No. 3.
To the consuls-general, consuls and
commercial and consular agents of the United States.
Washington, July 1, 1880.
Gentlemen: Appreciating the good results of your praiseworthy efforts for the enlargement of our commercial relations in your several districts, and desirous of giving the country the fullest and most direct benefits of your labors, Congress, upon representations made thereto by this department, at its recent session, made provision “for printing and distributing more frequently the publications by the Department of State of the consular and other reports.”
This action was taken in response to the wishes of the leading commercial communities of the United States, as expressed through the chambers of commerce of the principal cities, which attested the great value of your reports, and the advantages which would accrue from their more frequent publication.
Heretofore, with the exception of short abstracts given, from time to time, to the press, the only means of giving publicity to your reports was through the annual volume of “Commercial Relations.” The delay incident hereto neutralized, to a large degree, the good which would have resulted from the immediate publication of many of your communications, while a large number of valuable reports were left unpublished altogether, and many others necessarily curtailed, in order that the annual volume might be kept within reasonable limits.
This action of Congress enlarges the field of your usefulness, and your accomplished labors are a guarantee that you will respond to the expectations of the commercial and manufacturing communities of the country, [Page 4] and thus prove that you fully appreciate the very high compliment embraced in this national indorsement of your efforts for the enlargement of our commerce.
You are, therefore, requested to prepare and forward to this Department reports upon all subjects which may be calculated to advance the commercial and industrial interests of the United States, bearing in mind, however, while giving yourselves the broadest field for the accomplishment of the work herein assigned you, that your principal efforts must be directed to the introduction of American trade into, and the enlargement thereof in, your several districts.
It is the wish of the Department, where such a course is practicable and does not detract from the general effect, that each of these special reports shall embrace only one subject, with its necessary connections, of course, and that while diffuseness and repetition should be avoided as much as possible, the information given should be explicit and comprehensive, so that our merchants, manufacturers, agriculturists, exporters, and importers shall fully understand the peculiarities, wants, and requirements of the several markets, as well as the best methods of reaching the same, and that as little as possible may be left to surmise or speculation.
The frequency of these proposed publications will depend altogether upon the volume and value of the reports received, and as the number of these from any one consular officer must depend wholly upon his ability and efficiency and upon the field of his labors, to some extent, it is expected that reports will be transmitted to the Department as often as each official has anything of importance to communicate.
The Department notes that while a majority of the consular officers have done their whole duty thus far in this regard, others have reported only at irregular intervals, while others again have remained totally silent. As there is no place where the United States is officially represented so insignificant as to be unworthy of commercial cultivation, the Department will henceforth expect reports from all its consular officers, nor will it further overlook the silence of any.
The Department, being anxious to lighten as much as possible this extra labor imposed upon you, will no longer require duplicate copies of these reports. It is, however, desired that quantities and values should be given in American measures and in American money.
The annual volume of “Commercial Relations” will be published as heretofore; you will continue to prepare your annual reports therefor as usual, but the publication of these special communications will enable you to dispense in the former with all extraneous matter, treating therein of subjects pertaining only to what properly belongs to annual reports, as laid down in Consular Regulations.
In conveying to you, gentlemen, the foregoing public appreciation of your official labors, the Department takes much pleasure in adding its warmest testimony thereto, and it feels assured that our ever-increasing commercial relations with the various countries will still bear evidence of your continued efforts in behalf of American commerce in your several districts.
I am, &c.,