US consular representation in Britain since 1790

In its early years the United States Consular Service was a relatively amateurish organization, often staffed by unsuitable characters whose appointments had been obtained as political favours from victorious presidential candidates—a practice known as the Spoils System. Most personnel changed every four years when new administrations came in. This compared unfavourably with the consular services of the European nations, but gradually by the turn of the twentieth century things had improved considerably—appointment procedures were tightened up, inspections of consuls and how they managed their consulates were introduced, and the separate Consular Service and Diplomatic Service were merged to form the Foreign Service. The first appointments to Britain were made in 1790, with James Maury becoming the first operational consul in the country, at Liverpool. At one point, there was a network of up to ninety US consular offices throughout the UK, stretching from the Orkney Islands to the Channel Islands. Nowadays, there is only the consular section in the embassy and the consulates general in Edinburgh and Belfast

'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 It also contains many previously unpublished illustrations.

"The United States started late in the day in establishing its consular service. It was a very amateurish organization, often staffed by unsuitable characters whose appointments had been sought as political favours - the so-called Spoils System. Most personnel changed every four years when the administrations changed. This compared unfavourably with the consular services of the European nations, but gradually by the turn of the twentieth century things had improved considerably-- appointment procedures were tightened up, inspections of consuls and their running of their consulates were introduced, and the once separate consular and diplomatic services were merged. The first appointments to Britain were made in 1790, with James Maury, a Virginian, becoming the first operational consul in the country, at Liverpool. At one point, there was a network of up to ninety US consular offices throughout the UK, stretching from the Orkney Islands to the Channel Islands"--