PORTUGAL H2I 



candidate, Senhor Braamcamp, as the former represented no single group and had the 

 sympathy of the greater part of the Deputies. Dr. Arriaga received 121 votes as against 

 86 cast for Senhor Machado, the Provisional Minister of Foreign Affairs and the nominee 

 of Dr. Costa. When the election was over Dr. Theophilo Braga handed to his successor 

 the formal resignation of the Provisional Government; and on September 3 the first 

 Constitutional Ministry was formed. Its members were: Senhor Joao Chagas, 

 Premier and Minister of the Interior; Dr. Mello Leotte (Justice); Dr. Duarte Leite 

 (Finance) ; General Pimentel Castro (War) ; Senhor J. de Menezes (Marine) ; Dr. Celes- 

 tino Almeida (Colonies); Dr. Augusto Vasconcellos (Foreign Affairs) ; Dr. Paes (Public 

 Works). The Republic was now recognised by all the leading Powers; Brazil had been 

 the first to accord recognition (Nov. 15, 1910), being followed by the United States 

 (June 19, 1-911), by France (Aug. 24), and finally by Great Britain, Spain, Germany, 

 Italy and Austria-Hungary (Sept. n). 



Party Politics. The conservative Bloc had at the outset a majority of 56 in the 

 Deputies including 32 Independents and of 25 in the Senate. The breach between 

 the Bloc and the Radicals soon began to widen; on September 4, indeed, Dr. Costa 

 the Radical leader, threatened to obstruct parliamentary business if the Ministry deviat- 

 ed from the democratic policy of the Provisional Government. On the 9th Parliament 

 adjourned, but in view of the imminence of a Royalist invasion it reassembled in special 

 session on October 16, to discuss a bill for the suppression of conspiracy. A Republi- 

 can conference was held, in the hope of reaching some understanding which would 

 assure union in the legislature during the winter; but it became apparent that the 

 Republican party had already split into several factions. On November 8, Dr. 

 Almeida, leader of one of the Bloc groups, withdrew his support, and the whole Cabinet 

 resigned. Four days later, a new Coalition Government was formed by Senhor Augusto 

 Vasconeellos, three ministers being Radicals and five belonging to the Bloc. This was 

 regarded as a victory for Dr. Costa. The Government programme included the 

 presentation of an accurate financial statement, the revision of Provincial legislation, 

 and a policy anti-clerical but respectful to all creeds. Some improvement in the finances 

 was effected by efforts to liberate the collection of revenue from local influences; 

 the extravagant increases in official salaries granted by the Provisional Government 

 had already been annulled by the Chagas Ministry. But the Government was unable 

 to retain the confidence of its supporters, and on June 21, 1912 a third Coalition Govern- 

 ment took its place, with Dr. Duarte Leite as Prime Minister. 



The Royalist Invasions. In the spring of 1911 a small force of Royalist refugees had 

 gathered in Spanish Galicia for a raid into Northern Portugal, where the Church and 

 the Monarchy could always count upon some popular support. The Royalist leader 

 was Captain Paiva Cougeiro. The Government created eighteen new military districts 

 and strengthened the frontier garrisons, especially at Braga and Villa Real. On June 

 15, the Portuguese Minister in Madrid, Senhor Relvas, complained to the Spanish 

 Government that the refugees were using Spanish territory as a base for an attack upon 

 the Republic. He received assurances of goodwill, but no strong action was taken by 

 the Spanish authorities, who had not yet recognised the Republic and who were embar- 

 rassed by the activity of Portuguese Republican agitators in several parts of Spain it- 

 self. A few consignments of war material were seized as contraband, and the German 

 S.S. " Gemma " was detained at Corcubion and compelled to unload a cargo of rifles 

 and ammunition destined for the Royalists. But Cougeiro and. his band of irregulars 

 remained for the most part unmolested. In July a Royalist plot was discovered in the 

 South; a whole regiment of chasseurs was arrested at Valenga do Minho in the extreme 

 North; and there were minor outbreaks in various districts. On the 24th and 2$th of 

 August two small steamers, the " Foam Queen " and the " Arizona," were seized by the 

 customs authorities at the ports of London and Barrow respectively. The " Foam 

 Queen " carried apparatus for wireless telegraphy and there were fittings for guns and 

 other war material aboard both vessels, which were believed to be intended for the 

 Portuguese Royalists, though their ostensible destination was Bahia Blanca. 



