The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-12
DUTIES or 1 consul.
An en-consal General Describes
some Of Them.


W&sssng-oa EefTsw.
hare oEtsn been asked wfas q esr-
ssssa Of tie EniEe,d STATES has 10 do.
Tie IN sntzon Is not an easT enc to
isnsser. Mue-l depends upon the con-
sElss OCCASION. and 10 tAe c0sxasry 30
which he Is aecrsssited- In some
countries. Is Eer instance IL China.
Japan, Tarkey and siam. SCR conss-
lar representative are IakiiriAl oszs-
GERS. 2na have exclusive fnris.aIet6Dn
over eEizninal osEenses committed by
citizens Cd Tie United sszses- In rnosf
Of the DrI entail countries xhey are also
aakberizsd 10 sdjadicate eisii disputes.
btSsn 10 kzrspesn eozntry. except
Iurkey, can : Tinted States e0nsul
exercise Judicial or diplomatic fune-
ti0ns- AT seaport wksere American
vessels touch, the adjustment OF Dis
Plates arising amongst their officers
aiad crews occupies much Of the con
ssII's tzme. whereas AZ 2n inland sta
ton ssfh duties are not performed.
In . general wgy the duties Of 4
United States consular ofHcer may be
classified ~ Official, or compulsory.
and GuaSi-ofsiei2i, or voluntary. Of
hfst lmportAnEe among the strictly
ofhes2l duties are those pertaining TO
camEierce. A part, bat By no means
the chief part Of this commercial
function consists IN the inspection and
c1rtlnCaflOn OF Invoices CT rnevchzn-
disc for export. such islvoices are
prepared Ia frirligzfes, one copy be-
ing retained in the consular Office. 0ne
delivered 90 the exporter and one for
warsled 10 the port Of destination of
the merchandise. 1t Is the primary
purpose Of this proceeding 70 insure q
correct statement Of the amount and
market value Of the wares as q basis
for levying the duties for which they
are subject, but the requirement APP
plies equally. whether the merchandise
Is ,1afiahle or free, and whether the
duties 20 be levied upon il are specific
or nd yzlorem-
The importance Of consular invoices
as 9 means OF preventing frauds upon
the customs revenue has been much
discussed and much nisapprehended.
sueh an invoice Is supposed 10 exhibit
an accurate statement OF the market
value o. the merchandise in the conn
try of lis production, and IL Is pre-
suined that a consul il acquainted
with the exact values Of al the arti-
eles exported from his district But q
large proportion Of these articles De
ing never mentioned In any market re-
port. and many OF then being manu-
factured expressly for the export
trade. their vaiues can be determined
only by ascegtainfng the cost OF their
production. A 10 many articles this
cost varies continually with the chang
ing conditions OF production. and IS
known only to the producers them
SOLVES To acquire precise inforrna-
ton a. 10 the first cost OF the great
variety Of wares exported from some
consular districts therefore requires
the closest ohservafioa, and also such
painssaking investigation As is scarce
III POSSIBLE within the brief and uncer-
tain duration of the consul's ordinary
term OF service.
The principal value of the invoice
consists in patting the exporter upon
his honor. and furnishing basis fur
investigation by the custom house ex-
peri.s- The exporter may ~ required
70 swear TO his declarations. bat being
asaally an alien who rannof Ne prose
,sufxd for perjury. his antheutie lated
statement i Just about as reliable as
his oath The consul may inder~e
upon the invoice his opinion thai the
merchandise il unsicrvalessi bat "a D. at
eve. his belief as 20 that nav be, be is
required ~ certify ans. forward the
exporters declaration. The fact that
the merchandise Is undervaIaesi IN any
ssiven invoice is, therefore, OF itself no
pr0ed that the consul who aushensi-
fafe3 the invoice has been renis. in
the discharge os his duty.
A consular function much more use
sul than the Scrusiny OF invoices i
that of commercial investigation and
report. To the successful Performance
Of this duty special talent and snowi.
edge are necessary. and experience j.
fzsesss successful auxiliary. The col
lection of really new and vAiu able
commercial information By an alien
Official is in most countries difficult.
particularly 50 when the investigating
official is q stranger to the language
and customs OF the people In con-
siiiar as in diplomatic duties, social
intercourse Is OF great value. and the
consul who enjoys such intercourse
among the people 60 whom he is &C
credited may discover avenues To com
mercial information not otherwise at
tasuAbie.
In Germany our consular officers
are Obliged 70 assume important re-
sronssbilisies arising from uisappre-
tensions and controversies IS 10 the
treaty rights OF German born citizens
Of the United States soioarning in
their native eountry- These troahles
gsaally have their origin in the mill
tary obligations and services exacsed
BY the German laws III, after he
reaches the are OF II, q native German
eaiigrateS from his country without
leave. il is presumed that he 2bsented
himself 10 avoid military service, and
when he returns. no matter how long
afterwards, be - Immediately brought
Ia account for this osfense. Many
such revisit Germany in the belief
that their naturalization as American
citizens eSempss them from pcoseen-
ton for any previous infraesi-n OF the
OBLIGATIONS Of German citizenship. but
shey soon find ont their mistake
Naturalization in a foreign country Is
no shield fo the returning German
eInigrant against prosecution for vio-
isficns OF the German laws committed
prior to the date of emigration A
great many difficulties arise from ig-
nor,AnS,e or disregard of this fact, and
out Ut the Multitude ~ cases which
cauae within rny jurisdiction ere may
be mentioned ay say al illustration.
While one Of the PrusSsan cavalry
~sxirssasatz Vas 81 .frSf3 y vsosxsyss Sssisfs4r
feIi from bis horse and was seriously
injured. After hospital treatment he
received a certifseate 81 discharge.
stating thai his injury united hifn
for further military service. bat re-
qniwsng that he shonlg report from
tsnse 20 time for medical examination.
Prasuuling that this acquitted him
from further dates with hi regiment
the ss4die= snigrAted 50 New YORK.
where he engaged IN business, and IN