THE DIPLOMATIC BUDGET.

Dunstan Times, Issue 410, 25 February 1870, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE DIPLOMATIC BUDGET.

It may be assumed that the distribution and coat of the diplomatic service will be one of the questions diacu3sed in Parliament in the course of the ensuing Session. An official paper supplies some information ; it is a list of missions abroad, showing the /.otal increased charge since 1851. First, we have the French Embassy, which cost £9,700 in 1851, and -tow costs £12,900, the difference being mainly due "o the increase of the ambassador's salary from £B,OOO to £IO,OOO. The establishment is now a< ollows:—Ambassador, £10,000; secretary of em•assy, £I,OOO (rent £200) ; second secretary, £400; litto, £300; military attache, £SOO ; naval attache. £SOO. The Turkish Embassy has been reduced rom nine to seven, the cost has risen from £9,850 o £IO,BOO, all the salaries being larger than in 1851. lussia with a Balary varying from £IO,OOO to £II,OOO a year. In 1851 wS were represented b.v m onvoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary it £6,000, with £7OO for rent. The ambassador uw receives £7,800, with £1,200 for rent. The Vustrian Embassy now co3ts £11,150, or £4,050 no-re than in 1851. The Prussian Embassy now •.03ts this country £9,500, whereas in 1851 ii lost £4,300. There 13 therefore an increase of £5,200, which, however, is only apparent, as th>- : -ast German war saved U3 £10,600 by the abolitioi. if the missions at Hanover, Frankfort, and Saxony H Madrid we have an envoy extraordinary, £s,ooi' (rent £500); total, £G,550, being an increase ot £350 since 1851. The American mission, in which there was inorease of £2,100, comprises the envoy, £5,000 (rent £1,000); Becretary, £7OO ; second secretary, £350; ditto, £300; naval ittaohe, £SOO. The Portuguese mission has remained mattered ; the secretary receiving £SOO, and second -ecretary £250. The Brazil mission coats £5,650, insrease since 1851 £350; Netherlands £1,750, no in-n-ease; Belgium£l,7so,noincrease. At theheadof the -lecond-ciass missions appears that at Florence. It :osts £6,900, being a diminution of £6,300 as ■.ompared with our formor diplomatic expenses. )ur mission in Mexico i 3 suspended—a temporary iconomy of £4,800. The Bavarian and Danish inisiions cost each £4,750, an increase of £250 since 1851; the Swedish mission costs £4,150, an inorease >f £250; our diplomatic establishment in Greece ■osta us £l,lOO more than it used to do, tho charge >cing £4,550. For that in Switzerland the charge is £3,200, an increase of £350; Wurteinberg £3,050, no increase; Argentine Republic £4,150, inorease ■23sft. Leaving out of account the Eastern missions, ')ur diploinatio expenses amount to a total of £140,150, against £129,955 ia 1851, being an increase of £10,491.