3. On any vessel, proceeding from any of the places above mentioned, reaching the line of blockade the commander of the nearest man-of-war shall communicate to him the order against crossing it, and in case he persist he shall be considered to wish to violate the blockade. ART. 5. The ministers of the interior, foreign affairs, finance, and war and marine are charged to see to the execution of this decree and to communicate it to all whom it may concern. Given, signed, sealed with the seal of the national executive and countersigned by the ministers of the interior, foreign affairs, finance, and war and marine at the federal palace at Caracas this 28th day of June, 1902, year 91 of the independence and 44 of the federation. Mr. Bowen to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] CIPRIANO CASTRO. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Caracas, August 15, 1902. (Mr. Bowen states that the captain of the U. S. S. Marietta reports no blockade at Carúpano, Caño Colorado, and Guiria, and that the blockade at Ciudad Bolivar is effective. * Mr. Boven to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] * LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Caracas, August 19, 1902. (Mr. Bowen reports that the Venezuelan Government evacuated Cumana on the night of August 18; that he has been informed by the minister for foreign affairs that Germany, France, and Great Britain. jointly characterize the blockade as inefficient; that the minister will answer the joint representation, asking for proof and suggesting that a merchant vessel be sent to test the efficiency of the blockade. Mr. Bowen outlined the policy of the United States not to recognize an inefficient blockade, and the minister for foreign affairs acknowledged this policy to be sound and made no objections to it.) No. 122.] Mr. Bowen to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have learned that Germany and Great Britain based their refusal to recognize the blockade decreed by the Venezuela Government as effective on the assertion that the naval force of Venezuela is not sufficiently strong to render it effective. France confined her protest to Carúpano and Cumana, stating that French ships bad entered those ports without let or hindrance. I decided that, as we have no special interests in the ports blockaded, and as they seemed to me likely to be occupied and abandoned from time to time by the revolutionists, it would be sufficient for me to simply remark to the minister for foreign affairs that we could not recognize as effective any blockade that we find to be ineffective. No. 81.] Mr. Adee to Mr. Bowen. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 19, 1902. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 122, confidential, of the 7th instant, reporting concerning the condition of affairs in Venezuela, and stating that, as regards the blockade declared by the Government, it seemed to you to be sufficient to simply remark to the minister for foreign affairs that this Government could not recognize as effective any blockade that it found to be ineffective. The Department approves your position. I am, e c., ALVEY A. ADEE, IMPROPER USE OF UNITED STATES FLAG BY VENEZUELAN GUNBOAT "RESTAURADOR." Mr. Bowen to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (Mr. Bowen reports that the Venezuelan war vessel Restaurador flew the United States flag at her foremast so as to deceive the revolutionists along the Orinoco and to draw near enough to Ciudad Bolivar to bombard effectively; that she hauled down the United States flag just before beginning to bombard; that the Restaurador is now at La Guaira; that her captain, when questioned by the captain of the U. S. S. Marietta, acknowledged that he flew the United States flag and hauled it down as stated, and apologized. Mr. Bowen called upon the minister for foreign affairs and said, "Your captain has dishonored our flag. He should be ordered to raise it and salute it, and your Government should apologize;" and reports that the minister for foreign affairs replied that he had not heard about the incident, and asked for a delay of several days in order to investigate. Mr. Bowen gave him twenty hours, and stated that he should then cable the facts to the Department of State. The minister for foreign affairs being ill, the assistant secretary of state was sent this morning (September 24) to call on Mr. Bowen at the legation, and expressed regret on behalf of his Government that the United States flag had been displayed by the captain of the Restaurador, to whom orders have been issued to raise and salute it. Mr. Bowen states that the Venezuelan Government acted very promptly and courteously in the matter.) Mr. Bowen to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Caracas, September 24, 1902. (Mr. Bowen reports that the United States flag was hoisted and saluted with 21 guns by the Venezuelan war ship Restaurador.) No. 127.] Mr. Bowen to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that on the 22d instant, at 7 p. m., I called on the minister for foreign affairs and told him that I had just received the confirmation of a rumor I had heard several days before, to the effect that the Venezuelan war ship Restaurador had steamed up the Orinoco and entered the port of Ciudad Bolivar flying the American flag at her foremast, it having been placed there with the object of deceiving the revolutionists and of approaching Ciudad Bolivar so closely as to permit her to bombard the town effectively. I then said to him: Your captain dishonored the American flag; he should be ordered to raise it and salute it, and your Government should apologize. He answered that he had heard nothing about the incident, and that he desired to have several days so as to investigate it. I replied: The facts that I have presented to you are indisputable, and I can give you only twenty hours, for I feel that at the end of that time I must cable the facts to my Government. He thereupon agreed to act within the time specified. Before I left him I told him that the captain of the Restaurador had called the day before on Captain Diehl, the commander of the U. S. S. Marietta, stating that he had displayed it simply as he would have a flag of truce, and that he hauled it down before beginning the bombardment. I characterized the captain's explanation as neither credible nor satisfactory, and the minister's silence proved that he believed I meant what I said. The following morning the first secretary of state called on me at 11 o'clock, and, after stating that his chief was ill in bed, informed me that he had been sent by his Government to express its regret that the American flag had been used improperly by the Restaurador, and that orders would be sent to her captain that afternoon to raise it and salute it with 21 guns. He then spoke of the earnest desire entertained by his Government to maintain friendly relations with the United States, and to remain on the best of terms with this legation. I assured him that the sentiments he had expressed are reciprocated most warmly by both the United States Government and by this legation, and I sent by him my best wishes to the minister for foreign affairs for his speedy recovery. After he had gone I sent word to Captain Diehl, through Mr. Goldschmidt, our consul at La Guaira, that the Restaurador would salute our flag before sunset. Shortly after 5 o'clock Mr. Goldschmidt telephoned me that the full salute of 21 guns had just been fired by the Restaurador, and that our flag meanwhile had been displayed at her foremast. My reason for not cabling to you for instructions, and for not entering into a written discussion with the Venezuelan Government, was because I feared if there was any delay the Restaurador might leave the port of La Guaira, and thus avoid doing honor to the flag she had insulted. During my conversations with the Venezuelan authorities I took the FR 1902, PT 1—68 precaution to have Mr. Russell, the secretary of this legation, present, and I am indebted to him for several remarks he made that helped to render the settlement of the matter satisfactory. I am, etc., HERBERT W. BOWEN. No. 82.] Mr. Adee to Mr. Bowen. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, I have to acknowledge the receipt of your two telegrams of the 24th ultimo. I inclose for your information copy of a letter from the Acting Secretary of the Navy, forwarding the report made by the commanding officer of the Marietta on the subject. I am, etc., ALVEY A. ADEE, Acting Secretary. [Inclosure.] Mr. Taylor to Mr. Hay. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, September 30, 1902. SIR: I have the honor to inclose for your information a copy of a letter from the commanding officer of the Marietta, dated at La Guaira, Venezuela, the 22d instant, relating to the use of the American flag by the gunboat Restaurador. Very respectfully, [Subinclosure.] H. C. TAYLOR, Acting Secretary. * Lieutenant-Commander Diehl to the Secretary of the Navy. U. S. S. MARIETTA, SIR: * The commanding officer of the Venezuelan gunboat Restaurador called upon me to-day and gave the following explanation, viz: That he did fly the American flag at the fore on approaching Ciudad Bolivar; that his reasons for so doing were that he desired to send a message ashore to the consular officials; that he could not use a white flag of truce, because that flag is carried by the revolutionists; that his object was to approach near enough to send a messenger without being fired upon; that he did not know that he was committing any fault or discourtesy toward the United States. He assured me that the American flag was hauled down before a shot was fired either from shore or from the ship. I cautioned the commanding officer of the Restaurador that I could not approve of his using the American flag in any except a purely legitimate way, and requested that it be not repeated. He expressed his regrets and assured me that it would not occur again. I am inclined to believe that the American flag was hauled down before any firing began, and recommend to the Department that this incident be closed. Very respectfully, S. W. B. DIEHL, Lieutenant-Commander, U. S. Nary, Commanding and Senior Officer Present. INDEX. A. Abduction by brigands, ransom, and release of Miss Ellen M. Stone, an Amer- Page. 1051 22 419, 442, 550, 584, 682, 683, 731, 737, 830, 889, 890, 903, 904, 948, 960, 1050 92 36 92 Additional amendatory agreement to the commercial agreement of May 28, 418 Adjustment of difficulty between Argentine Republic and Chile.. Admission of Chinese into Cuba.. Adoption of gold standard in Peru. 18 37 263 893 Africa: East: British protectorates placed under zone of total prohibition of alco- 520 South, war in: résumé of speech of Count Bülow, German chancellor, 425 Agreement: amendatory and additional, to the commercial agreement of May 28, 1898, 418 between Russia and China relative to Manchuria. 26, 408, 511 defensive, between Great Britain and Japan: text of.. 513 defensive, between Great Britain and Japan: declaration of Russia and 929 Albany, U. S. S.: courtesies in Denmark to 373 Alcoholic liquors: British protectorates in East Africa placed under zone of Aliens, neutrality of: "certificates of neutrality” not to be issued by legation 313 Alves, President of Brazil: inauguration of.... 114 Amendatory and additional agreement to commercial agreement of May 28, Amazon, Upper: inadvisability of American emigration to region of.. 105 543 418 Amendment to land regulations of foreign settlement at Chemulpo, Korea ... 733 prisoners of war: held in British colonies.. 463 795 105 |