No. 11.
Mr. Osborn
to Mr. Fish.
Buenos Ayres, March 15, 1875. (Received May 3.)
Sir: Dr. Don Carlos Tejedor has been named minister extraordinary to Brazil by the President, and will proceed in a few days to Rio de Janeiro, to adjust, if possible, the difficulties between this government and Brazil.
For the past few days rumors have been current respecting objections made on the part of the Brazilian government to the fortifying of the island of Martin Garcia, and of the movements of Brazilian troops on the Uruguay, but this government has officially denied that any notes have been received on the subject.
These rumors are based doubtless on the demand of the Brazilian press that the Emperor should forbid the fortification of the island.
The island of Martin Garcia is being fortified by the Argentine government; but I do not think it will lead to war, for the natural right to fortify it has never been disturbed by any treaty stipulations.
The only treaties bearing on Martin Garcia, the one of 1853, with the United States, England, France, and Sardinia, and the other of 1856, with Brazil, in which the contracting parties stipulate, first, for the free navigation of the tributaries of the River la Plate; and, second, to use their influence to prevent the possession of the island by any riparian State that has not given its adhesion to the principle of the free navigation of said rivers.
In a conversation with the British minister, on the 12th instant, he informed me that his government agreed with the Government of the United States, that there is no legal right to require this government to desist from arming the island, especially so long as it shall respect the provisions of its treaty of 1853 for the free navigation of the rivers Parana and Uruguay.
The only question that can disturb the friendly relations between the two countries are those concerning the limits between Paraguay and the Argentine Republic, and the Paraguay-Brazilian treaties; and when [Page 25] these questions are approached, the Brazilian press raises the clamor that the Argentine government wants war.
I do not believe there will be war. It is very clear that the Argentine government does not want war. I do not think that the Brazilian government wants war, but rather wishes to absorb the republics of Paraguay and Uruguay by the action of time instead of force.
I have, &c.,