The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-10 00:00:00

notes, who have heretofore been troubled about the
risk of keeping them. Where they have received
notes which arc issued to order, in blank, they may
secure their property by filling in their own names
as payees. In that case it is said that the Treasury
Department will recognise their property in the
notes if they are lost or stolen. This liability is re-
cognised even if the name of the payee should be
extracted and another written thereon. But there
must be evidence of that fact, in order to satisfy
the Department, and here in many cases failure to
recover may be expected. The claimant of a
lost,
stolen, or altered note must be able to show that he
held it while his name was written thereon as payee.
This, with many persons, will be difficult, for
the reason that prudent people rarely ever make
exhibition of their wealth to strangers. Outside
of one's family the particular manner in which
money is invested is rarely known. This verY
fact has been an objection to the 7-30 notes
fromthe first., and has turned the attention of careful
individuals to registered bonds. The number of the
latter is increasing very much, and although the
coupon bonds have advantages to those who do not
intend to hold them long, permanent investments
are more generally made in the registered securities.
It does not appear from the statements made of the
intentions of the Treasury Department what would
become of a 7-30 note with a special endorsement,
as if, for instance, it is endorsed, " Pay the within
to the order of A. B." Would the property in it
of A. B. be recognised in case of loss or if
there were further endorsements ,4 to C. D. or
order," and so on, would the Department recognise
property in the last indorsee? We infer so, because
such is the usage of business, and it seems as if the
Department wishes to assimilate those notes as much
as possible to commercial paper in regard to nego-
tiability.

THE SCHOOL FOR CONSULS.
Some time since the Department of State promul-
gated a code of regulations for the examination of
candidates for the position of consuls representing
the United States in foreign countries. Previous
to the institution of those regulations the acquisition
of a eonsulship seemed to be a privilege Within
the power of any man. All that was required
of him was that he should be a member of the
dominant party and have influential friends.
It made no difference that he was entirely
ignorant of the language of the country
to which he was accredited, that he had 110
knowledge of international law, and had no prac-
tical acquaintance with commercial transactions.
Under this loose system some men have been
appointed to consulships who disgraced the countcountryOthers, honestly intending to discharge their duties,
had not the necessary experience and made some
unpleasant mistakes. A consul who has not the
proper judgment sometimes presumes upon the
authority of his office, and allows his own prep-
dices to dictate his course as a national represen-
tative. The difficulties which have arisen in con-
sequence of the unauthorised acts of consuls
abroad have created vexation in the State DePart-
ment, and sometimes being of necessity disavowed"
the nation has appeared in a somewhat ridiculous
position. With many foreign nations diplomacy h
a regular profession, and no one is intrusted with such
unless he has had the proper training.
Hence, foreign consuls rarely make mistakes.
They know exactly what they ought t°,
do, and how far they will be sustain
by the home Government. The regulati o
fnn
lately adopted at Washington are now in t
operation, and they are likely to have an excellent
effect. IVe are told that they are not merely 10r,"
anal, but that they are to be carried out with strict-
ness. Examinations already held of aspirants for
consular honour and profits have developed the
fact that very few who desire such offices were coin"
petent to fill them. Only two persons of
late applicants have passed the ordeal. The others
wanted to be consuls, without any very clear ides
what consuls had to do. The consequences of the,
new rule must be excellent. If it is not abolished
by some subsequent denizen of the State Depart-
ment, it will in a few years appear that all the
consuls appointed by our Government are intelli-
gent, well instructed, and competent men.—Finia.
delphia Inquirer. all the