US Consular Representation in Britain since 1790

'US consular representation in Britain since 1790' is a history of US consular activities in the UK, which began in 1790 and continue to the present with consulates general in Edinburgh and Belfast. It also contains many previously unpublished illustrations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 340 pages
Publication date: 08 March 2018
Publisher: Anthem Press

In its nascent stages, the United States Consular Service exhibited a rather amateurish demeanor, frequently manned by individuals who were deemed unsuitable for their positions, having secured them as political favors from victorious presidential candidates—a practice famously referred to as the Spoils System. A significant turnover of personnel occurred every four years, as new administrations took office. This contrast was unfavorable when compared to the consular services of European nations, but gradually, towards the turn of the twentieth century, significant improvements were made. Appointment procedures were tightened, inspections of consuls and their management of consulates were introduced, and the separate Consular Service and Diplomatic Service were amalgamated to establish the Foreign Service.

The initial appointments to Britain were made in 1790, with James Maury assuming the role of the first operational consul in the country, stationed in Liverpool. At a certain point, the United States maintained a network of up to ninety consular offices across the United Kingdom, spanning from the Orkney Islands to the Channel Islands. Presently, the embassy houses only the consular section, along with consulates general in Edinburgh and Belfast.

Weight: 662g
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783087433