832.00 Revolutions/38: Telegram
The Chargé in Brazil (Washington) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:45 p.m.]
83. Department’s 57, October 9, 7 p.m. I have transmitted the Department’s instructions to the Consuls at Pernambuco and Bahia in which cities there are prospects of disturbances, but have not yet received replies regarding their representations to the local authorities and regarding the number of Americans and ships in their ports.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs assures me that the Federal Government will give attention to foreigners insofar as it is able. He states that as Recife is in the hands of the rebels the Consuls should arrange with the de facto authorities to remove all foreigners to a place of safety outside the city in the case of an attack.
However, it now appears that several days or a week may elapse before an attack on Recife takes place and the Federal Government is convinced that when its forces appear before Recife the rebels will flee. As the foreign Consuls in that city are in the best position to judge this, I shall transmit the Minister’s statement to our Consul.
As the Federal naval and military forces appear to be concentrating at Bahia there would seem to be no danger of any trouble there at the present time. I pointed out to the Minister for Foreign Affairs the importance of always leaving sufficient forces at Bahia to insure the [Page 435] safety of Americans and he assures me that attention will be given to this aspect of the situation.
As there is not yet any prospect of a Federal attack upon Porto Alegre I will postpone communicating the Department’s instruction in this matter to our Consul there until I am certain of having established communication with him.