Mr. de Stråle to Mr. Hill July 31 Sept. 24 Same subject. Reports acceptance of invitation by the King. Same subject. Claims of residents of Samoa not subjects or citizens of one of the three signatory powers. The King is ready to pass upon them if agreeable to the three Governments. Same subject. Refers to correspondence with respective embassies on the subject of above note, and declares willingness to let them be passed upon by the King if the other two powers agree. Same subject. Incloses correspondence with British and German embassies respecting the inclusion of claims of foreigners not under jurisdiction of the treaty powers, calls attention to the wish of the United States that such claims be laid before the three Governments, and instructs to acquaint the Swedish Government with the consent as given. Same subject. Acknowledges above instruction. Neither British nor German minister has received like instructions. When such are received the King will be simultaneously notified of assent. Same subject. Foreign office informed of assent of Great Britain and United States to admission of claims of all foreigners. Assent of United States subject to conditions in Department's instruction No. 96. German minister has not been instructed. Same subject. Refers to Department's instruction No. 96, and incloses note on the subject to chargé d'affaires of France at Washington. Same subject. German minister has notified Swedish Government of assent of his Government that all foreign claims be included subject to conditions similar to those in Department's instruction No. 96. 897 898 899 899 900 901 902 902 196 Mr. Griscom to Mr. Hay.... Jan. 8 Mr. Griscom to Mr. Hay.... Jan. 13 Jan. 27 Feb. 9 211 Consular immunities. Arrest of Cavass of United Same subject. Acknowledges above telegram. matter. Negotiations for the settlement of indemnity Consular immunities. Arrest of Cavass of United 6 Treaty of 1830. Interpretation of Article IV. In- Mr. Hay to Mr. Griscom.... Feb. 19 Same to same (telegram)....... Apr. 23 Negotiations for the settlement of indemnity claims of United States citizens. Instructs to 920 920 920 921 906 937 928 931 907 909 931 938 908 Same subject. Reiterates above instruction 908 911 This 908 909 Treaty of 1830. Interpretation of Article IV. In- 912 914 May 21 May 23 ment. Same subject. Incloses consul's reply to report Same subject. Dispatches Nos. 449 and 451 have June 8 Citizenship of a woman born in Cuba and resid- Mr. Loomis to Mr. Hay..... July 28 Consular immunities. Attack on the wife of Condolences on Galveston disaster 943 954 944 950 952 954 952 954 Sept. 21 CORRESPONDENCE. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. INTERFERENCE WITH OFFICIAL DUTIES OF FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES IN MATTERS OF QUARANTINE AND BILLS OF HEALTH. No. 769.] Mr. Jones to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Buenos Ayres, February 3, 1900. SIR: In connection with my No. 768, of the 29th ultimo, reporting the existence of the bubonic plague at Rosario, I have the honor to inclose herewith copy and translation of a note from the Argentine Government formally apprising the legation of this fact, and a copy of my reply thereto. I likewise beg to inclose copy and translation of the sanitary decree of the 26th ultimo, referred to in my previous dispatch on the subject. I also inclose copy of the decree of the 24th ultimo, and beg to especially call the Department's attention to an incident arising in connection therewith, and to ask for instructions for my guidance in the conduct of the legation with respect to that incident. As will be seen, the first three articles are to the effect that notice is at once to be given either to the minister of the interior or the national board of health of any suspicious case by any functionary in the locality to whose knowledge it may come; that the board of health will thereupon dispatch one or more of its employees to the most convenient spot for seeing to the observance of all measures prescribed by law, and that governors of provinces and these sanitary officials must cooperate in providing for the execution of all necessary measures. The fourth article says that on the national board of health obtaining scientific proof of the existence of exotic disease anywhere within Argentine territory it is to apprise the minister of the interior thereof without delay, in order that the executive may give official notice of the epidemic, with a statement of the places where it exists, and of its nature, and name, and the character it presents. The fifth article runs as follows: Until an official declaration has been made of the existence of an exotic disease in Argentine territory, no national or provincial functionary, nor any foreign agent accredited to the National Government, may affirm in any document the existence of such disease, whatever may be the data or reports which are thought to justify the assertion. According to the sixth article the office of prefect-general of ports is to advise all subordinate offices that no vessel is to be allowed to leave FR 1900-1 1 an Argentine port bearing on its bill of health any statement of the existence of exotic disease in the Republic until the National Executive shall have declared the same by decree. The seventh article forbids the board of health from supplying any information about investigations carried out for the purpose of diagnosis without permission from the ministry of the interior. The eighth article provides for the dismissal of any national official who, before declaration of the existence of exotic disease has been made by, the President, shall affirm its existence in the press or in any official document, and goes on to say that "the functionaries or agents of foreign nations who commit a similar transgression against the sanitary dispositions of the country will be denounced to the Government in whose service they are in the manner prescribed by international law.” The remaining articles, 9 to 16, inclusive, are of an administrative character and furnish instructions for the guidance of all persons concerned in dealing with cases in point. Two days after the publication of the decree in the Boletin Oficial a meeting of all the heads of missions of the diplomatic body at this capital was called by the British minister, its dean, at the instance of the French minister and the chargé d'affaires of Austria-Hungary, whereat strong exception was taken to articles 5 and 8 of the decree on the ground that they infringed upon prerogatives of the diplomatic officer and placed him in the same category with the national official and employee. After a rather lengthy discussion on the subject, and the motion to address a joint note of protest to the Argentine Government being voted down, it was proposed to choose Mr. Barrington, the British minister; Mr. Cavalcanti, the Brazilian minister, and myself to call on the acting minister of foreign relations and ask in the name of the whole diplomatic body an explanation and rectification of the provisions objected to. Upon my declining the nomination to be one of the delegates, the following memorandum, for the guidance of the British and Brazilian ministers in their interview with the acting minister of foreign relations, was drawn up: Les membres du corps diplomatique aprés une échange de vues et avant de demander des instructions á leurs Gouvernements respectifs sur le fonds et la forme du decret 24 Janvier, ou il y a des prescriptions contraires à leur mandats, ont chargé MM. Barrington et Cavalcanti de rechercher avec le ministre des affaires étrangeres les moyens d'établir des formules qui ne portent pas atteinte aux droits qui leur sont reconnus dans tous les pays ainsi qu'aux devoirs qu'ils ont à remplir vis-à-vis de leurs Gouvernements. In keeping herewith, Mr. Barrington and Mr. Cavalcanti called, on the 30th ultimo, on Dr. Yofre, the minister of the interior and acting minister of foreign relations during the absence of Dr. Alcorta, who is in Paris. They reported at the second meeting of the diplomatic body, held to-day, the result of their proceedings. They pointed out to the minister the unusual form which had been given to the decree, informing him of the feeling of annoyance entertained by the foreign representatives at seeing themselves included in regulations affecting matters of internal administration; at blame being, as it were, imputed to them in advance, and at the minatory language employed in a public document with regard to them in the event of their own sense of duty impelling them to act otherwise than according to the dictation of the Argentine Government. |