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1881, and suggest the advisability of my explaining to the minister of foreign relations the source from which the said translation was taken. While at the government house a few days ago on some business with the minister for foreign affairs, he incidentally brought up the boundary question, and I then took occasion to make the explanation you suggest in the closing paragraph of your dispatch to which I am referring.

I added that if the explanation I was thus making was deemed of sufficient importance to be transmitted to the Argentine legation in London, I should be greatly obliged, under all the circumstances of the case, could I have a copy of the form in which it was communicated, so that I might be able to advise you of its character.

The minister replied that he would gladly accede to my request. This he did, and I am therefore able to inclose herewith copy and translation of his note advising me of the character of the information sent the Argentine legation in London.

In view of the importance which seems to be attached to the subject of the translations made of the word "vertientes" at the time of the signing of the treaty, it may not be out of place to call your attention to the fact, that, in the record book in this legation in which the correspondence had between our ministers here and in Chile was written in Spanish and English at the time, the translation of that part of article 1 of the 1881 treaty with which we are concerned appears thus: "The frontier line will run in that extension along the highest peaks of said cordilleras as may divide the waters and will pass between the springs that course down either side."

I have no means of knowing who made the translations appearing in the record book I refer to nor who copied the originals and translations into the book.

I have, etc.,

WILLIAM I. BUCHANAN.

[Inclosure 2 in No. 700.—Translation of No. 1.]

Minister Alcorta to Mr. Buchanan.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS AND WORSHIP,
Buenos Ayres, May 18, 1899.

DISTINGUISHED MR. MINISTER: After the conversation I had yesterday with your excellency, I addressed to our legation in England the telegram the text of which I take pleasure in transmitting to your excellency. It was as follows:

Conversing to-day with Minister Buchanan upon another subject, I incidentally spoke of limits question. The minister took the opportunity thus afforded to say that some time back he forwarded his Government a copy of Dr. Lamarca's translation of treaties with Chile, and that in doing so he called attention to Dr. Lamarca's criticism of 1881 treaty, which appeared in United States Foreign Relations for 1881. Minister Buchanan added that some days ago he had received an acknowledgment of his dispatch from the Secretary of State, wherein the latter said that, should the occasion offer itself, the former might say to me that the translation thus criticised by Dr. Lamarca was not made by the Department of State, but was taken from an English newspaper published here and transmitted to the Department of State by the United States legation here. The Department of State, therefore, said the minister, thought it best to thus let me know that the said translation was, therefore, in no sense an official one, and that the United States Government, hence, must dis

claim all responsibility for any claim which might be made by either party to the said treaty as to the correctness of said translation by reason of its publication in a United States official document. Should the subject of said translation be brought up at any time, you will make the above explanations known to the arbitration commission.

I take advantage of this opportunity to greet your excellency with the assurances of my most distinguished consideration and to repeat myself, A. ALCORTA.

Your obedient servant,

TRADE-MARKS OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS IMPROPERLY APPROPRIATED IN ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

No. 454.]

Mr. Hay to Mr. Buchanan.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 16, 1899. SIR: I inclose copy of a letter from Messrs. Briesen & Knauth, of New York City, complaining that the trade-marks and symbols of United States citizens are improperly appropriated in the Argentine Republic.

You will give the subject attention in the way of inquiry and, if convenient occasion offers, of suggestion to the minister for foreign affairs in the direction of an understanding which would remove or lessen the ground of complaint.

I am, etc.,

[Inclosure.]

JOHN HAY.

Briesen & Knauth to Mr. Hay.

NEW YORK, February 8, 1899.

SIR: Clients of ours, large exporters of ware made in the United States to South American countries, especially to Brazil and the Argentine Republic, complain to us that citizens of these countries are permitted to bodily appropriate and register as their own the trade-marks and symbols of United States citizens and to thus shut out importations from this country or else force the importer to buy back from them the right which is justly his own.

We write to ask if any confirmation or denial of this alleged state of facts is obtainable through your Department, and to request that the United States diplomatic or consular officers in these countries be communicated with on this subject, with the view to determining whether the practice complained of exists, and whether, if it does, there is any adequate remedy.

The favor of an answer is respectfully requested.

Very respectfully,

BRIESEN & KNAUTH.

No. 671.]

Mr. Buchanan to Mr. Hay.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Buenos Ayres, April 25, 1899.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 454 of February 16 last, with which you inclose a copy of a letter received by the Department from Messrs. Briesen & Knauth, of New York, in which they complain of the trade-mark law of this Republic as it applies to the registration by those doing business here of trade-marks copyrighted in other countries by the manufacturer.

The practice complained of by the Department's correspondents not only prevails here now, but has done so for a long time past.

The reason the practice has grown up here usually lies in the negligence shown by our manufacturers with regard to having their trademarks entered in the Government Patent Office here in their own names, either before they make any sales here, or, at the time their goods are first sent here. They appear to give no particular attention to the subject until they desire to sell a new customer here, or to change their agency from one firm to another; then they find, in many cases, that the firm that has been handling their goods here has had the manufacturer's trade-mark registered under its (the selling firm's) own name in order to protect and hold the trade on the goods in question by making it impossible for any competing house here to sell the same goods under the manufacturer's trade-mark.

To my personal knowledge this has occurred here with several wellknown marks of goods. I therefore conclude either that our manufacturers do not seem willing to go to the expense incident to the registration of their trade-marks here, or that they do not properly realize the great advantage it will be to them to control their own trade-marks from the beginning of their business with this and other countries. If they appreciated well. the latter I feel sure they would provide in their contracts with those representing them here and in other countries that their trade-marks should be registered in their (the manufacturers') own name.

A strong effort is now being made here by manufacturers from Europe to correct the blemishes apparent in the Argentine trade-mark laws, inasmuch as they suffer from the operation of the law to a greater extent than do our own manufacturers.

Owing to the injury being done by imitations, etc., of trade-marks to many lines of French manufacture, the French legation has been for a year interested in this effort.

The question will be again brought forward in the coming Congress, and I some time ago said to the French minister that I would gladly do what I might be able to do to have the law modified during this year's Congress.

For the present the best course our manufacturers can pursue is to take the requisite steps to register our trade-marks here in their own

name.

I shall be happy to render anyone any service I can in any such

case.

I have, etc.,

WILLIAM I. BUCHANAN.

MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

No. 684.]

Mr. Buchanan to Mr. Hay.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Buenos Ayres, May 2, 1899.

SIR: The Argentine National Congress opened its regular sessions yesterday with the usual ceremonies. President Roca's message was closely listened to and applauded in that portion wherein he stated that no new emission of would be made. paper money

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Owing to the direct and highly complimentary reference made by President Roca to what this legation has done toward assisting in the solutions arrived at in the limits disputes which have existed between this country and Chile, I deem it best to insert here a translation of those paragraphs of his message in which he refers to the foreign relations of the Republic, and especially to the settlement of the Puna de Atacama dispute. His message begins as follows:

To-day, with greater propriety than ever before, can it be said that the sessions of the National Congress begin under evidences of internal and external peace, and of the Republic having returned to work and to the development of its resources full of confidence in the present and in the promises held out by the future.

Our old territorial questions with Brazil and Paraguay terminated by arbitration, our difficulties with Bolivia directly arranged in a friendly manner, we have just concluded in a similar manner our boundary differences with the Republic of Chile in the north, while the Government of Her Britannic Majesty is engaged in studying those of the south, which were submitted by the two Republics to the high decision of the Government.

We are hence thus able to now consider as concluded the last of our boundary questions, which, from time to time, have not only disturbed our international relations, but, on some occasions, have threatened their violent rupture, and an implacable war, which, had it occurred, would have been a shame to America and scandalous before the eyes of the world.

At peace among ourselves, at peace with neighboring republics and with all nations, we need not henceforward devote a large portion of the public revenue to the purchase of elements of destruction, but can, on the contrary, devote our means toward stimulating our energies in every manner possible to the end that as a nation we may reach the high position the patriotism of our fathers has pictured for us.

The delimitation of the Puna de Atacama, which has just been concluded, has an importance vastly greater than the value of the territory in dispute. By it there has been closed the long period of uneasiness and inquietude which has been the cause of so many sacrifices, both on the part of this people and that of Chile, who have, however, in the end, guided by their intelligent reasoning and by a knowledge of their own greater good, mutually reached the ground of a complete and happy understanding between themselves. This, together with the work of the commission of eminent citizens of both Republics which met recently in this capital, and the interview I had the satisfaction, during my recent trip to our southern territories, to hold with His Excellency the President of Chile in the presence of the powerful ships of war of the two countries, brought together in the joint waters of the Straits of Magellan, has given place in both countries to an exchange of cordial manifestations which will be advantageously felt in the friendly relations we are called upon to cultivate with each other henceforward.

The participation taken in the solution of the difficulties of which I speak by Mr. Buchanan, the American minister, has also been a motive for particular gratification. To that solution he chiefly contributed, and thus rendered both Republics an eminent service. This is not the first occasion upon which it has fallen to the lot of a minister of the great Confederation of the North to decisively intervene in our boundary disputes in the interest of the international peace. Nor will this ever be forgotten by the two peoples whose destinies have been at stake on one or the other side of the mountains.

The principal point in the message is that wherein the President says he feels that the Republic shall arrange a method by which a gradual conversion of its paper money can be effected without injuring the country. He says he will submit a plan hereafter for the consid eration of Congress. The general belief is that the plan to be proposed will be one that has been much discussed here during the past year to provide by law a fixed rate of exchange, or rather "gold rate," at which gold and paper money shall be interchangeable for a fixed time. When the country has had time to adjust itself to that rate and has had an opportunity to "discount the future" by preparing for a new rate of exchange, then the plan is to create a new and lower rate, and thus reach par by successive steps.

The Bolsa has evidently little confidence in the success of the plan talked of, since to-day gold rose five points on the opening of the market and fell three points within an hour.

What the President wishes to overcome is the injurious effect produced upon all commerce here by the daily and constant "fluctuations of gold," or the differing value of the money of the country.

I have, etc.,

WILLIAM I. BUCHANAN.

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SIR: It gives me pleasure to inclose herewith a copy and translation of the general treaty of arbitration which has recently been signed here between this Government and that of Uruguay.

I am sure it will be read with great interest by you, as it undoubtedly reflects in a highly complimentary and commendable manner not only the good will and feeling of confidence which exists between the two neighboring Republics, which have thus been the first among their sister Republics to the south of our own to adopt by treaty the principle of arbitration in a wide and rational sense, but, as well, great credit upon the two Governments.

Since the signing of this treaty I have been spoken to several times by public men here with regard to their wish that they might see the same kind of a treaty signed with our Government. Yesterday his excellency President Roca said to me that he heartily hoped such a treaty might be concluded between his Government and our own; that such an act would have a far greater moral weight and be of wider good throughout South America than we possibly imagined; that he hoped that I would not fail while at Washington on leave to express to you and the President his view in that regard and the pleasure it would give him to see such a treaty signed between our Government and that of his country.

I replied that I would not only most gladly do as he wished, but that I felt certain the sentiments he had expressed would find a cordial welcome on the part of the President. In so stating, I feel sure I was

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