The Argentine nation is increasing and developing in extraordinary proportions, both materially and morally. Every day is noted an improvement in the practice of its democratic institutions. Her future greatness is no longer the vague and uncertain aspiration of patriotism, but takes the form and character of reality. The Republic maintains cordial relations with the rest of the world. The bonds uniting it to other nations are becoming ever firmer in consequence of commercial intercourse, which is incessantly increasing; of the various conventions which regulate commercial, judicial, sanitary, and other interests, and of the congresses, conferences, and exhibitions frequently attended by our delegates. The relations which we maintain with the States of America, and especially with our neighbors, are particularly fraternal. Every day the wisdom of the pacts made with Chile is recognized. These pacts have caused to prevail a policy of peace and of frank and loyal friendship between the two nations. This example was applauded in Europe and America, and is certain to exercise a beneficial influence upon the relations of the states in this part of the world. It is pleasant to state that the Argentine Government has been the object of special distinctions on the part of the South American governments, having been honored by being appointed arbitrator in the dispute between Bolivia and Peru. The gravitation of the political and economical interests of these countries must necessarily determine a more equitable criterion for the harmonization of their respective laws, to favor the expansion of their commercial policy, and the interchange of their native produce. In a few days the agreements with the Governments of Bolivia and Chile for the termination of the demarcation of the frontiers will be submitted to you, as also the draft of a treaty relative to the occupation of the lands which, by the decision of His Britannic Majesty, now are under different jurisdiction. With these conventions and another which is being negotiated the last differences which threatened to draw these nations into war have been smoothed over, and these nations are now only occupied in trying to increase their friendly relations. The Argentine Government has recognized the new State of Panama, after having acquired the information necessary to assure itself of the transcendency and permanency of what has occurred there. In the memorial of the ministry of foreign affairs you will find the data necessary to appreciate the attitude of the Argentine foreign office in this emergency. * TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP AND COMMERCE BETWEEN THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC AND PERSIA. No. 35.] Mr. Beaupré to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN LEGATION, Buenos Ayres, Sepember 13, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to report that there has been passed by the Congress and signed by the Executive of this Republic a bill ratifying a treaty of friendship and commerce with Persia. This treaty was arranged by the plenipotentiaries of this country and Persia and signed by them at Ostend, Belgium, on the 27th of July, 1902. was sent to the Senate on September 24 of that year and approved by the same on June 2, 1903. Recommended by the committee of the deputies on May 18 last. it passed that body on August 12. The bill of ratification was signed by the President on August 19 last. I inclose three copies of the " Diario de sesiones" of the Chamber of Deputies, in which the text of the treaty is given, together with a translation of the treaty into English. A. M. BEAUpré. I am, etc., [Inclosure. Translation.] Treaty of friendship and commerce between the Argentine Republic and Persia. His Imperial Majesty Mozaffar-Eddine Schahinschah, of Persia, and Lieut. Gen. Julio A. Roca, president of the Argentine Republic, animated alike by the desire of establishing and encouraging friendly and commercial relations between their respective countries, have decided to conclude a treaty to this effect and have named their plenipotentiaries, to wit: His Imperial Majesty the Schahinschah, His Excellency Gen. Isaac Khan Mofokhamed Dowleh, his field adjutant-general, and his envoy extraordinary in the United States of America. And His Excellency the President of the Argentine Republic, His Excellency Doctor Eduardo Wilde, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary in Belgium and Holland. Who, after having communicated to one another their full powers, which were found in good and due form, have agreed to the following articles : ART. 1st. There shall be perpetual peace and invariable friendship between His Imperial Majesty the Schahinschah of Persia, his heirs and successors, and the Argentine Republic, and between their respective citizens and subjects. ART. 2nd. His Imperial Majesty the Schahinschah and the Government of the Argentine Republic shall have the right to name diplomatic agents, consulsgeneral, vice-consuls, and consular agents, who shall reside respectively in the capital and principal cities of the two countries where the residence of such foreign agents is permitted and shall enjoy the same rights, privileges, favors, immunities, and exemptions as are or may be conceded to the diplomatic and consular agents of the most favored powers. The consuls-general, consuls, vice-consuls, and consular agents must obtain in the usual manner, before entering upon the exercise of their duties, the exequatur of the government of the country where they are to perform said duties. ART. 3rd. The citizens and subjects of each one of the high contracting parties shall enjoy in regard to their persons and property, in the whole extent of territory of the other, the same rights, liberty, favors, and immunities which are enjoyed or shall be enjoyed by the citizens or subjects of the most favored nations. ART. 4th. There shall be reciprocal liberty of commerce between the Persian Empire and the Argentine Republic. The merchandise of each one of the two countries shall be allowed to enter freely into the territory of the other in accordance with the laws of the same. and neither of the two high contracting parties shall impose upon the products of the soil or of the industry of the other party other or higher duties of import, consumption, storage, reexportation, or transit than are imposed upon the same products of the most favored nation. Likewise, no prohibition of importation or of exportation of any article whatsoever shall be imposed upon the reciprocal commerce of the contracting parties unless the very same is applied to all the nations, except for especial reasons of health or to prevent the propagation of epidemic diseases, the destruction of crops, or in view of the contingency of war. ART. 5th. Should there arise between the high contracting parties a difference which could not be settled through the channel of diplomacy, the high contracting parties agree to submit it to the arbitration of a friendly power proposed and accepted by common agreement. ART. 6th. This treaty shall go into effect two months after the interchange of ratifications. So long as neither of the two high contracting parties renounce it, this treaty shall continue in force, and it shall not cease to govern until the expiration of a year counting from the day on which one of the high contracting powers shall announce its intention of canceling it. ART. 7th. Two copies of the present treaty shall be made in each one of the languages: Persian, Spanish, French. In case of disagreement in regard to the interpretation of the Persian or Spanish text the matter in dispute shall be decided in accordance with the French text, which decision shall be obligatory upon the two governments. ART. 8th. The present treaty shall be ratified by his Imperial Majesty the Schahinschah and by His Excellency the President of the Argentine Republic in accordance with their respective laws, and the ratifications shall be interchanged within as short a time thereafter as possible. In confidence in the same the plenipotentiaries have signed this present treaty and affixed to it their respective seals, at Ostend, this twenty-first day of the month of Rabiel Sani, one thousand three hundred and twenty of the Hegira, the twenty-seventh of July, one thousand nine hundred and two. (Signed) EDUARDO WILDE. General ISAAC KHAN MOFAKHAMED DOWLEH. BOUNDARY CONVENTIONS BETWEEN THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC AND CHILE. No. 36.] Mr. Beaupré to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN LEGATION, Buenos Ayres, September 13, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to report that there has been passed by the Congress and signed by the Executive of this Republic a bill ratifying two conventions agreed upon between this country and Chile in the matter of pending boundary questions. These two conventions were drawn up by the minister of foreign affairs of this Republic, Doctor Terry, and the Chilean minister at this capital, Dr. Vergara Donoso, and signed by them in this city on May 2 last. Submitted to Congress on the same day, they were ratified in joint session on August 25 last. I inclose three copies of Boletin Oficial, No. 3265, of the 3d instant, which contains the text of the treaties, together with a translation of them into English. Doctor Terry and the Chilean minister have again recently conferred on the matter of the pending boundary questions and it is likely that the above conventions will be followed by other or additional conventions, settling small difficulties that arise in the course of the work of fixing the actual frontier. If so, I shall at once report them. A. M. BEAUPRÉ. I am, etc., [Inclosure. Translation.] Conventions between the Argentine Republic and Chile. Met at the ministry of foreign affairs and worship of the Argentine Republic, H. E. the minister of this Department, Doctor Jose Antonio Terry, and H. E. Mr. Jose Francisco Vergara Donoso, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Chile, with the purpose of reaching an agreement that should avoid whatever difficulty might arise between the commissions of the two countries in tracing in the region the line established by the arbitral decision of the boundary commission dated March 24th, 1899, their full powers exhibited and found to be in good and due form, agreed to the following: 1st. That, if in the course of the operations of material demarcation of the straight lines indicated in the arbitral decision it should be found that these lines skirt some mountain ridge or other accident of nature which by its proximity to the same might offer a more permanent frontier, the mixed commission shall, the respective heads of the commissions being in accord, and without prejudice to the establishment of said lines, propose to the respective Governments the substitution of natural limits for these lines on terms of a fair compensation. 2d. Once these lines proposed by common accord by the heads of the mixed commission have been accepted by the Governments, they shall be recognized as the ultimate boundary between the two countries, to which end the present agreement shall be submitted for their approval to the respective Congresses. In confidence in which the present convention is signed and sealed in duplicate, in the city of Buenos Aires, on the second day of the month of May, 1904, by J. A. TERRY. (Signed) J. F. VERGARA DONOSO. Met in the ministry of foreign affairs and worship of the Argentine Republic, H. E. the minister of this Department, Doctor Jose Antonio Terry, and H. E. Mr. Jose Francisco Vergara Donoso, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Chile, with the purpose of making an agreement that may facilitate the material demarcation of the boundary to the north of the 23d parallel of south latitude, their full powers exhibited and found to be in good and due form, agreed to the following: To the north of the mentioned parallel 23 the ultimate boundary between the Argentine Republic and the Republic of Chile shall be a straight line which, beginning at the point of intersection of said parallel with the meridian 67 west of Greenwich, terminates in the highest peak of the Mount Zapaleri, indicated as such in the map prepared by the Argentino-Bolivian Boundary Commission. Done and signed at Buenos Aires, this present convention, in duplicate, the second day of May, 1904. AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. NEUTRALITY OF CHINA IN THE WAR BETWEEN JAPAN AND RUSSIA. Mr. Hay to Mr. Storer. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 10, 1904. (Mr. Hay instructs Mr. Storer to consult the Austrian Government in regard to the possibility and desirability of an arrangement between the neutral powers to use their good offices with Russia and Japan for the purpose of inducing them to respect China's neutrality and administrative entity as far as possible, limiting and localizing the area of hostile operations to minimize the disturbance and excitement of the Chinese people and the injury to commerce and to the peaceful intercourse of the world. If no opposition to this proposition is offered, he is instructed to suggest that the representatives of Austria-Hungary at St. Petersburg, Tokyo, and Peking be instructed in this sense.) Mr. Storer to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Vienna, February 12, 1904. (Mr. Storer states that the Austrian Government is disposed in a general way to follow any concurrent use of good offices neutral powers having more important interests involved than those of Austria may agree upon, but wishes to be informed beforehand, if possible, of the extent of territory on which the neutrality of China is to be respected, and asks whether it is desired to include Manchuria.) Mr. Storer to Mr. Hay. No. 105.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Vienna, February 12, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegraphic instruction. At the earliest possible moment I have had an interview with Count Goluchowski, handing him a memorandum of the substance of your instruction. |