Mr. Conger to Mr. Gresham.

[Extract.]
No. 485.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of dispatch No. 283 of July 18, 1893, with inclosed copy of letters representing the prohibition by the Brazilian Government of cipher telegrams from the United States to Brazil, and your instructions in reference thereto.

Acting upon your telegraphic instructions of July 27, I at once secured the removal of the restrictions to all ports except Santos, as reported in my dispatch No. 474 of July 31 last. I have now to report the removal of the restriction as to that city, and inclose herewith copies and translations of all the correspondence with the foreign office on the subject.

I have, etc.,

E. H. Conger.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 485.]

Mr. Conger to Senhor Pereira.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s telegram of the 29th instant, informing me that cipher communications would be reestablished between the United States of America, this capital, and States of the North.

I beg your excellency to accept my sincere personal thanks for the prompt and willing attention to this matter, and I feel sure my Government will experience genuine pleasure in the report of its speedy and favorable solution.

[Page 44]

May I ask if it was not intended that Santos also should be included in the permitted list? The magnitude of the coffee trade between that port and New York makes it almost as important in this particular as Rio de Janeiro.

I take pleasure in proffering to your excellency the assurances of my highest consideration.

E. H. Conger.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 485—Translation.]

Senhor Pereira to Mr. Conger.

I have before me the note which Mr. E. H. Conger, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, addressed me on the 31st ultimo, thanking me for the notice of the reestablishment of cipher telegraphic communications between his country, this capital, and the States of the North.

As to the request which the Mr. Minister formulates in respect to Santos, I regret to say to him it is not possible, however, to extend to that city the measure mentioned.

I improve the opportunity to have, etc.,

Jo. Filippe Pereira.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 485.]

Mr. Conger to Senhor Pereira.

Sir: Acknowledging receipt of your excellency’s note of the 2d instant with information that it is not possible to extend the privilege of cipher communication from the United States of America to the city of Santos, I beg to inquire if it is not possible that some plan may be devised whereby the merchants of Santos may deposit their cipher codes with some trusted and intelligent Brazilian official of that city, and have all messages delivered to him for translation.

Even this course is objectionable, yet it will save much of the annoyance and expense of a total prohibition, and I trust your excellency’s Government will find its adoption both possible and convenient.

I improve the occasion to renew, etc.,

E. H. Conger.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 485—Translation.]

Senhor Pereira to Mr. Conger.

I acknowledge the receipt of the note which Mr. E. H. Conger, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, addressed me on the 2d instant, asking if it was not possible to permit, with reference to the American merchants of Santos, some measure, by virtue of which their cipher code might be placed in the hands of some Brazilian official in that city to whom should be delivered all telegraphic dispatches for translation.

I have to-day addressed upon this subject the ministry of industry, communication, and public works. I have, etc.,

Jo. Filippe Pereira.
[Page 45]
[Inclosure 5 in No. 485.]

Mr. Conger to Senhor Pereira.

Sir: Referring to the note of the 5th instant, in which your excellency informs me that you had on that date addressed your colleague, the minister of industry, communication, and public works, upon the proposition to permit cipher telegrams from the United States of America to the city of Santos, and have all such telegrams translated by a Brazilian official, as suggested in my note of the 3d instant, I am constrained by the great importance of the question to inquire of your excellency if the matter has not yet been determined.

Hoping for an early and favorable reply,

I improve the occasion to renew, etc.,

E. H. Conger.
[Inclosure 6 in No. 485—Translation.]

Senhor Pereira to Mr. Conger.

The note which Mr. E. H. Conger, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, addressed me on the 16th instant, with reference to means for facilitating the reception of cipher telegrams, sent from the said States to the city of Santos, was duly received.

The question having been submitted to the ministry of industry, communication, and public works, he took the opinion of the director general of telegraphs. From him he learns that the foreign telegraph service North in secret language has been reestablished, there remaining, however, the requirement of translating into plain language the correspondence between Brazil and the Republics of the Plate, which determination was duly communicated to the central bureau of telegraphic administrations in Berne.

If meanwhile there should still be refused in the United States of America cipher telegrams for Brazil, will the Mr. Minister inform me to the end that the director general of telegraphs may provide such remedy as the case may require?

I have, etc.,

Jo. Filippe Pereira.