to
secure a guarantee, by strict control, that the Consuls would not
compromise the Foreign administration, and, in fact, there was good cause
for declaring from the Swedish side, "that the proposition includes
scarcely any rules calculated to secure the guarantee referred to in the
Communique, that the Consuls would not exceed the proper limits of their
office", and _was therefore in that respect not in accordance with the
acknowledged principles of the Communique_.

[Sidenote: _Mr Bostrom's Conditions._]

From what has been already stated, it seems that in the Swedish Cabinet
there were divided opinions. But the Government was unanimous in not
accepting the Norwegian proposal, and even in the summer of 1904 it must
have been evident to the Norwegian Council, that the Swedish Cabinet cil
would not in any essentials comply with the Norwegian proposal. But the
question was not thoroughly discussed by the Swedish Cabinet in pleno,
till the autumn.

During the autumn Mr LAGERHEIM resigned on the grounds of difference of
opinion with the Prime Minister, though the real cause of his resignation
was said to have no direct connection with the Union negotiations. In
November His Excellency Mr BOSTROeM went to Christiania and presented his
conditions, as to which the Swedish Cabinet had declared its approval if
the Norwegian government would approve of them[33:1]. These conditions
stipulated among other matters, that no orders should be issued from the
Consular Office that would come into conflict with the commands of the
Minister of Foreign affairs; that, if a Consul acted in any way likely to
disturb the relations between the United Kingdoms and the Foreign Powers,
the Minister of Foreign affairs could send in an appeal to the King,
recommending his dismissal; that the Ambassadors, in certain cases,
should also be empowered to suspend the Consul from his Office[33:2].

After personal consultations in Christiania His Excellency Mr HAGERUP
made a written statement of his objections.

[Sidenote: _Mr Hagerups Reply._]

In this, and the ensuing interpolations on the Norwegian side, the
Norwegian system of conducting negotiations appears in its typical
manner. Of real facts and reasons there is not a trace. For instance,
though the Norwegian majority itself, in the last Union Committee,
emphasized the danger of separating the Consular Service from the
Diplomatic administration, Mr HAGERUP does not make the slightest
acknowled