292 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XXII 



opposing views. On one side are those who think it best 

 to go at considerable length into more or less minute 

 restrictions upon the conduct of invaders and invaded. 

 On the other side, M. Bernaert of Belgium, one of the 

 two most eminent men from that country, and others, take 

 the ground that it would be better to leave the whole 

 matter to the general development of humanity in in 

 ternational law. M. de Martens insists that now is the 

 time to settle the matter, rather than leave it to indi 

 viduals who, in time of war, are likely to be more or less 

 exasperated by accounts of atrocities and to have no 

 adequate time for deciding upon a policy. After consid 

 erable discussion by our delegation, the whole matter 

 went over. 



In the evening to a great reception at the house of 

 Sir Henry Howard, British minister at this court. It 

 was very brilliant, and the whole afforded an example 

 of John Bull s good sense in providing for his represen 

 tatives abroad, and enabling them to exercise a social 

 influence on the communities where they are stationed, 

 which rapidly becomes a political influence with the 

 governments to which they are accredited. Sir Henry 

 is provided with a large, attractive house, means to enter 

 tain amply, and has been kept in the service long enough 

 to know everybody and to become experienced in the 

 right way of getting at the men he wishes to influence, 

 and of doing the things his government needs to have 

 done. Throughout the whole world this is John Bull s 

 wise way of doing things. At every capital I have vis 

 ited, including Washington, Constantinople, St. Peters 

 burg, Rome, Paris, Berlin, and Vienna, the British repre 

 sentative is a man who has been selected with reference to 

 his fitness, kept in the service long enough to give him 

 useful experience, and provided with a good, commo 

 dious house and the means to exercise social and, there 

 fore, political influence. The result is that, although, in 

 every country in the world, orators and editors are al 

 ways howling at John Bull, he everywhere has his way : 



