Señor Bolet Peraza to Mr. Foster.
Washington, September 10, 1892. (Received September 12.)
Sir: Last night I had the honor to address your excellency a telegram making complaint that the steamer South Portland, with a cargo of arms and munitions of war, was about to leave the port of New York, and that there were strong reasons for believing that said arms and munitions were intended for the use of the revolutionaries in Venezuela. I therefore beg your excellency, in the name of my Government, to be pleased to issue the necessary orders to procure the detention of the steamer and the verification of the matter.
The administrator of customs has already, by reason of a telegraphic dispatch from your excellency, taken steps to prevent the departure of said steamer and to investigate the nature of her cargo.
As your excellency will have learned by information received from the administrator of customs of New York, there is already sufficient ground upon which to base the action which I have solicited of your excellency, and it will be proved without difficulty that the steamer and the war materials on board of her are designed for use against the National Government of Venezuela.
I beg your excellency therefore to proceed with the measures already taken as a service conducive to the peace of a friendly nation until the fact be verified that these war materials, which I have formally denounced to the just Government of the United States, are in no way designed to increase the misfortunes which at present afflict Venezuela.
With sentiments, etc.,