[Inclosure in No. 92.
Translation.]
Mr. Restrepo to Mr.
Walker.
Republic of Colombia,
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs,
Bogotá,
February 23, 1888.
The undersigned, minister of foreign affairs, courteously salutes the
honorable John G. Walker, chargé d’affaires of the United States, and
referring to his verbal note of the 20th instant, has the honor to
explain the circumstances connected with the closure of Colombian ports
against vessels coming from Chili.
The Government of Panama, upon the first announcement of the scourge,
directed the absolute closure of the ports of the isthmus against
vessels coming from suspected ports.
In view of the magnitude of the danger, and in the absence of means to
guard against the contagion, such as quarantines and systems of
disinfection, the Government of the Republic confirmed the measures
adopted by that of Panama. Thus it was that notwithstanding applications
of the Government of Chili, that of Colombia has maintained the absolute
closure, in accordance with the advice of sundry sanitary councils and
authorities of reputation who were consulted on the subject.
Later information made it appear that the cholera had ceased, but when
the Government was about to modify its existing decrees, in a sense
unfavorable to closure, the Colombian chargé d’affaires at Santiago
advised that with a change of season the epidemic had reappeared in
various provinces of Chili. In view of this intelligence the Government
did not hesitate in its determination to maintain absolute closure.
This action on the part of the Colombian Government has been in accord
with other Governments on the Pacific coast, which have likewise closed
their ports against vessels coming from infected ports, as this ministry
is informed periodically by its agents in Lima and Guayaquil.
This Government does not conceal the fact that the danger of the epidemic
spreading from Chili to Colombia has not presented a like degree of
probability at all times, and that consequently the preventive measures
should be in proportion as the danger is more or less imminent. But in
the absence of such sanitary systems as exist in other countries, it has
been quite impossible to establish gradations of which I speak, or to
diminish the precautions taken, until the absolute disappearance of the
danger of infection.
For this reason, although we have had in view the various systems of
disinfection and quarantine of France, for example, and the measures
advocated by sanitary conferences and congresses, the Government has
found itself obliged, in presence of the danger, and in absence of the
necessary means of prevention, to resort to absolute closure to protect
the country from this fearful scourge.
For the rest, the undersigned is persuaded that the Government of the
United States should recognize that as there are no existing means on
the Pacific side of Colombia for disinfecting objects brought in vessels
from chili in transit across the isthmus to the United States, there
will always be a danger which can not be eliminated as long as cholera
exists in Chili.
In spite of the considerations which the undersigned has just laid before
the chargé d’affaires of the United States, this Government to-day
telegraphed its agent at Santiago, requesting information in regard to
the present sanitary condition of Chili, and the probability of the
reappearance of cholera in case it has lately disappeared.
The undersigned reiterates, etc.,
