724.3415/2762: Telegram
The Minister in Bolivia (Feely) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:53 p.m.]
4. Department’s circular telegram of January 7, 3 p.m. The Minister of Foreign Affairs informed me today that the Argentine proposal was made at the suggestion of Ruiz Moreno, adviser to the Argentine Foreign Office, on his return last week from Asunción and would provide for an immediate cessation of hostilities based on a withdrawal to the Ballivián Line and the Paraguay River, and arbitration including Hayes zone,15 all of which Paraguay informed Ruiz Moreno it would accept if negotiations were conducted under Argentine auspices. Finot16 has already informed the Department of Bolivia’s reply thereto.
The same reply was made to the Chilean suggestion, the details of which I have not learned. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Chile is eager to mediate without the cooperation of the neighboring countries and that pressure is being brought to bear on Bolivia to accept, the veiled intimation being that in case of refusal the importation of munitions via Arica would be prohibited. The Minister also informed me that his Government resents this Argentine and Chilean pressure and that it would probably not object to the inclusion of the four countries in Neutral Commission. It does not intend to consider isolated suggestions from Orestes.
The Bolivian Government is informed that Paraguay intends to make a formal declaration of war, so that importation of arms may be prohibited by neighboring countries.
Bolivian troops have captured two more forts from Paraguay.
- See Hayes Award of November 12, 1878, Foreign Relations, 1878, p. 711.↩
- Enrique Finot, Bolivian Minister in the United States.↩