No. 313.
Mr. Torbert to Mr.
Fish
No. 44.]
United States Legation, San Salvador, April
7, 1871. (Received May 2.)
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a
translation copy (marked A) of a note received from the minister of foreign
affairs of Honduras, in regard to the Honduras Railroad. I furnished a copy
of said note to the government of Salvador, and the translation copy (marked
B) herewith is their answer to the same.
I am, &c.,
A.
[Translation.]
Sr. Don Francisco Alvarado to
Mr. A. T. A. Torbert
Republic of Honduras, Department of
Foreign Affairs, Comayagua,
March 24, 1871.
Sir: The government has learned to-day that a
Salvadorean division, commanded by General Miranda, invaded the
territory of this state on the 22d instant by the place called
Goascoran, and that a part of the force had occupied the said place and
the other had proceeded toward the town of Langue.
[Page 692]
As it is quite possible that the expedition may come upon this capital,
which is on of the most important on the railroad route, the
superintending engineers of the works having their offices therein, and
as the government, by reason of its being a neutral point, could not and
should not make use of it as a “point d’appui” for military operations,
I hereby declare to you, in the name of my government, that in the event
of the Salvador forces making the attempt to occupy this capital, all
the inhabitants, both permanent and transient, together with their
interests, will remain under the protection of the great powers who have
guaranteed the neutrality of the Honduras Railroad line, one of which
powers is the great American republic that you honorably represent in
that country.
The government therefore trusts that you will be pleased to adopt the
necessary measures to prevent any attack against this city and the other
towns on the railroad route, inasmuch as there is no reason whatever for
their being occupied or molested by the enemies of Honduras. By order of
the government I write you this communication, hoping that you will
furnish me with a timely answer thereto, and accept my respects and
consideration.
B.
[Translation.]
Salvador Gallegos to Mr. A. T. A. Torbert
Department of Foreign Relations of
Salvador, National Palace, San
Salvador,
April 4, 1871.
Sir: This department has received your
excellency’s note of the 3d instant, together with the accompanying copy
of the communication which was addressed to your excellency by the
department of foreign affairs of Honduras, claiming the neutrality of
Comayagua as one of the most important points of the railroad line, that
government having been advised that a Salvadorean division had invaded
the soil of Honduras by Goascoran. As I had the honor of stating to your
excellency in my official letter of the 22d of February last, the
government of Salvador, in recognition of the neutrality of the railway,
promised to your excellency to issue all the necessary orders to have
the said neutrality duly respected in the event of an invasion by forces
of this republic. To this effect I have the pleasure of giving your
excellency the assurance that at the proper time the requisite orders
for this purpose were given to General Don Florencio Xatruch, chief of
the expeditionary army, who has, besides, advised my government of his
having come to an understanding, at the town of Nacaome, with the
engineers of the railroad, in order to proceed with greater certainty in
his military operations, without any violation of the neutrality.
For these reasons his excellency the President, on being informed of the
contents of the note from the Honduras foreign office, a copy of which
your excellency has been pleased to furnish me with, has directed me to
again signify to your excellency the recognition that this government
has made of the neutrality of all the railroad route, in which sense the
proper orders have been given and will be repeated.
In fulfilling the grateful duty of apprising your excellency of this in
answer to your note above referred to, it affords me much pleasure to
renew to you the assurances of my particular esteem and
consideration.
I am, &c.,
SALVADOR GALLEGOS, The Chief of Bureau in
Charge of the Department of Foreign
Delations.
