National Republican., 1876-04-10
United States Diplomatic and Consular Repre-
ssntatiyes.
From the Japan eazette,1

from the Japan Gazette.l
The proposed reduction In rank and payment
Of the Diplomatic and Consular officers of the
United States, according to the bill introduced
in the House of Representatives on the 22d OF
January, affects the Americsn representatives
in the East to q considerable extent. The
Ministers in Japan and China are assigned
$4,000 a year. The offices Of Secretary of
Legation and Interpreter in Japan are to be
combined, with a salary Of 5000. No pro-
vision, however, is made for the qualification
Of the secretary to act as interpreter, and the
result of this change, IN case the bill should
pass, will be to deprive the Legation of all
means of communication with the Government
in the language of the country. The condi-
tion of the United States officials here, in re-
spect to interpreters, has almost always been
pitiful. One gentleman (Mr. Portman) who
held the place for 9 series of years in the cap.
ial, knew nothing whatever Of the language.
Others who have filled a similar position in
Yokohama have been equally incapable. The
American Government is singularly Indifferent
TO its interests and to the preservation of
its dignity and self-reliauce in this particular.
Three successive Ministers were obliged to
habtually avail themselves Of the assistance
OF transIators supplied by the Japanese
authorities or by the ENJOYS of European
Governments-principally that of England.
Under the proposed new arrangement, q re-
turn to that system Of helpless dependence
will be inevitable, since, as the State Depart
ment takes no measures, as rule, to provide
for even the most ordinary qualifications of
its diplomatic or other agents-(n no allusions
to present company being intended 1T is i'm
possible to suppose that the selection Of Secre-
tary OF Legation in Japan will be influenced
either by a presumed knowledge or an avowed
ignorance of the native language on the part
Of the applicant. The secretary in China is
also to be required to act as interpreter, with
q salary Of 5000. The Consuis General at
Shanghai and Kanagawa are to receive, re-
spectively, $500 and $500. The various
consuls are to be reclassifed. Those of
Hong Kong, Foochow, Hankow, Canton,
Annoy and Tientsin come in the third grade;
those Of Nagasski and Hiogo (including
Osaka) in the fourth. The consulate at
Leeds, England, which post has an interest
filled by the former Consul at Kanagawa-is
placed in the fifth rank. The Shanghai Con-
sul-General is allowed clerk at a rate not
exceeding $1,000 year. The payments of
interpreters to Eastern Consulates are regu-
lated by widely various standards. That of
Shanghai is set down at $1,000: Kanagawa,
SI,j00; Tientsin and Foochow, 81 600 each;
llahhON. hhlOl, SoAItoh aLo @AOhS etcV
each; all others in Japan and China, $500
each. As to marshalships, no specific details
are given, but the sum named for the whole
body in Japan, China, Siam and Turkey
is s1,700. There is a'remarkable discrepancy
between the allowance for prison mainte-
nance in the two Asiatic Empires, which
can hardly be accounted for solely on the
ground of the larger number of ports in
China. For rent, in that country, 81 800 are
allotted, and for wages of keepers, care OF
offenders and expenses $4,000. For Japan,
the items are $50 for rent, ard $500
for expenses. Altogether considered, what
ever degree of intelligence may have been
brought TO bear upon this general scheme of
diplomatic and consular resdJustment-and,
judging from American precedent in relation
to these services, it cannot be very ex-
alted or enlightened-the disposition OF that
part OF 1t which concerns the East is distin-
guished only by an ignorance and In lliserality
which compete with each other for prominence.
The entire system Of foreign representation,
as maintained by the United States, is un-
worthy any selfrespecting nation. 1t is so
utterly bad that perhaps step or two Of lower
depth will not materially change its aspect.
A little while ago We should have supposed
that it could not be worse; but when the con-
templated bill passes into an actual law, 1t
will, in matters concerning China and Japan,
and notably in the department Of inte rpreting,
become the Just cause of bitter modification
to American residents, and of amazement, to
say the least, among all other observers.