New-York tribune., 1896-05-04
THE BRITISH CONSULATE.
INTERESTING STORIES TOLD AT PERCY
sANDERsoNs OFFICE.
HOW THE IMPOVERISHED SUBJECTS OF GREAT
BRITAIN ARE AIDED BY THEIR REPRE-
SENTATIVE AT THIS PoRT-vAsr
COMMERCIAL INTERESTS
ATTENDED TO.

COMMERCIAL INTERESTS ~
ATTENDED TO-
Among those who travel In foreign countries
either for pleasure for business the flag OF their
own country. floating the abiding place OF
their consular representative Is a pleasant sight,
for 1t them of protection and tells them Of
a place to which they can go in time OF need. In
small places the consul is generally counsellor and
friend to all who apply, and combines in himself a
bureau of information. directory and charitable
sociaton. Even in great cities ike New-York repre-
sentatives of foreign governments called upon
In many different ways outside Of their usual duties
commercial agents. Few consuls In this city
would have slxpence left from their salaries,
any of their staff for that matter. If they to
respond to every call for financial aid made upon
them. In this city every foreign country Is repre-
sented by a consul-general a consul a consular
agent. whose chief duties to enter clear ship
and attend TO shipping matters, to look after the
general commercial interests Of his country. settle
quarrels between sailors and shippers and record
births and marriages. But those mentioned but
few Of the muitudinous duties that they actually
perform in the course Of year
THE CONsULATEs GROWING STEADILY.
Great commercial countries like Great Britain find
II necessary TO keep large staff In New-York. and
the British Consulate General Is growing larger and
larger year by year Vctoria's realm Is repre-
sented in this city by Consul-General. a Consul
two Vice-Consuls and staff Of eight clerks. who
occupy commodlous quarters In the Cheeseborough
Building. at No. "a State-st. Percy Sanderson. c.
NJ. c.. is the present Consul-General and Gilbert
Fraser is tho Consul Mr.. Sanderson was appointed
TO his post In 1894 upon the retirement OF Sir Will
lam Lane Booker Mr.. Fraser has been connected
with the office for twenty-eght years having come
here when lad OF eighteen. and risen to his pres
ent position from the ranks. There Is hardly
British skipper coming to this port he does not
typnu III hac heeu
Baltimore and when he takes his departure his
place will be found hard to fill. for, as the main
spring is to a watch. so Is Gilbert Fraser to Her
Majesty's Consulate General. Consu-General San
derson's Jurisdiction extends over the States or
New-York. New-Jersey. Rhode Island. Delaware
ard Connecticut.
Tribune reporter who called at tho Cheese-
borough Building to something OF the workings
Of the British Consulate. enjoyed an Interesting chat
with Mr. sanderson and Mr.. Fraser upon the sub
ject Mr.. Sanderson the chief. is tall. fne-ooking
man. still in the prime OF life and bearing all the
traces Of his training as a soldier. lie wears his
whiskers in the "Dundrcary" fashion. The Consul
General was born In 1912. lie entered the Madras
Artillery in 1850 and In 1864 was appointed to the
ROYAL Horse Artillery During 1865 and 1866 he acted
as dc-de-camp Sir William Denison, Governor OF
Madras and in 1868 was on the staff of Lord Napier
He was retired in 1870 account OF ill-health. Ills
career In the diplomatic service began six years
later when he was appointed Consul AT Galatz Ru-
mania He was Commissioner OF the Danube In
1882 and was repeatedly Charge d'Affaires at Bu-
charest from 1851 to 1856 Mr.. Sanderson was made
a Companion OF ST. Michael and st. George In 1856
lie IS bachelor.
MORE THAN A CHARITABLE INSTITUTION.
"The idea appears to be general" said Mr.. Fraser.
'that a consulate IL sort OF charitable institu-
tion and that consuls have little else TO do except
to dispense aid. financial or otherwise 10 heeuy
country1nen. Never was a greater mistake. made
Here VIC have. I might say. practically httie or no
fpnds available for assisting destitute British sub
tects In exceedingly deserving cases OF destitu-
ton IN which II appears TO the consu tha' the
,erson applying could be benefited by sending him
or her back to the United Kingdom IL would PROB
ably be done. but the relief granted "ou'i ony
ba a massage at the cheapest rate. II must also
ho ,rovrd 10 the satisfaction OF the consul that
,ho,- fr,ends in the United Kingdom are able and
willing 10 support them their arrival You would
-. surnrised 10 see what q complicated business
this is - A.
I'VE SEQ n good deal OF misery hero and many de-
carving NJ help whom We cannot officially assist but
g, s,cb cases we generally 80 down into our pockets
ana r,ve Temporary assistance. Numerous worthy
cosea arc referred every year to 81 George
socIety or 81. Andrews Society. lheso '"o so-
c,o,,ea have largo funds available Tor chafi.aoe
nrnos.s and besides giving temporary reiei 10 nun
drds they regularly pension number OF deserving
ft1
T., ,-s md 81, Georges In l7s. both for the purpose
>, ouevne their brethren In distress ana 10 promote
soc,al intercourse among their mempers '"o'
30 .nornous amount OF good. ST. Davids Society
a,so renders assistance. or tho several thousah's
n h,va boon sent home since have been mere.
or,v two have had the grace to wrte pach anu
80, -. or tell us they doing well. You Know
~ aI,yavs ike 10 know how those we help are GOING
W, ,,,a,b.r their condition was improved by our
assistance. ...,.,. <,,r,pc
QUEER YARNS SPUN BY QUEER CHAPS.
"some queer chaps come hero AT u'hes' 'o''''''
ned Mr. Fraser "and have listened 10 so''' q'o.'
varns These fellows only want to engage our AT
..,o, "a n financial agent, 80 TO speak But ofteh-
.tas uye ara expected to act in the dual capacity
q, financial agent and counsellor ana iIienu' ie
member one chap whom sen. nome, "e va. 80.
ov.rmv officer / knew OF his family ana 'ooh
~ .snecial interest In Ills case saw cap'a'"
bo promised to take the man over IN 'he oao,'
aIwovs mako n habit of being certain that 'he
neon,a get of. and did In TINS case "ne" ''e
cantojn returned he was not pdr'c"a''' -
o,,ar NV protege for the fellow was poSsesSe' VI
the idea that he owned the ship ana ac'eu aovo'u
-, us,ora the vessel had cleared Sandy HOOK
ne had walked into the captains capih anu WV"
~ ronark "Well Captain, what was II the "o'e'
80 ~ North Carolina said to the GoVerhor VI
south CarolIna?" took several inches ou' Vi '"'
cartan's private bottle. He contihueu WIN wv NJ
dactv and clock-like regularity 10 90 '"e '"'',e
thing with that and succeeding po'ues. anu "'a
himself so generally at home that 'hat par..'u'"a
oan,oIn will NOT want TO take another protege IN
hurry. ,,o,, M. |
"Another fellow. the son of clergyman "non' W,
were sending home, nearly lost MS Doa' anu ''s"'
breaking his neck by rushing down the sansp,A"a
so, the shin tlst before It drawn In. 10 shout
IN nv ear: 4 say old you haven't got an extra
flyer about you. have your 1t Is needless 10 say
that didn't not for him anyway Yes, cohcuIch hich
Nj Eraser "a consulate Is good place III VIII WIZ,
TO study human nature for we get every variety
here" a., ,,,.,aA r.orsuIate as may be |
sunnoscd from the size Of It's stan Is ex.reney ,
arge and the post Is most desirable ana ''po'''"'
one. -
THE BRITISH SHIPPING AT THIS PORT.