Diplomatic Blunder Led to Faux Pas

It was bad enough that he had a faux nose to replace the one he lost due to illness, but how on earth could someone with a faux nose use snuff? And would the person even want to???— “Prince Alexander, with his wonted grace of manner, soothed the wounded spirit of the diplomatist, and on taking leave of him was so anxious to be polite that, forgetting the peculiar disabilities under which Gadban Effeudi labored, he presented him with a valuable silver snuff-box.” — Above, antique silver snuff box.

In a letter from Sophia, we find the following story: Gadban Effendi, at some early period of his life, was in delicate health, and his malady settling in his note brought about the total loss of that feature. This misfortune was mitigated by the adoption of a paper substitute, which answers uncommonly well and never turns blue on frosty mornings. But of course it is not a thing to take notice of or talk about. Yet, when Gadban Effendi was going to Stamboul last January with the Prince's message to the Sultan, a passport was given him by the Bulgarian Foreign office, which contained his signalement, of which one of the items was, “Nez Postiche.”


This brutal precision irritated Gadban Effendi very much. He demanded an audience of the Prince, and insisted that the passport clerk should be dismissed. Prince Alexander, with his wonted grace of manner, soothed the wounded spirit of the diplomatist, and on taking leave of him was so anxious to be polite that, forgetting the peculiar disabilities under which Gadban Effeudi labored, he presented him with a valuable silver snuff-box. — Daly Alta, 1886

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Diplomatic Etiquette Faux Pas

Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between the differing representatives of international states. It is the conducting of international relations through the intercession of professional diplomats with regard to a full range of topical issues. Reflections upon the personal character of another country's President, Prime Minister or Royals, are not regarded as proper, according to official etiquette.

He Talked Too Much — Broke Diplomatic Etiquette

Washington, April 12.—The various interviews ascribed to Minister Loomis at San Juan have attracted much attention here and the minister probably will be invited to explain some of his utterances if he is not able to enter a broad denial of the accuracy of the interviews. Reflections upon the personal character of the president of Venezuela are not regarded as proper, according to official etiquette, and it is confidently hoped that the minister will be able to repudiate these. Otherwise it will be manifestly impossible for him to return to Venezuela, even in the event that the issues which led to his departure were satisfactorily composed. The prevalent idea is that no matter how these personal questions are settled, it will be a long time before a United States Minister resumes the post at Caracas. — Press Democrat, 1901

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Etiquette Lurks in Closet

Etiquette lurking in the diplomatic closet!

RED TAPE NEARLY SPOILS BIG SHOW

Lack of Formal Invitations Keeps Few Consuls From Meeting Secretary Knox

Reception to Foreign Consuls by Secretary Knox Marred by Breach of Code

There is a skeleton in the closet of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition company. It made its fearsome presence known yesterday for the first time, when it stalked into the midst of the ceremonies surrounding the visit of Secretary of State Philander C. Knox. By valiant effort on the part of exposition officials and members of the California Development board it was routed yesterday, but it threatens to become a frequent visitor before the gates of the great exposition are finally closed.

The name of this skeleton is Etiquette. Its ways are dark and its habits mysterious. It has bothered around in the open to a certain extent before, but never until yesterday did it threaten to disrupt the best laid plans of the men, who, in the name of San Francisco, are to be hosts to the world in 1915. Yesterday it raised the very deuce.

As Chief of the Department of State, Secretary Knox extended the official invitation of President Taft to the nations of the world to participate in the 1915 celebration. As a matter of courtesy to Secretary Knox, it was decided by those in charge of the arrangements for the latter's visit to San Francisco to invite the foreign consuls in San Francisco to meet the Secretary formally at a reception yesterday afternoon in the rooms of the California Development Board in the Ferry building.

For several days the plans for the entertainment of the Secretary have been given publicity through the newspapers, and one of the features of the program, as published, has been the reception of yesterday afternoon at which he was to be the guest of honor and the foreign consuls were to be presented. Monday afternoon the consular corps met, and it was then that the skeleton Etiquette broke from its closet and took a seat at the consular board. A member of the corps suggested that all foreign consuls should attend the reception in a body. "But have you been formally invited?" interrupted Etiquette. There was dead silence. 

Slowly the gravity of the situation dawned upon the local repreaentativea of the foreign powers. The meeting promptly went into executive session, but Etiquette stayed within. It was a solemn conclave that was held. Would It be proper to attend a reception to the Secretary of State in an official capacity without the most formal sort of a government invitation? Would it not be the safe way for the consuls to remain absent? Would it be better, possibly, to go as individuals and not as officials?

Etiquette moved to the head of the table and sat there chuckling. It was just the forerunner of many similar occasions which are bound to arise in San Francisco before the universal exposition passes into history. Etiquette was causing all sorts of trouble and paving the way for more. The meeting broke up without any definite decision.

Yesterday morning it was learned by the official hosts of Secretary Knox that Etiquette had escaped and run amuck, and there was a scurrying and a hurrying that betokened the utmost activity. All the consuls were telephoned to, and some of them promised to attend —but not ln an official capacity, mind you. The reception was held and the consuls were there—some of them. France. Russia, China. Japan and Argentina were among the nations represented, together with a dozen others, while Great Britain. German. Italy and several others did not answer to the roll call.

One explanation given was that no invitation at all had been extended other than that given through newspaper publication. Another explanation, however, was that Etiquette was entirely responsible. According to this rumor. Etiquette was peeved because a prescribed formula had not been complied with, and this formula was as follows:

First, the consul should have received an Invitation to meet Secretary Knox, whereupon a meeting of the corps should have been held, then a telegram should have been dispatched to the State Department in Washington setting forth the desire of the local foreign representatives to call upon the Secretary; the State Department should then have wired to Secretary Knox in San Francisco asking for an appointment for the consuls; Secretary Knox should have wired back to the State Department setting a time for the reception; the State Department should then have telegraphed the local consular corps of the decision, and the invitation should then have been accepted. This procedure was not followed. 

Some of the consuls said yesterday that it wasn't necessary at all. Others declared that it was overdrawn. Still another was mean enough to intimate that his confreres were putting on the airs of Ambassadors. In any event, Etiquette sat around yesterday afternoon and grinned. The skeleton in the closet. —The San Francisco Call, May 8, 1912

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Etiquette and Diplomacy Gone Awry

Baron Saverio Fava founded the Italian Ministry in Washington, D.C.. He served as the first Italian Ambassador of the then recently unified Italy to the U.S. from 1881-1893. As Ambassador, Baron Fava also served as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. Prior to service in the U.S., Fava served Italy as an Ambassador in Brazil and Romania.

The Baron vs the Lieutenant

“A Story of American Independence and Official Etiquette” ???

The Washington Capital publishes the following story of Lieutenant Lucien Young, the naval officer who is not permitted to publish his book on Hawaii, because it is considered to reflect on the record of the Cleveland administration. That scene of the present incident is laid during the Harrison regime, when Benjamin P. Tracy was Secretary of the Navy.
             
It was Lieutenant Young, according to the story, who a few years ago offered to teach Baron Fava, the Italian Embassador, a lesson in American manners. The international episode was the request made by the Embassador to the Secretary of the Navy for a report upon a subject of great importance to him, which he begged might be delivered the same evening, in order that he could forward it to his Government in the morning mail. Lieutenant Young was detailed to prepare the information. 

He worked all day and all the evening, with only a sandwich and a cup of coffee, excused himself from a dinner party and from an engagement he had made to take some ladies to a ball. The memorandum was completed about midnight, when he got a cab and drove to the Italian legation. It was closed and dark, and no one answered his summons. Then he went to Baron Fava's residence, where he was told that the Embassador was dining out. He went to the house where the dinner had been given and learned that the Baron was at the ball which he himself wanted to attend, but found there the Baron had left a few minutes before.

Then Young gave up the search and went to his club. The first man he saw after entering the door was the Italian Embassador drinking wine with a party of friends. Lieutenant Young approached him with a proper salute and, after a few words of explanation, offered him the. papers. The Baron haughtily declined them. "You impertinent fellow," said he; "why did you follow me all over the town? I am the Embassador of Italy, and I do my business at the legation of my Government. You should have had the papers there before I left this afternoon. Instead of that you disturb my friends by entering their houses and intrude upon my club. I will report your impertinence to the Secretary of the Navy tomorrow."  

Lieutenant Lucien Younger has an interesting and colorful history, complete with a ship being named in his honor and complaints of anti-semitism.

The sea dog from Kentucky was very red in the face by this time, and made the following remarks: "You ungrateful old macaroni-chewing monkey tamer, I am a member of this club and you are only a guest, but if you will come out into the street for five minutes I will teach you a lesson in North American manners. There are the papers I have spent fifteen hours in preparing for you," and he threw them on the table. "You can take them or leave them, as you like." The Baron called upon Secretary Tracy the next day and complained that Lieutenant Young had insulted him. The Secretary sent for the offender, who related the affair as I have told it, including the benediction he had pronounced. The Secretary had pressing business in the next room for a few moments and when he recovered himself asked what the Embassador had to suggest. Baron Fava demanded that the lieutenant be reprimanded. "Consider yourself reprimanded," said the Secretary gravely, and Lieutenant Young bowed and left the room.
—The Washington Capital, 1895

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor  for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia