Every claim shall be formally presented to the commissioners within thirty days from the day of their first meeting, unless the commissioners or the umpire in any case extend the period for presenting the claim not exceeding three months longer. The commissioners shall be bound to examine and decide upon every claim within six months from the day of its first formal presentation, and in case of their disagreement, the umpire shall examine and decide within a corresponding period from the date of such disagreement. ARTICLE III. The commissioners and the umpire shall keep an accurate record of their proceedings. For that purpose, each commissioner shall appoint a secretary versed in the language of both countries, to assist them in the transaction of the business of the commission. Except as herein stipulated, all questions of procedure shall be left to the determination of the commission, or in case of their disagreement, to the umpire. ARTICLE IV. Reasonable compensation to the commissioners and to the umpire for their services and expenses, and the other expenses of said arbitration, are to be paid in equal moieties by the contracting parties. ARTICLE V. In order to pay the total amount of the claims to be adjudicated as aforesaid, and other claims of citizens or subjects of other nations, the Government of Venezuela shall set apart for this purpose, and alienate to no other purpose, beginning with the month of March, 1903, thirty per cent. in monthly payments of the customs revenues of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello, and the payments thus set aside shall be divided and distributed in conformity with the decision of the Hague Tribunal. In the case of the failure to carry out the above agreement, Belgian officials shall be placed in charge of the customs of the two ports, and shall administer them until the liabilities of the Venezuelan Government in respect to the above claims shall have been discharged. The reference of the question above stated to the Hague Tribunal will be the subject of a separate protocol. ARTICLE VI. All existing and unsatisfied awards in favor of citizens of the United States shall be promptly paid, according to the terms of the respective awards. Washington, D. C. February 17, 1903. JOHN HAY [SEAL] HERBERT W. BOWEN. SEAL] NOTE. Continuation of this correspondence-the decisions and awards of the American-Venezuelan Claims Commission at Caracas, etc.-will be published in Foreign Relations, 1904. RIGHTS OF ALIENS IN VENEZUELA. (INVOLVING ISSUANCE OF CONSULAR OR VICE-CONSULAR EXEQUATURS TO PERSONS ENGAGED IN COMMERCE.) Mr. Russell to Mr. IIay. No. 170.1 LEGATION OF THE UNITED States, SIR: I have the honor to report that the recent law of Congress in regard to foreigners is causing grave concern to most of the foreign diplomatic representatives here. The English minister requested the dean to call a meeting of the diplomatic corps to discuss the question. The meeting was held this morning at the Spanish legation, and it was evident that the English minister wanted the corps to take some combined action in the matter. I stated that I had already taken all the action I intended to take; that I had sent a translation of the law to my Government and was awaiting instructions. The French minister stated that he had asked the Venezuelan Government to issue an exequatur for a French consular agent in the interior and had been refused, and that he then advised his Government by cable not to receive the lately appointed Venezuelan consuls for France. As all our vice-consuls and consular agents in Venezuela are engaged in business, I would like to have specific instructions in case an exequatur is refused for an appointee who comes within the provisions of article 14 of the law in question. I inclose a translation of the law made at the legation. I have, etc., [Inclosure 1.-Translation.] WILLIAM W. RUSSELL. EXECUTIVE MANSION. The Congress of the United States of Venezuela decrees: ARTICLE 1. In the territory of the United States of Venezuela foreigners shall enjoy the same civil rights that the constitution of the Republic gives to Venezuelans. ART. 2. Foreigners in the territory of the United States of Venezuela shall be considered as either domiciled or transient. ART. 3. Domiciled foreigners are (1) Those who have acquired domicile in conformity with the provisions of the civil code. (2) Those who have resided in the country voluntarily and uninterruptedly for more than two years, diplomatic representatives not included. (3) Those who own real estate in the territory of the Republic and have a permanent residence therein. (4) Those who have lived in the territory of the Republic for more than two years and are engaged in commerce or any other kind of business with a permanent establishment, even though they be consular representatives. ART. 4. Transient foreigners are those in the territory of the Republic not mentioned in the subdivisions of article 3. ART. 5. Domiciled foreigners are subject to the same obligations as Venezuelans, both as regards their persons and properties, but they are not subject to military service nor to the payment of forced and extraordinary war loans in cases of revolu tion or armed internal warfare. ART. 6. Foreigners, both domiciled and transient, must not meddle in the internal affairs of the Republic, nor in anything relating to them. To this effect they can not (1) Belong to political societies. (2) Edit political newspapers nor write about the internal or external politics of the country in any newspaper. INDEX. A. Page. Accession of King Peter to Servian throne 716 Action of United States troops in Cuba and the Philippines, rejection of claims 479 588 aliens into the Transvaal and Orange River colonies, regulations govern- 545 corporations of United States to engage in business in Austria-Hungary 17 130 Agents of the United States, commercial status and powers of, in Austria- 14 Agreement by protocol: between the United States and Venezuela for submission to arbitration of 804 between Venezuela and Germany, to which the United States and other 439 477 611 Alaskan boundary: convention between the United States and Great Britain providing for the 488 correspondence between the Governments of the United States and Great 493 decision of the Alaskan Boundary tribunal under the treaty of January 543 Aliens: admission of, into the Transvaal and Orange River colonies; regulations 545 in Venezuela-rights of (involving issuance of consular or vice-consular Amazon River, free navigation of, in Brazil American: 806 36 citizen; attack on H. C. Shipley by Turkish policeman in Smyrna. 733 665 735 692 626 Amiral Fourichon, French steamship, stoppage of, at sea by a United States 408 Annual message of the President of the United States.. vii 387 Application, passport, of Lazarus Marks and his son David, in Guatemala.... 594 Arbitration: Page. claims of citizens of United States against Venezuela, agreement by proto- 804 donation of court-house and library for the permanent arbitration court 686 "Monroe doctrine" and diplomatic claims of European powers Arrest: and detention, provisional, of Charles Kratz, charged with bribery, whose 7 1 674 and subsequent release of Alberto Posadas, a naturalized citizen of the 581 and delivery to German consuls of deserters from German vessels in United Assassination of: King Alexander and accession of King Peter to Servian throne.. 411 716 769 Assistance rendered by citizens of United States to famine sufferers in Sweden; 731 Attack on H. C. Shipley, American citizen, by policeman at Smyrna, and Attacks on Syrians, naturalized citizens of the United States resident in 127 Attempted blockade by Dominican Government, by decree, of ports held by Colombian Government toward United States missionary schools...... Audience: of the diplomatic corps with the Emperor of Korea, ceremonial.............. admission of United States corporations to engage in business in Austria- right and method of renunciation of United States citizenship B. Beirut, Turkey, attempted assassination of United States vice-consul at............... convention between the United States and Great Britain providing for the Brazil: free navigation of the Amazon River... message of President of, to Brazilian Congress (extracts).. Monroe doctrine, press comments on note of Argentine Government to treaty and protocol between the United States and Brazil for the extra- Bribery, extradition of Charles Kratz from Mexico, charged with. British claims on account of losses incurred through action of United States 17 British consul-general at Tabréz, Persia, proteciion of American interests by.. C. message of the President of the United States concerning the construction Canal: interoceanic, across the Isthmus of Panama; correspondence concerning Page. 132 260 rejection of canal treaty by Colombia (under correspondence concerning 132 treaty with Panama providing for; action of municipalities approving rat- 333 Carnegie, Andrew, donation of a court-house and library for the Permanent Chemulpo, Korea, ownership of certain lands in general foreign settlement at. citizenship of Chinese and Japanese women married to United States citi- zens. commercial treaty between Great Britain and China.. consuls engaged in business, right of, to take part in deliberations of con- 686 637 expiatory monument erected in memory of Baron von Ketteler, late Impe- foreigners in Peking, rights of.. Manchuria, correspondence concerning open ports, evacuation by Russia, right of United States war vessels to visit Chinese inland waters. treaty between the United States and China for the extension of the com- Chinese and Japanese women married to United States citizens, citizenship of. protection of, in Gautemala, by United States minister Circular to diplomatic and consular officers: recognition of the Republic of LXXXIII Citizens, American: murderers of, in Mexico, failure to apprehend and punish......... 665 645 Citizens of the United States: claims of: protocol of agreement between the United States and Venezuela thanks for assistance rendered by, to famine sufferers in Sweden... British nationals against the Government of Venezuela, difficulty with 479 1 French nationals against the Government of Venezuela, attitude of 410, 788 German nationals against the Government of Venezuela, difficulty with 417, 788 Italian nationals against the Government of Venezuela, difficulty with 601, 788 preferential treatment of claims, reference of question to The Hague Tri- 439, 477, 611 United States citizens against the Government of Venezuela, protocol of 804 Coaling or naval stations, lease of to the United States in Cuba.. 350 Collection of alien head tax from foreign diplomatic and consular officers 661 adoption of gold standard by Colombia.. 130 |