Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

whatever, and I think it is quite unfair for the gentleman to claim that 'the impressions of a committee, consisting of eleven members, should be considered an act of Congress. I do not understand that any bill has been reported upon the subject of the tariff at all.

Mr. SAENZ PEÑA. I did not say that the bill had been reported to the House of Representatives. Had that been already done, you may depend upon it that the Argentine delegation would not vote conditionally but negatively and finally.

The Committee of Ways and Means has prepared this bill; this bill is public property; the press has discussed it and some protests have been made by parties interested in the free entry of these articles. When such demonstrations are made within this country itself, the Conference will understand why the Argentine delegation, whose interests are deep in this bill, should take note of it, comment upon it, and enter its exceptions thereto.

If this bill is not passed by the Federal Congress no damage will be done either to the Argentine delegation or to the United States, because our conditional vote would do no harm; but should the bill become a law, then our conditional vote will prove to have been necessary.

The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. If no delegate desires to take the floor, the vote will now be taken on the report. The vote will be had upon the report as a whole, as required by the rules, the proposition to be passed upon being that formulated in the communiIcation of the honorable chairman of the committee. The Secretary will read that communication.

The SECRETARY read the same as above printed.

Mr. ALFONSO. I desire simply to ask the Chair whether what has just been read is all that is to be adopted upon this subject, or whether it is intended to proceed as in other cases of reports consisting of more than one article, which were discussed and voted on article by article. I believe the present report contains fifteen articles, each embodying a distinct provision.

The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair proposed to take first a vote upon the report as a whole, in the form presented by the chairman of the committee, because the Chair is not authorized to change that form; but after that there will be no difficulty in discussing and voting on article by article, as has been done in the case of other reports.

Mr. ALFONSO. Then I have no objection to interpose.

The PRESIDENT. The Secretary will read the report as presented by the committee.

(The Secretary reads.)

The PRESIDENT. The vote will be taken.

VOTE.

The vote being taken, resulted in the approval of the report as a whole, by 16 affirmative votes, as

[blocks in formation]

The PRESIDENT. The resolution presented by the

committee has been unanimously adopted.

COMMUNICATION ON THE PACIFIC.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATION ON

THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

[As submitted to the Conference March 14, 1890.]

TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES.

The Committee on Communication on the Pacific has the honor to propose that it be recommended to the Governments represented in the Conference whose territories bor. der on the Pacific Ocean, with reference to transportation companies:

First. That the nations lying along the western coast of the American continent, and represented in this Conference, agree to subsidize one or more lines of steam-ships of the first-class, which shall make regular voyages between the port of San Francisco, in the State of California, United States of America, and that of Valparaiso, in the Republic of Chili, and the intermediate ports. Said vessels shall make bi-monthly round trips, at least, to each port; shall be of not less than 4,000 tons capacity, with triple expansion engines of not less than 3,500 indicated horsepower, and a minimum speed of 15 knots an hour. The vessels so employed shall be suitably constructed for the transportation of passengers as well as freight, and firstclass in every respect, with all modern improvements.

Second. That the companies or individuals owning said. vessels shall transport both passengers and freight thereon between all the ports of said coast which can be safely visited; and that they shall not enter directly or indirectly into any arrangement or combination with any other company or individual to increase the rate of passage or freight by sea or land, and no preference shall be given one ship over another.

276

Third. That the nations named shall pay annually, directly to the company, companies, or individual owners of said lines, as a compensation for the services rendered them and in the terms and under the conditions established, a subsidy, the total amount of which shall not exceed thirty cents per gross registered ton of said vessels, for each 1,000 miles sailed, outward and homeward.

Fourth. That the subsidy provided for in the preceding article shall be distributed among the subscribing nations in proportion to their population, as determined by their last census, and in default of such data, by the most reliable official sources. As an approximate proportion the following figures are indicated:

[blocks in formation]

Fifth. That the bids shall be presented in Washington, before the Federal Government of the United States; and the proposals therefor shall be published in not less than three daily newspapers among those having the largest circulation, and also in each of the countries contributing to said subsidy. The advertisement shall describe the service required; the frequency of the proposed voyages; the dimensions, speed, and conditions of said vessels, and such other details as the subscribing nations may deem proper to enumerate. The period of one hundred and twenty days shall be allowed for the presentation of bids, and the same shall be opened in the presence of the representatives of said nations, authorized to this effect; the

bidders shall conform to the rules prescribed by said representatives, who shall have the right to accept or reject the bids which may be offered.

Sixth. That the vessels of the subsidized line or lines shall register in the merchant marine of the countries referred to in these recommendations, whenever the Government interested shall require it, in proportion to the quota of subsidy paid by each.

Seventh. That in the event of war between one or more of the countries subscribing to the subsidy with any of the nations represented in the Conference, the vessels of said line registered in such merchant marine shall register under the remaining countries, in the proportion indicated, until a state of peace shall be established.

Eighth. That whatever be the flag of the subsidized vessels they shall enjoy in the ports of the contracting Governments, in all that pertains to international commerce, the rights and privileges of national vessels, including the coasting trade in those countries in which it is or may hereafter be declared free.

Ninth. That this convention shall last ten years, at the expiration of which it shall be considered extended ten years, provided that twelve months before the expiration of said period formal notification of its dissolution shall not have been given. Such dissolution may be partial; and in such event the nation or nations separating shall be exempt from the payment of said subsidy.

J. M. P. CAAMAÑO.

E. C. VARAS.

MORRIS M. ESTEE.
JACINTO CASTELLANOS.
E. A. MEXÍA.

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION.

The Committee on Communication on the Pacific has the honor to propose that it be recommended to the Governments represented in the Conference and whose countries

« AnteriorContinuar »