New-York tribune., 1901-01-06


become first the innocent instruments and then
the victims of INSCRIPTIONS promoters
OTHER SIMILAR CASES.
The names of at least two other former Am
bassadOrs who allowed themselves to be ruined
in the same way Lord Dufferin may be re-
called, namely. Sir Edward Thornton. who spent
many years British Envoy at Washington
and Lord Augustus Lotus. who represented his
country successfully at Berlin, Vienna and ST.
Petersburg. From this it will appear that a
radical reform IS necessary in connection with
the grant of diplomatic pensions. In connec-
lion with the Whitaker Wright smash in Lon
don. 1t is not poor Lord Dufferin who is to
blame, but the Government, that by the in
adequacy of its provisions for the old age of so
efficient and deserving a public servant. forced
him to embark in enterprises which he did not
understand, in order to provide for the main
tenance of himself and his family
1t is difficult to conceive of greater anomalies
than those which exist in connection with the
granting of pensions in England. Thus, the
$4,000 year judges of the Supreme Court re-
ceive on their retirement twO-thirds and some
times even three-qCarters of their salary at the
time of their withdrawal into private life. The
pension of an officer in the army navy is
rated at 30 per cent of his last full pay after
twenty years of service. while after twenty-five
years he gets a pension amounting to seven
tenths of his last full pay. Ordinary civil ser
wants of the British Crown who retired on
account of age and who have a quarter of
century Of service to their record count
on a retiring allowance equivalent to at least
twO-thirds IF their last salary.
But for some reason Colonial Governors and
diplomats precisely the people who if high
principled and patriotic, have the east oppor-
tunty TO save, receive pensions that are alto
gether out of proportion TO the salaries and
allowances they have been receiving while in
office. Were the same rule to have been applied
in the case of Lord Dufferin is the with
judges, naval and military officers and ordinary
civil servants, he would to-day be drawing about
$31 900 year as the twO-thirds OF his salary as
Ambassador at Paris. instead Of his pttance of
$1,000 year. In the same way Lord Paunce-
fote, instead of having to content himself when
he retires with the same pension as Lord Duff
ferin, would be entitled to S25 200
The niggardliness of the British Government
toward its ex-AmbassadOrs is all the
amazing when one takes into consideration its
liberality, extravaganza. toward those of its
minor employees who have been legislated out
of Office or whose posts have been abolished.
The British Foreign Office has a long list of
pensioners who have rendered little or no ser
vice to the State, but who have for whole
decades been drawing large pensions solely as
compensation for the wiping out of existence of
their offices. Thus a British Consul at st.
Petersburg named Michele, who. through no
fault of his own, but in pursuance Of instruc
tions received from his Government, became in
volved in a quarrel with the late Duke of Edin-
burgh and COburg. well as with the Russian
authorities, and had TO be recalled, received
compensation allowance of $1,000 a year. which
he has now been drawing for thirty-four years
without doing a stroke of work. Sixteen years
ago the Foreign Office in London came TO the
conclusion that it no longer needed trans
lator. So, instead of dismissing it's translator
with gratuity, il gave him compensation al
lowance for the remainder of his life of 81 900
year. Attached to the British consulate in
New-YOrk there formerly a minor official
known as arbitrator. Thirty-two years ago
his office abolished, and ever since then he
has received an allowance of 81 900 a year from
the British Foreign Office. These only
be cited 1t certainly does seem strange that
when the British Government afford to be
so extravagantly liberal to minor officials it
should be closefisted to it's ex-AmbassaiOrs
and ex-ColOnal Governors.
DISCOURAGING FROM PUBLIC SERVICE.
The fate which has Overtaken Lord Dufferin,
the beau ideal of Irish nobleman and of
public spirited peer of the realm, is enough to