Consul Moffat to the Secretary of State.
Bluefields, May 31, 1910.
Sir: I have the honor to communicate the text of a communication addressed to Commander Gilmer by Irias re the intentions of the Madriz faction in control at the Bluff, dated May 31, 1910, also decree dated May 29, 1910, issued by Irias, in command at the Bluff. The contents were as follows:
The Delegate of the
Executive,
The Bluff, May 31,
1910.
Sir: Although from the 29th of the current month I personally brought to your knowledge the agreement respecting the closing of Bluefields, because you had questioned me as to this matter, in order to bring the same to the knowledge of your Government, as you advised me, I permit myself to transcribe to you the respective decree, which says:
Julian Irias, delegate of the supreme executive power, in the use of his authorities, considering:
That the Government of the Republic has taken effective possession of the fortress at the Bluff and its dependencies, amongst which is the customhouse;
That for the prompt suppression of the insurrection led by Gen. Juan J. Estrada it becomes necessary to dictate measures of a transitory character that conduce to that end;
[Page 749]That the mind of the Government is that of not restricting but rather of amplifying the interior and exterior commerce of the Republic up to whatever is permitted by the obstacles placed in the way by the insurrection;
That the temporary or total closing of a port is a power inherent to the sovereignty of a country; Be it decreed:
- 1.
- Let the port of Bluefields be closed for such time as may be strictly indispensable to establish order in the said city.
- 2.
- Policies of merchandise that may have left up to this date, or that may leave the port of origin up to the 1st of next month, inclusive, will be liquidated and paid at this customhouse, but from that date no merchandise of any class will be received destined to the said city of Bluefields.
- 3.
- All the merchandise that may come to the customhouse at the Bluff in transit for Pearl Lagoon, Rio Grande district, and the mining district of Prinzapolca will not suffer any manner of delay and will pay the duties fixed under the tariff dated November 15, 1902.
- 4.
- The respective counsuls of the Republic will not authorize or certify any invoice of any merchandise destined to the said city, but shall, on the contrary, assist by all means possible the improvement of commerce with the other districts above mentioned.
Julian Irias.
The foregoing letter and decree was issued subsequent to my request to Commander Gilmer to ascertain from the officials of the Madriz faction in control at “the Bluff” their intentions in regard to the port of Bluefields and its commerce. My wireless to Commander Gilmer on the Paducah re the matter, dated May 28, 1910, was as follows:
I am advised by a responsible person who has conversed with Mr. Martinez, the collector of customs at the Bluff for the Madriz faction, that, while the steamer Dictator was permitted to depart, no more loaded ships could leave port and none either loaded or empty enter, whether from coast or foreign ports, until orders were received from Madriz to do so. As this practically closes the port, a proceeding that may not be recognized by our Government when injurious to American trade, it would be pertinent to be well informed as to what the faction in control at the Bluff proposes to do, as I desire to communicate their intentions to Washington immediately. Therefore, unless you purpose to insist that there be no such interference, I must report the facts, as I assume that our Government will not permit our trade and local commercial interests to be thus molested.
I have, etc.,