[Untitled]

To the diplomatic officers of the United States.

Gentlemen: I transmit herewith copies of the act of April 5, 1906, providing for the reorganization of the consular service of the United States.

Among the various provisions of the act is one creating a corps of five inspectors of consulates, to be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the members of the consular force possessing the requisite qualifications of experience and ability and to be designated and commissioned as consuls-general at large.

These officers are to make such inspections of consular offices as the Secretary of State shall direct, an inspection of each consular office to be made at least once in every two years. Whenever the President shall have reason to believe that the business of a consulate-general or consulate is not being properly conducted, the act provides that he may authorize a consul-general at large to suspend the officer or officers in charge and administer the office for a period not exceeding ninety days. Consuls-general at large are bonded officers, and possess the rights and powers which are ordinarily enjoyed by other consular officers.

Each consul-general at large will be assigned to a territory embracing several political divisions, and it will not be practicable to make application in the usual way for an exequatur. It therefore becomes of the highest importance that an arrangement be effected whereby these officers may be so recognized by foreign governments that in case it should become necessary for one of them to take charge of any consular office and administer it the only formality necessary to complete recognition sufficiently broad to enable the officer to perform all the duties ordinarily devolving upon a consul-general shall be a formal notification to the government of the country in which the office is situated, through the diplomatic representative of the United States, and the usual notification to the local authorities by the consul-general at large.

As the title of consul-general at large was selected with special reference to bringing these officers within the scope of our consular treaties, and as the occasions upon which it will be necessary to take charge of consular offices will probably be of infrequent occurrence, it is hoped that the plan outlined will be agreeable to the government to which you are accredited.

You will lay the matter before the proper authority, together with the inclosed list of the members of the corps of consuls-general at large and copy of the commission that has been issued to each of them, and you will request that recognition be granted in such form that, in case it should be necessary hereafter for one of those officers to take charge of an American consular office in the country in which you reside, he may be enabled to enter upon his duties without delay and without further formalities than a notification given to the government through our diplomatic representative, together with an [Page 7] announcement to the local authorities of the fact that he has taken charge of the consular office.

I am, etc.,

Robert Bacon,
Acting Secretary.

List and records of the consuls-general at large.

Note.—Recognition was accorded by every government addressed.

Bartleman, Richard M.: Appointed secretary of the legation at Caracas June 14, 1890; appointed consul at Antigua November 14, 1895; appointed consul at Malaga June 11, 1896; retired April, 1898; reappointed consul at Malaga June 27, 1899; appointed consul at Geneva May 8, 1900; appointed consul at Valencia October 31, 1900, to take effect January 1, 1901; appointed consul at Cadiz February 12, 1903; appointed consul at Seville May 7, 1904; appointed consul-general at large May 14, 1906, to take effect July 1, 1906.

Cheshire, Fleming D.: Appointed acting interpreter to the consulate at Fuchau September, 1877; appointed vice-consul at Fuchau August 7, 1878; in charge of consulate at Fuchau from November 20, 1878, to June 8, 1879; in charge of the consulate at Canton from October 18, 1879, to April 19, 1880; appointed interpreter to the consulate at Fuchau March 17, 1880; appointed interpreter to the consulate-general at Shanghai June 19, 1880; appointed also vice-consul-general at Shanghai March 22, 1882; in charge of consulate-general at Shanghai from August 24, 1882, to May 10, 1883, and from December 15, 1883, to July, 1884; appointed acting interpreter to the legation at Peking August, 1884; appointed interpreter to the legation at Peking Sepember 2, 1884; appointed Chinese secretary to the legation at Peking May 16, 1900, to take effect July 1, 1900; resigned February 21, 1901; served as Chinese secretary to the special plenipotentiary of the United States, April to September, 1901; appointed consul-general at Mukden January 22, 1904; appointed consul-general at large May 24, 1906, to take effect July 1, 1906.

Dickinson, Charles M.: Appointed consul-general at Constantinople September 17, 1897; appointed also agent at Sofia April 24, 1901, to take effect July 1, 1901; retired as agent at Sofia June 30, 1903; appointed consul-general at large May 14, 1906, to take effect July 1, 1906.

Murphy, George H.: Appointed consular clerk June 22, 1886; appointed vice and deputy consul at Chemnitz September 7, 1886; appointed deputy consul-general at Berlin March 7, 1889; appointed vice and deputy consul-general April 8, 1890; appointed consular agent at Hanover December 23, 1890; appointed vice-commercial agent at Luxemburg June 30, 1893; retired as vice-commercial agent February 13, 1896; appointed vice-consul at Colon January 17, 1898; designated to inspect consulates on the west coast of Colombia, Central America, and Mexico March 17, 1898; retired as vice-consul April 18, 1898; designated to inspect certain consulates in Mexico November 19, 1898; appointed vice and deputy consul at Bremen September 20, 1899; appointed vice and deputy consul at Magdeburg February 5, 1900; appointed vice and deputy consul-general at Frankfort December 1, 1900; appointed consular agent at St. Catharines March 13, 1905; appointed consul-general at large May 23, 1906, to take effect July 1, 1906.

Washington, Horace Lee: Appointed confidential clerk to Third Assistant Secretary of State June 4, 1892; appointed vice and deputy consul-general at Cairo October 1, 1894; appointed consul at Alexandretta October 30, 1896; appointed consul at Valencia June 13, 1899; appointed consul at Geneva October 31, 1900, to take effect January 1, 1901; appointed consul-general at Cape Town March 18, 1905; appointed consul-general at large May 18, 1906, to take effect July 1, 1906.

Copy of commission of consul-general at large.

The President of the United States of America to all ivho shall see these presents, greeting:

Know ye, that reposing special trust and confidence in the abilities and integrity of ——— ———, of——— ———, I have nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him consul-general at large of the [Page 8] United States of America, to take effect——— ———; and do authorize and empower him to have and to hold the said office, and to exercise and enjoy all the rights, preeminences, privileges, and authorities to the same of right appertaining, during the pleasure ofthe President of the United States for the time being; the said——— ———demanding and receiving no fees or perquisites of office whatever which shall not be expressly established by some law of the said United States; and I do hereby enjoin all captains, masters, and commanders of ships and other vessels, armed and unarmed, sailing under the flag of the said States, as well as all other of their citizens, to acknowledge and consider him the said——— ———accordingly; and I do hereby pray and request all rulers, governors, and officers to permit the said——— ———fully and peaceably to enjoy and exercise the said office, without giving, or suffering to be given unto him, any molestation or trouble, but, on the contrary, to afford him all proper countenance and assistance, I offering to do the same for all those who shall in like manner be recommended to me by the said rulers.

In testimony whereof I have caused these letters to be made patent, and the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed.


[seal.]
By the President:
—— ——,
Secretary of State.