8. Colonel BURNasked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs 165 if he will state how many consuls or vice-consuls have been appointed to take charge of British interests in Germany since diplomatic relations have been restored; will he give a list of the persons so appointed and the names of places to which such appointments, respectively, relate; whether they are either British-born or are British by descent; or, if not, what is their nationality?
Mr. KELLAWAY (Secretary, Department of Overseas Trade)Twenty consular officers, all of whom are British subjects, have been appointed to Germany since the resumption of diplomatic relations. I will have published in the OFFICIAL REPORT the information asked for in the second part of the question.
The following is the list of officers inferred to:
- Berlin: Mr. Charlton, Consul-General; Captain Bowering, Vice-Consul.
- Leipzig: Mr. Kohan, Consul.
- Bremen: Mr. Gilliat-Smith, Consul.
- Bremerhaven: Mr. Magowan, Vice-Consul.
- Emden: Mr. Simpson, Vice-Consul.
- Cologne: Mr. Thurston, Consul-General; Mr. Coultas, Vice-Consul.
- Aix-la-Chapelle: Mr. Walker, temporary Vice-Consul.
- Essen: Captain Edwards, Vice-Consul.
- Dusseldorf: Mr. Mackinder, unsalaried Vice-Consul.
- Frankfurt: Mr. Gosling, Consul-General; Mr. Barrow, Vice-Consul.
- Mayence: Mr. Boyd-Wallis, temporary Vice-Consul.
- Hamburg: Mr. Bemel, Acting Consul-General: Mr. Fell, Vice-Consul; Mr. Goldie, Vice-Consul.
- Hanover: Mr. Anderson, unsalaried Vice-Consul.
- Munich: Mr. Smallbones, Consul.
- Stettin: Mr. Kelsall, Vice-Consul.
9. Colonel BURNasked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs by whom was Mr. Charlton, the British consul in Berlin, appointed and when; was any inquiry made concerning his qualifications or otherwise as to his fitness and, if so, from whom and when; and was any reference made to or any opinion obtained, or was any recommendation received on the subject from the British chargé d'affaires, Sir Francis Oppen-heimer?
Mr. KELLAWAYMr. Charlton was appointed to be His Majesty's Consul-General at Berlin by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 1st January, 1920. No special inquiry was necessary as to his qualifications, which were well-known to the Foreign Office, as he had been for 15 years in the Consular Service, and for four years before the War had been Vice-Consul at Berlin, and frequently acted as Consul-General. Sir F. Oppenheimer, who was never Chargé d'Affairs at Berlin, was not concerned in any way with the appointment.
10. Colonel BURNasked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the attention of his Department has been called to the action of the British Consul-General in Berlin who, when asked to name an English solicitor whom applicants might consult upon questions of English law, has invariably recommended Mr. Albert M. Oppenheimer the brother of Sir Francis Oppenheimer, commercial attaché, to the detriment of the other solicitors of English birth and descent; whether he is aware that Mr. Albert M. Oppenheimer is not personally resident in Berlin, but has an office at 32, Victoria Street, London, S.W., and that the business in Berlin is transacted in his name by an employé or deputy; and whether all the legal business of the British Consulate in Berlin is passed on to Mr. Albert M. Oppenheimer instead of being shared by practitioners'?
Mr. KELLAWAYI am asking for further information in regard to this question and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as I am in a position to do so.