File No. 3382/19. The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Wilson. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 21, 1909. You will attend enthronement ceremonies as the personal representative of the President. WILSON. File No. 3382/25A. The Acting Secretary of State to the Belgian Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 22, 1909. MY DEAR MR. MINISTER: The President desires me to say that he will attend the services to be held at St. Matthew's Church tomorrow morning, at half past 10 o'clock, in memory of His late Majesty King Leopold. I am, etc., HUNTINGTON WILSON. MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: The State Department transmitted a memorandum' note on March 24 last regarding the manner in which the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to the United States had been notified to foreign governments after the passage of the law of April 30, 1900, organizing the government of this new territory. It seems to appear from this memorandum that commercial conventions, concluded by the United States with foreign powers, have been applicable, as a matter of course, to the Hawaiian Islands since 1900. I have the honor to appeal to Your Excellency's habitual courtesy in order to learn whether this is really the interpretation given by the United States Government to the law of April 30, 1900. I beg, etc., 1 Not printed. B MONCHEUR. File No. 12515/2. No. 525.] The Secretary of State to the Belgian Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 13, 1909. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 3d instant inquiring whether the United States interprets the law of April 30, 1900, to provide a government for the Territory of Hawaii," to mean that commercial conventions concluded by the United States with foreign powers have been applicable as a matter of course to the Hawaiian Islands since 1900. In reply I have the honor to say that all treaties, including commercial conventions, between the United States and foreign powers were made applicable to the Hawaiian Islands not by the act of April 30, 1900, but by the joint resolution of July 7, 1898, two copies of which I inclose herewith. Paragraph four of this joint resolution abrogates the existing treaties of Hawaii and substitutes therefor such treaties as may exist or as may be afterwards concluded between the United States and foreign powers. Accept, etc., ROBERT BACON. [SEE ALSO KONGO, P. 400.] BOLIVIA. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENTS OF BOLIVIA. File No. 4885/10. The Bolivian Minister to the Secretary of State. [Translation.] LEGATION OF BOLIVIA, SIR: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that this legation has received cable advice that the election of the President and Vice Presidents for the term beginning August 6, 1909, and ending August 6, 1913, took place on the 2d instant. The Hon. Eleodoro Villazon received a majority of the votes for President, the Hon. Macario Pinilla for First Vice President, and the Hon. Juan M. Saracho for Second Vice President. In bringing the foregoing to Your Excellency's knowledge, I wish to add that perfect quiet prevails throughout the Republic. With greatest respect, etc., File No. 4885/15-16. I. CALDERON. The Bolivian Minister to the Secretary of State. [Translation.] BOLIVIAN LEGATION, Washington, October 4, 1909. SIR: I have the honor to inclose with this communication the autograph letter which the President of Bolivia, Eleodoro Villazon, addresses to the President of the United States of America, advising him of his assumption of the government of the Republic, on August 12 ultimo, called thereto by the vote of a majority of his fellow citizens. I beg your Excellency to forward this letter to its exalted destination, wherefor I tender you, in anticipation, my sincerest thanks. I avail myself, etc., File No. 4885/15-16. IGNACIO CALDERON. The Acting Secretary of State to the Bolivian Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 7, 1909. SIR: I have the honor to asknowledge the receipt of your note of the 4th instant, transmitting a letter addressed to the President by which His Excellency, President Villazon, announces his assumption of the duties of the high office of President of Bolivia, to which he was elected on August 12, last. The letter will be duly transmitted to the President, whose reply will be delivered through the American minister at La Paz. Accept, etc., ALVEY A. ADEE. BRAZIL. PREFERENTIAL TARIFF CONCESSIONS IN FAVOR OF AMERICAN PRODUCTS. File No. 836/122. Chargé Janes to the Secretary of State. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Rio de Janeiro, January 17, 1909. Reports presidential decree signed 14th, which continues during 1909 tariff reduction of 20 per cent, favoring articles enjoying privilege last year. File No. 826/122. The Secretary of State to Chargé Janes. [Telegram-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 20, 1909. Mr. Root instructs Mr. Janes to express the appreciation of the United States for the continuance of tariff reduction. File No. 836/123. The Brazilian Ambassador to the Secretary of State. BRAZILIAN EMBASSY, Washington, January 22, 1909. MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: I have the honor to bring to your knowledge that, according to a communication just received from the Brazilian Government, by a decree No. 7283, of the 14th of January instant, the ministry of finance renewed for the present fiscal year the reduction of 20 per cent previously granted to the American flour and to other articles imported in Brazil from the United States of America. 40 I avail, etc., JOAQUIM NABUCO. File No. 836/123. No. 76.] The Secretary of State to the Brazilian Ambassador. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 2, 1909. EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 22d instant, by which you advise the department that your Government has renewed for the present fiscal year the tariff reduction of 20 per cent previously granted to American flour and certain other American exports to Brazil. The department had received the same gratifying information by telegraph from the American embassy at Petropolis, which was at once instructed by telegraph to express to the Brazilian Government this Government's appreciation of its action. I shall be glad if you will confirm this sentiment to your Government. Accept, etc., ROBERT BACON. ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT OF AMERICAN SEAMEN BY POLICE AUTHORITIES OF RIO DE JANEIRO. JURISDICTION OVER OFFENSES COMMITTED ON BOARD SHIP IN FOREIGN File No. 17753/3. PORTS. The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Dudley. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 4, 1909. SIR: I transmit herewith for your information a copy of dispatch,1 No. 138, of December 28, 1908, from the American consul general at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, concerning the arrest and imprisonment by the police authorities at that place of two American seamen, Otto Andersen and A. Erikson, on account of a minor offense committed by them on the American vessel Margaret Thomas, at that port on December 25, 1908. It appears that the arrest of the seamen was made at the instance of a Brazilian revenue officer who was on board the vessel at the time and who did not approve the action of the captain of the vessel in placing in irons one of the seamen who was in such a state of intoxication as to be dangerous. The men were, however, subsequently released at the request of the consul general. No treaty or agreement of any character appears to have been entered into by the United States and Brazil governing the matter of the jurisdiction over offenses committed on board a vessel of either country in a port of the other, and the question, therefore, seems to be a much disputed one. A decree of November 8, 1851, as cited in Moore's International Law Digest, regulates the jurisdictional rights of consuls in Brazil and concedes to them cognizance in certain civil and criminal matters arising between members of the 1 Not printed. |