Office of the Historian

Mr. Seeger to Mr. Hay.

Legation of the United States,
Petropolis, February 22, 1903.

Sir: I have the honor to refer to my unnumbered dispatch of January 20 and to transmit herewith a copy and translation of the ministerial decree of February 20, abolishing the transit duties recently levied by Brazil against Bolivian commerce on the Amazon.

While this decree does away with the very obnoxious and unjustifiable measure, it does not satisfy the Bolivian Government. I was informed by Doctor Pinilla, the Bolivian minister here, that he intends to formally protest against the phraseology of the document, especially against the word “tolerance.” His contention is that as the [Page 42] Amazon and the Madeira are free rivers the Bolivians have the same right as any other nation to carry on freely and unimpeded their commerce on those rivers.

Since this question has now found its solution the minister for foreign affairs will probably have no longer any reason to hesitate about answering my protest dated January 20, a copy of which I had the honor to transmit to the Department in the above-mentioned dispatch.

* * * * * * *

I have, etc.,

Eugene Seeger,
Consul-General, in Charge of Legation.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

Ministerial decree abolishing transit duties on Bolivian commerce by way of the Amazon.

Ministry of Finance, Circular No. 6,
Rio de Janeiro, February 20, 1903.

I hereby announce to the chiefs of department of finance for their information that this ministry has, by means of telegrams of this date to the collecting agents of the Federal treasury in the States of Para and Amazonas, declared that, although there is no treaty or convention in force relative to commerce and navigation between Brazil and Bolivia, the tolerance of free transit by the Amazon of merchandise destined for Bolivia and of shipments from the river ports of that Republic destined for foreign countries, which formerly prevailed, is reestablished; the prohibition of the importation of war material to Bolivia through Brazilian rivers is, however, continued until further orders.

The circular of this ministry, No. 43, of August 8, 1902, is thus revoked.

Leopoldo de Bulhoes.