Minister Russell to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Caracas, January 4,
1908.
No. 269.]
Sir: Referring to your cable of December 19,
received in Caracas December 28, and which is acknowledged in a separate
dispatch, I have the honor to inform you that I addressed a note to the
minister for foreign affairs in accordance with your instructions, a
copy of which note is inclosed.
On January 3 the minister for foreign affairs answered my note, copy and
translation of which I inclose.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Minister Russell to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs.
American Legation,
Caracas, December 30,
1907.
Mr. Minister: Referring to my communication
of December 7 last, in regard to the quotas collected and forwarded
to Washington, said quotas being due under the Venezuelan-American
Mixed Commission of 1903, I have the honor to state that the draft
mentioned in my communication has reached Washington and that my
Government hereby acknowledges the receipt from the Venezuelan
Government of $15,719.69, the same to be applied to the payment of
awards made to American claimants by the Venezuelan-American Mixed
Claims Commission of 1903.
[Page 818]
My Government observes the statement in your excellency’s note of
September 21 that the sums now being set aside by your excellency’s
Government are for the payment of all the awards made to the
nonblockading nations by the various mixed commissions of 1903, but
that the distribution of these sums among the various claimants of
the creditor nations is a matter in which the Venezuelan Government
is not concerned My Government, therefore, will distribute among the
various American claimants, excluding the Orinoco Steamship Co., the
sums already received and to be received Concerning the receipt of
moneys for and the payment of the same to the Orinoco Steamship Co
and the Orinoco Co (Ltd.) on account of the awards made to them by
the Venezuelan-American, Mixed Commission, my Government adheres to
the position set forth in my note to your excellency of September
20.
I take this occasion to renew to your excellency, etc.,
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Minister Russell.
Foreign Office,
Caracas, January 3,
1908.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s courteous communication
of the 30th of last month, in which you are pleased to state to me
that, referring to your communication of the 7th of the same month
of December, your excellency’s Government acknowledges the receipt
from the Venezuelan Government of $15,719.69, the sums collected
from the Bank of Venezuela by your legation, in the months of
September, October, and November last, and which are to be applied
to the payment of the awards made to American claimants by the
Venezuelan-American Mixed Commission of 1903.
In regard to the statement which your excellency makes in the
above-mentioned note that your Government will distribute among the
various American claimants, excluding the Orinoco Steamship Co., the
sums already received and to be received and that concerning the
receipts of moneys for and the payment of the same to the Orinoco
Steamship Co and the Orinoco Co (Ltd.) on account of the awards made
to them by the Venezuelan-American Mixed Commission, your Government
adheres to the position set forth in your note to this ministry of
September 20 last, I am constrained in turn to say to your
excellency that the Government of Venezuela ratifies and maintains
everything that was stated in my note to your excellency of the 21st
of the same month of September with reference to the payment that is
being made and will continue to be made of the sums awarded by the
Venezuelan-American Mixed Commission of 1903 in favor of American
claimants, without any distinction whatever.
I avail myself, etc.,
