The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-04
OFFICIAL.

sOOtstVysUe 1/tJSCtOT U L0e 1dfg&0t38e COD}eQe
ration BuenOs Ayes, august %, 1d62-to tax
:Dect N part from that date; but 1s far az relate
% the navigation Of the rivers by foreign flags,
80 into operation on the Let October, 1852.
Long Liue the Argentine Confederation!
DEPARTMENT. OF STATE,
BUENos AYREs, August %, 1852
The Provisional Director of the Argentine Confed
Grafton:
The Convention of 31st May, assembled at Sar
Nicolas de los Arroyos, imposed upon the Provi
sional Director the obligation of regulating the
navigation of the interior rivers of the republic
taking care to consult the security If the country
and to prevent any fraud upon the revenues This
task is one of such Importance that it would have
been left entirely to the National Congress were il
not for the urgent necessity of avoiding any delay
in applying rem edy to the grave evils which i'm.
pede the progress of our national organization
loudly called for and urged by the whole Argen.
tine people.
Since the fall of the Dictator, the collection and
disbursement of the imposts upon exports and i'm
ports have been made without rule, and the want
OF central authority to regulate them, and to
make laws suited to the actual necessities of the
country, has given rise to an extensive system OF
smuggling throughout the coasts of the republic.
In addition, the tenacity with which their inter-
csts anu prosperity were SdCr1NCcQ 10 personal aP-
grandlzement, and the trammels put upon the
navigation of the magnificent water courses which
nature has given us, were among the principal
causes OF the movement which invited the littoral
provinces in determination to procure their regu.
lar national organization. As soon this ODD ressve
power was removed from the political field, trade
branched out into what had hitherto been prohib-
tied channels but without rule or method; so that
any further tolerance Of such state of things not
only is injurious to the national revenues but may
even bring into doubt the right of dominion of the
republic over her rivers, or expose to the diff
cult task of having to root out old abuses, instead
OF preventing or checking them at their com
mencement.
Actuated by these considerations and anxious to
provide for the immediate necessities of the nation
the Provisional. Director has studied the means
best calculated to bring into usefulness the interior
rivers to facilitate commerce. to stimulate the in
dustry and promote the prosperity of the popula-
ton OF the interior, taking to provide for the
safety Of the Territory to prevent frauds upon the
revenue, to render uniform and to centralize the
custom houses of the republic by system of pro-
and by guarantying to legitimate commerce every
protection against fraud and every facility COM
patible with.the public interest. To obtain these
objects, with the advice of the Council of State he
has granted and decreed: Chapter OF exterior Gus
tom. houses Art. |. For the present, and as far
as permitted by the convention of San Nicolas de
los Arroyos, the revenues of the exterior custom
houses are appropriated to the national expenses.
II. The following are exterior custom houses:
On the sea-coast, those which may be established
at Salado and Bahia Blanca:
In the Rio de la Plata, those at Buenos Ayres,
and at Registers, on Martin Garcia:
In the Uruguay that at Conception:
In the Parana, those at Rosario, at the city of
Parana, and Corrientes, and such as may be es
tabiished on the coast of the province at Buenos
Ayres, at any point selected by the permanent au-
thorities OF that province, whenever they may be
constituted:
Inland OF Mondoxa Son Jr.r c.l. "a IT..
III. From the date of this decree the custom.
houses and guards named in the preceding article
are under the immediate control of the Provisional
Director of the Republic.
". The navigation of the Parana and of the
Uruguaysis also permitted to foreign merchant
vessels only, no matter what be their flag or the
port whence they came, provided they be of over
l2O tons burden. They shall be admitted to load
and unload in any OF the ports where national Gus
om- houses are established, and shall not be per-
nitted to come to any other part of the coasts, or
to any islands in the above mentioned rivers
V. The freedom of navigation of the rivers estab.
ished by the preceding article shall take effect
rom the first day of October next.
VI All the exterior custom houses are authorized
% despatch goods for expectation, or returns for
oreign markets. But vessels loading such goods
It the custom houses on the Parana and Uruguay
shall carry guard on board, and have a permit:
heir matches shall also be sealed by the custom
house from which they clear. At the custom house
If registry the seals shall be examined, and if
ound unbroken, the papers spoken of in article 8,
chapter being in order, they shall be despatched
without delay.
VII. All goods and merchandise imported into
he territory of the republic shall pay duties at
he custom house where they disembarked
md despatched, unless such goods are only on de
,osit All exports shall pay duties at the custom
house where they are despatched.
VIII. In the interior of the republic, articles of
he produce or manufacture of the country are to |
circulate free of duty; as also goods and mer-
'handise of all kinds despatched BY any of the
exterior custom houses.
TX. The transportation and circulation by water |
# goods despatched by any custom house of the |
epublic is free for such ports qualified; but
n every case the packages should be sealed and
ave permit from the custom house whence they |
re despatched, with bond in double the amount |
# the duties to furnish the proper return permit,
lorna guia
<. The circulation in national vessels of the
produce or manufactures of the country between |
,orts Of the republic shall be free; but proper
,ermit must be taken out, with an obligation of
the return permit torna guia) from the
ustom- house of the place of destination within
he term which may be assigned.
XII. The confederated provinces, situated on the
'arant, the Uruguay, the La Plata, or the ocean,
lave the exclusive right to establish ports for ma
ional vessels, in order that this right may not
disturb the proceedings of the national custom
houses, copy of the permits, referred to in the
preceding article, must be sent tothe nearest ma.
ional custom house. fr :.
XII OF the duties on imports and exports,
which, under the lst article, are set aside br the
rational expenses, six per cet,m shall be reserved
or provincial expenses; and out of this six per
entum each of the provinces of the Confederation
hall have, for the present, credit upon the ma
ional treasury, which will be allotted by the Pro.
'isional Director, in proportion to the Immediate
wants of each province, until more exact appor.
ionment can be established from statistical infor-
nation of the consumption of each.
XIII. Until the national tariff shall be properly
the custom houses will continue to col
ect duties on the scale now existing, except at
Rosario, where the rates ehall be the same as at
3uenos Ayres and at the inland custom houses |
where twelve per cent. shall be charged upon all
oreign importations.
XIV. The collectors (adsninistYadores) of the ex
erlor custom-houses shall make n onthlY returns
o the ssInspector General of the National Custom
1ouses,S of the transactions of their Offices and
heir dependencies, and of the importation of all
articles, together with their values and the duties
IN them; as also returns of expectations and of the
luties on them.
XIV. They will also make returns Of arrivals and
departures, of duties paid and charged, in such
manner that the Inspector General may keep an |
account current with each custom house.
XVI. At the end of each year every custom
,ouse ehal send to the Inspector General it's gene.
al account, accompanied by original documents.
The inspector will revise and close this account,
comparing it with the dispatches from the custom
rouse at Buenos Ayres, for reshipment and tran.
hipment and also with the register of the CUSTOM
house of Martin Garcia.
CHAPTER II.
or /