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сн. ххп] Consuls 127 • Under commissions from their several embassies at Constantinople he acted as vice-consul for the Empire, Tuscany, Denmark and Holland. The authority of the English consul is not so large as that of his French colleague. He can inflict trifling punishments, but he cannot at once banish his protèges, except when some very grave crime would injure the repute of his nation in the eyes of the local government; or when he knows that one of his subjects is about to embrace the Mohammadan faith. In these cases he can examine the matter, and put the accused under restraint until an opportunity comes of sending him back to Europe. The English consulate has an English chancellor, approved by the Levant Company, as well as a Tuscan chancellor, approved by the Imperial Internuncio at Constantinople, who is at the service of the Imperial and Tuscan subjects, while Dutchmen and Danes avail themselves of the help of the English chancellor. The English dragoman is paid by the Levant Company, but receives from the consul further remuneration for his services to the other consular proteges. Until quite lately Neapolitans had a consul of their own, but his duties are now discharged by the Venetian consul. The Venetian consul, now Signor Bernardo Caprara, has jurisdiction not only in Cyprus but over the coast of Syria from Jaffa to Tripoli ; to these ports he appoints vice-consuls. He protects Neapolitans and Sicilians under letters patent from the Neapolitan ambassador at Constantinople : and the Swedes in the same way. His chancellor must be a native of Venice, and is paid by the republic. The dragoman is paid by the consul. Four or five years ago there was also a consul for Ragusa, but after the departure of Signor Francesco Sodarnia the post was not filled up, though there are several merchants of that republic. One of these undertakes the duties of the consulate, though bills of health are signed by the French consul. On the arrival of a new consul in the roadstead of Larnaca,

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