318 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XXIII 



of acquaintance with parliamentary proceedings. So 

 begins the first full movement of the conference in the 

 right direction ; and it is a good beginning. 



Walked home through the beautiful avenues of the park 

 with Mr. van Karnebeek and Baron d Estournelles, who 

 is also a charming man. He has been a minister pleni 

 potentiary, but is now a member of the French Chamber 

 of Deputies and of the conference. 



June 21. 



Early in the morning received a report from Holls, 

 who arrived from Hamburg late last night. His talks 

 with Billow and Prince Hohenlohe had been most 

 encouraging. Billow has sent to the Emperor my long 

 private letter to himself, earnestly urging the acceptance 

 by Germany of our plan of arbitration. Prince Hohen 

 lohe seems to have entered most cordially into our ideas, 

 giving Holls a card which would admit him to the Em 

 peror, and telegraphing a request that his Majesty see 

 him. But the Emperor was still upon his yacht, at sea, 

 and Holls could stay no longer. Billow is trying to make 

 an appointment for him to meet the Emperor at the close 

 of the week. 



Early in the afternoon went with Minister Newel and 

 Mr. Low to call on M. de Beaufort regarding plans for 

 the Grotius celebration, on July 4, at Delft. It was in 

 general decided that we should have the ceremony 

 in the great church at eleven o clock, with sundry 

 speeches, and that at half -past twelve the American dele 

 gation should give a luncheon to all the invited guests 

 in the town hall opposite. 



Holls tells me that last night, at the dinner of the presi 

 dent of the Austrian delegation, he met Minister, who 

 said to him, &quot;I can get along with Hohenlohe, and also 

 with Billow, but not with those d d lawyers in the For 

 eign Office &quot; (&quot;Mit Hohenlohe Jcann ich aitskommen, mit 

 Billow auch, dber mit dies en verdammten Juristen im 

 Auswdrtigen Ami, nicht&quot;). 



