Mr. Baker to Mr. Gresham.

Sir: Complaint having been made to me by the Government of Nicaragua that Consul Braida has been actively in sympathy with the British armed occupancy of Blue fields, 1 deemed it my duty to send him the inclosed note of caution. I am persuaded that Mr. Braida has not departed from the just and conservative course which his official position demands of him, notwithstanding the provocation to retaliate for the insults offered him may have been great.

I am, etc.,

Lewis Baker.
[Inclosure.]

Mr. Baker to Mr. Braida.

Dear Sir: I have returned to you by the outgoing mails your recent telegrams. They were delayed in their transmission four days, and when received were so mutilated as to be unintelligible. I undertook to send several telegraph messages to you, all of which required answers. [Page 256] I received no answers, and conclude that either the messages were not delivered, or if delivered were so mutilated as to be beyond recognition.

Complaint has been made to the President of this Republic, by Governor Rivas I presume, that the American consul is throwing his personal and official influence against Nicaragua in the Mosquito affair. I feel sure that you have a just appreciation of the dignity of your official position and of your duty as a representative of the United States, which require you to occupy a friendly position toward this Government, and that you have not departed from this path of duty. But since the statement has been made to me, in a second-hand way, from the public officials here, that you have allowed the insults offered you by the Nicaraguan official at Grey Town, Rivas, to influence you in your action in the Mosquito affairs, I deem it my duty to caution you against doing anything by word or deed which could properly be construed into unfriendliness to the Government of Nicaragua or to its claim of sovereign rights over that territory.

I will ask you to repeat to me by telegraph, on receipt of this, an unvarnished statement of the facts in the case.

I am, etc.,

Lewis Baker.