Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-01-14
THE CONSULATE SYSTEM.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-The secretary of
the state has responded to the letter OF senator
Fessenden, chairman OF the committee on
finance, requesting certain information coneet-
ed with the consular system, and also explain
ations in regard to the reasons which induced
the creation OF offices, or the increase OF com.
pensation.
The secretary says, seven consular offices
only have been created, with salaries of $500.
The compensation OF two has been increased
from $500 per annum to $500; one from
$50 to Sl50O; six from $1,000 to $500. OF
thirty three the compensation has been chang
ell from fees, with liberty to trade to salaries
OF Sl5O0 each, accompanied by restriction
prohibiting the consular officers from engaging
IN private business. 1t has been found by
experience, that the government is best served
when the consular officer is prohibited from
trade, ard elured to devote his whole time
TO public business
Mr.. Seward says, in addition to what ap-
pears in tabular statements, l think it proper
to remark that the appearance OF the insurgent
steamer Sumter, and the reports of others of
similar character fitting out as privateers, in
duced the department to appoint, under the
provisions of the act OF the 81 OF August last
consuls, with fixed compensation, and pro-
hlblted under bonds from engaging in private
business, or to change compensation from lees
with liberty to trade 10 fixed salary. AT The
principle ports in the West Indies, at four
ports i'll Mexico, two in Central America,
three in Brazil, and one in Venezuela, and for
the protection of our commerce in tile Medit-
orranean where it is much exposed to danger,
salalied cOnsuls lave been appointed, with lhe
same restriction as to engaging in business, or
the compensation changed from fees as above
to salary ; also at Algiers, at two ports on the
southern coast OF Spain, Barcelona, and Va
encia, with which there was formerly
direct commercial intercourse with The
southern states, and where in conse-
quence it was believed there was pre-
Vailing an interest in favor of the insur-
gents. at Lisbon at the suggestion of our
minister at Portugal, at three important points
in Ila'y, three in France, one on the Black Sea,
and two i'll Turkey, for similar reasons and
two appointments have been made at ports on
the northern coast of Spain, one in Norway
where we had no consul, two i'll Sweden for
the protection of our commerce in the Baltic,
and three in the Chinese and eastern seas
where our commercial interests are of great
and increasing importance
1t was ascertained soon after the establish.
ment of tie blockade that attempts were max.
ing to introduce arms aud munitions OF war
into southern ports from ports in England by
shipping them 10 ports in the British Provinc.
eSI tlic DdHdHldSI CuDd, anu MeAlCO, 10 DE
transhipped into smaller vessels and then to
evade the blockade wherever it could be best
accomplished. This induced the department
to appoint saaried c0nsus with the above
mentioned restrictions at Bristol and Cardiff
in England, at st. Johns, N. f., Prince Ed
ward Island and also to recommend sal
AIRY for the consul at PiciOu, N. :. The same
reason made it more important that at ports in
the British West Indies our interests should
be guarded by loyal American citizens I'M
trammelled by.buSiness transactions on private
account. Tde result has shown the wisdom
OF the law of August last. By every steamer
important information is received from oar
consuls abroad which is promptly cOmmuni-
Gated to the navy department and to our con-
suls in the West Indies, with view to place
them and the officers OF the blockading squad
ron on their guard. The information thus iur.
nished has led to the capture Of vessels loaded
with arms and munitions and prevented, to
some extent the importation OF contraband
articles into the insurgent states.
In the enumeration of saaried officers in the
Mediterranean, l omitted to mention Malta.
This island, from its central position, Its mill
tary occupation, and its means OF Geographic
communication, has become very important
consular post, The consul has repeatedly,
within few weeks, rendered valuable. service
Since commencing the communication the
department has received from him Dispatch
an extract OF which is herewith transmitted
for your information, and to illustrate what
have stated. Two salaried consular offices
have been established in Canada, one in Que.
bee and one at Gaspee Basin, to discharge in
addition TO their regular consulate duties, those
appertainng to confidential agencies of the
department, as it had learned that through
these and other places in Canada, there was
narripl IN n sVstpnlafip intprrOursa w th the
rebels in the insurgent states, and some ports
in Canada had become notorious for the ar
rival from and departure of rebels for Europe.
The salary OF the commercial agent at
Gaboon in Africa, which has long been vacant,
has been raised from $1,000 TO $500, in the
hope that it might induce some American
citizen to take charge of the post for The pro-
lection OF our commercial interests III that
quarter, and 10 prevent the abuse of our flag
in the slave trade. The appropriation which
is now asked for the consular service is, four
hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars.
This amount includes not only the coupon
satiOn OF our consular officers but also all
expenses for rent Of a consular office,
record books, seals, flags, postage, anu
other miscellaneous expenses, together with
the expenses Of consular courts in Turkey,
China, Japan, and Siam. From the above
named sum should be deducted at least one
HuHuTeu tllOuSduu uOlldTSJ lie vi lees
which will be paid into the treasury OF the
United States by salared consular officers,
that being about tine average for the last six
years. 1t will thus be seen, the whole expenses
Tor our consular establishment, embracing
nearly five hundred consular offices, is about
1886 900 per annum In view OF the protec-
ton which is thus given 10 citizens and sea-
men OF the United States in foreign countries,
and services rendered to American commerce
in its development and protection, and the in
fuence exercised by such number Of loyal
and intelligent men residing in the principal
ports aud cities OF the world in giving prop.
er tone to public sentiment through the cor
rection Of mis- statements and by truly repre-
sentng the American character, it will be
readily seen that these disbursements OF the
government are judieiously, economically
aud usetully expendad.
beg leave to request that you will introduce
the words "Algiers" aud Martinique" which
were inadvertently omitted III the letter OF tue
department addressed to you on the 9th inst,
aud increase the sum total for compensation
IN. tr.,tsN