are
accredited. The interests of American shipping and American seamen are
specially intrusted to their care. They keep the papers of American
vessels while in port; they record the tonnage, the kind and value of
the cargo, and the number and condition of the sailors. They hear the
complaints of seamen, cause the arrest of mutinous sailors, send them
home for trial, and care for mariners in destitute condition. They
take possession of the property of American citizens dying abroad, and
forward the proceeds to the lawful heirs.

They collect valuable information relating to the commerce and
manufactures of foreign countries, which is distributed among our
people by the department of commerce.

In Turkey and China, American citizens who are charged with crime are
tried by the American consul. Consuls and consuls general receive
salaries ranging from two thousand dollars to twelve thousand dollars
each, according to the importance of the cities where they are located.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT.--The secretary of the treasury is the head of the
treasury department. He manages the entire financial system of the
national government. He suggests to Congress plans for raising revenue
and maintaining the credit of the United States, and makes detailed
reports on all the operations of his department.

He superintends the collection of revenue; the coinage of money; the
operation of national banks; the conduct of custom-houses, where taxes
on imported foreign goods are collected. The schedule or table showing
the duties levied on foreign goods is called the _tariff_; this is
fixed by act of Congress. The management of the public health service,
and the operation of the coast guard, maintained along the seacoast for
the rescue of persons from drowning and for the enforcement of
navigation laws, are also under the charge of the secretary of the
treasury. His greatest responsibility is the management of the
national debt, which still amounts to many hundred millions of dollars.

BUREAUS.--The secretary of the treasury is assisted by three assistant
secretaries of the treasury, a comptroller, six auditors, a treasurer,
a register of the treasury, and numerous other responsible officers in
charge of the bank currency, internal revenue, the mint, the erection
of public buildings, and other important bureaus and divisions of the
treasury department.

The _comptroller_ directs the work of the six auditors, and
superintends th