Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 9, 1891

Mr. Blaine to Mr. Pacheco.

Department of State,
Washington, March 16, 1891.

No. 44.]

Sir: The Department’s instruction No. 197, of October 21, 1890, communicated to Mr. Mizner copies of two dispatches from the United States vice-consul at Tegucigalpa in relation to the interruptions alleged to affect mercantile correspondence by telegraph between Honduras and the United States even after the close of the late conflict in Central America, and Mr. Mizner was directed to make earnest representations against the prolongation of a state of things so injurious to friendly commercial relations. No further complaint on that score reaching us, it was hoped that the cause had disappeared.

I now transmit copy of a dispatch (No. 27, of the 12th ultimo) from Mr. Peterson, consul at Tegucigalpa, from which it appears that the delays and obstructions to telegraphic communication by way of the Salvador land lines and the cable touching at La Libertad still continue. The letter of the same date, therein referred to, addressed to your legation by Mr. Peterson, has been in turn transmitted to the Department by Mr. Kimberly with his dispatch No. 253, of February 23. The instances of delay so reported suggest the need of some very positive corrective.

The kindly attitude of this Government in favor of all that may aid speedy and certain communication between this country and its nearest neighbors, to their common benefit, warrants the expression of warm solicitude that the necessary freedom of intercourse be not injuriously hampered by such causeless and vexatious neglect as appears to be frequent with respect to telegraphic management in Salvador The fact that the lines in that country are under the control of its Government, and the earnest stand taken by the Salvadorian authorities last summer in favor of untrammeled correspondence, justifies the hope that the Government of Salvador will speedily devise and apply a remedy in furtherance of Central American interests no less than of those of the United States.

I am, etc.,

James G. Blaine.

[Inclosure in No. 44.]

Mr. Peterson to Mr. Wharton.

Consulate of the United States,
Tegucigalpa, February 12, 1891.

No. 27.]

Sir: I inclose a copy of a letter,^* which I have forwarded to Mr. Kimberly at Guatemala, concerning the bad state of the cable communication between this Republic and the United States.

This trouble has existed for some time, and the fault, as stated in the inclosed letter, seems to be with Salvador.

It seems that the authorities there permit messages to go through when they see fit, and the state of affairs is very detrimental to the business interests of American citizens in Honduras and the commercial relations between the United States and this Republic, especially as all business of that kind must go through the Salvador office.

If relief can be had in the shape of the entire inviolability of business communication by cable between this Republic and the United States, it will redound not only to the personal benefit of American citizens here, but to the extension of commercial relations with the United States.

I am, etc.,

James J. Peterson.

1. For this inclosure see inclosure in No. 253, of February 23, 1891, from Mr. Kimberly.