New-York tribune., 1886-04-02
NEJI PUBLICATIONS.
THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.

AMER1CAN DiPLoMACY AND rIdnxr Thk fs srHirs.
Ph. D., LID svo pp. XIV, 4Go. 0harieS 0c'i'ho'
Sons.
Mr Scbyyler's interesting volume s based ufon
two courses of lectures, delivered at JONES I'oIA'
and Cornell Universities respectively. ard it con
ssts in effect of TWO lre treatises, one explaining
the organization. rules. customs and purposes OF ohr
dpomatic aLl consular servic,. the other sketchlng
the bistorv OF American diplomacy il relation 10
eon,e of tbo important questions of public law ana
commerce in which it has been employed. lhc
candid reader will put down the book WIN CON
ycton that the value of the service IS lar greater
than basty public is apt TO suppose that IL il III
fact essential to our welfare and is becoming more
and more useful every year as the intercourse
hot vacp nations grows moro intimate and their
commercial and other relations are drawn closer
vet that the United States Government takes il'ie
pains to keep up its efficiency ana treats IL WIN an
ignorant neglect of which no 0ther great c'N'iHo'
power seems capable That in spite of such dis
couragcmcnt our diplomacy has often hcch uistln-
pnjsAed for ability and success is attributable prn-
cpaliy TO the characteristic tact aud quicKhoss Oh
Americans in accommodating themselves to mover
exirencies We appoint representative without
tLe least regard TO his fitness, and send h'm abroad
i'll ennipped in all respects for Lis delicate dnties;
and TO everybodys surprise-mcst OF all to MS own
-he sometimes develops capacity OF whIch lie mac
riven no previous sign. But unfortunately IHese
miracles do not happen every day
Mr. SCHUYLER bagins with an account OF the state
Denartmcnt. its personnel. its methods OF dolng
business its relations with the two branches OF
Congress and the appropriations for It's support
The unintel gent manner i'll when tic money l"r
onr diploatic and consular Offices is voted. not 50
much by Congress as by irresponsible ana iilln-
formed committees to whom the real business IS
ic
and House habtualIy disagree; the appropriation
hill is then sent to committee OF conference
,atcbed M by q systen of give and take, ana re-
n,rted in the last hours Of tho session in such n
form that the changes agreed upon cannot be DIS
covered except by collation. OF texts "hlch no
BODY then has time to make. After II mas been
nossed in the dark the most miScLievous and
unjust provisions sometimes 1ound IN
IT, Faithful officers at foreigu posts are net unire
ouentIv surprised by the announcement that Their
salaries have been cut down or stopped mouth
or so before the notice reaches them; OF thcy are
left personally responsible for debts of the Govern
npnt because svlne perfectly legitimate item mas
been struck out in the course of the conference
committees bargain and sale. Atter Admiral onu-
teldt had made the treaty with Corea We were the
FIRST to omen commercial relations with that eoun-
FRY and to send a diplomatic representative. lie
had the title of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
PlcApote tiary; ss the first TO arrive ana the
b CHEST ia rank he too the lead OF the diplomatic
oorns: and the Corean Government followed hls
advice in arranging the terms of Intercourse with
foreign p wers. American niuence thus became
predominant In Co:ea. Untll coininlitce OF con-
cress suddenly reduced the rank OF the envoy.
tro,n the head of the diplomatic body he went to
the foot the Coiean Co crnmeDt, naturally sup
posing that hs Official conduct had been disap-
! n I'd and American
influence in Corea was for the t.mo at an end.
The cbaptcr on our Consular system gives great
deal of interesting Information about the duties OF
consus. and perhaps # 1t were generally known
how much IS required of those iunctionares ana
how little of them get for il the canor Tor APP
pontments would be considerably reduced. Tie
| imnor+ance of the system established by Secretary
Evarts for collecting commercial and industrial
data through the cOnsuates and promptly publish
| ing the reports is fully recognized. We presume
that our Consular corps has generally been better
than the bad system of appointment would have
justified rs in expecting it to be; but Mr. Schuyler
points out some particulars in which 10 could be
greatly improved. Uncertain tenure of office,
meacre and caprclOusly propOr ioned pay, absurdly
,nadeauate allowances for necessary office expenses.
are among the discoura gements ith which popular
government sees fit TO reward ITS servants; but
the greatest obstacle 10 Improvement IN the service
is the consul's knowledge that 10 degree o! zeal
and efficiency will earn recognition al Washington.
| A remarkable commentary upon the system OF dis
tributing cOnslshps is furnished by the history OF
Secretary Stewards scheme for creating the nucleus
IF genuine service l'y the appointment of small
corps of consular clerks who could be removed only
for canse stated in writing and submitted to Con
gress a bill was passed II 1854 authorizing the
appointment of thirteen such functionares with
/ :, f..G fsnr
five years continuous service. But the scheme has
never got any further because these clors generally
refuse promotion, knowing that the moment they
become consuls they can be removed without cause
to make way for others
The chapter on Diplomatic Officials contains some
excellent remarks on the qualifications OF ENJOYS
and ministers, which hope may be read by the
| President and Secretary OF State before they III
dulge in any more freaks of selection. The chief
business of an envoy is not to settle quarres but to
| prevent them. In nine cases out OF ten bc can do
much more for his country by a few timely words
EXCHANGED with Minister of State in friendly un-
official intercourse than by formal requests, de-
mauds, remonstrances, and so on, which naturally
| lead TO contentious answers. As matter OF fact
the diplomatic business of Nation which Is well
served by its representatives, is mostly done in ths
way. Hence it is of the frat consequence that an
envoy should he fitted by education, manners,
temperament personal qualities, and knowledge
Of languages TO make himself acceptable the best
society of the capital to which he is sent other
wise he will have no opportunity OF forming dcsr-
able intimacies or leaning ANYTHING more about
the course of events than anybody can read in the
new spapers. The pertneDcy of these consdera-
tions to the two appointments OF Mr.. Kelley is
obvious. If for any reason. though it may be
from an absard prejudice, a minister is socially
unpleasant TO the Government or 10 the society of
the place, he is unfit 10 I've minister in that par