New-York tribune., 1922-09-03
u. S. Consulate's
Closing Shocks
Tyne Shippers
Newcastle Marine Men See
in Action Heavy Blow to
Business With America:
Fear Traffic Diversion
Lord Mayor Will Act
City Officials Ignorant, They
Say, of Amy Irregulari-
ties; Office Moves to Hull

| NEWCASTLE ON : TYNE, England,
Sept. 2 (By The Associated Press y
Business and shipping circles here were
| fairly seething with excitement o-day
over the closing of the American Con-
sulate, which bids fair to strike a heavy
| blow at the Tyne shipping business
with America and may also result in
Tyne ships now stopping at American
ports, being directed to Canada. Lord
Mayor Mulligan intends to bring the
whole matter before the city council
with view to getting the consulate
reopened. The Tyne Improvement Com
mission, which has official jurisdiction
over the whole Tyne shipping area,
also is taking action.
| Municipal officials disclaim all
knowledge of any investigation and of
the charges resulting in the with
drawal of the exequaturs of Consul
Slater and Vice~Consul Brooks. Of
ficials to-day expressed intense sur
prise over the whole affair, and the
seems to be that the charges were
preferred by agents of British steam
ship lines who claimed unfair discrim-
ination against them by the consulate
in favor of American lines.
News that the consular business at
Newcastle was being transferred to
Hull has served to add fuel to the al
ready considerable conflagration, as
business men here say that this will
mean not only large monetary loss
but a blow to the city's prestige.
Surprise to Lord Mayor
| The Lord Mayor, in discussing the
subject to-day, disclaimed all knowledge
OF irregularities at the consulate.
ut was with the greatest surprise" :"
ne said, chat l learned from the press
have had the happiest of associations
with the American consuls here for the
last twenty years, and particularly DUR
ing my present year of office. Only
| ten days ago / had the pleasure Of
paying an official call on Mr.. Slater and
we had most happy interview only
hope this is temporary difficulty
| which Will be got over, as it is i'm
portant that we have consulate, both
for Newcastle and for American in
terests here. Newcastle suffers in
prestige and dignity and the loss of the
consulate. Moreover, the transference
to Hull will mean considerable none
tary loss to Newcastle. 1t is almost
unthlnkable. / shall bring the matter
before the next meeting of the coun-
Gill;"
| The correspondent was told to-day
that John w. Allison, who moved from
Newcastle to 106 Paul Street, Ypsilant,
Mich, had made striking affidavit in
favor OF the consulate recently. He
was said to have booked passage on an
American liner at the suggestion of
the consulate after his wise was grant
ed. Later he was asked by certain
| interests to make an affidavit saying
he was forced to book passage on the
| American line in order to get his wise.
This he declined to do. He reported
the matter to Mr.. Slater, making an
affidavit that he booked passage volun-
tarily and that nothing was said to
kim about passage before the wise was
granted
Slater's Russian Bride
| The newspapers here are grasping
eagerly for any bit of information
bearing on the case. "The Yorkshire
Post" published an article purporting
to be an interview with friend Of
Mr.. Slater, who said the consul, while
| at Riga, married Russian lady of
noble family, who accompanied him to
new appointment at Nassau, BAHIA
mas. Unable to endure the climate
/ there, said the article, she returned
to Russia and her husband had not
/ heafd from her since the revolution.
| The article also said Mr.. Slater had
had mental breakdown, for which q
years leave was granted Mr., Slater's
laughing response to this article was
that iswife was born in Illinois, that
he had never been in Russia, that he
had never been granted leave on ac-
count of illness, and that his only pre-
Ivious post had been in Canada.
/ The consul has received orders
from London that ell invoices from
the Newcastle district be passed by the
consul at Hull.