Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05
CONSULAR SERVICE
IT LACKS ADVANTAGES OF OTHER
COUNTRIES.
Facts and Figures Showing the Most
Desirable Places-Many Posi-
tions Are Overrated.

impressed by what one or two told me. ="
said a Washingtonian in an uptown hotel
this morning, while commenting upon his
trip to a Star man.
I'm this country a consulship is consid-
cred among the cream of political plums,
ard, to a large extent, this popular I'M
preston is well founded. as 1t requires at
all times the strongest kind Of adzninistra-
| ton influence to pull one down. In certain
degrees. however. this Importance does not
attach abroad, where 1t Is recognized that
our consular service lacks In well-known
essentials advantages which are possessed
in the service Of other countries. In brief.
with few exceptions, the pay Is inSum-
cient, and il the quarters and appurtenances
usually maint aimed by our consuls were in
dicative of the real wealth, breadth, popu-
lation, power and greatness OF the United
States. the United States as a country
might be considered TO a foreigner about as
large territorially and otherwise as the state
OF New York.
Except in the instances which l will give
you to serve as examples, our consulsh1ps
are much overrated. save as change OF
place of residence. as the salaries are not
high and the cost of living is such that
saving is out of the question, as the posi-
ton carries with it a certain dignity as the
nations commercial representative, which
must be. and usually is, maintained
LAS 1 have never seen the consulates sep
arated into classes, | have prepared lew
facts and figures from official sources which
will be found to be of general interest
since there would appear to be misappre-
hension as regards fees, official and notarial,
salaries, etc.
Classification and Salaries Paid.
'In general terms. there are forty CONSUL
ates general. o04 consulates and ten COM
mercial agencies carrying salaries. The In
cumbents Of these latter offices are not per-
mitted to engage in business. There are.
however, eleven salaried consulates where
the incumbents are permitted to engage IN
business and thirtyeight consuiates ana
sixteen commercial agencies paying lees
where the incumbents may engage IN onsl,
ness or $40 United States consmates ana
commercial agencies in all.
THE highest salaried United States con-
sulate, I believe Is at Bangkok. SIAM, car
rying a salary Of 1850, but the consul Is
also minister resident.
THE official fees are turned INTO the
treasury, but the consul may retain the
notarial fees. which at some consuiates
are very heavy. nearly equaing the salary.
sometimes exceeding it. and at others OF
slight importance. Where no salaries are
paid the consul retains all fees, ana the
lowest salary is $1,000. The remaining
offices retain fees Thus, while the salary
of the consul at Bangkok Is $500 his
notarial fees last year were $o2l, and the
official fees but s4O4 Jumping to the other
extreme, the salary OF the 6clct al
at Paris. France is $1,000. his notarial fees
So 92S making his total income about sl3.-
600 year while his official fees were sbS,-
OOO the latter going into the treasury. IN
der the old system of retaining all fees this
office and that of the consul general at
London, were rich prizes to their incum-
bents
..There are ten United States consuships
paying a salary of 5000 year. In Great
Britain the London consulship carries this
salary, with $3.50 notarial fees and s59.-
T4O official fees. London, with Paris, yield
the largest sums in official fees to the gov
eminent, and the largest incomes in salaries
and notarial fees to the incumbents. The
consuIship at Liverpool. however. pays a
salary of 5000. with notarial fees of So
$40: Manchester. salary, $1,000: notaria
fees 81 $50; Southampton. salary $500;
notarial fees, 81 127: Dublin, $1,000 salary;
notarial fees, 1895; Edinburgh, $500 sal
airy: notarial fees. $1.1OO. and Glasgow
$1,000 salary: notarial fees, $l,l66
Importance Of Notarial Fees.
1.-The above are some Of the best-paying
places, but to show the difference in the
notarial fees received the salary OF the
consul general at Halifax. Nova Scotia, is
$500. while his notarial fees amount to but
s92 1t will be seen. therefore, that the
matter Of notarial fees enters very largely
into the total income of a consulship, as
| at Singapore the salary is g 900 and the no.
serve to show the great discrepancy exist
ing in combined fees and salaries and they
may be taken as examples of the entire
service. This fact will make it clear to the
public why some consulships are so much
sought after, while for others, paying sala-
rles equal or nearly equal. there is less
scramble upon change of administration
Il have compiled and classified these fig-
ures and those which follow from official
sources and they are we'll worth remem-
brance and putting aside for future refer
ence. Thus in the entire United States con-
suiar service there Is one consulship paying
4.JOO salary, at Melbourne, Australia !:
eight paying a salary of $4,000 eight of
$500 sixty.three Of 5000 forty-one Of
5000. seventy-hve Of $1,000, two Of 81 900.
seventy-six of $500. nine Of $1,000 and
tWenty-eight Of $1,000.
There are lot Of good-paying consular
offices in China the Office at Shanghai pay
fees. There are also three $500 consul
ships. five paying $1,000 salary and twelve
paying $1,000. Chile has one good Office
only, Valparaiso. paying $1,000, and Argen-
tine one. Buenos Ayres, paying $500
Brazil has one 5000 office, Rio de Janeiro,
and three paying 50, 800. France and domin-
ions has one office paying a salary Of S5.-
GOO one OF 50 800. one Of $4,000. two of So
900 five Of $1,000, and thirteen paying sal
aries Of 81 800 and under. Great Britain,
including her colonies, has four paying
salaries Of $1,000 one Of 81 500. one Of 81
600. one Of $500, ten of $4,000, nine of
eight of 1880 and under.
What is Paid in Remaining Countries.
THE highest consular salary in Germany
Is paid at Berlin, of $4,000 With 1otarial
fees amounting to $4,000. Our ofic at Bre-
men pays as much In amount, though the
salary is only $500, as the notarial fees
are worth s., 740, while the Office at Ham
burg, with a salary of $500, yields a
total Of $3.50 to the incumbent There are
| five $1,000 Offices in Germany, eight of So
500, thirteen Of 81. 900, and seven of 81. 500
and under. Mexico is a good country for
| the consular Office seeker as there are
| fourteen offices paying $500 and under,
one OF $4,000. and one. at the City of Mexi-
CO, OF - 900. with 81 300 notariai fees. Italy
| has twelve offices paying $1,000 and under,
and one OF $1,000, at Rome The office at
Vienna pays about IS 800 and there are but
| three offices paying $1,000 and under in
| salaries in Austria Hungary, Belgium hav-
| Ing an equal number. Japan has seven Of
| fees paying $1,000 and under and one,
Yokohama, is worth about $4,000.
The consul generalship at Monrovia,
Liberia. pays $4,000; at st. Petersburg, S..
| coo; Cairo, $1,000; Constantinople, SIS 600:
Zanzibar. $1,000; Christiania and Stockholm.
| $500 each. Barcelona is the best paving
| office in Spain, and 1t Is worth about 81, 5O0
| The Office at Panama is worth "a 600, and