Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-03-29
THE PALERMO CONSULATE.
WASHINGTON. March %. ISIS:

aShlNNION, Warren ~, 1880.
To the editor Of the Alerandria Gazette:
The following letter appeared in the GA
ZErTE last January:
CORRECTION.
MARION, Ala Dec 23, 1892.
I'm. {. Marshall, Esq:
MY DEAR SIR: have ust read, in the TrqiGuR
OF the list, an extract from the Washington cor
respondencc OF the ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE in
which the writer, speaking of the Increase Of the
salary OF Mr.. S. ?. Bayly, o. S. consul at Palermo,
says: =
This increase was made in consequence OF the
efficiency with which Mr.. Bayly has discharged
the duties of his office. When he first took charge
OF the consulate, the Government fees of the Office
amounted to $500; those for the present year
will amount to over ST. 600"
Having been Mr.. Bayly's predecessor, am
somewhat concerned in this statement
l took charge of the consulate in July. 1874.
The fees reported for the year before, viz: That
ending June Both, 1874 were 81 65316 For
the year ending June 3Oth, 1875 the first of my
administration, they were 81, 215. So. In May,
10 left Italy for America, and resigned the
office. The fees for the year ending May 31st
1876, were S5,341.1S, instead of 81 600, as
stated by the GAZETTEs correspondent. These
facts are taken from copy Of my last report to
the Department of State and show the rapid in
crease in the commerce Of the port which it seems
is still going on. 1t is very distasteful to me to
have to go before the public in such connection
as this, but felt it to be my duty TO make this
statement, that the erroneous one which called it
forth may be corrected by the IirgiGidn the AL
| ExASDRIA GAZETTE, aud other papers that have
given it currency. Very truly yours, &C.
ROBERT FRAZER.
In reply to Mr.. Robert Frazers distinction
without a difference, misnamed correction,
] beg space in your valuable journal to say
that inquiry discoses the fact that Mr.. Bay
ly in his dispatches to the Department of
State instituted Il comparison between the
Government fees collected in the year 1874
and not in 1876, and those of the present
year. But so far as Mr.. Frazer is concern
ed" it is immaterial with which year the
comparison is made; the result is substan-
TALLY the same as stated by your Washing
ton correspondent, upon the authority of
Mr. Frazer himself, strange to say. Mr.
Frazer says the increase of fees during his
administration. viz: in 1875 and 1875, was
due to the increase of the commerce Of the
port Ihis IS not the case the present year
as MIR. Frazer would have one infer because
the commerce OF the port is even less than
it was in 1874. The increase is entirely due
to the efficiency with which Mr. Baylv mas
discharged the duties of his Office.
He discovered that frauds had been com
for many years by the shippers of Palermo
10y Il consolidation Of several shipments into
one invoice in orderto avoid the payment
OF consular fees legally due, and recommend
Ell 10 the Secretaries of State and Treasury
| certain measures of~reiorm looking to the
correction of this and other fraudulent prac-
tees, which were heartily approved and
| adopted--hence the increase Of fees, the ad-
vancement OF Palermo one grade, and the
merited praise which Mr.. Bayly receives for
the singular ability he has evinccd in the
| conduct Of his office.
The increase of fees in 1915 and &c, Mr..
Frazer says, was due TO the increase of
commerce had there been no increase of
commerce the fees would have been about
the same as in 1874, viz. 81 900, in round
numbers. But the commerce OF the port is
| less the present year than il was in 1874
and yet the indications are that Mr.. Bavly
will collect in fees 81 900, SO that, accord
| ing to Mr.. FraZers own statement. if we
make comparison on the basis of the
amount of the commerce of the port-it is
immateral with which year comparison is
made-thc difference between $1,000 and
SlI 900 is the financial gain of the Govern
ment in fees and would / be far wrong in
saying that it marks thediiercnce between
the administration of Bayly and that of his
predecessor? Was it not that Mr.. Frazer
says that it is very distasteful to him to 90
before the public in such connection as
this, | would venture TO suggest to him the
propriety OF correcting the impression his
letter is calculated to produce, viz that the
increase of fees at Palermo is due to the
| increase of commerce instead of to the efii-
cheney with which Consul Bayiy has admin
istered his office A SUBSCRIBER