CLASS V.-continued. VOTE 1.-DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICES-continued. K.- Sub-Head 8. Statement C, appended, shows the cost of the "Collection of Commercial Intelligence" in 1905-6 to have amounted to 1,955l. 198. 8d. thus raising the total charge to Commercial 12,8291. 118. 4d. The appointment of Commercial Agents at certain posts had been Agents. Sub-Head sanctioned by the Treasury for an experimental period of three years from the 1st January 1903. As it was found that the expenditure had not ceased on the expiry of that period I inquired whether the subject had again been brought under the notice of the Treasury. In reply I have been informed that while unable to approve the further prolongation of the scheme until 31st March, 1908, as recommended by the Secretary of State, Their Lordships have sanctioned an extension for one year in order to give time for the consideration of the matter. 9. As shown also in Statement C. the total cost of the maintenance of the Mosquito ex-Chief and his secretary in Jamaica, including a charge of 8861. in 1905-6, has amounted to 13,2217. 108. -d. It appears from information recently furnished by the Foreign Office, that a treaty has now been signed and ratified and that a sum of 4,000l. will shortly be paid over by the Nicaraguan Government in respect of the maintenance of the ex-Chief. Sub-Head 10. This Vote is charged under Sub-Head K. with Expenses amounting to 1,000l. 58. 9d. K.-Attack in connection with an attack on Colonel Douglas and Captain Lorimer while in Luristan. travelling on the public service in South West Persia. The Treasury sanctioned the payment from British funds of a moiety of the expenditure incurred, the other moiety being charged against India. A sum of 2,000l. claimed from the Persian Government, if, and when recovered, is to be divided equally between the British and Indian Governments. and GENERAL CONSULAR SERVICES. Exceptional 11. As explained on the Account, Sub-Head Q, Special Services, &c. is charged with Expendi. the sum of 1,1597. 178. d. owing to the measures taken for the protection of British ture: Dis- subjects during the disturbances in Russia. The amount of expenditure, to which turbances Treasury sanction was given, represents payments of 300l. and 2501. for the detention of the steamships" Thistledhu" and "Cranley" respectively at Odessa, and of 609l. 178. -d. Earthquake. on chartering the steamship "Freda" to proceed to Riga. Sub-Head Q. is also charged, under Treasury sanction, with sums of 100l. 50l. and 25l. paid respectively to an Acting Vice-Consul, a Dragoman, and a Cavass at Scutari as compensation for their unusual exertions and personal losses during a recent earthquake. Credits from Estates. BANKRUPTS' ESTATES, &c. 12. In continuation of paragraph 9 of my Report of last year it may be mentioned that Bankrupts' out of the receipts amounting to 1,0291. 78. 5d. on account of balances of Bankrupts' Estates, &c., a sum of 990l. 18. 11d., representing balances unclaimed for fifteen years and remitted from the Supreme Court at Shanghai, has been paid to the Exchequer. This course has been adopted under Treasury Instructions which are embodied in Their Lordships' Minute of 21st December 1906 on the Second Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, 1906. Ex-officio GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 13. Reference has been made in previous Reports to the subject of sums in the hands Receipts by of Diplomatic and Consular Officers which are not included in the Accounts of Public Diplomatic Moneys rendered by the several officers as Sub-Accountants of the Foreign Office, nor in the cash accounts rendered to my Department for audit, and the matter was discussed before the Committee of Public Accounts last year, Qs. 4143-4152. In the Treasury Minute of 21st December 1906 on the Second Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, 1906, Their Lordships intimate that they have given approval to the and Consular Officers. CLASS V.-continued. VOTE 1.-DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICES-continued. adoption of amended forms of Return to secure the due rendering by Diplomatic and Consular Officers of regular returns of all moneys in their possession for which H.M. Government is in any way responsible. On consideration of the specimen forms which were forwarded to me by the Foreign Office it did not seem to be clear that the amended form, showing the transactions in ex-officio receipts, which was to be supplementary to the Accounts Current, was to be made applicable to the Accounts of Diplomatic Officers or of Consular Officers in China and Japan, &c. As the result of an inquiry addressed to the Foreign Office on this point I have been informed that "there has hitherto been no question of applying this system to Heads of Missions, as they do not deal with Estates or levy Fees.' It is however admitted that "occasionally sums are received by them from Foreign Governments, but in such cases the money is at once sent to this country and paid over to the Treasury or His Majesty's Paymaster General." In the case of Consular Officers in China a new form of Balance Certificate is to be used which meets all requirements. This latter form, however, deals only with balances and does not show the transactions within the period of the account. Although these proposals do not deal with the matter quite as completely as I had suggested, they have been accepted by the Treasury after full discussion and consideration, and as they will undoubtedly afford a more effective check so far as they extend, I have acquiesced for the present in the Treasury decision in order to afford the opportunity of a trial of the new arrangements. 14. With reference to the note at the foot of page 421 of the Estimates relating to the Sub-Head refund to Indian Revenues in respect of Diplomatic and Consular Services in China, 00: Persia, Turkey-in-Asia, and Siam, I have requested that the refund of 1,7061. to Indian adjustment Revenues in 1905-6 may be supported by a Statement showing particulars of addi- with India. tional expenditure since 1900, and I am awaiting the Foreign Office reply to my communication. of Account 15. The following Fee Returns in respect of the year 1905-6 have not yet been Fee Returns received: not received December, March, Fee Returns from Corinto for December quarter, 1904 and March quarter, 1905, and from Aracaju for the year, 1903-4, and June and December quarters, 1904, to which reference was made in paragraph 11 of last year's Report, are still outstanding. 16. The Amount to be Surrendered is, as shown by the Account, 16,255l. 188. 5d. Surplus. 127 27. John A. Kempe, Comptroller and Auditor General. 3 M 2 CLASS V-VOTE 1.-DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICES-continued. (A.) STATEMENT of the EXPENDITURE in the Year 1905-6, under those Sub-Heads of the Vote for DIPLOMATIC and CONSULAR SERVICES (DIPLOMATIC) which are not estimated for in Detail. For details of the Expenditure under the Sub-Head "Special Missions and Services," see separate Statement annexed. * This Sub-Head includes Foreign Newspapers, Porterage on Official Business, Fêtes and Illuminations, Official Fees, Dresses for Cavasses at Constantinople, Garden Expenses at Constantinople and Tehran, Water Supply at Constantinople, Annual Renewal of Stable Gear and Stable Expenses at Tehran, Extra Translations, Flags and Flagstaffs, and such other Expenses as would not come within the other Sub-Heads of the Vote. CLASS V-continued. VOTE 1.-DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICES-continued. (B.) DETAILS of the EXPENDITURE under the Sub-Head "Special Missions and Services." Danube Navigation Commission British Share of the Expenses of the International Slave Trade Bureau at Brussels Greek Finance Commission Collection of Commercial Intelligence Aden Boundary Delimitation Commission British Share of the Expenses of the Bureau of International Court of Arbitration at Japanese Perpetual Leases (House Tax) Arbitration Delimitation of Anglo-German Boundary in East Africa Expenses in connection with the King's visit to Marienbad Sugar Conference at Brussels Anglo-French (Lake Tchad) Boundary Commission Expenses of British Representative at Don Quixote Celebrations at Madrid Expenses connected with the settlement of claims arising out of the disturbances in Expenses in connection with the International Military Tribunal in Crete Special Mission to Fez Expenses in connection with the visit of Prince and Princess Arisugawa of Japan Conference at Algeciras on Affairs of Morocco Special Mission to Berlin to attend the Wedding of the Crown Prince of Germany - Special Mission to Tokio to invest the Mikado with the Order of the Garter Macedonian Financial Commission Special Mission to Zanzibar Expenses in connection with the Visit of the King of Spain Sir G. Denton's Expenses to Paris in connection with the Settlement of the Gambia Presentation to Foreign Officers for Services rendered in connection with the illness and Grant to family of late Lieutenant Ishibata of the Japanese Army who was killed while Special Mission to Copenhagen to attend the Funeral of the King of Denmark |
