No. 4.
Mr. Osborn
to Mr. Blaine.
Buenos Ayres, July 1, 1881. (Received August 19.)
Sir: Referring to my dispatch, No. 317, in relation to my correspondence with my colleague, Mr. Thomas A. Osborn, our minister to [Page 7] Chili, with reference to the settlement of the boundary question between Chili and the Argentine Republic, I have the honor to state that my letter to Mr. Osborn, under date of January 4, in reply to his of November 15, 1880, up to date of April 10, 1881, remained unanswered and unacknowledged, and fearing that my letter might have miscarried, on that date, April 10, 1881, I directed to him a copy of the same, accompanied by the following note:
Buenos Ayres, April 10.
My Dear Governor: On the 4th of January last I addressed you a letter in reply to yours of November 15, 1880, in relation to the question of limits between Chili and the Argentine Republic. I also addressed you a note on the 5th instant, which will be handed you by a Mr. Hansen, if he succeeds in getting across the mountains.
In that note I suggested that as this government has no legation at Santiago, and Chili none here, and as the two governments have no direct official communication with each other, we might, by our good offices, bring them to a good understanding and effect a peaceful settlement of the question.
I am inclined to think that this government would be willing to give me—privately—a line which it would accept, without war or arbitration, as the boundary line between the two countries, if Chili will consent to give you a line on the same conditions, and if there be any difference between them, then this government would be willing that we should take the matter of difference up, and at least make the attempt to bring about a settlement of the long-pending question.
Of course, I have no authority to make this suggestion, still I am satisfied the arrangement can be made if Chili will consent. I am also satisfied that if they will submit the differences to us we can keep them from war, into which they will drift sooner or later, by settling the matter with little or no delay.
Please give me your views on the matter suggested, at your earliest convenience.
I am, governor, yours, &c.,
THOS. O. OSBORN.
To this note, in answer, I received telegram No. 1, a copy of which, with others, for your information, I have the honor herewith to inclose.*
On the reception of the telegram, I had an interview with the minister of foreign affairs, Dr. Irigoyen, and submitted to him the same, with the contents of my personal note to Mr. Osborn, on which the telegram was based.
The minister at once thanked me for my good office, and informed me that as soon as possible he would furnish me with a memorandum as to the line his government would accept, the contents of which is incorporated in telegram No. 2, and at the same time tendered me the free use of the national telegraph wire to Chili.
In accepting the wire, I assured the minister that I would take no step that would commit him or his government, or send any dispatch without consultation with him or without his approval, and at the same time informed him that at the conclusion of the negotiations, if it be failure or success, I should lay before my government all that I had done in the matter, and it would become a matter of record, and doubtless my colleague would do the same.
To this the minister readily assented, expressing his willingness to proceed, and said that he and his government were animated with the spirit of peace, did not want war, and were willing to use all honorable means to terminate the long pending question.
In the many, I might say, almost daily interviews with Minister Irigoyen, during the discussion, I always found him kind and courteous, clear and clever, master of the subject in all respects, and especially in relation to dates and documents in the long past, and always full of the determination to put an end, if possible, to the vexed question [Page 8] which has so often threatened the peace between the two republics.
The whole correspondence or negotiations were carried on by wire, and about the 1st of June a basis of settlement was substantially arrived at, and June 3 and June 6, respectively, the ministers of foreign affairs for Chili and the Argentine Republic made it official.
The boundary line adopted is a definite one, and nothing is left for arbitration, or to disturb the friendly relations of the two countries.
The boundary is from north to south, up to parallel 52° latitude, the cordillera of the Andes. The frontier line will run in that direction along the highest peaks of said cordillera as may divide the waters, and will pass between the springs that course down either side.
In the southern part of the continent, and to the north of the straits, the boundary will be a line starting from Point Dungeness, will be continued overland up to Mount Dinero, thence will proceed westward, following the highest elevation of the chain of hills, until reaching Mount Aymond.
From this point the line will be continued to the intersection of meridian 70° with parallel 52° latitude, and thence westward, coinciding with this last parallel, to the watershed of the Andes.
The territory to the north of this line, Argentine; to the south, Chilian.
In Tierra del Fuego a line will be drawn, starting from the point called Cape Espiritu Santo, latitude 52° 40′, continuing towards the south, coinciding with the western meridian of Greenwich 68° 24′, until it should strike Beagle Channel.
On the east side of this line will be Argentine, and the west side Chilian.
The islands of Los Estados, the remaining small islands there may be in the immediate vicinity thereto on the Atlantic, to the east of Tierra del Fuego, and eastern coast of Patagonia will belong to the Argentine Republic, and all the islands to the south of Beagle Channel up to Cape Horn, and such as there may be to the west of Tierra del Fuego, will belong to Chili.
The waters of the straits are neutralized forever and its free navigation insured to the flags of all nations, and it will be forbidden to raise on either of its coasts fortifications or military establishments.
After the settlement of the starting point on the straits—Point Dungeness—we met with the greatest obstacle in wording the fifth basis or article of the six bases.
The whole matter as to what was being done, or had been done, by way of settling the question, had been kept secret until one of the morning papers issued a Bulletin, giving a dispatch from Chili, saying that the question was settled forever, which caused much excitement and rejoicing.
The arrangement appears to be acceptable to the press, the people, and all parties. Gold dropped, on receipt of the news, almost ten per cent., and is now only at a premium of about two per cent.
It is now understood that the treaty will be drawn up here, wired to Chili, and repeated back by wire, and that the Chilian consul here will be appointed minister plenipotentiary, for the time, to sign it with the minister of foreign affairs, Dr. Irigoyen, and it is proposed to submit it to the congresses of both republics on the same day, if possible, for approval.
I have, &c.,
- Inclosures omitted from the publication on account of their great length.↩