New-York tribune., 1876-01-22
WASHINGTON.

WASTE WITHOUT ADEQUATE WORK.
sINEcURE OFFICES UNDER THE STATE DEPART
MENT BEING LOOKED ISro-oUR COSTLY DIS
PATCH AGENTS ABROAD BAD HABIT OF
REsrGNING BEFORE MISREPRESENTATION OF
CoNsUIATEs.
sr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBusR.l
WASHINGTON Jan. 21.-The House Committee on
Expenditures in the State Department are going TO
work with good deal of zeal in direction which
gives promise of praiseworthy results. The State
Department IS probably the best managed Of any
of the departments at Washington, and yet
there are abuses which ought TO have
been swept away years ago. One Of the evils of the
foreign service is the system of dispatch agents,
whose Office is almost entirely ornamental, and
whose duties have been in some cases the sending
home of kid gloves ribbons and laces, thus evading
the Customs laws THIS is of the things the
Committee intend to look into. A letter has
already been prepared by Mr.. Springer, Chair
man Of the Committee, asking of the Sec
retary of State statement OF expenses OF
the various dispatch agents, namely: Radchn
Baldwin Of New-YOrk, Jonathan Amory of Boston,
B. +. Stevens of London, Thomas Taylor of Havre.
and Edward Robinson of Hamburg for the year end
ing June 30 1876 The letter also calls for the
era items of their expenses and the act OF Congress
making appropriations therefor, together with the
number Of letters dispatched and the amount of
postage pad Oh them Careful inquiry discovers
the fact that the dispatch agents pretty costly
luxury. Mr.. Stovens's expenses III London besides
his salary are about 2j 900 year. and his bill for
postage amounts to from $4,000 to $4,000 per
year.
Another branch Of inquiry of the Committee will
be the manner in which the annual appropriation of
$40, 900 is paid to the Barbary powers under the
act fixing the compensation of ministers and con-
suls residing at the Barbary coast. Ii is desired To
know what treaty stpulatons exist. If any, re-
quring such expenditure, and whether the Govern
nent of the United States is under the necessity OF
continuing this appropriation.
Still another subject embraced in Mr. Sprnger's
letter to Secretay fish is, whether any persons have
since March, ls60 been appointed and have received
pay and cmoluments of office, and have resigned
before entering on the discharge of their duties.
The names required, together with the amount
received by each. One of note, which has
fallen to the attention Of the Committee, occurred
several years ago, in which Tennessee gentleman
was appointed to foreign mission and resigned
year afterward without leaving the country.
The abuse existing for several years of sending
favorite friends Of the President pleasure ex-
cursion round the world under of the appoint
ment If an inspector of cOnsulates, is also TO be
looked into, and the Secretary Of state has been
asked to give the names of all inspectors, the
amounts received by each, the expenses of each, the
time employed, the consulates visited, and what
services were rendered for the money expended
Mr.. Randolph keim, Parson Newman, and Others
will probably be given an opportunity to explain
their expenditure of time and money while bearing
the commissions of President Grant The Commit
tee will sit tomorrow, and viii hear Mr. Newman
on the subject Of the consular service OF the Govern
rrlntl