The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-30
% CONSULATE aE c GIBRALTAR.
Father, Son And Grand son Have Served
 Since 1882

WASf11N04ONt NOV. ZO.-- W uri Consul Richard L. Sprague visited the state department last week he as suredly felt more at home in the build ing than most of his colleagues who wall it's corridors after a period of duty abroad, for "The Spragues of Gibraltar have given the United States a century of official service at that one post and made for themselves place in American consular history equal to that occupied by Gibraltar itself in the annals of the Brity army and navy" says the Amer. ican Foreign Service Journal.
 "For ninety-two years without inter ruption Sprague has acted as Ameri- can consul at Gibraltar--a remarkable record. Horatio Sprague of Boston, a member of a merchant firm whose yes sells sailed to Cadiz, Malaga, Malta and Genoa, was the first of the family to establish a residence abrOad-about the year 1900. The shipping trade was then growing; foreign branch was needed for the direction of the movements of vessels and to secure cargo for home ward voyages. Young Sprague, as a junior clerk, embarked on one of the firms ships with instructions to inspect Mediterranean ports and to open an of flee wherever trade was most active and shipping centralized. Extended Privileges
 During the war of 1872 the authori. ties of Gibraltar were obliged to order Mir. Sprague to leave the fortress. He took up a residence at Algeciras in Spain. but being held in high esteem by the governor of Gibraltar was granted the unusual privilege of entering Gibral. tar Bay daily with special permission to lay his boat alongside the quay to consult with his factors and represents, tives for the protection and development of his business. After restoration of peace between the United States and Great Britain Mir. Sprague resumed his residence at Gibraltar, and in 1882 he was appointed American consul by Presi- dent Jackson, the consular offices being established in City Mill Lane in the busi. ness section of the town under the gun ports of the old galleries cut high in the rock.
 "Horatio Sprague served as consul for sixteen years. He died in 184S and was succeeded by his son, Horatio Jones Sprague, the father of the present consul.
 "Horatio Jones Sprague, appointed by President Polk, was a man of many parts, who held a prominent place in the social and business life of Gibraltar, the south of Spain and Tangier. In 1850 MT. Sprague established the consulate on Prince Edward road, on the side of the rock overlooking Government House and the entrance to the naval harbors and the consulate is there today-seven. ty-four years in the same place.
 Assumed Post In 1S48
 "Mr. Sprague held the position of American consul fifty-three years, from 1S48 to 1901, and the records of his correspondence in that time contain dispatches and reports on many matters of great historical interest. He saw the movement of warships through the Straits in the Crimean war, the Ameri- can Civil war, the Egyptian and South African campaigns, and the war with Spain. And when Admiral Dewey re. turned from the Philippines he called on MT. Sprague to say that the most re. liable information received regardins the movement of Cervera's fleet was that sent by the consulate at Gibraltar
 Served Two Masters
 "Horatio J. Sprague, while American consul at Gibraltar, had the unique dis. tinetion of being at the same time and for period of sixteen years, American consular agent at Algeciras in Spain, He thus represented the United States before two governments, the British and the Spanish. 70.
 After the Civil war, and with the resumption of travel from the United States, the hospitality of the Sprague homestead was again enjoyed by many Americans who disembarked at Gibral. tar.
 When Mir. Sprague died in, 1901, after fifty-three years of service, he was sue ceeded by his son, Richard l.. Sprague the present consul. Dick Sprague has been in charge of the office twenty-three years and his many friends in and out of the service hope to see his name fig. ure in the register for many years to come.
 Gibraltar is undoubtedly the smallest consular district in the service, heina about three miles long and a half mile wide. But Dick Sprague's work is moi confined to his tiny district; he still acts as his father did, but unofficially
 consular representative of the United States in Spain when Americans al Algeciras become involved in difficulties with the authorities of the Spanish ety.