Agradecendo ao Sr. Ministro esta nova communicação, limito-me por ora a certificar-lhe que levarei sem demora ao seu conhecimento a resolução que o Governo Imperial tomar a esse respeito. Tenho a honra de reiterar ao Sr. Jarvis as seguranças da minha alta consideração. Ao Sr. Thomas J. Jarvis, &. &. &. N.36 RODRIGO A. DA SILVA. Nota do Governo Imperial á Lgação Americana. Rio de Janeiro, Ministerio dos Nogocios Estrangeiros, 20 de Fevereiro de 1889. Referindo-me á nota que dirigi ao Sr. Jarvis em 31 de Agosto do anno proximo passado, tenho a honra de communicar ao Sr. Henry Clay Armstrong, Encarregado de Negocios interino dos Estados Unidos da America, que o Governo Imperial aceita com prazer o convite que lhe foi feito pelo dos mesmos Estados para tomar parte na Conferencia dos Estados independentes que se ha de abrir em Washington em 2 de Outubro proximo. Aproveito a opportunidade para reiterar ao Sr. Encarregado de Negocios as seguranças da minha distincta consideração. Ao Sr. Henry Clay Armstrong, &. &. &. RODRIGO A. DA SILVA. CONFERENCIA MARITIMA DE WASHINGTON N. 37 Nota da Legação Americana ao Governo Imperial Legation of the United States. Rio de Janeiro, sept. 5th. 1888. By direction of the President of the United States, I have the honor to extend to the Imperial Government of Brazil, a cordial invitation, to be represented by as many delegates as may to it seem convenient, at an International Marine Conference, to meet, in the City of Washington, on Wednesday, the 17 th day of April 1889, to consider such measures as may be deemed necessary for the greater safety for life and property at sea. With your Excellency's permission, I herewith hand you a copy of the note of the Secretary of State, addressed to me; and authorizing and directing me to make this invitation, in which the Secretary reviews the steps heretofore taken by different Maritime Powers, in this direction; and suggests some of the steps necessary to be taken by the proposed conference, to give to the present defective regulations, the greater scope and efficiency demanded by the constantly increasing sea service. The beneficent purposes of this proposed International Marine Conference are so clearly set forth, in this copy, that I feel confident its review, by Your Excellency, will insure for the conference the sympathy and active cooperation of the Imperial Government of Brazil, in promoting its humane designs. Begging that this invitation, of the President, may be received by the Imperial Government, in the same spirit of cordial friendship and humanity, in which it is extended, I avail myself of the opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurances of my high consideration. To His Excellency Conselheiro Rodrigo A. da Silva, Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. TH. J. JARVIS. Documento a que se refere a nota precedente Department of State, Washington, July 30, 1888. Ths. J. Jarvis & & & Sir: An act of Congress approved by the President on the 9 th instant, provided for an International Marine Conference to secure greater safety for life and property at sea. By this Act the President is requested to invite the other maritime powers to take part in a Conference, the objects of which are, in brief, to revise the present international regulations for preventing collisions at sea, especially with reference to signalling in fog; to revise the existing code of signals; to compare and discuss the various systems employed for the saving of life and property from shipwreck; to devise methods of reporting, marking and removing dangerous wrecks and obstructions to navigation; and to establish uniform means of conveying to mariners warnings of storms and other information. The great interest and importance of these subjects justify an extended reference to the principal objects of the proposed conference and to the steps already taken in the same direction. Between 1863 and 1865, thirty-four of the principal maritime nations approved and made statutory a code of laws similar in all respects to that adopted by Great Britain in 1862 for preventing collisions at sea, thus responding to the invitation put forth by that Government in 1863 to examine that code in the interests of commerce at large, and to adopt the same or like legislation if deemed suitable, according to their several needs. Subsequently, in the light of experience tending to show the inadequacy of the statutes in question for the practical requirements of commerce, and acting upon a revised draft of laws formulated by a commission appointed by the British Government, and by it submitted for the consideration of the maritime powers, most of the governments interested accepted and approved the amended code, and united in giving it effect on the 1 st of september, 1830. During the decade which has elapsed since that code, now generally in operation on the high seas and in the jurisdictional waters of the several enacting States, was framed and considered, a growing tendency is manifest to regard it as inadequate to the present needs of commerce, and especially in respect to the sound signals for use in fog, mist or falling snow. The increasing number and speed of steam-vessels has greatly added to the dangers of collision in thick weather, and the opinion has recently been expressed by the best authorities that the present system of signals for steam-wessels is insufficient. The present international code of flag signals, which has been in use since its origin in 1356, is also believed to need careful revision. Experience has shown. the necessity of extending the list of names of places and of words and conventional phrases, as well as the advisability of considering whether greater rapidity and accuracy in day and night signalling cannot be attained. With respect to the protection of life and property from shippwerck, no general international agreement in regard to on and off shore signalling, or as to the modus operandi of the life-saving service of different nations, is known to exist. In spite of the utmost effort of those engaged in the Life-Saving Service of the United States, lives have been lost from foreign vessels stranded on our coasts because of a misunderstanding of our methods; and it is believed that th experience of other countries in this regard is similar to our own. The destruction, or at least the frequent and accurate reporting, of dangerous derelicts, is also a matter of the highest importance; and it is obvious that this work can be thoroughly done only by means of the active cooperation of the principal maritime nations. Closely connected with the subject of reporting derelicts is that of conveying warning of storms and of giving information of recently discovered dangers to navigation, and changes in lights, buoys and other day or night marks - which probably can be best undertaken by the adoption of some carefully considered. international system. The alacrity with which the principal maritime states have responded, by concurrent legislation to the ascertained requirements of modern developments of commercial navigation, whether on the high seas or in their several jurisdictional waters open to foreign shipping; and their readiness to consider, and when feasible to adopt, practical suggestion in the direction of uniformity and certainty of conveying intelligence at sea and for the benefit of sea-going vessels, whenever such have been proposed; leads the Government of the United States to antecipate that they will be now no less prompt and unanimous in agreeing to confer together for their mutual advantage, taking into consideration whatever measures may tend to secure additional safeguards to maritime intercourse. By direction, therefore, of the President of the United States, you will tender to the Government to which you are accredited a cordial invitation to be represented by as many delegates as may seem to it convenient, at an International Conference to meet in the city of Washington on Wednesday the seventeenth day of April, 1889; the purposes of such conference being to revise and amend the rules, regulations, and practice concerning vessels at sea, and navigation generally and the « International Code of Flag and Night Signals »; to adopt a uniform system of marine signals, or other means of plainly indicating the direction in which vessels are moving in fog, mist, falling snow, and thick weather, and at night; to compare and discuss the various systems employed for the saving of life and property from shipwreck, for reporting, marking, and removing dangerous wrecks or obstructions to navigation, for designating vessels, for conveying to mariners and persons interested in shipping, warnings of approching storms, of dangers to navigation, of changes in lights, buoys, and other day and night marks, and other important informations; and to formulate and submit for ratification to the Governments of all maritime nations proper international regulations for the prevention of collisions and other avoidable marine disasters. It will be understood by all States taking part in this Conference that no questions relating to the regulation of trade and commerce are within the scope of the discussion, and that in the disposition of any questions which may be presented to the Conference, no State shall be entitled to more than one vote, whatever may be the number of delegates representing it. You will make this invitation known to the Brazilian Government by reading this note to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and if desired you will leave copy with him. Your own discretion will suggest to you the most effective manner of making known the great interest taken by the President in the benevolent purposes of the proposed Conference, and his desire and confident expectation that, in the universal interest of sea-faring humanity, the Government of Brazil will receive and respond to our invitation in the same spirit in which it is extended. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, T. F. BAYARD. |
