Office of the Historian

No. 500.
Mr. Pile to Mr. Fish.

Legation of the United States of America,
Caracas, October 22, 1871. (Received November 22.)
No. 7.]

Sir: I inclose herewith copy of a decree issued by this government. [Page 714] declaring a blockade of the mouth of the Orinoco River. I doubt if the government will be able to make this decree legal by stationing an effective naval force at the mouth of the river. Of this I shall be better informed after the arrival of the next steamer from Trinidad, and will promptly report the facts to the Department.

I have, &c.,

WM. A. PILE.
[Inclosure in No. 7.—Translation.]

José Ignacio Pulido, the designated encharged with the Presidency of the United States of Venezuela, in use of the faculties with which he was invested by the congress of plenipotentiaries, decrees:

  • Article 1. In consequence of the occupation of Ciudad Bolivar by the revolutionists, the navigation of the waters of the Orinoco River is prohibited, and a blockade of the coast into which its mouths open is instituted.
  • Article 2. The necessary naval force to make this blockade effective is destined for it.
  • Article 3. The commanders of the blockading ships will proceed, with regularity, in accordance with ordinances of March 30, 1822, and the following dispositions, viz:
    1st.
    The ships that depart from their ports in Europe during the two months counted from this date; those that proceed from the United States of North America during one month counted from this date; those that proceed from the Antilles, except Curasao and Trinidad, during fifteen days from the same date; and those departing from Trinidad, Curasao, and Denierara, until the day in which their respective authorities shall be notified of this blockade, that enter these waters, whose coasts are blockaded, will be notified by the blockading ships that they cannot pass the line of blockade, and when they insist on continuing in these waters they will have to be considered in violation of the blockade.
    2d.
    The ships to which the preceding article refers will be notified at the time of this first notification that, in accordance with the provisions of article 21 of the third law of the code of Hacienda, they will be permitted to enter and discharge their cargo in any other port of the republic not occupied by the revolutionists, if they so desire.
    3d.
    The times mentioned in disposition No. 1 of this article having transpired, all ships entering into the waters of the blockaded coast will be considered as having been notified, and will be sent in custody to the marine court at Porto Cabello.
  • Article 4. This decree will be communicated to whom it concerns, and the minister of war and marine will have charge of its publication and execution.

Given in Caracas, 2d day of October, 1871—eighth of the law and thirteenth of the federation.

J. I. PULIDO,
The Minister of War and Marine.

A copy:
MIGUEL A. OLIVO,
The Secretary of Marine ad interim.

L. AGÜERO.

A copy: Guzman.