Mr. Assis to Mr. Hay.
Washington, D. C., May 24, 1899.
Sir: In consequence of what was agreed upon in the conference I have lately held with the Assistant Secretary of State, in the absence of your excellency, I have the honor of submitting to your excellency’s consideration the following facts:
On the occasion of the recent visit of the U. S. gunboat, the Wilmington, to the port of Belem, capital of the State of Para, the commander of this vessel visited the governor of the State and expressed to him his intention of sailing up the Amazonas to Iquitos. The governor assured him that the United States flag would be, as always, seen with great pleasure in the Brazilian waters, but observed that as the river ports were not free to foreign war ships, as are the maritime ports, it would be necessary to obtain permission from the Federal Government before undertaking the voyage. In order to save time and to be agreeable to the commander, the governor himself offered to solicit by telegraph the said permission, which has been assented to by the commander.
The Federal Government answered immediately, granting the permission, but intimating that it must be demanded by the United States consul in Para, because this was the admitted rule in Brazil.
[Page 119]The Wilmington, however, sailed for Iquitos, taking on board the consul, without waiting the accomplishment of these legal exigencies. This act caused us great surprise, as the commander in his farewell visit to the governor did not inform him of his intention to make his projected voyage independent of permission.
It is possible that this same gunboat intends to visit other Brazilian ports, and your excellency understands how it would be advisable, for the sake of our traditional good relations, that the officer in command should not give more occasion for the same disagreeable impression which has been produced on the Amazonas; and as my Government is convinced that the intention of the United States toward Brazil, as heretofore, is dictated by the most cordial sentiments, I am also convinced that some action will be taken in order to avoid the repetition of such a disagreeable incident and the consequences likely to follow.
Finally, I may inform your excellency that the commander of the Wilmington, when he returned to Para, paid another visit to the governor and presented some excuses for his provisional conduct; but whatever may be his reasons, the fact remains that an express rule has been disregarded, without the extenuation of ignorance of its existence.
Accept, sir, etc.,