No. 78.

Mr. Wing to Mr. Fish

No. 74.]

Sir: Referring to my recent dispatch, No. 64, I desire to lay before the Department certain documents which conclusively establish the military nature of the “fire organization” described in that dispatch, and fully bear me out in my action in the premises.

I forward copies (A and B) of the recent correspondence between the commanding general at Guayaquil and the secretary of war, in this city, (C and D,) being translations of the same.

It will be perceived that the said “the department” is absolutely under the control and supervision of the commanding general, and that in the answer to his communication the minister of war explicitly states that said department is a bona fide military organization, and its members liable, in certain contingencies, to be coerced into the regular army of Ecuador.

I have, &c.,

E. RUMSEY WING.

C.

Sir: The penalty that the “fire regulations” impose upon the firemen for failure of service is only limited to fines and arrests. As this corps is reputed to be in the condition of national guard, destined solely for fire service, by the necessity that there is for them in the city, I inquired of the supreme government, through your respectable intervention, if the punishment of fines and arrests is to be extended only until four consecutive absences, of which the national guard law speaks, or must the same punishment be continued indefinitely, even when they exceed that number. If such is the case, the national guard will be in a worse condition than the fire corps.

FRANCISCO J. SALAZAR.

His Excellency Minister of State, in the Dispatch of War and Navy.

D.

Your appreciated communication No. 41, under date of 28th of the past month, was duly received at this department, explaining that the “fire regulations” only impose upon the firemen for failure of service the penalty of fines and arrests, and this corps, being like the national guard, and destined only for fire service by the necessity there [Page 260] is for them in that city, you inquire if the punishment of fines and arrests should be extended only to the four consecutive failures of which the law of national guards speaks, or has the same penalty to be continued indefinitely the same, even when they exceeded that number, urging at the same time that the active national guard, in time, will be in worse condition than the fire corps. His excellency the President of the republic has resolved that, considering the fire corps as a national guard, the Ecuadorians enlisted in it, who fail in attendance to exercise four consecutive times without a verified just cause, shall be enlisted in the army, it being understood that these failures are when in case of fire they do not repair to lend immediate aid.

SEGUNDINO DARGUEA.

His Excellency General Commander of the District of Guayaquil.