[Inclosure 1 in No.
130.—Translation.]
Naval Commandants to the
Diplomatic Corps.
On
board the Italian Cruiser, Etna,
Rio de Janeiro, December 21,
1893.
The commanding officers of Italy, England, France, United States of
America, Germany, Portugal, and Austria-Hungary have the honor to bring
to the knowledge of the respective members of the diplomatic corps that
which follows:
Several notices have been received, emanating from the captain of the
port of Rio de Janeiro, and announcing to the consular authorities the
anchorages which the foreign ships were invited to give up because of
the existing hostilities. The boundaries of the zone in which foreign
ships, whether of war or commerce, could remain in safety with the
guaranty that the batteries of the Government would not fire upon that
zone, have never been indicated with precision.
In order to obtain information upon this point, the senior commanding
officer has been obliged on several occasions to ask, through an
officer, the captain of the port for precise instructions. These
instructions have always been given verbally and in a somewhat vague
manner, which might produce unfortunate misunderstandings. In order to
avoid such inconvenience the commanding officers think that it is
necessary to be informed officially and more definitely by the Brazilian
Government, and not by inferior agents, as to the place that foreign
ships, either of war or commerce, should occupy in order to be
completely sheltered from shot fired by troops subject to the orders of
the Brazilian Government.
The commanding officers have, therefore, the honor to beg the
above-mentioned members of the diplomatic corps to kindly solicit from
the Brazilian Government precise written instructions to that effect,
and with as little delay as possible.
The commanding officers think it worth while to add in support of this
note the different notices from the captain of the port, which prove
besides that the measures taken concerning commerce have often been
radically changed, which produces serious inconvenience.
The commander of the Austria naval forces,
Holeczeck
.
The commander of
the Portuguese naval forces,
Augusto de
Castilho,
Frigate
Captain.
The commander of the German naval
forces,
Hofmeier.
The commander of the United States naval
forces,
Henry F.
Picking.
The commander of the French naval
forces,
de
Barbeyrac.
The commander of the English naval
forces,
N. M.
Lang.
The Rear-Admiral commanding Italian Naval
forces.
G. B.
Magnaghi.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
130.—Translation.]
Notice of the captain of the port.
Rio de
Janeiro, September 25,
1893.
To the consul:
It being advisable to withdraw from the neighborhood of the fortified
places, especially from those situated on the Gamboa and Saude, the
foreign ships, that they may escape damage from the artillery fire on
land, I beg you to take the needful measures that the ships of your
nationality may withdraw to the lower part of the hay, out of reach of
the same artillery, and that this be done with the greatest speed.
I take advantage, etc.,
José Pinto do Suz,
Captain of the Fort.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
130.—Translation.]
Notice of the captain of the port.
Rio de
Janeiro, November 2,
1893.
To the Italian consul:
There being absolute necessity for the immediate withdrawal of the ships
of your nationality from the neighborhood of the islands of Mocangue and
Viauna and others situated near the Ponte d’Areia and Toque Toque, I
have to ask you to take the necessary measures that such ships may leave
as soon as possible the anchorages in which they lie. I take this
opportunity to inform you, as is my duty, that the Government of the
United States of Brazil does not deem itself bound to give compensation
for any loss that such ships may suffer through being in range of the
artillery on land.
I take the opportunity, etc.,
José Pinto do Suz,
Captain of the Port.
[Inclosure 4 in No.
130.—Translation.]
Notice of the captain of the port.
Rio de
Janeiro, December 9,
1893.
I advise the agents of steamship companies and the consignees and masters
of merchant vessels anchored in the neighborhood of Ilhas das Enxadas
and between this island and Ilha das Cobras, to have them withdrawn to
that part of the bay comprised between the naval arsenal and the central
Brazil Railway station, in order that they may with greater safety and
speed perform their unloading and keep up their land communication under
shelter from the attacks of the revolted ships and from the firing of
the fortresses at the entrance and of the Nictheroy fortifications.
Hereby the notice of the 7th December of this year is superseded.
José Pinto do Suz,
Captain of the Port.
[Inclosure 5 in No.
130.—Translation.]
Notice of the captain of the port.
Rio de
Janeiro, December 20,
1893.
To his excellency the Italian
consul:
I have the honor to ask your excellency to take the necessary measures
that the ships of your nationality that are anchored between the Ilha
das Cobras and the Ilha das Enxadas and those in any point near these
islands may withdraw with the greatest speed from such anchorages, to
leave free range to the legal batteries and forts so that they may
attack the revolted ships which go and seek shelter alongside the
foreign ships and fire thence upon the land forces.
I repeat to his excellency, etc.,
José Pinto do Suz,
Captain of the port.
