File No. 882.51/503.
The American Chargé
d’Affaires to the Secretary of
State.
No. 65.]
American Legation,
Monrovia,
November 29, 1912.
Sir: The Department’s cablegram of November 23
respecting the constitution of the Receivership having reached me on
Sunday, I was unable to officially advise Mr. Clark, the General
Receiver, and the Liberian Government of its contents until Monday,
November 25.
Enclosure No. 1 is copy of the reply of Mr. Reed Paige Clark, General
Receiver of Customs, dated November 26, 1912, advising me that he had on
that day, in behalf of the Customs Receivership, assumed control of the
Liberian Customs.
Enclosure No. 2 is copy of a communication from the Secretary to the
President, dated November 25, 1912, in which the President acknowledged
receipt of my communication of November 25 informing him that Mr. Reed
Paige Clark had received instructions to proceed at once to the
constitution of the Receivership.
Enclosure No. 3 is copy of a proclamation by the President, issued
November 26, 1912, proclaiming that the Refunding Loan Agreement was of
full force and effect from and after that date.
Enclosure No. 4 is copy of administrative circular No. 1, dated November
26, 1912, issued by Mr. Reed Paige Clark, General Receiver of Customs,
in which he, in behalf of the Customs Receivership, assumed official
control and possession of the Custom House and Customs Service at each
and every port of entry of the Republic.
These documents are transmitted to the Department in order to furnish it
with a record of the steps taken to constitute the Receivership. The
first formal meeting of the Receivers was held on November 28, at 10
a.m. The Receiver General and all Receivers were present.
I am [etc.]
[Inclosure 1.]
The General Receiver of Customs
and Financial Adviser of the Republic of Liberia to
the American Chargé
d’Affaires.
Customs Receivership of the Republic of
Liberia,
Monrovia,
November 26, 1912.
Sir: In reply to your communication of
yesterday transmitting a cablegram received on the 24th instant from
the Department of State, I beg to say that, by direction of the
President, the Chief Inspector of Customs having relinquished his
post, I have this day in behalf of the Customs Receivership assumed
control of the Liberian Customs. A formal meeting of the Receivers
will be called this week at the earliest date practicable.
I shall make remittance of all sums received for the service of the
1912 Loan, to the London City and Midland Bank, London, and shall
make a full report concerning the Receivership to the National City
Bank, New York, by the next outgoing mail.
I am [etc.]
[Page 693]
[Inclosure 2.]
The President of
Liberia to the American Chargé
d’Affaires.
Executive Mansion,
Monrovia,
November 25, 1912.
Sir: I am directed by His Excellency the
President to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of even date
informing him that Mr. Reed Paige Clark has been instructed to
immediately constitute the Receivership and transmit all sums
received on account of the service of the 1912 Loan, as well as to
make a detailed report concerning the Receivership to the National
City Bank of New York City.
The President wishes me to thank you for this information and to say
that he rejoices that the last touches have been put to the loan
negotiations which make the Refunding Loan of 1912 an established
fact. This sets at rest the uncertainties and misgivings that have
for a long time infested the minds of the Administration and the
people as a whole.
Further, the President desires to record his appreciation for the
untiring efforts essayed by your Department of State to bring about
this successful termination of the delicate negotiations by which
the history of the loan has been marked, and to express to you his
gratitude for your personal exertions in connection therewith.
I have [etc.]
Walter F. Walker,
Secretary to the
President
.
[Inclosure 3.]
A Proclamation
By the President of the Republic of
Liberia.
Whereas the Legislature at a called session in the month of November,
1911, approved the Form of Agreement for a loan of One million seven
hundred thousand dollars, as is set forth in the “Final Revise,
September 7, 1911, Agreement for Government Refunding Loan,”
provisionally signed by the Financial Representative of Liberia, to
refund the registered external and internal debt of the Republic as
of December 31, 1910; and
Whereas the bankers, J. P. Morgan and Company, Kuhn, Loeb and
Company, the National City Bank of New York and the First National
Bank of New York, acting for themselves and others, have agreed to
refund said debts under the provisions of the Agreement for
Refunding Loan, signed on the seventh day of March, in the year one
thousand nine hundred and twelve;
Now, therefore, I, Daniel E. Howard, President of the Republic of
Liberia, by virtue of the power in me vested, do hereby declare and
proclaim that the said Agreement for Refunding Loan is of full force
and effect from and after this date.
In accordance with the terms of said Agreement the following
officials have been designated by their respective Governments and
duly commissioned by me:
- General Receiver of Customs, Reed Paige Clark;
- Receiver of Customs, Gustav Lange;
- Receiver of Customs, Emile Frédéric Wolf;
- Receiver of Customs, Richard Sharpe.
These officials are invested with all the rights, powers and
privileges conferred upon them by the said Agreement and by the
several Acts of Legislature relating thereto.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of
the Republic of Liberia to be affixed.
Done at the City of Monrovia, this 26th day of November, in the year
of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twelve, and of the
Republic the Sixty-sixth.
(L. S.)
D. E. Howard.
President
By the President:
C. D. B. King,
Secretary of State.
[Page 694]
[Inclosure 4.]
Administrative Circular No. 1 of the Customs
Receivership.
Office of the General Receiver of
Customs For the Republic of Liberia,
Monrovia,
Nov. 26, 1912.
Administrative Circular No. 1.
Notice to All Concerned.
assuming control and taking possession of the
customs service.
-
Paragraph I. The undersigned having
been duly designated and appointed General Receiver of Customs
for the Republic of Liberia in accordance with the provisions of
the Refunding Loan Agreement dated March 7, 1912, does hereby,
agreeably to the terms of that Agreement and in behalf of the
Customs Receivership, assume official control and possession of
the customhouse and customs service at each and every entry port
of the Republic.
-
Paragraph II. All customs dues upon
imports and exports are payable solely in current gold, and no
document or evidence of indebtedness of any kind whatsoever will
be received in lieu thereof. Collectors of Customs will be held
to strict accountability in this respect.
-
Paragraph III. All customs duties paid
in on November 26, 1912, and thereafter, will be held intact, subject only to the order of
the General Receiver of Customs. No expenditures whatever will
be made from such duties except, and until, specific
authorization therefor be received from this office.
-
Paragraph IV. All appointments,
orders, rules, and regulations now in force, except in so far as
modified by this circular, will remain in force until officially
revoked or amended in writing by the
General Receiver of Customs.
Reed Paige Clark,
General Receiver.
