in Carlton House Terrace, France a large detached mansion to the east of Albert Gate, Hyde Park; On t'lie other hand, the United States does-not own a house, ahd the ambassador- takes one which is suited to his means. Mr Bayard resided in Cromwell road; but Colonel John Hay hired one of the palaces in Carlton House Terrace

The smaller Legations change their habitations a good deal.' .China, however, has a lsirge .house in Portland' place, which once belonged to the Dukes lot., Richmond. It is a very big house, .is owned by the State, and up to lately was furnished in Chinese fn.shion. Siam also owns __. house in South Kensington, which'is furnished in the best English style. Japan has recently bought a very fine mansion, which is one of the largest in Grasyenor Gardens.

The entire personnel of the Chinese, Siamese, arid Japanese Legations reside at their Legations,* The: unmarried attaches —by which is meant those who are not married to European ladies—of the Turkish staff res!_e at, the Embassy in Bryanstoti square. The rule.with regard to the Euro-, pean Embassies and Legations is that mar j-ied secretaries hire residences of their own in all cases ; while the unmarried ones, if there is a State-owned house, can choose whether they ' will have apartments in it, or find' chambers cjf their own. Of course, .when the house is owned by the Representative, the secretaries naturally find their own accommodation. 7 '

The State-owned house is usually decorated and furnished by the State at intervals ; but if the Representative wishes, he can redecorate and refurnish as often as he likes at his own expense. When lie leaves, however, he gets no compensation for this, and he cannot remove what may be described as "necessaries." On the other ■ hand, when there is no State-owned house, the Representative furnishes at his. own expense, and when he leaves he nui dispose of house and furniture. The Russian, Austrian, and German Ambassadors are paid liberally, and are men of wealth and importance themselves. France gives her representative £8000 a year, which is really not enough for his very expensive position, so that the social position and entertaining of that Embassy depend on whether the Ambassador has v private fortune, and is willing to spend it on his office. The same is the case with the United States, for " Uncle Sam" pays all his Representatives as little as possible. Italy is' in the same, position. Malcolm Khan, the old. Persian Minister, used to have the greatest difficulty in getting his salary paid, and was at last dismissed with the intimation that he would be paid when he returned to Persia. Thinking that his head might, be m danger, he decided not to do so, and to lose the money There have now- and again been rumours that the Turkish Embassy was destitute of pay, but this is not true. Tbe Porte contrives to pay its representatives abroad at all hazards.

! In the season the Austrian and Russian | Embassies give grand receptions and stately J dinner parties. : Rust-em Pasha used to enj tortain a great deal. The American Em- ! bassy usually has a weekly afternoon re--1 eeption, to which all the American colony | are invited. .It is said that the present Chinese Representative is going to give receptions on the English plan this summer. The Siamese Legation gives charming receptions, when the garden at the back is illuminated wilh coloured lights. As v, rule, however, diplomatic society keeps a good deal to itself. The Portuguese- and Brazilian Ministers, Don Luiz de Several and Sen or Corea, have made their way so thoroughly into-English society that they not only go to all the principal houses in London, but are included in a long list of house parties at noblemen's seats in the. autumn and winter. Among the larger States this kind of intimacy would be regarded as undesirable, for the same reason that they do not allow diplomatists, who have marriec) women of other nations to represent them'in the wife's country—namely, the fear that they may get to prefer the country of their residence to that of their birth. Portugal, howevei. is so far from feeling this that Bon Luiz has been specially continued at his post because he is so cordially liked in this country.

With regard, to costume, the entire, staff of the Chinese Legation wear their national dress at all times — at Court, at home, in the streets,- and at parties. The Turks retain their red fezzes, but in other respects are clothed like Europeans. The Persians do me same with then- high, black Tartar caps. The Greeks put on their na tional jackets, petticoats, yataghans, and tusselled caps to go to Court, but not on other occasions. The American Ambassador wears, even at Court, the simple swal-low-tails and white tie which are the " Court dress " of the. " Court " of his President. The other diplomatists, including the Japanes-e and Siamese, wear ordinary Euro pean dress in private, and on State occasions don either diplomatic uniform, of which the princmal ffta.t.ure.s are. a dart

blue dress coat, braided with gold, and a, gold-laced cocked bat, or else their military or naval uniform, if they belong to either service. On such occasions they wear all their ribbons, stars, orders, and medals prominently displayed. " Commands" are sent for State entertainments to all the diplomatists, from Ambassadors to the third secretaries, and their wives and families as a matter of course. The Ambassadors and Ministers Visit the Queen nn their arrival and departure "to present their credentials," and the leaders of them arc usually " commanded" with their wives to dine and sleep at Windsoi once a year. They are expected to attend Drawing Rooms and levees, especially tho former, at which ber Majesty herself is present. This is by the way of paying their respects fo the Sovereign to whom.they are accredited. On these occasions they are headed by the Ambassador who has been longest here and his wife, or, if he ,is unmarried, by the wife of the Ambassador who comes" next in length, of 'service in London.