Consul - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition consul

Definition :

Consul, an officer appointed by competent authority to reside in a foreign country, to facilitate and extend the commerce carried on between the subjects of the country which appoints him and those of the country or place in which he is to reside. The office appears to have originated in Italy, about the middle of the twelfth century, and was generally established all over Europe in the sixteenth century. British consuls were formerly appointed by the Crown, upon the recommenda-tion of great trading companies, or of merchants engaged in trade with a particular country and place; but they are now directly appointed by Government, without requiring any such recommendation, though it, of course, is always attended to wen made. The right of sending consuls to reside in foreign countries depends either upon a tacit or express convention.

The duties of a consul, even in the confined sense in which they are commonly understood, are important and multifarious. It is his business to be always on the spot, to watch ever the commercial interests of the subjects of the State whose servant he is; to be ready to assist them with advice on all doubtful occasions; to see that the conditions in commercial treaties are properly observed; that those he is appointed to protect are subjected to no unnecessary or unjustifiable demands in conduct-ing their business; to represent their grievances to the authorities at the place where they reside, or to the ambassador of the sovereign appointing him, at the court on which the consulship depends, or to the Government at home; in a word, to exert himself to render the condition of the subjects of the country employing him, within his consulship, as comfortable, and their transactions as advant-ageous and secure, as possible.

Any person, whether he be a subject of the State by which he is appointed, or of another, may fill the office of consul, provided he be approved and admitted by the Government in whose territory he is to reside. In most instances, however, but not always, consuls are the subjects of the state appointing them, McCull. Com. Dict. See also Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and subsequent years; Air Force and Army Acts, as to enlistment. Administration of Oaths and Notaries Acts (English) under 52 & 53 Vict. c.10, and 54 & 55 Vict. c. 50; various forms of registration and other duties, see e.g. next title.