Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-13

Mr.. Layard, in his late speech on administrative
reform, contrasted the ages Of the English generals
in the Peninsular war and in the present war with
great effect. He said
"The Duke of Wellington was Major General
at SS the Marquis of Anglesey, 81; the Earl Of
Dalhousie, 38 the Earl of Stratford 80; Lord
Hill, 33; Lord Bresford, 80; Sir George Murray,
40; Lord Cumbermore, 81 ISrd Londonderry,
32n
BY way of contrast, l have here list OF the
ages of the general officers in the Crimea, which,
believe, is correct, and which shows how much
attention has been paid to the recommendations OF
the commission:
I" Lord Raglan, 81 Sir ]. Burgoyne, rs; Gene
raj Brown, IS Duke of Cambridge SO Sir d. L.
Evans, So; Sir r. England, SO; Sir G. Cathcart,
81 Lord Lucan, 90 General Tylden, entered SER
vice in 1906, SO; General Gator, entered SER
vice in 1908, SO General Strangways, entered
service in 1905, So; Commissary General Filder,
"a; Admiral Dundas, entered service in 1899, 81 (;
Lord Rokeby, 81"
\ All these are gallant officers; they have served
their country well, and the country would rejoice
to honor them, and to pension them; but when
the interests and honor Of the country at stake
we must not allow private considerations to have
weight in appointments Of this kind. Hear, hear.
Speaking of the disproportion Of noblemen to
yeomen in the public service, he also said
come now to the diplomatic service, in which
] am somewhat more at home as have had con-
siderable personal experience Oft and have made
it, too, subject of study Twill divide it into
two parts--diplomacy proper and the consular ser
vice. Recent events have shown us Of what inn
portance our diplomatic service is, what important
questions are committed into its hands, and yet II
there is one service more than another which Is
made the vehicle for favoritism it is our diplomacy.
Hear, hear. Here is little book published an
nually by the Foreign Office which gives list Of
those who are employed in our diplomatic service.
/ open it at random and read:
Hanover--M Minister, the Hon. John Duncan
Bligh, O. b.; Secretary of Legation Hon. G. Edg-
cumbe; First Attache, Hon. w. Nassau Joceyn.
Then go to Austria. There the Minister is the Earl
Of Westmoreland the Secretary of Legation, Hon.
Henry G. Elliott First paid Attache, Hon. Julian
II. @. Fame. turn to Berlin, and there Tread
Minister, Lord Bloomfield; Secretary obligation,
Lord Augustus Lotus; First paid Attache, Hon.
Lionel L. Sackye West; Second Attache, Hon.
William G. O. Elliot and 80 on throughout, show
ing what a complete monopoly the service s.a y
From this little book have made the following
analysis Of the composition of the service:
Heads of Missions--7 lords, Q honorables, 9
baronets, noble families, gentlemen, nearly all
small missions 81 against 7. Secretaries of Lega-
tion---2 lords, 0 honorables, baronet, noble
families, 7 gentlemen; II against Z. Paid At
taches-l lord, honorables, 8 noble families, 10
gentlemen; Ia against 10, but the 10 include
Turkish or Persian Mission. Unpaid Attaches
2 lords, honorables, noble families, II gentle
men; l6 against H."
My honorable friend, the member for Stafford,
the other night mentioned the case Of Mr. Stanley,
who had been precis-writer in the Foreignsofice,
and who after six days service as second attache,
was made first attache and, after threayears SER
vice as first attache, was promoted to the post OF
Secretary of Legation. Certainly / should have
thought that that family had had enough-two
peerages and bishopric besides other things,
ought to have suticed for them
Then, on the other hand, there is the case of
Mr.. Alison-emphaticay man Of genius--who
has been kept at the embassy at Constantinople
since 1889. An ADLER man does not exist yet the
government, though they have made him Oriental
Secretary, will not allow him to rank as secretary
delegation, or to claim increase Of pay he is kept
under such men as Mr.. Stanley, and others who
have been put over his head.
There are great many other cases. all Of which
are equally as bad; and let the House take my
word for it--for / have been engaged in diplomacy
and in the Foreign otfice-there is nothing but fa-
voitism in diplomacy. Yet the noble lord, Lord
Pamerston) gets up and says that it Is great mis-
take to suppose that when vacancies occur In the
higher Offices the selections are not made with
view to efficiency.
There is the case of Lord Normandy, our pre-
sent minister in Tuscany, whose Office a commit
tee Of this House recommended should be abolish
ed or merged In another. Certainly ii has been
well said that the country may afford TO pension
incapacity, but cannot afford to employ il. / am
sorry 10 have TO refer to individual Instances but
cannot finch from that task when il is necessary
to perform ii in order to expose crying evil and
abuse. Hear, hear.