SELECT COMMITTEE ON DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.
169 1784.
Were you educated at a public school?—Yes,
I was; at Eton, and The Hon.
then I went to Cambridge.
William Stuart.
1785.
When you were appointed to the attacheship, were you familiar with the French language ?—Yes
; I had been at a pension in France for a few months *$ Ma^ l86l> before i was appointed.
1786.
Had you, by that means, acquired sufficient familiarity with the language ?—Yes;
sufficient to be able to talk and read the language.
1787.
You were six years unpaid attache ?—Yes.
1788.
Is that about the average time during which attaches have remained unpaid of late years ?—Yes
; 1 think five or six years is about the average.
1789.
Is it the general feeling among the younger branches of the service, that that period of unpaid service is disadvantageous ?—I
think it would be looked x
upon as a great boon by the attaches, if they were to be paid at the end of their first or second year's service.
3790.
In that case, would you regard the first year as an educational period?
—Yes ; a sort of probationary period.
1791.
You have heard what has been stated here with regard to the difference in the position of an attache at present, as compared with what it Was some years ago, when they were almost necessarily a part of the household of the Minister ?
—Yes.
1792.
Do you think it would be fair that they should receive some compen¬ sation for that disadvantage?—I
believe, in the French service, that if the Minister does not entertain his attache, he has to give him pecuniary compen¬ sation instead; but I do not know what his additional allowance may be in consequence.
%
1793.
Do you think that a certain payment would be advantageous in every way to the unpaid attaches?—Yes;
I think that the payment of the attaches would prevent their depending so much upon their chief.
1794.
The relation between the attaches and the chief wTould be then more voluntary, and there would be less cause of complaint?—Yes.
-
1795.
Do you think that there is any truth in the assertion that a payment, however small, gives a man a sense of responsibility, which it is difficult for him to acquire without it ?—I
think it ought to have that effect.
1796.
Do you think, upon the whole, that it would have that effect?—Yes,
I think so.
1797.
Were you compelled to undergo any examination before you entered the service ?—-No
; I entered before that system was introduced.
1798.
Do you think that the examination that has been proposed, is one that might be fairly demanded from persons entering the service ?—I
do not think that they seem to have much difficulty in passing it.
1799.
You do not think that there is anything in the present system of exa¬ mination which might not be fairly demanded from a man entering the service ?
I think that one examination would be sufficient, and that a man ought to come up to a certain standard; that it should not be competitive, or open.
1800.
By one examination, do you mean at the time of entering the service, or after the appointment ?—Either
on first-entrance or after the probationary period of service, if the attaches are to be paid in future.
1801.
At which period would you prefer that the examination should take place ?
I should say at the commencement; on first entering, because then the person would only have to learn his duty, instead of having to study for his exa¬ mination after entering.
1802.
Is not the present examination of a paid attache a certain proof that he has used well the time during which he has been employed ?—To
a certain extent, it must be.
1803.
Therefore, if there was only one examination, might it not be more convenient that he should undergo that examination at a later period, when you could ascertain whether he had made fair use of the means offered to him, rather than at first?—No
; I think,that a man would occupy so much of his time in reading for "his next examination that he would not do his duty efficiently in a place where there was much business to do.
1804.
Have you had reason to think that that has been the case?—No
; I do not allude to any particular case.
0.47.
Y 1805.
With
