Mr. Beaupré to Mr. Hay.
Buenos Ayres , November 10, 1904 .
Sir: Referring to the Department’s unnumbered instruction of September 23 last, relating to the neutrality proclamations issued by this Government during the war between Russia and Japan, I have the honor to report that I am in receipt of a response of the minister of foreign affairs of the Argentine Government to a note which I addressed to him in the matter. In said response the minister of foreign affairs informs me that the Argentine Government has not made public any especial document declaring its neutrality, but has limited itself to the statement that it would observe it (neutrality) in reply to the communications of the two countries at war in which they notified it of the state of war.
The minister further informs me that in the report of his department to the National Congress for the year 1903 the Congress is reminded that the course of events in the extreme East has been followed with interest by this Government, and that in conformity to the rules of international law this Government has made a declaration of neutrality, with the determination of fulfilling strictly the duties imposed by and of exercising the rights derived from the same, while deploring the bloody contest entered upon by two nations equally esteemed.
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I am, etc.,