New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-04
" HIS MAJESTY'S CONSUL"
Distinction Betzceer Those Thus
Styled and the Mere Consul"

There are consuls and consuls. And there is
very great difference between the functionary who
performs his consular duties without remuneration
and the dignitary who draws regular pay. with
the assurance of pension on his retirement from
the service OF the government. Especially Is this
the case with the English consular service Inose
consuls who work without pay ard who are not
necessarily English citizens. but oftenume natives
of the country IN which they fulfil their consular
duties. and in business there. are known merely
as British consuls." Indeed there are even Brit
ish consuls general of this same order at Vienna
and at Berlin.
They have nothing in common. however, with
the paid English consular service. The members
OF the latter are all Of them English citizens, and.
like the officers Of the diplomatic service holc
commissions signed by the sovereign Ihey are
styled His Britannia MaJestys consul consul gen.
eraI vice-consul' the case may De- are
apt to resent being referred TO merely as BRUSH
consuIs.' and drawn from an entirely ollleIenI
class from that from which the unpaid consular
officials recruited
Often they are retired officers Of the army ana
navy. who have done distinguished service
on special missions IN Africa and ASIA Like the
members Of the English diplomatic service they
are nearly all men Of some private means OF tnelr
own and Of excellent social position. In iac'' SO
far as the social standing Of consUs Is concerned,
there is doubt that the English commissioner
consuls are superior to those Of every other couh-
try. and there is certainly consular corps. with
the exception of that OF the United states which
show such long OF distinguished names
and Of eminent men on its roster. Among them l
need merely cite those Of Sir Richard Burton, the
famous African. Arabian and Asiatlc explorer. who
spent some thirty one Of her late uaJestys
consuls In various parts of the world; OF Nl4lah
6. Palgrave, who. equally famous as an explorer
and q scholar, was consul al Trebzond, at Manila
in Bulgaria and Bangkok; C. H de Coetlogan.
who was one of Gordon's ueutenants at khartourn
and the last Of his European officers 70 see MIN
alive, and Sir Percy Sanderson. former ofhcer or
artillery. who, after serving in India, spent some
twenty years in Rumania English delegate on
the international commission for the control OF the
navigation OF the Danube. and who knows more
about that intricate question. which Is now ABOUT
to come to the fore than any one else in
this country. Sir Percy. who is a grandson Of the
first Lord Canterbury and brother OF Sir Thomas
Sanderson. the permanent Uuder Secretary Of State
for Foreign Affairs, is the consul general In New
York. and mas his principal lieutenant a consul
who is the son or the late Sir Edward Give Bayey.
one OF the most distinguished members of She In
dian Civil Service, the son having wor his spurs as
a member OF the military expedition which was
undertaken against the King OF Benin. in West
Africa, for the purpose OF Furnishing him foF the
massacre OF mission which had been dispatched
TO his capital.
I cite these names as they occur TO me. and
many more could be mentioned In order TO show
the class OF from which His Britannia
Majestys consuls' are recruited. Under the cir
cumstances. the proposal which has been put for
ward 10 restrict consular appointments. in a large
measure, 10 men who have received a commercial
training, and who have been In business, is likely
prove detrimental. rather than beneficial TO the
service. for men who have commercial acumen
and business antecedcnts will hardly care 10 sacrt-
fee advantageous prospects IN their calling for
the sake o: the meagre pay. the slow promotion
and hard work OF a consul In fact. the only men
with commercial training who would be likely 10
seek employment IN the consular service are pre-
csely those who are unable 10 achieve any success
in business: is say the fruits secs (dried
frulO OF the trade. on the other hand, men who
have already distinguished themselves In the
vice Of the government as soldiers. az sen, as ex
plorers. etc. with means OF their own, who
not wholly dependent their consular pay.
viii lie keTt from joining the consular service. In
deed the reforms proposed by the parliamentary
commission which has been discussing the reor.
ganzation OF the English consular service are
likely 70 prove detrimental to the latter. and
to Eng.ands prestige abroad than OF advantage
thereto