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.,
[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.