Mr. Partridge to Mr.
Gresham.
Legation of
the United States,
Caracas, July 10, 1893.
(Received July 21.)
No. 58.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy
and translation of a decree of the Venezuelan Government, dated the 1st
instant, relative to the navigation of the Orinoco River. It closes all of
the channels of that river to foreign commerce, except the Boca Grande,
reserving the Macareo and Pedernales channels for the coasting trade, and
absolutely prohibiting the navigation of its other channels.
I understand that the only American line at present running between the
United States and Ciudad Bolivar is the Thebault line, of New York, whose
steamer already passes through the Boca Grande. The Department, however, in
its instruction, No. 308, of November 4, 1892 transmitted to this legation a
copy of a letter from John H. Dialogue & Son, of Camden, N. J., in which
they stated that they proposed to build
[Page 730]
vessels to run between the United States and Angostora
(Ciudad Bolivar), and that to make the connection as direct as possible, and
to avoid unnecessary expense, they desire to utilize the navigation of the
bayous of the Orinoco, which afforded the most convenient route. Before
entering upon large expense they desire to know whether these different
channels of the Orinoco were open to all hags, and especially the American,
and whether that condition was likely to be permanent. The minister of
foreign affairs replied, December 22, that by the executive decree of
October 25, 1886, either domestic or foreign vessels were allowed to enter
the Orinoco by any of its mouths.
The shortest course for steamships proceeding from the United States is to
pass westward of the island of Trinidad and enter the Orinoco by the
Pedernales or Macareo channels. These channels, I am informed, admit vessels
of a draft less than about 14 feet, and for vessels of that class are safer
entrances than the Boco Grande.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No.
58.—Translation.]
Joaquin Crespo, chargé of the executive power of the
United States of Venezuela, considering:
- 1st.
- That the Government ought to favor commercial interests in the
Republic by dictating efficacious measures to regulate
mercantile enterprises and to prevent contraband;
- 2d.
- That our immense maritime and fluvial littoral offers
opportunities for contraband operations, to the positive
prejudice of reputable commerce and the injury of the fiscal
interests;
- 3d.
- That there are many and repeated denunciations and complaints
against the contraband trade which exist in spite of the legal
dispositions, through the different mouths of the Orinoco River
and part of the coast of the Gulf of Güiria. Decrees:
- Article 1. Vessels which have foreign
commerce with Ciudad Bolivar may pass only through the Boca Grande
(large mouth) of the Orinoco River, reserving the Macaceo and
Pedernales channels for the commerce of the coasting trade, and
prohibiting absolutely the navigation of the other channels of said
river.
- Art. 2. In order that the commerce of
Ciudad Bolivar may not suffer in its mercantile operations,
permission is granted to the lines of steamers only at present
plying through the Macareo aud Pedernales channels, in consideration
of the sailing conditions of their vessels, which do not permit them
to navigate the Boca Grande, to continue doing so through the
Macareo and Pedernales channels until the 31st of December next, a
term which the Government judges sufficient for the proprietors of
said lines to modify their vessels so as to adapt them to navigation
conformably to the disposition of this decree.
- Art. 3. The maritime custom house of
Pedernales is discontinued, in the place of which, for the business
of the coasting trade, there is substituted a customs guard,
dependent on the custom house of Ciudad Bolivar.
- Art. 4. The customs guard of Manoa is
transferred to the port of Sucupana, which will continue to be
dependent on the custom house of Ciudad Bolivar.
- Art. 5. The ministers of interior
relations, of finance, and of war and marine are charged with the
execution of this decree.
Given, signed with my hand, sealed with the
seal of the national executive and countersigned in the federal
palace in Caracas; this 1st day of July, 1893, eighty-three years
of the independence and thirty-fifth of the
federation.
Joaquin
Crespo.
Countersigned,
The Minister of Interior
Relations,
Feliciano
Acevedo.
Countersigned,
The Minister of
Finance,
J. A.
Velutini.
Countersigned,
The Minister of War
and Marine,
R.
Guerra.
