Mr. Powell to Mr. Hay.
Port au Prince, October 3, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to state the Provisional President, General Canal, called at our legation to-day to state that he had been informed that General Firmin had had some money printed in the States, and intended to put the same in circulation.
In the course of our conversation the President informed me of the efforts being made on the part of the Provisional Government to bring hostilities to a close through the forces now operating against Gonaives, St. Marc, and Port de Paix. He dwelt especially upon the effort the Provisional Government had made to prevent General Firmin from securing supplies, in closing certain ports, and later in issuing a “decree” blockading the same. This gave to me the opportunity to present to him the views of the Department in reference to these matters. I informed him it was not possible for a government to decree the closing of ports in territory over which they held no control; it was possible for his Government to blockade the same providing they had an adequate naval force to do so, but simply to issue a decree stating that certain ports were closed, and later that these ports were in a state of blockade and forbidding ingress to all commercial vessels, with no physical force present to prevent the entrance of such vessels, was contrary to all principles of international law, and could not be respected by my Government. While it sympathized with the present Government in its efforts to suppress those who desired to institute another government, it could not accept a decree issued by executive authority stating a blockade had been established, without a sufficient force to prevent the entrance of vessels. My Government had at all times in the past refused to acknowledge a blockade where there was no physical force to enforce it, and this must be continuous, except when stress of weather compelled the blockading vessel to seek shelter from a violent storm; that this had been its policy, a policy that had been accepted by the great continental powers.
In reply, he stated the object in issuing this decree was to warn, and thus prevent merchants in the States from sending merchandise and ammunition to General Firmin; that they were unable to station a vessel at each of the places named, as they did not have them.
In answer to this, I stated it was a known fact that vessels were entering these ports without hindrance, discharging and taking on cargo, and that no naval vessel was at either of these stations. In view of these facts my Government could not respect the blockade as it was not rigid or effective. He admitted the position taken by our Government was correct, but that he had looked for a different result from the blockade. Here our interview ended. The utmost courtesy was extended to the President during the time he was our guest.
In this connection I have the honor to give the views of our German colleague, the Hon. Mr. Francksen, who insists that it is our duty as members of the diplomatic corps to respect the “decree of Government,” and thus prevent Mr. Firmin from receiving any further supplies. The French minister, the English chargé d’affaires, and myself do not share in this opinion, and each has stated that he could not recognize the existence of a blockade.
[Page 670]The German chargé d’affaires states his Government would respect it. Notwithstanding this statement, the first vessel to enter the port of Gonaives after being informed that the same was in a state of blockade was a German vessel, and to make the matter more interesting, it brought arms and ammunition to General Firmin. I may also add that the first vessel that brought coal and ammunition to the Crête was a German vessel and belonged to the same line as the Markomannia, the vessel from which ex-Admiral Killick took certain arms and ammunition, which resulted in his death and the destruction of the Crête.
I am informed that the vessels of this line (Hamburg-American) on every trip to Gonaives bring large supplies to General Firmin. The last vessel that was here (Valencia) was the one that supplied the Crête with coal but a few weeks before she was destroyed by the Panther, and but a few days ago, while the German naval vessels were in the harbor of Gonaives, brought there additional supplies. A report has reached us to-day that one of the vessels of this line (Alps) has been sold to Mr. Firmin’s agent in New York, to take the place of the Crête, and that she is to sail within a few days for Gonaives.
On the other hand, no French or English vessels have entered this port since the decree was issued, and but one American (Paloma, carrying the Cuban and American flags), and this was on her present trip from New York.
I have, etc.,