guerre de la République, les ont surpris de la manière la plus perfide, ont enlevé les uns et incendié les autres.

Citoyens, le Chef, qui, sans aucune provocation, a commis ce crime sans exemple, cette violation scandaleuse des droits les plus sacrés, cet attentat qui réunit les caractères de la piraterie et de la bassesse, en rendra raison. Le Gouvernement qui vous préside prendra toutes les mesures qui sont en son pouvoir pour que cet outrage ne reste pas sans réparation, et il ne doute pas que Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne, informée de ce crime, punira le coupable et rétablira l'honneur de son Pavillon.

Le Gouvernement ignore jusqu'à présent le motif d'une action aussi extraordinaire, car l'Officier qui l'a commise n'avait adressé au Gouvernement que la communication suivante, dans laquelle il a faussement supposé, qu'il y a des Individus Français prisonniers à bord du Brick National le Rio-Bamba.

(Enclosure B.)-Bulletin que M. le Vicomte de Venancourt désirait qu'on substituât à celui dont il se plaignait.

M. le Vicomte de Venancourt ayant fait parvenir des réclamations au Gouvernement de Buenos Aires contre la publication du Bulletin du 22 Mai, le Gouvernement annule par les présentes le susdit Bulletin, et déclare intact l'honneur du Pavillon Français, et en particulier celui du Capitaine de Frégate Picard, Commandant la Corvette l'Isis, auquel on avait imputé, sans motif, d'avoir fait une fausse supposition dans une Lettre.

No. 10.-The Minister for Foreign Affairs to the French Commodore. (Translation.) Buenos Ayres, 28th May, 1829.

THE Undersigned, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Buenos Ayres, has received with the greatest surprise a Communication from Viscount Venancourt, Commodore of the Naval Forces of His Most Christian Majesty in the River Plate, under yesterday's date, in which he states that the terms in which the Bulletin of the Government of the 22d instant is expressed, has obliged him to suspend the fulfilment of the Stipulations solemnly concluded on the 23d and 26th instant, between the Commissioners of the Government and the Viscount; and requests the Government to annul the said Bulletin by an Official Declaration.

The Undersigned, having laid this Note before the Government, has received orders to reply to the Viscount that, the said Bulletin having been published at a moment when hostilities existed, de facto, between the Commodore of the Forces of His Most Christian Majesty, and the Government of Buenos-Ayres, and before any Negotiations were entered into, they cannot in any way annul the contents of it, much less as the Stipulations agreed upon on the 23d and 26th instant have thrown a veil over the previous events, until the two Governments shall definitively settle the business.

On this understanding, and expecting that the Viscount will show his desire to fulfil his.promises, and still retain his wish, as manifested to General Cruz, to abandon the hostile attitude he has taken, the Government have thought proper to commission Don Juan A. Gelly, for the definitive settlement of this business, affording the explanations which may be necessary.

The Viscount de Venancourt.

SALVADOR MARIA DEL CARRIL

No. 11.--Additional Articles to the Convention of the 26th May, between the Viscount Venancourt, Commodore of the Naval Forces of His Most Christian Majesty, and the Commissioners of the Govern ment of Buenos Ayres. (Translation.)

ART. I. AFTER having left for the decision of the Government of His Most Christian Majesty and that of the Argentine Republic, the Questions which have given rise to the events of the night of the 21st instant, as well as what is said to have been the cause and motive of that occurrence, we have agreed that whatever may have been the classification under which that Act may have been placed subsequently to the Convention of the 26th, it shall be considered annulled. That the Bulletin of the 22nd, in which the Government gives an account of the affair of the 21st, shall be forgotten, and considered as if it had never been circulated, and as published at a moment when war existed, de facto, between the Forces of His Most Christian Majesty and those of the Argentine Republic. That in future, every honour shall be paid, and all due consideration shown, to the French Flag.

II. That in order to avoid in future false interpretations, and to prevent such opinions being expressed, the Official Notes and other Papers, relating to the events of the 21st, shall be published without any comment.

III. That these Additional Articles shall be ratified by the Government of Buenos-Ayres, and sealed with the Arms of the Argentine Republic.

IV. That 48 hours, at furthest, after having received the Ratification of the present Addition to the Convention of the 26th, Viscount Venancourt shall deliver up the Vessels he has in his power.

Done on board the Brig of War Rondeau, 29th May, 1829. VICOMTE DE VENANCOURT.

JUAN A. GELLY.

No. 12.-The Minister for Foreign Affairs to the French Commodore. (Translation.)

Department of Foreign Affairs, Buenos Ayres, 29th May, 1829. THE Undersigned, Minister for Foreign Affairs, having carried to the knowledge of his Government the 4 Additional Articles to the Convention of the 26th instant, concluded between Viscount Venancourt and the Commissioners of the Government, has received orders to

inform the Viscount, that the Government of Buenos Ayres ratifies in all their parts the said Articles, in proof of which the Undersigned signs the present Note in their name, and seals it with the Arms of the Republic.

In making this Communication to the Viscount, the Undersigned, &c.
SALVADOR MARIA DEL CARRIL.

The Viscount de Venancourt.

REPORT of the Department of Finance to the Congress of Mexico.-29th January, 1828.

(Translation.)

ONE of the principal duties of the Department of Finance was lately fulfilled, in conformity with the provisions of the CXXth Article of our Federal Constitution, by the Exposition which the Secretaries of State are bound to present, relative to their respective Departments, and in obedience to the Decree of the 8th of May, 1826, which regulates the Department of Finance.

I did not expect to be placed in so difficult a situation, as to be obliged to undertake, in so short a time, a labour of such magnitude, but, whilst I supposed that men, of superior knowledge, and more accustomed to wield the pen, would have performed this work in a becoming manner, I found myself suddenly called upon to accomplish a task beyond my ability, and without the time requisite for effecting it. Since, however, it is my duty to obey the Law, I have entered upon the undertaking, in the hope that the whole Nation, and the Chambers, perceiving the difficulty of my situation, will be pleased to extend to me their indulgence.

The Statements of each of the Federal Revenues in the last financial year, which I have the honour to submit, separated in the manner directed in the IIId. Article of the said Decree of the 8th May, 1826; and the General Statement which precedes and recapitulates all the minor ones, have been drawn up by the Department of Accounts and Finance, that being a matter strictly belonging to its responsibility, and confided to it by the XIIIth Article of the Decree of the 16th November, 1824. I cannot but eulogize the assiduity and care with which that Department and its worthy Chief have laboured, and have surmounted serious obstacles arising from the defective state of some Accounts, and the bad arrangement of others.

The result of all its labours shews that, in the financial year of 1826 to 1827, the Departments of the Federal Treasury have received a gross amount of 17,017,016 dollars 4 rs 6 gs, which, after deducting the Salaries and Expences of Administration, amounting to 2,824,883 [1828-29.]

3 P

dollars, 7 rs, 7 gs, leaves a net Balance of 14,192,132 dollars, 4 rs,

11 gs.

Such is the result of the Statement referred to. The Vouchers in support of it have been transmitted to the Accountant General's Office; and those which are still wanting, and which have not been presented by the responsible persons, notwithstanding the repeated orders sent to them on the subject, shall also be sent to the same Office immediately on their being received.

By the above description I have completed the first part of the Finance Account, that is to say, that which appertains to the Receipts. I will now proceed to the second part, shewing the Disbursements as exhibited in the said General Statement.

I have stated that, according to the said General Statement, there remained in the Treasury, in the last financial year, a net Balance of Dollars 14,192,132 4 11

It is necessary to observe that this sum was not a real Surplus. It would have been so, had all the expenses of that financial year been covered; but this was not the case because of the impossibility, at the end of the said year, of immediately appropriating that sum, by the distribution of it in small portions throughout the vast extent of the Republic; and because of the increased expence incurred in the War Department during the said Year. Payments are, consequently, stated in the present, which belong to the former year, which is not as yet settled, because the diminution of the Federal Finance, which, from various extraordinary causes, has been experienced, in the commencement of the present financial Year, has occasioned a temporary deficiency; on which account, after mature deliberation, and with an exact knowledge of the circumstances, the Chambers issued the Decrees of the 21st November, and 24th December last, authorizing the Government to negotiate a Loan of 4,000,000 dollars on the Public Credit But, as these particulars do not belong to the present Statement, which ought to be confined to the preceding Year, in respect of the Accounts,

and to the future, in respect of the Estimate, in conformity with the beforementioned Decree of the 8th of May, 1826, I proceed to explain the other points connected with my present subject, reserving those of which I have just spoken to be discussed at a proper time, and with the necessary explanations.

I have already exhibited the Receipts produced within the Year and the Expenditure of them. It now remains for me to compare the Revenue of the 2 last Years, and to treat of the estimated Expences for the future, and of the means of defraying them.

One of the Comparative Statements exhibits an increase in some branches, and a decrease in others, in the financial Year of 1826 to 1827, as compared with the Revenue of the former one of 1825 to 1826. The Maritime Custom Houses exhibit an increase of 130,948 dollars, 4 rs. 4 gs. in consequence of the increased activity of Commerce, and of the vigorous measures of the Government to prevent Smuggling. The Custom Houses of the District and Territories exhibit an increase of 407,643 dollars 4 rs. 5 gs. by the union of the Federal District effected in April 1826.

The Revenue from Tobacco has somewhat increased, as is noticed in the proper item of the same Statement; but the whole of its proceeds, amounting to 914,947 dollars 6 rs. 5 gs., would have disappeared, if payment had been made of the debt contracted with the growers of Tobacco, which the Department of Accounts and Finance have returned in another nearly similar sum; so that the said branch in its present situation, yields little to the States, and nothing to the Federation; whilst it occasions labour, the employment of capital, and liabilities, which meet with no recompense in the amount of the products. Nothing can be more anti-economical than a Revenue collected in such a manner.

The Revenue from Pulque has increased 124,863 dollars 4 rs. 8 gs. in consequence of the union of the Federal District; and to the same cause, in my opinion, may be attributed the increase of 22,283 dollars 4 rs. in the produce of Stamped Paper.

The augmentation of 73,982 dollars 7 rs. 5 gs., in the Branch of Tithes and Ecclesiastical Annuities, has arisen from the activity observed in the collection of them.

The increase in the returns from the Salt Works, Duties on Goods, and Bridge Tolls, has, from its small amount, arisen only from accidental causes, and from the measures adopted for their better administration.

The Contingent of the States has experienced a decrease of 662,998 dollars 1 rs. 6 gs. in consequence of the exemption granted to the State of Mexico, and of the Sums which remain due from some of them. The Revenue from Gun-Powder has decreased 44,614 dollars 7 rs. 8 gs. This is principally occasioned by the cessation of the works.