No. 286.
Mr. Thompson to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Port au Prince,
Hayti, June 23, 1886.
(Received July 8.)
No. 89.]Sir: On Thursday, January 21, 1886, the official
journal of the Haytian Government published the law, inclosure 1, which, you
will observe, is to the effect that forty days after such promulgation the
importation of “explosive kerosene oil” would be prohibited.
Considering at that time this law rather exacting, as I believed all kerosene
to be more or less explosive, and knowing the stoppage to such traffic would
be detrimental to our trade and a source of vexation, as we are all obliged
to burn it, and wondering what substitute would be used, I interrogated one
well versed and interested in the passage of the law aforementioned, and
found that although it was not expressed in the text thereof, it was
generally understood by commerce that it was applicable to kerosene under
150° Fahrenheit test; therefore I deemed it unworthy burdening the
Department with such information as there could be found no cause for
objecting to the inadmissibility of the common oils of greater explosive
quality, that had already caused so many disasters, as is hereinafter shown,
the Haytian consul at New York having investigated the matter and made the
report contained in “extract,” inclosure 2. In March last the minister of
finance inquired of Mr. Roumain, the professor of chemistry at the School of
Medicine, as to the degree of kerosene preferable for entry. A copy of the
letter is here inclosed, and also the reply thereto.
Since receiving your dispatch No. 51, of May 27 last, I have obtained the
greater portion of the correspondence on this petroleum agitation from Mr.
Roumain, who was the first one to be interested, and who caused such a
petition as is here inclosed to go before the cabinet, the Senate, and the
House of Representatives.
I am informed by the minister of finance that the consuls of Hayti have been
instructed not to sign, after a reasonable lapse of time, the invoices of
kerosene oil under a test of 150° Fahrenheit for importationin to this
Republic, and I have a copy of this dispatch to the consul-general of Hayti
at New York containing such instructions.
Understanding that the major portion of houses in this city, as in all the
cities of Hayti, are built of pitch-pine lumber, so easily ignited, I am of
the belief you will agree with me that this law is reasonable, with an
estimable object in view, and that it was unnecessary before to call your
attention thereto, as no hindrance was caused to our trade, rather to the
contrary, as the exportation of a superior article only will bring a higher
price to the shipper. The importation thereof is entirely from the United
States, there is no augmentation of the duties, and the necessity of
petroleum is unquestionable.
I have, &c.,
[Page 544]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
89.—Translation.]
law.
Considering that the usage of kerosene oil has given cause to frequent
fires and other regrettable accidents:
Using the privilege which the 79th article of the constitution gives to
the House of Representatives of the people, has proposed, and the
legislative body has rendered of urgence, the following law:
- Art. 1. Is and remains prohibited,
the importation, forty days after the promulgation of the
present law explosive kerosene oil.
- Art. 2. Can only be imported into
the country, paying the same custom-house dues, oil for lighting
purposes freed from all impurities.
- Art. 3. All violations of these
present provisions of article 1 shall be liable to penalties
fixed by the law on the administration and direction of the
custom-house.
- Art. 4. The present law abrogates
all the laws or provisions which are contrary thereto, and shall
be executed at the diligence of the Secretary of State of
Finance and of Commerce.
Given at the House of Representatives,
October 16, 1885,
the 82d year of the independence.
The President of the House,
F. DUCASSE.
The
Secretaries,
JH.OSSON.
POISSON.
Given at the National House, the 19th of October, 1885, the 82d year
of the independence.
The President of the Senate,
B. MAIGNAN
.
The Secretaries,
DÉSINOR St.
Ls. ALEXANDRE.
S. M.
PIERRE.
In the name of the Republic.
The President of Hayti orders that the above law of the Legislative
Corps be vested with the seal of the Republic, printed, published,
and executed.
Given at the National Palace of Port au Prince,
October 26,
1885, the 82d year of the independence.
SALOMON
.
By the President:
The Secretary of State of Finance and of
Commerce,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
89.—Translation.]
Mr. Fouchard to Mr.
Roumain.
Republic of Hayti,
Port au Prince,
March 6, 1886.
My Dear Fellow-Citizen: I have the advantage of
placing before your eyes a passage extracted from a letter that Mr.
Bassett, Haytian consul at New York, addressed to me, relative to
kerosene oil.
I would be thankful to you, my dear fellow-citizen, if you would settle
for me the question of at what degree must the oil permitted to enter
this country be without violating the law which prohibits the
importation of such oils. I await your information to give instructions
on this subject to the Haytian consul at New York.
Please accept, my dear fellow-citizen, the assurance of my highest
consideration.
[Inclosure in Inclosure 2.]
Passage extracted from the letter of Mr.
Bassett.
* * * * * * *
Several savants whom I have consulted in this regard have assured me
that, in the strict application of the word, all mineral oils are more
or less explosive, but that modern science furnishes means to purify
these oils in a manner so as to almost prevent all the dangers of
explosion that threatens persons who use it daily.
[Page 545]
The kind of “kerosene” which they have up to the present imported into
Hayti is refined only up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. It is beyond all
doubt that it is more or less dangerous.
There are, besides, among the lighting oils in general and common usage:
- (1)
- Calcium-light oil, refined at 130 degrees.
- (2)
- Water-white oil, refined at 150 degrees.
- (3)
- Astral oil (Pratt’s), refined at 150 degrees.
- (4)
- Luz diamante, refined at 170 degrees.
- (5)
- Mineral-sperm oil, which is composed of half mineral oil and
half whale oil.
This explained, I think that we should not lose sight of the effect that
might be produced on our population by the augmentation of the price of
these oils which the new law forcibly causes.
If we calculate the price of these oils, taken in quantities of two
hundred boxes, we will arrive at the following results:
- (1)
- Kerosene, 110 degrees, 9 cents per gallon.
- (2)
- Calcium-light oil, 130 degrees, 9¾ cents per gallon.
- 3)
- Water-white oil, 150 degrees, 11¾ cents per gallon.
- (4)
- Astral oil (Pratt’s), 150 degrees, 14 to 16 cents per gallon,
according to form of package.
- (5)
- Luz diamante, 170 degrees, 21 to 23 cents per gallon.
- (6)
- Mineral-sperm oil, 25 cents per gallon.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
89.—Translation.]
Mr. Roumain to Mr.
Fouchard.
Port au
Prince, March 8,
1886.
To the Secretary of State of Finances
and of Commerce.
Mr. Secretary of State: I received at this
moment your letter of the 6th instant, and hasten to give the
information that you have kindly asked of me.
I am very happy that the savants consulted by the Haytian consul at New
York have declared to be dangerous the kind of oils imported up to the
present in Hayti, and I find in that declaration the satisfactory
sanction of the facts and experiments that I have had the honor of
producing before you in the conferences on petroleum.
In my opinion, the petroleum oil (kerosene) destined for lighting
purposes, under 150 degrees
Fahrenheit, should not he admitted, and the consul should
refuse his visa to all invoices having such
oils.
It is evident, Mr. Secretary of State, that the oil at 170 degrees would
be preferable, because very naturally it approaches more to the object
to be attained, dispersing the frequent causes of fatal explosions. The
difference in the prices between the oil at 150 and 170 degrees
Fahrenheit are not so considerable that we should not be tempted to make
the latter our normal, legal petroleum.
The “Luz diamante,” the No.5 of enumeration, at 170 degrees Fahrenheit,
costs, according to your information, very certain, in tins of 5
gallons, 18 cents per gallon; in tins of 2 gallons, 23½ cents per
gallon; in cans of 1 gallon, 26¾ per gallon.
And remembering that it is especially in tins of 5 gallons that these
oils are generally imported, we find, comparing the prices with those of
your letter, a difference of 3½ cents per gallon between Astral oil at
150 degrees Fahrenheit and “Luz diamante” at 170 degrees Fahrenheit, a
difference which is largely compensated by the suppression of the
explosions and of the many disasters that it draws in its train.
I profit by this occasion to ask if your Department would permit me to
offer to it an apparatus which is used in proving and the verification
of petroleum oils, and which will permit the custom-house to easily
ascertain exactly the degree of purity of an imported oil?
If you consent to accept the entirely disinterested offer that I make,
and which has for object only to arm you with the means for the serious
execution of the new law on petroleum—should you consent, please send
for the little apparatus, which is patented in the United States for
this purpose.
In resuming, Mr. Secretary of State, admit no oil under 150 degrees
Fahrenheit, and give the preference to oils at 170 degrees.
If you think that I can be useful to you in the severe execution of this
law—if the analysis, the proving of a suspected oil, even of all the oil
imported, appear to you necessary, please without hesitation dispose and
without fear of having to pay.
Your all-respectful servant,
[Page 546]
[Inclosure 4 in No.
89.—Translation.]
Port au
Prince, September 2,
1885.
To the House of Deputies:
Deputies: The medical school, the central
medical jury of the Republic, the common council of Port au Prince,
moved by the grave and serious dangers to which inferior kerosene, to be
found in such great abundance in the commerce of our place, exposes
incessantly; dangers from which arise, clearly and unfortunately, the
frightful accidents which strike without relaxation, since some twenty
years, innumerable families in the midst of our populations; dangers
which the medical school, too, believe to be its duty to call attention
to by numerous demonstrative experiments to all those who had the
kindness to honor with their presence the conferences of August 9 last.
The school of medicine and all the signers of the present petition come
respectfully to beg you again to have the indulgence, in your
perceptible solicitude for all that is of common interest, to kindly
turn your high and serious attention to the petroleum question, actively
agitated a few days past.
We are all convinced with yourselves that the accidents, of which the sad
consequences cannot be foreseen, but of which we may perhaps form an
idea from the John Hepburn’s fire, occasioned by the explosion of a lamp
filled with inferior kerosene, from the fire of April 27, 1878, of the
Rue Fronts Forts, from the fire of July 12, 1881, and from the many
other accidents, with a fatal result, which have desolated, isolated,
scattered families, of which the general enumeration would doubtless
abuse your kind patience.
We are convinced of the urgency of prohibiting entirely this inferior
kerosene and all kerosene which does not answer to the indications and
the lawful demands of the medical jury, published by order of the
secretary of state of interior in the official journal of the 8th
instant. We would beg you to quickly, and we beseech you instantly, to
have the kindness to receive favorably our petition to have decreed
officially the absolute prohibition of this murderous product, so
frequently the cause of many heaps of ruin, of many painful
souvenirs.
By the exclusive importation of goods “not explosive in our lamps” you
will give more guaranty to the general well-being, to the fortune, to
the public edifices, to all interested to yours also in consequence, for
these common interests are truly yours.
Filled with confidence in your coming decision, all our population will
ever preserve the remembrance, and to which our names will be attached,
we have the honor to beg you to believe us,
Your all-respectful and obliged servants,
Dr. DESERT,
Director of Medical School.
The Common Council of Port au
Prince.
CH. MONPLAISER,
Director of the Custom
House.
CHRISPIN JEUNE,
Inspector
,
And other
signatures.
