in carts or wagons and not allowed to be driven. These two regulations are as prohibitive as the previous order, and consequently Belgium has made no real concession since American cattle were refused admission to that country. I have, etc., JAMES WILSON, Secretary. Mr. Townsend to Mr. Hay. No. 30.1 LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt to-day of No. 27, dated November 29, 1899, transmitting copy of a communication from the Secretary of Agriculture, in which he states that he was informed by the president of the Anglo-American Chamber of Commerce in Antwerp that discrimination had been made against cattle imported from the United States into Belgium, inasmuch as a regulation had been issued allowing Canadian cattle to enter Belgium without restrictions. Pending a further thorough investigation of this question, I may add for the information of the Department that a few days after forwarding my last dispatch on this subject, No. 26 of October 26, 1899, a committee of the Anglo-American Chamber of Commerce in Brussels having this matter in charge called upon me. We discussed the whole question very thoroughly, and they informed me that they had just had an interview with the British minister to the same end. The following day I had a conference with the British minister on the subject, at which time he informed me that he had been instructed to protest against the enforcement of the regulation requiring Canadian cattle to be slaughtered within three days. During the past six weeks I have had several interviews with the British minister, and we have both urged our respective claims with the minister of foreign affairs. I also had several conferences with the committee of the Anglo-American Chamber of Commerce. Only three days ago I spent an afternoon at the Chamber of Commerce discussing this subject with the committee. At that time the Englishmen present were still urging their claim, and apparently knew nothing of the existence of a regulation permitting Canadian cattle to be imported without restrictions. I am therefore forced to conclude that the Secretary of Agriculture has been misinformed. While investigating this subject technically, I have been informed by a veterinary expert who is interested in the American cattle trade in England that, except in very rare cases, the actual physical condition of American cattle when they are taken off the boats on arrival in England is better than when these same cattle are taken from the cars and loaded onto the boats in the United States ports, and that the ten days allowed in England before slaughtering is of no practical benefit from the standpoint of improvement in the physical condition of the animals, but the longer period is of great advantage to the importer, as it permits him to find a better market. If this be true, it was a mistake for me, in presenting our claim to this Government, to have put forward the argument contained in the letter of Messrs. Patterson, Ramsey & Co. to the Secretary of Agriculture, transmitted by the Department with No. 7 of 10th July last, in which the import ers claimed that the period of three days allowed was an insufficient time to permit the animals to recover from the effects of the sea voyage, as it has not strengthened our cause in any way. The question of time allowed before slaughtering seems to be one of finding a profitable market rather than of physical condition of the animals, three days not being sufficient to enable the importer to dispose of his stock profitably. At one of the conferences which I had with the committee of the Anglo-American Chamber of Commerce I suggested that the difficulty of finding a ready market within three days might be overcome by the American cattle importers combining and building a cold-storage plant at Antwerp. They would thus be in a position to be independent of the local market, and might ship frozen beef all over Belgium. I am informed that this scheme is now under serious consideration here. The objection to the importation of frozen meat is that the law requires the lungs to be attached to the carcass. This makes the meat bulky and difficult to pack and ship at a profit. In regard to the requirement that the live cattle must be taken to the abattoir in carts or wagons, I am informed that this is the law in the principal cities of Europe for domestic cattle and I doubt if it can be changed. The whole question narrows itself down to one of protection to the agriculturists of Belgium, a party which is a political power in the country. The importers claim that there is very little profit in this cattle business with the existing restrictions. Were their business to be made more profitable by removing these regulations, the agriculturists fear that the country would be flooded with cheap American meat, thus ruining their market. I will keep the Department advised of any further developments of this question. I have, etc., No. 31.] LAWRENCE TOWNSEND. Mr. Townsend to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: Supplementary to my dispatch of yesterday, No. 30, I have the honor to inform the Department that I have been permitted by the British minister to examine portions of the correspondence, covering a period of several years, which his legation has had with this Government on the subject of the prohibition against the importation of Canadian cattle into Belgium, as well as the restrictions to importation after said prohibition had been removed. After a careful perusal of this correspondence, it is evident to my mind that the Secretary of Agriculture has been misinformed, and that there has been no order issued by the Belgian Government removing or lessening any of the restrictions to the importation of Canadian cattle, which are now exactly the same as those in force in regard to the importation of American cattle. The idea that a regulation had been issued lessening the restrictions in the case of Canadian cattle imported into Belgium, which seems to have been conveyed to the Secretary of Agriculture, may possibly have had its origin in the fact that the decree removing the prohibition to the importation of Canadian cattle was issued by this Government on 16th October last and became effective on 15th November last. The British minister informs me that this is the only order which has been issued by the Belgian Government in regard to the importation of Canadian cattle. The restrictions governing the importation of Canadian cattle in this decree, a copy of which is herewith inclosed, are the same as those contained in the decree of 25th May last, which removed the prohibition to the importation of American cattle. The Department will observe after comparing the two decrees, which are herewith inclosed, that not only is the statement of the President of the Anglo-American Chamber of Commerce at Antwerp, to the effect that a discrimination had been made in favor of Canadian cattle, an erroneous one, but that in reality a discrimination was made, for a short period, on two occasions against Canadian cattle and in favor of America. The decree prohibiting the importation of Canadian cattle went into effect on the 7th of December, 1894, whereas American cattle were not prohibited until December 29th of the same year, and furthermore the decree removing the prohibition in the case of American cattle went into effect on May 31, 1899, whereas the decree permitting Canadian cattle to enter under same conditions as American only went into effect on November 15, 1899. From the moment the decree removing the prohibition to importation of American cattle was issued, the British minister urged this Government to grant the same privilege to Canadian cattle, which from a purely sanitary standpoint he argued were equally worthy to enter Belgium. Since the publication of the decree permitting Canadian cattle to enter Belgium under the same restrictions imposed upon cattle from the United States, the British minister has urged upon this Government to extend the time allowed before slaughtering from three to ten days, and he has received a similar reply from the minister of foreign affairs to the one which I received and transmitted to the Department on 26th October last. The communication above referred to, from the minister of foreign affairs to the British minister, which is of later date than the similar one to this legation, contains an additional reason why the Belgian Government is unable at present to extend the time of slaughtering to ten days, which is, that the stockyards and slaughterhouses at Antwerp would have to be greatly enlarged to accommodate the imported cattle for a period of ten days, and it is not considered advisable at present to expend the sum of money necessary to enlarge this property. I will continue to urge upon this Government the necessity of extending the period of slaughtering to ten days, as the present restrictions are a serious obstacle to the growth and development of general trade between the United States and Belgium, and will keep the Department advised of any change in the existing state of affairs. I have, etc., (Inclosures not translated.) LAWRENCE TOWNSEND. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, COASTING ALONG, BY NEUTRAL VESSELS. Count de Lichterveld to Mr. Hay. BELGIAN LEGATION, New York, July 7, 1899. Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: It is of the utmost importance to the firm of Ingenohl, of Antwerp, which has an establishment in Manila, to make its yearly purchases of tobacco, as it would otherwise be subjected to considerable loss. For that purpose, it would have to be authorized by the American military authorities in the Philippines, to charter one or more neutral vessels, which would be authorized to carry on the coasting trade on the coasts of the islands during the continuance of hostilities. In pursuance of the instruction of the minister of foreign affairs, I have the honor to apply to your excellency to have the necessary instructions sent to General Otis to grant the permission desired. I avail myself, etc., No. 199.] Mr. Hay to Count de Lichterveld. LICHTERVELD. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Referring to your note of the 7th instant, asking for permission for the firm of Ingenohl, of Antwerp, to make certain purchases of tobacco at Manila, and for this purpose to charter one or more neutral vessels with which to engage in the coasting trade during the continuance of hostilities, I now have the honor to inform you that it is not deemed advisable by the War Department to grant permission at this time to foreign vessels to engage in the coasting trade in the Philippine Islands. Accept, etc., JOHN HAY. No. 73.] BOLIVIA. REVOLUTION. Mr. Bridgman to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, La Paz, Bolivia, December 15, 1898. SIR: I have the honor to state that on November 6 the Government officials of the city of La Paz, with apparently the almost unanimous concurrence of the inhabitants, issued a proclamation announcing "The regeneration of Bolivia under the rule of Federal Government," and appointed a list of officials to act under the new Government. This is an actual secession from the Government at Sucre and the rule of President Alonzo on the part of the La Paz district. The reason for this action is, as stated in the dispatch No. 72, of December 10, and in the cablegram sent the Department yesterday, a copy of which is herewith inclosed, the urgent desire on the part of all citizens of La Paz, official and private, that the seat of government remove from Sucre to this city. La Pasians have been given distinct reasons to think this removal would take place in December, if not earlier, and the decision. of Congress to the contrary, on the date of November 15, has brought about the present crisis. Armed resistance is decided upon and active preparations to that end are being made as rapidly as possible. Up to date they have secured 400 rifles and 2,500 rounds of ammunition only. They expect to have 5,000 men at their command, 300 of these being native Indians. President Alonzo left Sucre December 6 with 2,000 men armed with Mauser rifles. On December 16 he reached Oruro, three days' march from this place. A telegram sent by him to the insurgents urging cessation of hostile action was disregarded, and active resistance by the people here is planned as soon as President Alonzo reaches La Paz with his troops. It is not yet fully decided whether to meet the troops on the "Alto" or within city limits. Several proclamations and announcements have been issued by the leaders of the revolution. Note to the legation, a lation is herewith inclosed. * * Circular to the legation, of which * translation is also herewith inclosed. * a * * * * * * trans * * We (the United States, Brazilian, and French ministers) have also met and agreed upon inflexible rules to govern us in the reception of refugees who may later apply to the different legations for asylum." This is quite certain to take place and we shall try to be governed exactly by the rules established under international law and laid down in our books of instructions. 66 |