Legation of the United States,
Caracas
,
May 2,
1902
.
No. 90.]
[Inclosure
1.—Translation.]
Mr. Pachano to
Mr. Bowen.
Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Caracas
,
April 8, 1902
.
Mr. Minister: A little while before the
interview I had the honor of having with your excellency yesterday
afternoon, I had received orders from the President to inform your
legation that on the 4th of the present month the steamer Viking had left Port of Spain for Guanoco
without clearance papers from the Venezuelan consul. It is to be
supposed that the agent of this Republic called the attention of the
ship to the fact that there were no fiscal agents in Guanoco.
In informing your excellency of this fact I must say to you that the
Government reserves to itself in this matter any action provided by
the fiscal laws.
I renew, etc.,
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
Mr. Palacio to
Mr. Bowen.
Mr. Minister: In accordance with
instructions from the President of the Republic, I have to inform
you of and protest against an act committed by the United States
consul at Port of Spain, as an interference with Venezuelan commerce
and an infringement on the international jurisdiction of this
Republic. I refer to the clearance of the Viking for Caño Colorado, and which was mentioned in a
note to your excellency from my predecessor on the 8th of this
month.
The Venezuelan consul in Trinidad, having been obliged to suspend
temporarily the clearance of ships for certain ports on the coast
where there are at present no fiscal authorities, the United States
consul took it upon himself to clear the ship in spite of the
protests of the Venezuelan consul and of the exceptional
circumstances that had caused clearance to be temporarily
suspended.
Law XVI of the Hacienda Code prescribes certain duties to consuls
which can not be fulfilled without the concurrent action of the
fiscal agents in the Venezuelan ports, so that the temporary
suspension of consular clearance, made necessary on account of
certain internal conditions, and for certain places like Caño
Colorado, which is only open for the importation of its own
consumption, did not, on account of the interference of a foreign
consul, produce, as it naturally would, a state of affairs favorable
for peace, but an exactly opposite effect to that which was sought
for in the law for the safeguard of general interests.
In informing your excellency of this grave incident, I beg that you
will notify your Government of this protest against the action of
the United States consul at Port of Spain.
Accept, etc.,
