Note 203 — Chapter XIV

Though the Foreign Office is admirably administered, and was brought into a state of high perfection in all its details by Mr. (now Lord) Hammond, there can be no doubt that it is very ineffective in its dealings with foreign nations on nearly all commercial matters. Perhaps, this would be remedied if the Diplomatic and Consular Service were amalgamated, or even if it was permitted for gentlemen in the Consular to rise to the Diplomatic Service. I was strongly impressed with this idea when serving as a member on the Consular Committee of 1856-57; but my colleagues on that Committee were generally of a different opinion. Unquestionably our diplomatists are gentlemen in every sense of that word, and, as a rule, distinguished scholars, but they lack that description of knowledge which is expected from the representatives of by far the greatest commercial and maritime nation in the world. The time is fast approaching when this may prove a serious obstacle to our further progress. As times now go, we are a workshop or we are nothing. I respect rank and envy learning; but these will not feed the rising and increasing generations, who are to fill our vacant places.