Mr. Thompson to Mr.
Gresham.
Legation of
the United States,
Petropolis, February 14, 1894.
(Received March 19.)
No. 169.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit the response from
the senior naval commanders to the note of the minister of foreign affairs
(transmitted as inclosure 7 in my No. 131), denying violation of the
agreement of October 5 to remove all guns from the batteries within the
city.
The commanders contradict the assertions made by the Government and exhibit
drawings of the fortifications to sustain their observations.
The members of the diplomatic corps declined to send this note to the
Government, but prepared a note thanking the commanders for the information,
and the matter here rests. I concurred in this action.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 169.]
Naval commandants to
diplomatic corps.
U. S.
Cruiser Charleston,
Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, January 11,
1894.
The representatives of the United States of America, France, Portugal,
England, and Italy, in conference assembled, have read the note of the
minister of foreign affairs of the Brazilian Government, dated January
8, 1894.
The senior naval commanders are very much surprised at the statements
made in this note. A sketch is inclosed showing the exact positions of
the guns in battery on Castello Hill, made by two naval officers at
different times on December 28.
It was reiterated by these officers that the guns were capable of being
tired immediately. All that is necessary to do, which would take but a
moment, is to knock out some of the bags filled with clay which are
placed to mask the guns from view outside, and these guns can be
immediately fired. The senior commanders and their officers have often
noted the firing from and against the city by small-arms and rapid-fire
guns, and it was frequently seen that the first shot was fired from the
shore, which right the Government officially declared not to
abdicate.
- A. Aubry,
Commanding Naval Forces of Italy.
- S. Rolleston,
Commanding English Naval
Forces.
- Augusto do Castilho,
Commanding Naval Forces of
Portugal.
- De Barbeyrac, M.,
Commanding Naval Forces of
France.
- Henry F. Picking,
Commanding Naval Forces of the United
States of America.
[Page 131]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
169—Translation.]
Diplomatic corps to the
naval commandants.
Petropolis, January 14,
1894.
The representatives of England, Italy, the United States of America,
France, and Portugal have the honor to acknowledge receipt of the note
which the commanding officers of the naval forces of their respective
countries addressed them on the 11th of the present month. They thank
them for this communication and for the plans annexed, which confirm
their communication of the 1st of this month.
