Herbert G. Squiers

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Herbert Goldsmith. Squiers (1859-1911) was a United States diplomat, serving as Envoy to Cuba (1902-1905), and Panama (1906-1909) and as well as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.

[edit] Biography

Squires was born April 20,1859^[1][2] in Madoc, Ontario, but his parents moved to the United States while he was still young. He attended school in both Minnesota and Maryland before attending the Maryland Agricultural College.

He joined the Army in 1877 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant while attending United States Artillery School. In 1880, he graduated from that school and was transferred to the Second Cavalry Division. In 1885, he was transferred from the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment to St. John's College (now known as Fordham University) in New York, to teach as a Professor of Military Science and Tactics.^[3] In 1890, he was transferred away from the college and finally left the Army in 1891.

He entered U.S. diplomatic service and first served as Second Secretary of the American Embassy in Berlin in 1894. He retired in 1897, then was appointed secretary of the American Legation in Pekin (Beijing) in 1898. He was appointed as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Cuba in May, 1902 and served until November 1905.^[1] There was growing opposition to his policies as Envoy, including his support for a group of U.S. citizens encamped in the Isle of Pines who sought to organize a territorial government leading to the annexation of Cuba to the U.S. He resigned under pressure.^[4]From 1906 until 1909 he served as Envoy to Panama.

He had a noted collection of fine porcelain, and presented a collection of porcelain to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which had been looted from the Summer Palace in China by parties unknown during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900.^[5]

He died October 19, 1911. His widow, the former Hattie Woodcock, said after his death that "political intrigues" had "Prevented him from attaining the diplomatic and political prominence that was his due."^[6] A portion of his porcelain collection was sold in 1912 for $40,270.^[7]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Squiers goes to Panama; official announcement made of New Yorker's appointment; was former minister to Cuba, but resigned office- saw service as Secretary of Legation in Pekin," Washington Post, Oct. 21, 1906
2. ^ Political Graveyard.com retrieved Dec. 6, 2006
3. ^ [http://armyrotc.com/edu/fordham/history.htm ArmyROTC.com retrieved Dec 6, 2006
4. ^ "Squiers quits post; minister to Cuba found his position untenable; Morgan will succeed him- resignation tendered by cable and accepted by State Department- friction over Isle of Pines question precipitated climax- opposition to him has grown steadily stronger." Washington Post, Nov. 30, 1905, page 1
5. ^ [1] Grattan, David, "The Destruction of Cultural Heritage and why conservation is vital to society," Australian Association of Consulting Archeologists, AACAI Newsletter number 88, December, 2001, pages 7-10. ISSN 0810-1744. retrieved Dec. 6, 2006)
6. ^ "Says ingratitude killed." Washington Post, Oct. 23, 1911. page 1
7. ^ "Snapshots at social leaders." Washington Post, April 12, 1912, pg. 7