The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-22

TO the anterior interference of Commodore Purvis,
in preventing him from taking possession OF the @lid
island when il was deienceless; and in the opinion
ofihe writer the prolongaton Of the war may be at
tributed 10 that Interference nasmuch had Bro an
been allowed TO possess himself Of said island which
commands the harbor of Montevideo, he would hive
had, after terrifying it, complete control OF the ship
ping in the place. and would have teen enabled 10
cut of all the supplies of provisions and munitions
of war from his enemy on the opposite shore, the
city of Montevideo, and which would, in limited
period, have compelled the garrison to succumb;
and thus this barbarous war would have quickly
terminated But we must now observe, that when
there has been no interruption whatever to the
blockade, it has only existed acknowledgements OF
different nations entering the port Of Montevideo
almost daily with the prohibited provisions, unmo-
Tested by the Argentine bockading squadron, which
has been seldom seen near enough the port "to make
the entry of vessels dangerous" consequently, the
so-styed blockade has proved inefficient and unwor-
thy the respect of nations.
The modification of the blockade, as agreed upon
by the British, French and Brazilian ministers, and
the Argentine government, expressed that the COM
manders Of the respective ships of in the river
Plate should use their means in preventing their
merchant vessels from introducing the prohibited
provisions, by boarding them when near said port,
instead Of their being boarded and examined by the
blockade the besegsd city Of Montevideo. But
Commodore Purvis, after receiving the notification
of this modified blockade, refused to comply with
its terms and arrangement stating, as reason, that
her Britannia Maiestys ships were not stationed in
the river Plate for the purpose of assisting TO block
AIDE its ports, and therefore he left the Argentine
squadron to perform THAT duty; and the decision of
the commodore was subsequently approved by his
government. II would be well here 10 remark, that
the agent Of the United States at Buenos Ayres was
i ii al:
cedented affair of modification TO the blockade; he
was merely notified Of its existence a matter of
course.
Commodore Turner arrived on the 3lst Of Octo-
Der, 1884, in the "Raritan" frigate from Rio de ia
metro, with the Honorable VIM. Brent IT,, charge
dafares Of the United States, accredited to Buenos
Ayres; and on the Sd November following, the COM
modore deemed it expedient to notify the Argentine
commander "that he recognised the blockade, and
that he would respect it so long as il was observed
and respected by all other nations having ships-of.
war on this staton;'' when the blockade was again
notified, and once more in operation. Nothing fur
Their Of interesting nature transpred during the
remainder of the year 1874.
We now extend our notes Of passing events for
the year l845-when, on the 18th day Of January,
the commanders ofthe foreign shps-oEwar were
tilted by Admiral Brown, who had resumed the
command Of the squadron, that the ports of Monte
video and Maldonado were decreed by the Argen-
tine government under rigorous blockade The
French Admiral Lame, prior to giving an answer,
despatched vessel forthwith to Buenos Ayres; and,
on her return, having ascertained that the French
charge d'affaires had no instructions in regard to
blockade, he Qhe admiral) informed Brown that
he would not recognise the right in the Argentine
government to make any alteration to the original
modified BLOCKADE, until he received other insiruc
tons from his government. Consequently, the
'blocado rigoroso" was postponed the non-recogni-
ton of which by Admiral Laine determined the
Argentine government to issue the following decree
under date February 18th, viz;
TRANSLATION.
"The government of Buenos Ayres, encharged
with the foreign affairs and Of those Of peace and
of the Argentine confederation, has ordered and
decreed:
"ARr. /. From the lst of March next ensuing,
all communication with the city of Monevideo shall
he closed.
CART. 9. The captain of the port shall not allow
to be entered inwards, any vessel proceeding from
the port of Montevideo whether direct, from hav
ing called or touched there whatever be the motive
"ARr. 3. Neither shall those vessels be allowed
entry, which, in order to evade the provisions of the
preceding article leave the port of Montevdeo for
other south of the line, to reform their papers,
and by this deception seek to enter Argentine
| ports.
CART. 4. Her Britannia Majesty's packets from
Europe, and the vessels-owar Of friendly nations,
are alone excepted.
"ART. S. The present decree shall have full effect
while the city Of Montevideo is under the dominion
of the ruthless Unitarians, and shall the mo-
nent the army Of Operations, under the command Of
his exceency the legal President of the Oriental
public Of the Uruguay, Brigadier General Manual
Oribe, shall enter that city
"ARr. 6. Let this be published
! (Signed,) "ROSAS,
"FELlPA ARANA,"
| The foregoing decree was evidently intended by
Rosas as IA retaatory measure on his part, for the
non-recognition Of the blockade by the French adj
miral, and subsequently proved as destructive to
| the commerce of the river Plate (and indeed more
SOY than would have been strict blockade Of Monte
video Several vessels, French and English, with
valuable cargoes, destined for Buenos Ayres, hav-
ing merely touched near this port for pilots after
the decree was published, have been refused en-
trance at the former port. Some vessels arrived,
having on board freight goods deliverable, per
bills Of lading, at Montevideo and Buenos Ayres,
were placed in a most embarrassing situation and,
in such cases, the masters left to exercise their
own judgment and discretion. Some landed the por.
ton Of the goods destined for Montevdeo and pro-
ceeded onward to Buenos Ayres where they met with
the Introduction to their entry "a per decree. Some
Others with cargo for Montevdeo an Buenos Ayres,
proceeded to the latter port dirsct, and made them
selves liable in damages for the non-fulfment Of
their bills Of ading. Under these circumstances, it
ID needless to repeat that the effects of the afore-
mentioned decree were found to be more rernicous
to the commercial interest, than would have been
strict Notwithstanding in mind that at least two
thirds Of the cargoes which arrive in the river Plate
from Europe are destined for the more extensive
market of Buenos Ayres.
In the month of February new charge d'afaires
arrived at Buenos Ayres from France, via Rio de-
Janeiro; and after having been received by that
government, he Immediately entered upon Ills Off
cial functions And his first act appears to have
been that of advising Admiral Laine to recognise
the strict blockade Of Montevideo as. the lesser evil
to French commerce The latter, in reply to the
charge, stated, that if the latter would tuke upon
himself the entire responsibility Of the recognition