Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part I

No. 99.
Mr. Hall to Mr. Bayard.

[Extract.]

Legation of the United States in Central America,
Guatemala, February 23, 1888. (Received March 16.)

No. 779.]

Sir: In answer to your instruction No. 510 of the 25th ultimo, received on the 16th instant, I have the honor to inclose translations of the telegrams exchanged with Señor Zelaya, minister for foreign affairs of Honduras, relating to the nationality of Vivorilla Key, lying off the coast of that Republic.

It would seem that the Government had to apply to the governor of the coast department of Colon for information; he replied that the key is in the jurisdiction of Honduras, and that it is situate 33 miles to the north of the mouth of the “Coratzca” lagoon, which lies near to the coast and not far from the Nicaraguan frontier. The name of the lagoon is no doubt incorrectly given in the telegram; in some maps the name is “Catargo,” and in others “Cataraca.” I imagine there can be no doubt but that the key belongs to Honduras.

Upon receipt of the minister’s telegram of the 21st I cabled the following to the Department:

Minister for foreign affairs of Honduras telegraphs, Vivorilla Key within the jurisdiction of Honduras.

I have, etc.,

Henry C. Hall.

[Inclosure 1 in No. 779.—Telegram.—Translation.]

Mr. Hall to Señor Zelaya.

Guatemala, February 17, 1888.

I greet your excellency, and by instruction of my Government request your excellency to be pleased to inform me whether Vivorilla Key, situate about 180 miles from Ruatan, Bay of Honduras, is in the jurisdiction of that Repuhlic?

Henry C. Hall.

[Inclosure 2 in No. 779.—Telegram.—Translation.]

Señor Zelaya to Mr. Hall.

Tegucigalpa, February 19, 1888.

I have asked for information from Puerto Cortes and Truxillo, in order to reply with certainty to your telegram respecting Vivorilia Key.

Your obedient servant,

Jeronimo Zelaya.

[Inclosure 3 in No. 779.—Telegram.—Translation.]

The same to the same.

Tegucigalpa, February 21, 1888.

The governor of the department of Colon communicates by telegraph the following:

“Vivorilla Shoal and Keys are in our jurisdiction. They are situate 33 miles to the north of the mouth of Coratzca^* (?) Lagoon. It contains limestone and some guano.”

Your obedient servant,

Jeronimo Zelaya.

1. The name of the lagoon is no doubt incorrectly transmitted. On some maps the name is “Catargo” and on others Cataraca.