Office of the Historian

No. 5.
Mr. Osborn to Mr. Evarts.

Legation of the United States,
Buenos Ayres, March 25, 1879. (Received June 14.)
No. 222.]

Sir: With reference to the collection of “Banda Oriental” light dues from foreign vessels in Argentine ports, under authority of a decree of the President of this republic dated September 15, 1878, and referred to in my dispatch No. 218, I have the honor to state that the President has informed the captain-general of the port that the decree has been revoked, and directed that no vessel would be cleared at the custom-house without having been previously dispatched at the office of the captain of the port There appears to be no objection on the part of masters of vessels to the payment of light dues of East Point and the “English Bank,” and it may be considered that all obstacles to foreign vessels entering and leaving Argentine ports, so far as the demand and payment of light dues are concerned, are removed.

I inclose herewith a copy of the order revoking the decree as published in the “National,” official organ, and translated and published by the Herald, marked A.

I have, &c.,

THOS. O. OSBORN.
[Inclosure A in Mr. Osborn’s No. 222.—Extract from the Herald, March 25, 1879.]

Government has just issued a decree in virtue of which no vessels can he cleared at the custom-house without having been previously dispatched at the captain of the port office. By this measure it is affirmed that frequent abuses will be avoided, of which foreign captains are guilty who sail “without their bill of health and the necessary dispatch from the port captain.”

The Nacional mentions that in consequence of a representation made by the United States minister the government has ordained that the decree of September 15, 1878, be considered void, and that vessels be henceforth only called upon to pay the Punta del Este and Banco Ingles light dues.