The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 15, 1856,

the Ist Dragoon Guards to the 6th Dragoons, as stated in
the Gazette of the Ist April, has been cancelled.

a year, and they had besides a resident vice-consul, with
2,0001. a year. At, Naples they paid an ambassador 3,6001.
a year, and a consul 500/. a year ; and at Lisbon there
was a consul who received 6001. a year, and a vice-consul
who did all the work, at 3001. a year. He was really
anxious, for the honour of the country, to have the amount
of the present vote fairly distrilented and judiciously ap-
plied among the consular body. He then came to the sub-
ject of superannuations and compensations. With regard
to superannuations ho had nothing whatever to complain
of, except that they were in very many cases by far too
low in amount, considering the salary enjoyed and the age
of the recipient. But the amounts granted as compensation
were very large, and in many cases wholly unnecessary and
uncalled for. The former consul at Tripoli was awarded
8501. a year as compensation for the abolition of his office ;
and in that very year in which the office was abolished a
new consul-general was appointed, with a salary of 600/.
a year, which had since been raised to 800/. There was a
case of a similar description at Venice. A gentleman 43
years of age held the office of consul-general, with a salary
of 1,2001. a year. His office was abolished, and he received
6001. as compensation. The reason for that compensation
was the abolition of the office, yet in the same year another
consul was appointed, with a salary of 700/. a year. But
the worst case was that at Chagres, where a gentleman
only 38 years of age had been compensated with a pension
of 1,000.. a year on the abolition of his office; but, not-
withstanding that abolition and compensation, a new con-
sular establishment had been created, comprising a consul-
general, with a salary of 1,6001. a year, allowances 997/.,
and a vice-consul at 500/. a year. He wished to know
how it was that when as office was abolished and compen-
sation given, another consul was immediately appointed,
with a considerable salary ? With respect to the amounts
granted for] superannuation, he theught they wore not
sufficiently large to attract the most efficient men to the
service; and there was this further injustice as regarded
the consular department—that those employed in it
had to submit to a deduction of 5 per cent, on their salaries,
while those in the diplomatic department received their
salaries without any such deduction. Thus a consul who
had served 25 years at a salary of 5001. a-year, would have
625/. taken from him in the shape of deductions, and at
the end of that period would only be entitled to the paltry
allowance of 2501. a-year. With regard to the question of
patronage, he confessed he put great faith in the now re-
gulations of the Earl of Clarendon, if they were properly
earned out, on the subject of examinations for consulate
offices. They would then secure a supply of consular ser-
vants who would speak the language of the country to
which they were sent. With respect to the distribution
of appointments hitherto, an analysis of the returns would
speedily show who were the parties appointed to positions
with salaries of 1,800/. 1,6001., and 1,2001. a-year, and
who got the situations Which ranged from 2001. to 5001. a
year. He would suggest the adoption of the French sys-
tem, by which they secured a constant supply of pupil
consuls, and those were regularly advanced in the service.
lie thought the present system of paying consuls by fees
was excessively injurious, and ho hoped the Government
would take the subject into consideration with a view to
abolishing it. The whole of the fees last year amounted
,nly to 31,0001., and if he had had the power of doing so,
fie would have moved the increase of the vote to 200,000/.
on condition that those fees were abolished, because he
contended that our consuls should be our protectors
abroad, and not tax collectors. lie thought, also, there
were far too massy foreign consuls in the service of the
.2Sovernment. No matter how honest or how well dis-
dosed they might be, it was impossible they could feel
for the interests of England as an Englishman would.
With 'respect to consul merchants, he thought it was
.nest important that no consul should b 3 in business.
In cases where they were at present it was a constant
source of jealousy and dissension, and it had, besides,
the effect of frequently preventing our consuls obtain-
ing information so early as they otherwise would have
done. If a consul failed in trade his official position was
'asneediately compromised, and where they were merchants
they frequently had great temptations to advance their
private emoluments in many ways, to the prejudice of
ether traders. He thought it would be much wiser to pay
them proper salaries. They would then have an undivided
interest in their office and the country. Tho case of the
Mermaid was a notorious instance of the manner in which
the private interest of consuls clashed with the public.
Phat vessel had 400,(03/. in gold dust on board, besides
30,000/. worth of wool, and on her way home touched at
Pernambuco for fresh vegetables and water. The consul,
who had the power to do so, ordered the ship into dock to
be repaired, alleging that she was unseaworthy. Captain
Bailey and the passengers remonstrated, as they were per-
fectly satisfied with the ship. The consul threatened that
if Captain Bailey refused compliance ho woull report his
conduct, and deprive him of his rating. Captain Bailey
old sail for this country without any repairs being made,
and arrived-safely at Liverpool. The consul carried out
ass threat, and an inquiry was ordered by the Board of
Trade, which resulted in the decision that Captain Bailey
dad acted very properly in the course he had adopted, by
which he saved 10,0001., which would otherwise have gono
to the consul, who was entitled to 2i per cent. upon the
gold dust had the ship been repaired. The continuance of
such a system as this must be highly detrimental to the
public interest. He hoped the three or four points he had
mooted would be considered by the Government, and such
men would be appointed consuls as would be most likely
adequately to servo their eountry.
Mr. KINNAIRD entirely agreed with his hon. friend
in the propriety of bringing forward this motion. A coun-
try whose trade is so extended as ours ought to have able
men to represent it—men trained for the purpose, and
brought up iri habits of diplomacy. Had such a system as
this been established before the beginning of the late war,
he believed the Government would have been in possession
of much more valuable information than they possessed.
He believed there was great room for amendment, and
hoped the matter would not escape the earnest attention
of the Government.
Mr. W. S. LINDSAY thanked his hon. friend for the
very clear and able speech in which he had brought for-
ward this question. Trade was every day becoming more
and more developed, and it was of groat importance to have
thorough representatives of our commercial interests in the
different ports of the world so as to advise our merchants,
who wore now engaged in an ardent competition with the
United States of America. Upon the whole, though some
consuls might be too highly remunerated, he thought the
consular body ill-paid. It was of great importance to have
the best men, and he hoped a committee or a commission
would be appointed to inquire into the subject. (Rear.)
Lord PALMERSTON concurred with his hon. friend,
who had begun the discussion, in the importance of the
various duties which the consul had to perform. His hon.
friend had very well explained those duties. The hon. gen-
tleman who had just sat down (Mr. Lindsay) spoke of
periodical reports as to the resources of trade and other
circumstances of the colonies in which they were placed.
Now, it had been his (Lord Palmerston's) duty for many
years to peruse these reports, and he felt bound to bear
testimony to the ability with which they were drawn up.
These reports were invariably sent to the Board of Trade,
and were not, in consequence of their being so voluminous,
laid before the house. His hon. friend objected to the sys-
tem of fees, but he was of opinion his hon. friend entirely
mistook the nature of those fees. Originally consuls were
paid by fees on shipping, but in 1826 or 1827, an act was
passed, placing those fees on a different footing, and giving
salaries instead. The fees were now only levied for the pur-
pose of enabling the consuls to pay the expenses of their
office clerks, Sic. It was but in comparatively few cases
that any fees went to the consuls merely as emoluments to
them. As to the appointment of consuls, his hon. friend
seemed to think improper selections had been made. He
geoid most sincerely state that daring his time at the Foreign.
office he had made the best appointments in his power. He
did not think the duties to be disoharged in the consular office
required any considerable previous educatimi or training. A
man of good sense would be able, with a little application,
to perform the functions of consul. What had occurred'
in that house illustrated the change of opinion which had
taken place here upon this question. For a great many
years, whenever the matter of the appointment of consuls
was discussed, hon. members had urged the selection of
commercial men. Now that was objected to. The only
way to get a commercial man was to appoint one who was
there, or had been engaged in commerce. He was inclined
to think that though there was an economical advantage
in appointing commercial men as consuls, yet that there
were many political considerations which might intervene,
private connections, and other circumstances that would
render them more or less liable to be visited by the Govern.
ments under which they resided. As a general rule he
would admit that it was not desirable to employ merchant
consuls, but the house must not forget that they procured
the business to be done more economically through mer-
chant consuls, and, therefore, if they were determined not
to employ merchant consuls, they must increase the sala-
ries of consuls who wore not merchants. He felt bound to
say that, as far as he knew, merchant consuls had never
abused the influence which their appointments gave them,
nor were they less assiduous in maintaining the rights of
their countrymen. In respect to vice-consuls that was an-
other and a different matter. His hon. friend objected to
the employment of foreigners. Bat the very cases he had
mentioned showed the necessity of none others being em-
ployed but foreigners under the present system. The salary
was only 100/. or 1501. a-year. The rule was, that where
British subjects were residents in a place, and were duly
qualified, they should have a preference, but where such
were not to be found, the house would see that, ata salary
of 100/. or 150/. a-year, it was almost impossible to find
any one but a trader to perform those duties. The hon.
gentleman said the salaries of consuls were not pro-
perly distributed, and pointed to Madrid. Well, the consul
there received 2001. a-year, but was, in fact, only a con-
sular clerk, who corrected the returns sent from other con-
suls to Madrid. But as to the objection to the pay of con-
suls in Naples and Lisbon, there was no force, for these
were ports to which much British commerce was sent, and
the duties of consuls were consequently heavy and impor-
tant. His noble friend at the head of the Foreign-office
had employed a system of examination for consuls, and
had sent out a circular to our consuls requiring answers to
a gent number of questions bearing on matters to which
his hon. friend had adverted, and when answers and infor-
mation had been received, ho would be prepared next ses-
sion to agree to the appointment of a select committee to
take into consideration the whole of the consular system.
As to the question that the Government 'should have ap-
pointed consuls who ought to have given information be-
fore the breaking out of the war concerning Russia, he
could only say that the consuls at Odessa and at Taganrog
had, in his opinion, discharged their duties. There were
none in the Crimea, because the Russian Government
would not permit any to reside there. Bat the house would
recollect that consuls could not act as spies, but could only
forward information, properly accessible, to their Govern-
ment—accessible by open means. The consuls at Odessa
and Taganrog had forwardol much valuable information
to the Government regarding the resources of the country,
and all other matters properly within the scope of their
knowledge. As to the high salaries of consuls-general, his
hon. friend must recollect that such offices could not have
been abolished without compensation. When a consul-
general was aboli had, as in Tripoli, a salary of 800/. a
year was given instead of 1,600/., and the same was toe
case in Venice. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. WILLIAMS said that the young men who were se-
lected for the duties which they had to perform were, on the
whole, fully paid. He found that in Turkey there were 42
consuls, who received amongst them in salaries the sum
of 15,6351., and in fees, 5,7351., making together, 21,370/. ;
and those consuls were in addition to those employed in
Egypt, and at Tripoli, and Tunis, who received about
13,000/. In the United States there were only 13 consuls,
receiving 5,000/. a year, and to that country the groat mass
of their exports were sent. At Constantinople ho found
they had a consul-general at 1,5001. a year, a vice-consul
at 4001., and another vice-consul at 300/., besides having
another consul at Scutari. The hon. member complained
that in Spain there were two new appointments of consuls
—one at Sual, and the other at Illilo—at salaries of 4001.
a year. These matters required to bo fully inquired into.
In answer to a question from Mr. BELLEW,
Lord PALMERSTON was understood to say that it was
not the intention of the Government, either directly or in-
directly, to interfere with the internal affairs of Madagascar.
The vote was then agreed to. e
On the vote of• 25,00 1, for defraying the extraordinary
disbursements of the embassies and missions abroad,
BOWYZA complained of the preieht-mtem of

attaches in the diplomatic service. These attaches, upon
whom the public service very materially depended, ought
to be well pail, and care should be taken that none were
appointed who were not capable for the position. The
attaches ought to be put through a course of international
law, and be well-read men, so that when a Minister re-
quired information he would be able to turn to them for
it ; but Ministers could not expect this from young men
who were not paid anything. He thought the diplomatic
service required to be thoroughly reformed.
Lord PALMERSTON said the subject to which the hon.
and learned member alluded, of paid and unpaid attaches,
belonged to the diplomatic establishment. The expenses of
the diplomatic establishment were defrayed outof the charge
created upon the Consolidated Fund, and about 160,0001.
a year covered all the expenses of salaries and retired al-
lowances, whhsh could not bo exceeded. But the subject
referred to by the hon. and learned member was very elf-
ferent to this, and ho apprehended that the attaches which
he referred to in Turkey were the young men sent there for
the purpose of becoming British interpreters of Turkish,
and to supersede the Turkish dragoman hitherto employed.
Tho Vice-Chancellors of Oxford and Cambridge had each
the privilege of recommending a young man, selected by
them, who were sent to Turkey to become interpreters, and
these are the attaches here mentioned. What the hon. and
learned member said against the system of unpaid attaches
had some force. There were two classes of attaches, paid
and unpaid. They began as unpaid, and after a period of
time they were promoted and became paid attaches. It was
quite true that the diplomatic service did not hold out those
brilliant prospects which young men anticipated who were
anxious to enter it. Theyspeut a long time, lee., as unpaid
an.l paid attaches before they became secretaries of legation.
He did not agree that the attaches should be well road in in-
ternational law and history in order that the Minister could
turn to him for assistance. International law and historical
facts were necessary to enable the Ministers at foreign courts
to perform their duties, and he mast assume that they had
risen to their posts through a long period of time, and that
they wore better able to perform their duties than those
young men who ware just appointed, or they would not be
fitted for the responsible duties to which they had to attend.
Mr. BOWYER explained that many persons were ap-
pointed to the pest of Minister without having gone
through any training in international law whatever.
Mr. EWART reminded the hon. and learned gentle-
man that there was now established a system of examina-
tion for public offices, and that for the future attaches would
be examined in history, languages, and international law.
Mr. WISE regretted that the salaries of the ambassadors
wore still paid out of the Consolidated Fund instead of
comine before tho house in the estimates. He wished for
an explanation of an item of 1,4631 put down as lost by
Ambassadors by exchange.
Mr. WILSON explained that the English Ambassadors
at foreign Courts had frequently to make large disburse-
ments for the public service; and it often happened that
when, they drew bills for that purpose the rate of exchange
was against them, and therefore it was but fair that they
should be reimbursed for the loss they sustained.
Mr. WILLIAMS dist not see why we should have Mi-
nisters at six of the petty Courts of Germany. He might
pass over Hanover on account of the relationship existing
between the King and her Majesty.; but that excuse die
not apply to Wurtemberg. He believed that our first
connection with that kingdom was whoa a princess of
Englan I married the Elector, as he was then collect; but
since her death there had been no Minister of that State
at this Court.
Mr. J. G. PHILLIMORE reminded the hon. gentleman
that the ruler of Wurtemberg had never been canted an
Elector, but that his former title was Duke of W urte in berg.
Mr. OTWAY called attention to a charge of 21. 14s. 2d.
—a piece of extravagance which the Prussian Minister had
been guilty of for fetes and illarninatione—(laughter)---
perhaps iu rejoicing for the signing of the treaty of peace.
He wished, also, to suggest that there should be a system
of interchange established between the clerks in the
Forlen office and the attechee.
Lord PALMERSTON said that wherever such inter-
change could take place without interruption to public
business it had bean dens. With regard to the observe
Guns of the hon. member for Lambeth, ho had to assure
him that it was highly important that England should be
represented at the smaller States of Germany, as the other
nations of Europe were. These States were the consti-
tuents of the German body, and exercised a considerable
influence upon it, and during the war the conduct of
Austria and Prussia, in a great measure, turned on the
feeling of those States.
Mr. B WART hoped that the suggestion of the hon.
member for Stafford (Mr. Otway) in reference to the inter-
change of the clerks in the Foreign-office and the attaches
might not bo lost sight of.
The vote was then agreed to.
On the motion that 116,537/. be granted as superannua-
tion and compensation to persons formerly employed in the
public service,
Mr. WILLIAMS called attention to the necessity of more
attention than had yet been given to those superannuation
allowances. He found one case in which a pension had been
enjoyed for 65 years, and another in which a salary of 7001.
a year had been enjoyed for 36 years. Then there were
four persons who received 2001. a year as "commissioners
of metropolitan buildings." Why were these persons not
employed under the now board?
Mr. WILSON said that these officers were appointed
under a former act. By the act of last year appointing
the Metropolitan Board of Works, it was enacted that
those offieers employed under the former commission, who
should not obtain employment under the new board,
should be superannuated. It had not been possible to pro-
vide employment for these persons, and therefore they re-
ceived their allowances.
Lord NAAS wished for some explanation how it hap-
pened that one counsel of the Irish office of London, per-
fectly competent to his duties, bad been superannuated,
while another had been appointed to perform the same
work.
Colonel DUNNE complained that superannuations were
frequently given to men in the full vigour of mind and
body, and adverted to several cases of this kind in connec-
tion with the Irish board of works.
Mr. WILSON said the office of counsel to the Irish
office in London had been abolished in 1853, under the im-
pression that such an officer was not necessary. SUbee-
quently, however, it had been found necessary to appoint
another gentleman to perform their duties,
After a few words from Mr. WHITESIDE,
Mr. HORSMAN said the present Government neither
abolished the office of the counsel to the Irish office in
London, nor pensioned off Mr. Batty. That was one of
the ill-judged "reforms" in the Irish office instituted by
the Marquis of Chandos under the Derby Aelministration.
Last year the inconvenience of allowing each department
to draw its own bills was discovered; and it was also
found that having separate persons to draw bills for each
department entailed additional expense. The Government
therefore made an arrangement to secure the services of
one of the experienced bill drawers in London, who had
engaged for 500/. a year to give the whole of his time to
the work of drawing bills for the Irish office. That was a
sum not larger than was paid for drawing one set of bills,
with regard to tenants' compensation, under the Darby
Government.
Mr. NAPIER said the whole of this discussion showed
the necessity of having a department of public justice. He
did not think that the drawing of the Tenants' Compensa-
tion and Law of Landlord and Tenant Consolidation Bill
under the late Government was overpaid. He did not
know who was the present draughtsman of the Govern-
ment bills, but the experience of a bill which he had lately
drawn had convinced him (Mr. Napier) that he was very
imperfectly qualified to discharge the duties committed to
him.
Mr. DISRAELI said the fact that the duties of the
counsel to the Irish office were now done for half the salary
that was paid when the Government of the Earl of Derby
came into office, showed the wisdom of the policy which
they had adopted, and which had led to this desirable re-
sult.
Lord NAAS entered into some details as to the changes
in the Irish office which had been effected under the late
Administration, and vindicated the dismissal of Mr. Batty.
ijUA discussion ensued on the number of superannuations
on the list, in the course of which Captain SCOBELL said
there were 303 persons on the list of superannuation, many
of whom retired at 32 years of age, and asked why these
gentlemen were not absorbed in the Government otfices ?
Mr BOWYER suggested that in future the superan-
nuation list should be divided into sections, instead of
being voted in one sum and at once.
Mr. WILLIAMS withdrew his amendment, and the
vote was agreed to.
The next vote was for 2,2701. for relief to Tonlonese and
Corsican and other emigrants, which was ultirnatelyagreed
to, after Mr. WILSON had explained the grants were origi-
nally made under acts of Parliament for two generations.
2,0001. were then *asked for to defray the expenses of the
vaccine establishment.
Mr. STAFFORD asked for an explanation why a violent
attack on vaccination by Dr. Gibbs had been printed by
the Government.
Mr. BROTHERTON said that the committee had re-
fused his application to• print this pamphlet, but in conse-
quence of a notice on the books by the hon. member for
Finsbury that it should be printed, the printing committee
consented to it, and it was printed.
Mr. MICHELL defended the statements contained in
the pamphlet complained of, and said he could prove vac-
cination had a tendency to produce death rather than pre-
vent it. He advised hon. members to'read and become
acquainted with the subjects it contained.
Mr. GROGAN condemned the house turning this
pamphlet into ridicule, and said that it contained facts
with reference to vaccination that every member ought to
read. If Mr. Cowper had done so he would move the
repeal of the Vaccination Bill.
Mr. COWPER said that if it had not been for the state-
ment of the learned doctor (Dr. Michell) he should have
thought the writer of 'the pamphlet in question was raving
mad. (Laughter.)
The vote was agreed to.
The next vote was for 3501. for defraying the expenses of
the Refuge for the Destitute. • • •
Mr. COWAN wished to know if the Edinburgh Refuge
for the Destitute was not entitled to Royal support equally
with the one in question ?
Mr. WILSON said that thin refuge was situate at
Dalston, and was for the support of 25 convicts, females,
removed principally irons the metropolitan prisons. He
could not answer the question of the honourable member,
but adviSed hiuq to bring the question before the house for
a specific grant.
The vote was then agreed to. ,
A stun .of 4,0001. was next agreed to for the support 'of
Polish refugees and distressed Spaniards.
A suns of 4,371/. was voted for miscellaneous allowances
formerly defrayed.from the civil list.
On the proposal to vote a sum of 2,5 51. for infirmaries
in Ireland,
Mr. WILLIAMS considered that there was no necessity
for this vote, now that the poor-law had been established
iu Ireland.
Mr. WILSON explained that the vote proposed was
given under two old acts of Parliament, and was to be
discontinued as soon as the present trusts had ceased.
After a few words from Colonel DUNNE,
'The vote was agreed to.
A sum of 1,2951. was next proposed for the support of
the Foundling Hospital, Dublin.
Alter some discussion, in which Mr. Blackburn, Mr.
Williams, Mr. Herman, and Mr. Grogan took part,
Mr. HASTIE moved that the vote be reduced by the
sum of 1201. lOs. , being,lo per cent. on the amount, on the
ground that the people of Ireland ought to support their
own foundlings, and not make them a charge upon this
country.
After some discussion the committee divided, when
there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it
Majority against the amendment
The vote was then agreed to.
The next vote proposed Was 11,7901. for defraying' the
expenses Of the House of Industry, Dublin.
Mr. A. HASTIE propoied a reduction in the vote of
1,1791., in accordance with the recommendation of the com-
mittee, thates reductien of 10 per cent. should be made.
Mr. WILSON defended the vote, stating that the Go-
vernment had already acted on the recommendation of the
committee to a certain extent; and that, if they had top