national system of notification as to the actual sanitary condition of ports and places under the jurisdiction of such powers, and of vessels sailing therefrom."

This resolution has its origin in the practical difficulties which have been encountered in the administration of the regulations and rules recommended by sanitary experience and framed by the legislation of the country to the end of preventing the introduction and spread of yellow fever, cholera, and other contagious or infectious diseases in the territory of the United States. The extensive prevalence of yellow fever in certain parts of this country during the past two years, and the almost continual existence of the danger of the introduction of such contagious or infectious diseases as yellow fever and cholera, by vessels coming to this country from infected ports abroad, gave rise to such legislative measures, but the difficulty in their application has been chiefly owing to the fact that in certain foreign ports where infectious or contagious diseases have existed, or were supposed to exist, the local authorities have shown some hesitation as to co-operating with the consular and medical officers of the United States in carrying out regulations deemed essential by this government as a sanitary safeguard.

Moreover, in consequence of the vague and untrustworthy evidence obtainable in some cases as to the sanitary condition of suspected foreign ports, vessels coming thence to the United States have, in some instances, as it has afterwards appeared, been subjected to unnecessary quarantine in the ports of this country. On the other hand, vessels from non-infected ports of the United States have been compelled to submit to like unnecessary and vexatious delays by the quarantine regulations of other countries, based upon imperfect knowledge of the sanitary condition of American ports.

The joint resolution of Congress, quoted above, contemplates only securing "an international system of notification as to the actual sanitary condition of ports and places," and does not touch on the broader and more intricate question of the preventive sanitary measures imposed in the ports of each country, in conformity with its own laws and in proportion to the danger of outward communication and internal spread of epidemic disease at the port of introduction. The Government of the United States, recognizing the essentially local character of quarantine requirements, and their adaptability to the sanitary conditions and risks in the districts where they are applied, would not seek to propose any international code of general quarantine laws, even did the system of State and Federal governments in the United States favor bringing the sanitary precautions of the seaboard States from Texas to Maine, with all their varying conditions, under one governmental code.

But the President is of the opinion that the great inconveniences and losses which the commerce of the world has been, and is now, suffering from the delays and obstructions caused by unnecessary quarantines can, to a great extent, be relieved by the establishment, as contemplated by the Congressional joint resolution of May 14, 1880, of an international system of notification as to the actual sanitary condition of ports and places likely to be infected with communicable or epidemic diseases. And following the authorization of the resolution referred to, he has, therefore, deemed it proper to submit to the governments of the chief maritime powers the expediency of holding a conference at an early day, in this city, to consider the subject of a proper and applicable scheme of such international notification

The specific propositions which the President would desire to submit to the proposed conference would include the following:

A. The establishment of a reliable and satisfactory international system of notification as to the existence of contagious and infectious diseases, more especially cholera and yellow fever.

B. The establishment of a uniform and satisfactory system of bills of health, the statements in which shall be trustworthy as to the sanitary condition of the port of departure and as to the condition of the vessel at the time of sailing.

The discussion of these points would involve, among others, the following questions:

I.

Who should be the certifying officer or authority as to the sanitary condition of ports and places, and of vessels?

II.

How can the certifying authority obtain trustworthy information as to the actual sanitary condition of ports and places, and as to the presence of contagious and infectious diseases?

III.

When yellow fever or cholera exists at or in the vicinity of a port or place, what examination shoul I be ma le of a vessel sailing therefrom to secure a trustworthy knowledge of her sanitary con lition?

2

IV.

To what extent, and under what conditions, should a clean bill of health be considered as affording satisfactory evidence that the vessel is free from danger of conveying infectious disease?

V.

In what way can trustworthy information be obtained from ports or places in countries which have imperfect or unsafe quarantine and sanitary regulations, and which may be unwilling or unable to adhere to the proposed international system?

VI.

Whether a schedule of graduated penalties could be fixed, to be exacted from vessels for various offenses arising under the proposed international system?

No. 5.

To the consular officers of the United States at seaports.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, September 6, 1880.

GENTLEMEN: It having come to the attention of the Department that it is a practice of certain masters of vessels in shipping and discharging seamen or crews in foreign ports to ship them upon new shipping articles, and to cause their discharge, at the same or at some other foreign port, to be noted on such new articles instead of upon the original articles executed at the time of the beginning of the voyage from the United States; and it having been further brought to the attention of the Department that, upon returning to the United States, the said masters are in the habit of suppressing the intermediate articles, with the object of defrauding the government of the marine-hospital tax provided for in section 4585 of the Revised Statutes, it has been deemed proper to issue the following instructions in the matter of the shipment and discharge of seamen in a foreign port, for the guidance of consular officers.

All vessels of the United States are required to carry crew lists, as issued under section 4575 of the Revised Statutes; and all vessels of the United States engaged in the foreign commerce of the United States, except those engaged in commerce with the British North American provinces, with Mexico, and with the West Indies, are required to carry shipping articles in addition to their crew lists, as issued under section 4575, and as described in section 4511, of the Revised Statutes.

These papers are open by law to the inspection of all consular officers. Whenever hereafter a ship-master shall make application to a consular officer for the shipment or discharge of a seaman or seamen, the consular office shall demand an exhibition of the original shipping articles and crew list, or crew list alone if the vessel be trading with one of the countries within the exceptions of section 4511 of the Revised Statutes, and shall make the shipment or discharge upon the original shipping articles and crew list, or upon the crew list alone, as the case may be; but if it shall so happen that it is found to be impossible to make satisfactory entry upon such original papers of the transaction, so as to cover all of its stipulations, and it shall become necessary to extend the entry upon another set of articles, or upon a new crew list, the said consular officer is hereby directed and required to attach such paper or papers to the original shipping articles and crew list, or to the crew

list alone, as the case may be, in a firm manner by ribbon and consular seal as prescribed by regulations in the matter of the attachment of the consular certificate of authentication to invoices of shipments to the United States.

It is further provided, that if it shall become necessary to discharge an entire crew, or to ship an entirely new crew, in a foreign port, and it shall be thought proper to use new shipping articles and a new crew list, the same shall be attached by the consular officer making the discharge and shipment to the original papers carried by the vessel, in the manner above indicated.

All changes in the composition of the crews of American vessels within the cognizance of consular officers of the United States are hereafter to be entered upon the above specified papers.

Consuls and commercial agents are required to instruct their subordinate officers in the line of this circular.

I am, &c.,

JOHN HAY, Assistant Secretary.

CORRESPONDENCE.

No. 259.]

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

No. 6.

Mr. Osborn to Mr. Evarts.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Buenos Ayres, December 18, 1879. (Received January 27, 1880.) SIR: The reported success of the Chilian army in the late battles with the allied forces, and the occupation of the province of Atacama by the forces of Chili, produced a profound sensation in government circles as well as among the people generally, and caused the President to daily hold secret consultations for several days with his cabinet and the most prominent men of the nation of both political parties, who had been invited by him to the conference, with the object of determining what policy this government should adopt under the existing state of affairs on the Pacific coast. I understand that the question of mediation by this government was discussed, and also the further question of armed intervention in case Chili would not accept mediation and should undertake to force Peru to the wall.

It is understood, however, that nothing was definitely settled in the conference, except that Ex-President Mitre should be invited to go to Chili on a special mission, which the general declines to accept; at least, he is still here.

This government is making every effort to meet Chili, both on the water and land, in case it should be required.

As the matter now stands, it appears to me that a strong prospect of war with Chili may reconcile the conflicting political elements and keep the country free from internal troubles, and the exhausted condition of Chili when she comes out of the war with the allies, whether victorious or defeated, and the complete preparation of this country for war, may prevent any armed conflict between the two countries.

Buenos Ayres, January 17, 1880. (Received February 21.) SIR: The political situation, to all outward appearance, remains unchanged, save and except that the President has concentrated most of

9

the regular army-eleven regiments-in this city, and the political clubs in favor of Governor Tejedor now on Sundays and feast-days parade the streets in uniform, armed with Remingtons.

The provincial legislature of this province, a majority of which is opposed to the governor as a presidential candidate, refused to vote the budget for the present year, and thereupon the governor issued a decree ordering that the old budget for 1879 be continued in effect until the chamber thought proper to sanction the new one.

In view of this decree of the executive, on the 16th instant the chamber of deputies voted a proclamation, or circular, to the people of the province, citing Art. 98, secs. 1 and 2, of the constitution, which declare that the power to decree the taxes necessary for the public administration, and to fix every year the budget or estimate of disbursements and revenues, belongs to the legislature; and declaring that under no circumstances can the executive exercise these functions, and that the decree referred to is a manifest usurpation of the rights of the legislature, granted for the protection of the people.

This breach, which has culminated on the question of the budget, between the governor and the legislature, it is claimed by political friends of the governor is a part of the programme of the Roca party to humili ate the governor and his administration, and to serve as a pretext for the intervention of the national government by placing the province under martial law until after the elections for congressmen, which take place the 1st of next month; and the leading political organ of Governor Tejedor, "La Nacion," the editor and proprietor of which is ExPresident Mitre, declares that the President was so pledged, and that the eleven regiments of the line were brought from the frontier and concentrated in this city for that purpose.

In view of the facts that the great majority of this province is in favor of Governor Tejedor, and that the clubs or volunteers of the city are armed and equipped for any emergency, I do not believe the Presi dent will take any steps towards intervention, but rather he will yield this province without a contest, even by voting, and rely entirely for success on the other provinces.

Should this city escape trouble, and a peaceable election be held on the 1st of February, then the whole matter will depend upon the next Congress, and the party which controls Congress will declare its candidate President.

Should the candidate declared President by Congress be either Roca or Tejedor, I still believe there may be serious trouble; but the only information which has relieved the gloomy outlook within the past day or so is that brought by dispatches from Ex-President Sarmiento, who is still in the upper provinces, to his friends here, that he had secured three provinces to his support, which, if true, will probably give him the balance of power and secure his election.

I have, &c.,

THOS. O. OSBORN.

No. 8.

No. 265.]

Mr. Osborn to Mr. Evarts.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Buenos Ayres, February 11, 1880. (Received March 30.)

SIR: The election for members of the national Congress took place on the 1st instant. The election in this city passed off quietly. The