Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

VENEZUELA.

PROTECTION OF FRENCH INTERESTS IN VENEZUELA AND OF VENEZUELAN INTERESTS IN FRANCE.

The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Russell.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, January 9, 1906.

(Mr. Bacon informs Mr. Russell that the French ambassador has notified the Government of the United States that, in view of the substance of his two telegrams transmitting the communications of the Venezuelan Government, the French Government sees

course than that of breaking off relations by recalling its chargé d'affaires and handing passports to the representative of Venezuela in Paris.

Mr. Bacon further informs Mr. Russell that the French Government has asked of the United States the usual friendly offices for the care and protection of the archives of the French legation at Caracas, and for the protection of French citizens in Venezuela.

Mr. Russell is instructed to assume the friendly protection of the French citizens when he has been informed of the withdrawal of the French representative, and give appropriate notice thereof to the Government of Venezuela.

Mr. Russell is also instructed to take temporary charge of the archives and property of the French mission, informing the Venezuelan Government that he has done so, and take all necessary steps to provide for the inviolability of these archives.

Mr. Bacon adds for Mr. Russell's information that the chancellor of the French legation will remain at Caracas as care taker of these archives, under his protection.)

Minister Russell to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.-Extract.]

CARACAS, January 10, 1906.

(Mr. Russell reports that he has advised the Venezuelan Government that France has severed diplomatic relations with it, and that after the departure of the French chargé d'affaires he will take charge of the French interests and archives. He says he thinks it is advisable for the chargé d'affaires to leave at once, and as no steamer leaves immediately, a naval vessel should be sent for him.)

Minister Russell to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

CARACAS, February 1, 1906.

(Mr. Russell reports that the Venezuelan Government wishes to know if the American consuls in Paris, Marseilles, Bordeaux, etc., can take charge of the archives of the Venezuelan consulates in said towns.)

Minister Russell to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.-Extract.]

CARACAS, February 1, 1906.

(Mr. Russell states that it is reported that France has forbidden entrance to Venezuelan imports. He says that merchants are shipping by vessels of other nationalities to Havre, as no French vessel can touch at Venezuelan ports, and he wants to know if our consuls can certify to such invoices from Venezuela to French ports.)

No. 53.]

Minister Russell to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION,

Caracas, February 4, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to inclose for the French Government a translation of a note to me from the French vice-consul here in regard to the retiring of the exequaturs of the French consular officers in Venezuela.

I am, etc.,

W. W. RUSSELL.

[Inclosure. Translation.]

Mr. Desmartis to Minister Russell.

FRENCH LEGATION, Caracas, January 24, 1906.

Mr. MINISTER: I had occasion day before yesterday, regarding M. Doyeux, and yesterday, in a general way, to point out to you the measure which the Venezuelan Government had taken against all the consular agents of France in Venezuela, and which should, without fail, paralyze French interests in this country. It is that all direct movement of importation from France to Venezuela finds itself, indeed, suppressed; also there are the interests of our Trans-Atlantic Company, which are gravely touched, as it seems that henceforth its ships can no longer make land at La Guaira and at Puerto Cabello; nor must it be forgot that this company is officially charged with the transport of correspondence and parcels post..

This situation would be explainable if a state of war existed between France and Venezuela. Moreover, although in spite of the rupture of telegraphic communication-I ignore the future intentions of my Government-the fact that it (French Government) designated me to look after the archives of the French legation in this city seems to prove that in breaking off diplomatic relations with Venezuela France had no idea of going further than this. The atti

tude of the Venezuelan Government is, then, in this affair, as it has not ceased to be in other ways during ten days, truly vexating, and I find myself obliged, in order to cover my responsibility, to protest formally against these acts which nothing has justified up to the present moment.

Believe, etc.,

(Signed)

P. DESMARTIS,

The Vice-Consul of France Charged with the care of the
Archives of the Legation of the Republic at Caracas.

The Secretary of State to Minister Russell.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 5, 1906.

(Mr. Root refers to Mr. Russell's telegram of the 27th," in which he says that as there are no French consuls in Venezuela nor Venezuelan consuls in France, French vessels will not be allowed to enter nor to be cleared from Venezuelan ports.

Mr. Root inquires whether this is a statement of something which will happen in the future, or if such a rule has already been adopted by Venezuela and is not actually in force? Mr. Root states that such action on the part of Venezuela would terminate her commercial convention with France and make French general tariff applicable to Venezuelan ports, including the practically prohibitory duty on coffee. Also states that France is accordingly desirous to know, and that a speedy answer is desired.)

The Secretary of State to the American Embassy at Paris.

[Telegram. Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 7, 1906. (Mr. Root instructs the embassy to ascertain if it is agreeable to French Government that our consuls take charge of archives of Venezuelan consulates in France and at Port de France as requested by the Venezuelan Government, and if so to instruct consuls at Paris, Bordeaux, Havre, Nice, Marseilles, and Nantes for St. Nazaire. where the agent, a Frenchman, could probably not assume custody.)

The Secretary of State to Minister Russell.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 7, 1906.

(Mr. Root states that the embassy at Paris has been cabled to instruct consuls to take charge of archives of Venezuelan consulates, if agreeable to the Government of France.)

a Not printed.

Minister Russell to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.-Extract.]

Caracas, February 13, 1906.

(Mr. Russell reports that Mr. Root's telegram of the 6th [5th] of February reached Caracas on the 10th, via Trinidad, and a duplicate arrived in La Guaira via Curacao on the morning of the 12th. He says he had a conference with the minister for foreign affairs this morning, and the minister told him that the question in regard to vessels clearing from France to Venezuelan ports is the same as that of vessels formerly from Curaçao to Venezuela; that is, if said vessels do not have their papers duly signed by Venezuelan consuls they can not enter Venezuelan ports, according to the consular regulations. He says this is an official statement from the Venezuelan minister for foreign affairs.)

No. 103.]

Chargé Vignaud to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, February 16, 1906. SIR: I have to acknowledge receipt of your cable of the 8th [7th] instant concerning the taking charge, by our consuls, of the archives of the Venezuelan consulates at certain posts in France, which formed the basis of a note addressed to the foreign office on the same day.

Receiving no reply, I called on the minister and ascertained that the delay was due to the fact that the Government had not yet been exactly informed as to the true character of the action of the Venezuelan Government with regard to the French consuls and that M. Jusserand had been telegraphed to for information on the subject.

On the 14th instant M. Rouvier wrote that there was no objection to the proposed arrangement, provided our consuls would confine themselves simply to the custody of the Venezuelan archives and would not presume to exercise any consular function for the Venezuelan Government. This being in accordance with what this embassy was instructed to ask by your cable of the 8th, I notified the consuls accordingly.

Inclosed please find copy of your cable, of Mr. Rouvier's note, together with a translation of the same, and of my circular notice to the consuls named in your cable.

I have, etc.,

[Inclosure 1.-Translation.]

HENRY VIGNAUD.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to Chargé Vignaud.

PARIS, February 14, 1906.

MR. CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES: In reply to your letter of the 8th instant, I have the honor to inform you that our ambassador in Washington has acquainted me with a communication from the Government of the United States to the effect that the American consuls in France should take charge of archives of the Venezuelan consulates.

I have instructed M. Jusserand to reply to the Secretary of State that the Government of the Republic had no objection to such an arrangement, under

the reserve that the intervention of the consuls of the United States in France would be limited, in conformity with the terms of your own afore-mentioned communication of February 8, to the custody of the archives of the Venezue lan consulates; it could not extend to the working of these consulates, which has been rendered impossible by the action of President Castro's Government. That Government has indeed taken the initiative to withdraw their exequaturs from the French consular agents, and to recall its consuls exercising in France. It even appears from a telegram from the American minister at Caracas that French vessels and merchandise coming from France are no longer admitted in Venezuelan ports. The commercial relations between the two countries would be thus severed by the action of Venezuela, and such measures, as long as they shall be maintained, entail, as a necessary consequence, the application of the Venezuelan consulates in France of the ruling applied to the French consular agencies in Venezuela, and which for the time being seems to consist of the complete suppression of their function.

[blocks in formation]

SIR: By direction of the Secretary of State, I have to instruct you to take charge of the archives of the Venezuelan consulate-general at Paris. This is done with the consent of the French Government and with the understanding that you will confine yourself simply to what is stated above.

Very respectfully, yours,

(Signed)

Letters to the same purport sent to

Robert P. Skinner, consul-general at Marseilles;
Dominic I. Murphy, consul at Bordeaux;
Alphonse Gaulin, consul at Havre;

HENRY VIGNAUD, Chargé.

Harold S. Van Buren, consul at Nice;

Louis Goldschmidt, consul at Nantes, and

John F. Jewell, consul at Fort de France.

The Secretary of State to Minister Russell.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 19, 1906.

(Mr. Root informs Mr. Russell that the French Government has consented to allow our consuls in France to take charge of the papers and archives of Venezuela, without performing consular functions.)

The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Russell.

[Telegram.- Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, April 10, 1906. (Mr. Bacon directs Mr. Russell to ascertain whether the Venezuelan Government has decided to allow French vessels, sailing direct from French ports, to discharge passengers and cargo in Venezuelan ports, and whether consuls of a third power in France will be allowed to visé the necessary documents for French ships and merchandise proceeding from French ports to Venezuela.)

« PředchozíPokračovat »