Sir GILBERT PARKERasked how many Consuls and Vice-Consuls represent His Majesty's Government in Germany; and how many of these are by birth and nationality English and German respectively?
§ Sir E. GREYThe number of British Consular officers in Germany is 34. Six belong to the salaried service, and these salaried officers are all natural-born British subjects. Of the remainder, six are natural-born British subjects, 20 were born and have remained German subjects; one is a naturalised British subject of German origin, and one a naturalised United States citizen of German origin.
Sir GILBERT PARKERIn the case of these Consuls, who have no salary, is not it the case that they have an official allowance?
§ Sir E. GREYYes. There is an office allowance. Where the interests of the State require it a salaried Consular officer, who is a British subject if possible, is appointed. Where the place is not so important as to warrant this course, the services of some suitable resident are utilised, and he is paid an office allowance, but not a salary.
Sir GILBERT PARKERIs it satisfactory that we should have so many members of the German nationality representing this country in Germany?
§ Sir E. GREYOf course, if you are to have salaried officers in all these places it can only be done by a large increase in the Consular Estimate. I have ascertained, as far as I can, what the practise of these countries is. I find that Germany has five salaried Consuls here, and we have six in Germany.
§ Sir E. GREYIn which appointments?
§ Sir E. GREYIn the case of the unsalaried the practice is first of all to find somebody who is willing to undertake it, and those whom we find most suitable, if they are resident or locally engaged in trade, are appointed.
§ Mr. BELLAIRSasked if Great Britain is represented at the German naval port of Kiel by a German Vice-Consul; and whether the naval port of Wilhelmshaven lies in the consular district of a British representative who is of German nationality?
§ Sir E. GREYThe British Vice-Consul at Kiel is a German subject. Wilhelmshaven is in the district assigned to his Majesty's Consul-General at Hamburg, who is a British subject.
§ Mr. BELLAIRSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the number of Consular representatives Germany has in this country; how many of these are Germans; and how many are in receipt of salaries from the German Government?
§ Sir E. GREYIf the hon. Member will refer to pages 510, 511 of the Foreign Office List for this year he will find the names and posts of the various German Consular officers in the United Kingdom. I cannot make any definite statement as to their national status, but a statement of the emoluments which they enjoy can be found by referring to the German Foreign Office Estimates for 1908, which have been published.