CONSUL, MERCANTILE
448
CONTINUATION-SCHOOLS
ranean in 1803—the recapture of the Philadelphia and the bombardment of Tripoli. In the war of 1812, she brought renown to the American Navy. Aug. 19, 1812, under Capt. Isaac Hull, she fought and destroyed the British ship Guerriere and Dec. 29, of the same year, under Capt. Bainbridge, she won a hard fought battle with the Java, which she destroyed. Under Capt. Stewart she captured four prizes in 1814, and Feb. 20, 1815, she captured, after a terrific fight, the Cyane and the Levant. In 1830 she was condemned to be broken up, but Oliver Wendell Holmes published his thrilling poem "Old Ironsides," which aroused public protest, and the grand old ship was saved. She was rebuilt and did further service, crossing the Atlantic for the last time in 1878. In 1897 she was retired to the Boston Navy Yard, where she did service as a barrack ship.
Consul, Mercantile, the name given to those officers a nation maintains in a foreign country for the protection of its trade and the rights of its merchants and to whom the further duty is assigned of keeping the home-government informed of all facts bearing on the commercial interests of the country. The practice of maintaining these consular agents had its origin among the trading cities of Italy in the i2th century. It has since gradually widened, and in the 16th century had become a regular custom throughout Europe. The consul's first duty on reaching his post is to show his commission to the authorities of the country and receive their sanction of his appointment. This sanction is called an exequatur —from the Latin word meaning to perform or execute. Consuls attend mostly to commercial affairs, such as examining and visaing a ship's papers, taking note of losses at sea, providing for disabled seamen, making regular reports on prices of crops; while in some half-civilized countries the consul is a judge. Treaties are made giving the consular court power to settle all disputes between citizens of his own country. This is usually the case in some North African and Asiatic states, where the lives and property of foreigners could not safely be left to depend on their poorly carried-out laws. In 1908 Congress passed a law for the reorganization of the American consular service, which had fallen far behind the commercial requirements of the times, and the law took effect on July i.
Consumers' League. The consumers' leagues are organizations, chiefly of well-to-do women, to encourage proprietors of retail stores and of factories to treat their female and child employees well. The first league was formed in England in 1890, but the Consumers' League of the City of New York was organized next year. It was incorporated in 1898. Besides 63 leagues in 22 states, there are now national con-
sumers' leagues in France, Germany and Switzerland as well as in America. The National Consumers' League deals with factories, and issues a label certifying that the goods have been manufactured in factories where the state's factory-law is obeyed, where ten hours are the maximum day's labor, where children under 16 are not employed, and where the inspection of the Consumer's League is welcomed. It also works for the passage of state and national laws to improve the condition of factory workers, especially of women and children. Its main office is 105 E. 22d St., N. Y. City. Mrs. Florence Kelly, the general secretary, is inspector and missionary for the league. Its work has been heartily endorsed by the president of the United States.
The state and city leagues adopt the regulations of the National Consumers' League, regarding the manufacture of goods; and also aim to improve the condition of retail stores, by drawing up a list of "fair houses," where proper conditions prevail. Members of the leagues give these stores the preference. Stores where men only are employed are not taken under consideration.
Contin'ua'tion=Schools, in the proper sense of the term, have scarcely any place in systems of public instruction in the United States. But, on the one hand, the need of such schools in order to supplement the education gotten in day schools either by liberal or vocational training is being more and more urgently felt; and, on the other hand, a beginning has been made by the Young Men's Christian Associations and by private enterprise. The evening-schools which are being conducted in connection with many city-school systems are at present little more than schools for the illiterate; but genuine continuation-courses are already being offered in them to a small extent in New York City and elsewhere. Such continuation-work as is to be had is patronized chiefly by apprentices, assistants in business houses and offices and machine-operators. There is need of more advanced training for journeymen and skilled workers. It is clear that vocational training is felt to be the essential function of the continuation-school. The older method of apprenticeship has well-nigh disappeared, and only the continuation-school can take its place and improve upon it.
Probably Massachusetts has done more than the other states in the direction of providing continuation-schools which are more than mere evening-schools for illiterates. Most important is the success of her three state textile-schools at Lowell, New Bedford and Fall River. In 1906 these three schools had an enrollment of only 167 day-students, but there were 1,419 evening-students.
