The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-08 00:00:00

tation of slaves into Brazil had entirely ceased--(hear,
hear)—and the result was that the capital which had been
employed in that traffic having been diverted into other
channels, the prosperity of the country had been greatly
increased, and its resources developed; roads were being
made rnd railways projected, and the money devoted to in-
ternal improvement which had formerly been employed in
that degrading traffic. He was afraid there was still a cer-
tain amount of slave trading in Cuba, which took its rise
not simply in Africa, but in a certain degree from Brazil,
the Brazilians complaining that their slaves were carried
off and imported into Cuba. The importation of slaves into
Cuba was much smaller than that to Brazil ; for, where-
as the importation to Brazil had amounted to forty
thousand, and even to sixty thousand and seventy thou-
sand in a year, the greatest number ever imported into
Cuba was 2,000 or 3,000 in a year, although it was difficult
to ascertain the precise amount. The Spanish Government
assured her Majesty's Government that sofar as orders from
Madrid could have any effect, every effort was made to
stop the slave trade, and the present Governor-General did
everything to enforce the law. Of course the measures of
the Government were sometimes evaded, and some cargoes
of slaves were landed ; the consuls in Africa stated that
there had been a great diminution of the slave trade there,
and a great development of legitimate commerce in African
produce, especially in palm oil. (Hear.) This development of
the industry of that hitherto unfortunate country, he
hoped, would go far to change the condition of things on
that coast, which had so long been the scene of crime and
misery. (Hear.) If effectual measures could be adopted
for putting down the slave trade in Cuba, no doubt it
would be a work which would give general satisfaction.
Mr. HASTIE remarked that at Havannah we bad a con-
sul with I,t 00/. a year ; and at the Cape of Good Hope we
had not only a consul with 1,2001. a year, but an arbitrator
with 8001, a year, and a registrar with 5001. a year. Now,
if all that force was wanted at the Cape' of Good Hope,
why was not a similar force kept at Havannah, which was
the great seat of the slave trade ?
Lord PALMERSTON said that in order to deal with
vessels of different nations, we were obliged to have mixed
commission courts established. There was at the Cape a
British judge, and a judge of the country with which we
had a treaty. Those judges appointed an arbitrator be-
tween them for which the judges drew lots. Sometimes,
therefore, the British judge appointed an arbitrator, and
sometimes the judge of the other country, whichever is
might be. The registrar was an officer who kept the records
of the court.
Mr. JOHN M`GREGOR said these were entire sine-
cures. He did not know of his own knowledge that this was
the case, but representations had been made to him on the
subject, not only strong, but olear. Instead of having three
such officers at the Cape they should be distributed in
places where their services would be more effective. Ho
believed that Havannah, Porto Rico, and some other out-
ports of Cuba were the places at which the country ought
to have its strongest staff. He knew the house must pass
these estimates, but he hoped that before any such estimates
were again submitted to the house they would be well con-
sidered, and not .be brought forward according to a mere
routine which indolence had sanctioned.
Lord PALMERSTON said the last lurking place of
slavery was Mozambique, to the east of the Cape of Good
Hope, and when a vessel was seized there she was taken to
the nearest point. If a ship was taken between Mozam-
bique and the Cape, and taken to Havannah, the sufferings
of the negroes would be intense. (Hear.) It would be seen,
therefore, that it was absolutely necessary to maintain
those courts at the Cape.
Mr. OT WAY thought it would be satisfactory if the
noble lord would give the house some information as to
the number of slaves upon whom these gentlemen were
called to arbitrate.
After some further conversation the vote was agreed to.
On a vote of 127,6691. for consular establishments abroad,
Mr. EWART said it was his intention to have brought
forward a motion in reference to the examination of candi-
dates for diplomatic service. He hoped there would bo no
objection to his bringing it on, on going into committee of
supply upon some other recasion.
Mr. J. MACGREGOR said he did not complain of the
vote, for he must admit that the persons appointed as con-
suls by the present Government had efficiently performed
their duty, much more efficiently than consuls generally
had done. What ho complained of was the unequal sala-
ries given to various consuls. Some had heavy duties to
perform with small salaries, while others who had light
duties had high salaries. If any class ought to be remune-
rated it was those consuls who represented this country in
great commercial cities.
Sir S. NORTHCOTE said that the consul at St. Peters-
burg, who was in the receipt of 7501. a-year, had Leen
reduced to 1901. ; while the consul at Archangel, who
received 3001., had been reduced to tOl. He wished to
know why those reductions had been made.
Mr. WILSON said that the payments were regulated on
the principle that the consuls were on leave of absence.
Mr. WISE thought the whole consular system required
the consideration of the house, and that a committee should
be appointed to inquire, not only into the expenditure, but
into the system generally. He thought the vote proposed
a very large one ; but he should not have thought it large,
if the services performed had been in any respect ade-
quate. A few years ago the whole expenditure for the
diplomatic and consular departments amounted to
113,2971., while in 1854 it reached 342,2111. Unfortunately
it was ver3 difficult to analyse those votes. He thought
it would be much better if the whole of the consular
votes appeared together, and the whole of the diplomatic
votes together. For churches and chaplains there had been
voted in five years 80,0001., and this year the house was
asked for 8,2581. There was another point of some import-
ance which he wished to bring before the house. He had
a great objection to consul merchants, because it was sup-
posed by every one in the same city that such persons had
access to documents and other means of communication
which ordinary merchants had not, and he thought it very
desirable, if possible, to do away with the system. The act
of 1846 forbade trading by the consuls, but it was repealed
in 1852, which he thought a very bad piece of policy. A
subject on which he wished to speak had been brought to
his notice by a merchant just returned from the Levant.
In the Levant we had three consuls-general,one with 1,5001.
a year, one with 9001. a year, and one with 800/. a year.
We had 41 consuls and vice-consuls, with 21,1501. a year,
independent of fees. In France our consuls received
5,5001. a year • in the United States, 5,0001. a year. Our
exports to Turkey amounted to two millions a year ; our
exports to France to 21 millions a year; and to the United
States to 23i millions a year. So that we paid 21,0001. a
year on two millions, and 5,0001. a year on 23i millions a
year. He found from a document in the Foreign-office in
1853, that the consul at Constantinople received 1, 400/. a
year in salary, and 1,900/. a year in fees ; that the consul
at Hanover received 1,5001. a year in salary, and 5121. in
fees ; that the consul at Genoa received 4001. a year and
397/. in fees ; that the consul at Alexandria received 5001.
a year as salary, and 5001. a year as fees ; that the consul
at Boston received 2001. a year as salary, and 1,0001. a
year as fees; and that the consul at California received
3001. a year as salary, and 1,2001. a year as fees. What he
wished to impress upon the Government was this, that it
would be much wiser to compel the consuls to return the
fees to head-quarters, and to allow them a liberal salary.
The hon. gentleman concluded by reading a letter from a
Mussulman, who, while he praised the efforts of the diplo-
matic corps, accused the lower order of consuls with gross
peculation and other proceedings of the meanest and most
disgraceful character.
Lord PALMERSTON said that when a question was
raised regarding the character of a class of public servants,
it would be more becoming, before an accusation was made,
to ascertain whether or not it rested upon any foundation.
The hon. gentleman had read a letter, containing certain
grave charges against the consuls in the Levant, but there
were no facts in it, and it might as well come from a per-
son having no charge to make, as from one win had a real
complaint. If any one, whether he were Christian, Turk,
or foreigner, had to make a complaint against any consular
officer in the Levant, he had only to address himself to the
Secretary of State, or to the representative of tile sovereign
in the country where the grievance had arisen, and he
might be quite certain th it it would be redressed. Ho
knew well, having been in the Foreign-office, that such
complaints would reach that department very easily, and
he attached very little importance, therefore, to that
part of the letter which attributed blame to the consuls

He was ready to give credit to that -OFtWe
communication which acknowledged the advantages
which had been conferred by the diplomatic corps
in the protection of British snbjects, and in promoting the
benefit of the Turkish Administration. (Hear.) With
regard to the consular establishments in the Levant, the
hon. gentlemen doubtless knew that the duties of consuls
there were different from those of consular officers in other
parts of the world. Their duties were not merely commer-
cial, but judicial; for all trials in which British subjects
were concerned were brought under their notice, and
consequently their duties were of a higber and more im-
portant character than was ordinarily the case. As to the
numbers, he would remind the hon. gentleman that they
could not measure the wants of consuls by the amount
of exports and imports. They must have consuls wher-
ever they had trade, and it was perfectly futile to
take the amount of exports and imports as a mea-
sure of the number of consuls required. In the east
this was particularly the case, because, as he had
said, the consul there was not merely a commercial
agent, but was engaged in a judicial capacity, and
must protect the subject, and be the channel of corn-
plaint to the centre of government. In proportion as our
trade extended, so must our number of consuls be multi-
plied, and ph ices that were year by year extending required
a corresponding increase of consular establishments. The
question was not a new one to the house. Not onlyhad The
subject been discussed every year, and sometimes iu detail,
but a committee bad been appointed to inquire into the
question of conenlar establishments, and he (the noble
lord) was a witness. Now the hon. gentleman (Mr. Wise)
differed from this hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. M'Gregor)
as to the salaries of those consuls, inasmuch as he believed
that in many cases they were too large. He (the noble
lord) was more disposed to agree with the hon. member
for Glasgow, that, upon the whole, the salaries were too
low for the duties, and in many cases the consuls were
prevented from showing that hospitality to strangers, cap-
tains of vessels, and others, which might be expected from
them. But at the same time the pressure which lied been

put upon the Government from time to time in these esti-
mates by the house had compelled the Government to

rodu.:..e the salaries to the low* possible amount. He
went over the list, and took into account the salaries es
well as the fees. The hon. member suggested thatthe fees

might be paid into the Exchequer, but the fees of these
consuls did not correspond with the fees received by officers
here, and which were paid into the Exchequer. Ttey were
for notarial acts. The amount of each fee was settled by
act of Parliament, and if the fees of some consuls were
larger in amount than those of others, that arose solely
from the circumstance of the acts clone being more nume-
rous. In proportion as the acts were numerous must the
consuls keep a larger number of clerks and a larger office.
There were the American consuls, with 2001. or 3001. a
year, in ports where there was a great deal of business to
be done. The reason he fixed the amount of their

salaries so Tow was that their fees were very large,
and it appeared to him that the great amount of the
fees justified a considerable reduction in their salaries.
The same principle was observed in settling the fees and
salaries in other places. He took into account the
salaries and the fees together. The hon. member sug-
FFeted. what had often been suggested before, namely, that
tho condition..o.,f.
ttheac,vssular duties should
didby performed by persons at-
good plan. Tile . He not
a a to
missions.
duties were of a totally different kind,
duties performed b
cnonsuls by international law was diffe-
rent, and he
ference in point of plan
to consuls,- or having the
giving a dipittat(i)at think any advantage would arise from
',in attache. There would be no dif-
hon. gentleman said with deal of truth in what the
ard to merchant consuls. At
the public. There veatarYs asstt would be no advantage to
lono time it was all the notrimeognerill that house to urge that
all tho consuls should be
the--eYiernployed a respec sects
got their agents cheaper Vflainhte• It was • said that
able merchant established in
very fond of
min Ivho
friend the member for MontreisePsawl His late hon.
that doctrine. To a certain degrea the
tags in it. They. got the duties perfuttaZ tv:::
therefore,
Lail a hous?, and an office, and they pr"'Y a
put to no additional expense in that respect, mad he was

generally a man who was able to exercise hospitality. But
this plan was open to the objection that other merchants
might suppose, and exaggerate the notion, that by his o ra-
sular position he might have an advantage over them in
his commercial transactions; and in places where the con-
sul had political functions to perform, it might be imputed
to him that if he abstained from pressing the claims of in-
dividuals who had complaints against the Government,
that he sacrificed their interest for the sake of making him-
self agreeable to the Government, and receiving advantage
therefrom. Therefore, he said, it was better to have con-
suls not connected with trade. Trading was allowed in
cases where no public inconvenience would arise, but in
the majority of cases the consul was fotbidelen from trad-
ing. But then, on the other hand, if they forbid a consul
from trading, they were bound to give him a higher salary
than if they allowed him to trade. He was pleased to
hear his hon. friend the member for Glasgow bear testi-
mony to the efficiency of the consuls as a body.
He believed, as a body,,they performed their duties to
their credit and the public advantage. In countries with
which they had as yet but little trade these men went forth
as pioneers of commerce, and he thought that so far from
looking on these establishments with jealousy, those who
were engaged in the commercial transactions of the country
would acknowledge that in countries where their com-
merce was but just beginning, they would often, but for
the service of these consuls, be exposed to loss and incon-
venience.
Mr. THORNELY observed that great loss and incon-
nience were now occasioned to merchants by their being
compelled to give bonds that articles contraband of war
were landed at particular ports. and suggested that it
would be a great saving if one certificate was made to
serve for the whole cargo.
Mr. WILSON said these bonds were absolutely neces-
sary to prevent sending articles contraband of war either
to Russia or to ports whence they might be sent to Russia.
The difficulty in making one bond do for the whole cargo
was, that one defaulter out of twenty shippers might make
the other nineteen answerable.
Mr. OTWAY complained that English consuls abroad
took fees of Englishmen for passports. He said he had
every reason to be satisfied with the consuls he had himself
encountered, but asked whether any one had been ap-
pointed from his having shown an aptitude for the office
while in this country ? He believed the appointments were
all made in consequence of the individual having some
connection with the minister. With regard to the con-
sular and diplomatic functions, the practice of Vigland
was an exception to the general rule. In the French ser-
vice a Consul-General was made Secretary of Legation,
and those officers were transferred from one office to an-
other. That was also the case in Russia, and to a great
extent in Prussia, and if it answered in those countries,
why not here? He asked how long the Russian consuls
were to continue to be paid ?
Mr. WILSON said at the end of the second year an ar-
rangement would be made. In the meantime, every
means had been taken to absorb these offices in other ap-
pointments, and three or four other salaried officers had
been absorbed in other appointments.
Lord PALMERSTON said, with regard to the question
what were the recommendations, and what the qualifica-
tions requisite for consular offices, he could only say as far
as he was concerned, he endeavoured to appoint those
whom he thought fit to fulfil the duties. With regard to
those who had to fill the office in the Levant snore care was
requisite, because in addition to general capacity a certain
knowledge of the habits and language of the country were
reeuisite, and it was necessary to appoint persons who had
lived in the Levant. He forgot to advert to one thing
mentioned by the hon. gentleman, that the lonians and
others bribed the consuls to give them the protection ex-
tended to British subjects. That could not apply to lonians,
as they were already what were technically called " British
protected subjects."
Lord SEYMOUR asked how it was that the salaries of
some of the consuls-general were no longer included in the
votes, but were paid out of the consolidated fund ?
Lord PALMERSTON explained that when the diplo-
matic relations with the South American Spanish repub-
lics were suspended it was thought advisable to pay the
salaries of some of the consuls out of the sum put aside
by the act of Parliament for diplomatic salaries, and this
was an advantage to the public, as it prevented Govern-
ment from granting so much in pensions.
Mr. J. M'GREGOR said he believed that the bonds
which had been alluded to were useless obstructions to
commerce.
The vote was then agreed to.
25,0001. for the extraordinary disbursements of her Ma-
jesty's embassies and missions abroad.—Agreed to.
138,6091., superannuation or retire' allowances to per-
sons formerly employed in public offices, or in the public
service.

Sir C. TREVELYAN wished to know whether it was
the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce
any measures with regard to the settlement of payments
to the civil service and superannuation fund.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER intimated
that as soon as the measures connected with the revenue
and other cognate subjects had been disposed of, it was his
intention to bring in such a bill.
The vote was then agreed to.
2,2701. for relief to Toulonese and Corsican emigrants,
St. Domingo sufferers, American loyalists, and others, who
had heretofore resolved allowances from her Majesty, and
who, for services performed, or losses sustained in the
British service, had special claims on her Majesty's justice
and liberality. Agreed to.
2,0001. for the National Vaccine Establishment.
Mr. BRADY said this vote was too small to be of the
slightest use. It was fearful to contemplate the ravages
which smallpox had made of late years, and the Govern-
ment ought to organise a complete system of vaccination.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
vote was for the support of a central establishment in
London, which had existed almost since the days of Dr.
Jenner, and which had been originated with the view of
supplying proper means for vaccination throughout the
country. The question of a systematic measure for en-
forcing vaccination was a matter which did not lie within
the compass of this vote. Some years ago, however, an
act had been passed which did establish such a system in
connexion with the poor-law board, and he did not see
what the Government could do more.
Mr. BRADY stated that the act had proved to be an
admitted failure. At the present time the operator had
not the means of knowing with certainty whether what he
used was the true vaccine lymph ; and many cases had
come within his (the hon. member's) knowledge, in which
children bad imbibed loathsome, and even mortal diseases,
from having bean inoculated from unhealthy persons.
Mr. COWPER observed that the act in question had
come down from the Lords, and that this house was there-
fore hardly able to answer for its defects. However, a bill
was in contemplation to remedy those defects. (Hear.)
Sir J. PAKINGTON wished to know something more
of the real value of this institution, from which he believed
only a minimum of benefit was obtained. He happened to
have had charge of the bill of 1853 when it came down to
this house. It had proved totally useless and inefficient,
and last year a bill was brought in to amend it, but the
house would not listen to the proposal. He thought that
it was of the utmost importance that the Government
should take some steps to check the progress of this dread-
ful scourge.
Mr. KENDALL suggested that the evil was owing to the
practice which existed in some unions of ordering poor per-
sons to attend for vaccination on particular days in the week.
The parties did not come, and so the thing was neglected.
Mr. WILSON said that in former years hon. members
had expressed their opinion that the act had been of the
greatest benefit, not only to the kingdom, but even to most
of the colonies. As to the vaccine institution itself, he
had never before heard its utility called in question.
Mr. BRADY did not doubt its utility as far as it went.
What he said was that it was inefficient.
Mr. HENLEY stated that in the city of Oxford, which
only contained some 30,000 inhabitants, those who had
suffered from small-pox within the last year or two might
be counted almost by thousands. He believed the evil to
have arisen from the insufficiency of the fees paid by the
unions to the medical officers—an insufficiency which led
to the operation being hastily and inefficiently performed.
The vote was then agreed to.
3251., in aid of the institution called "The Refuge for
f the Destitute."
Mr. COWAN drew attention to the unfair manner in
which Edinburgh had been treated. While a pecuniary
grant was made to the institution in London, a similar one
in the northern capital had actually been compelled to pur-
chase, or promise to purchase, for 5,000/. , a building belong-
ing to the State, in which its inmates (400 in number) had
been lodged for years. He doubted the propriety of these
eleemosynary votes altogether.
Mr. WILSON explained that the 3251. was paid to the
institution on account of 25 women who had been admitted
into the institution on being discharged from prison. If
the Edinburgh institution had similar cases it would un-
doubtedly have a claim for similar aid. The building re-
ferred to by the hon. gentleman was the property of the
Board of Ordnance. It became necessary to sell it, and
of course the board was bound to get the highest price for
it. The parochial authorities had competed for the pur-
chase with the charitable institution.
Sir S. NORTHCOTE wished toknow if the Government
would extend the principle of contributions to institutions
that received female prisoners to all institutions of that
nature ?
Mr. WILSON slid no general rule had been adopted ;
the present vote depended on the peculiar circumstances of
the case.
The vote was then agreed to.
On the next vote, 4,2001. for Polish refugees and dis-
tressed Spaniards,
Sir W. JOLLIFFE wished to know what was the de-
crease in the vote for this year, and by what department
the fund was distributed.
Mr. WILSON said that the vote, which was formerly
very large, had been transferred from the civil contingen-
cies in 1843. Some five or six years ago the house resolved
that there should be no further charge made in respect of
it —it would therefore cease when the present reci-
pients died off. There was no diminution this year, as
none had died within the year. The fund was distributed
by trustees.
The vote was then agreed to.
On the next vote, 4,3711. for miscellaneous charges for-
merly on the civil list,
Sir J. PAKINGTON wished to call the attention of the
ncble lord the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the
present position of the Bishcp of New Zealand. He had
last year called the attention of the house to the painful
position in which the bishop was placed by the withdrawal
of his salary. The Government then consented to pay it
for another year, and the then Secretary of State addressed
a despatch to the Colonial Government expressing a hope
that the colonial legislature would pass a vote for the sup-
port of the bishop; but the legislature declined to do so.
He hoped the Government would take care that the bishop
should be assured an income sufficient to support his po-
sition either by a vote of that house or from some other
source. (Hear, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL had not had an opportunity of con-
sidering the matter ' • be would so, and inform the right
hon gentleman and the house of the opinion of the Go.
vern went.

The vote was then agreed to ; and the CHAIRMAN or-

dered to report progress.
INDISPOSITION OF THE SPEAKER.

Mr. BOUVERIE having left the chair,
The Clerk of the house (Sir D. Le Marchant) rose and
said—l have received a letter from Mr. Speaker, which, if

it be the pleasure of the house, I will now read :
" Dear Sir—l regret exceedingly, after the kind indul-
gence of the house in permitting me to leave the chair et
an earlier hour than I could possibly have anticipated, to
be obliged most reluctantly to inform you of my unavoid-
able absence from the house during the remainder of the
night owing to indisposition ; I repeat that it is with sin-
cere concern I request you to make this communication to
the house.—l am, dear sir, faithfully yours,
C. S. LEFEVIIN."
Lora PALMERSTON— I beg leave to move that the
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tivetheitreeasoollvuetdile,.,
of the unavoidabTlheatwhevofe rx the.
sphouLseklieltlehbee
Chairmane informed reado
absence