[Untitled]
Patrick William Riordan, being first duly sworn, deposes and says that he arrived at The Hague on August 25, 1902; that between the day last named and the 31st of August, 1902, at the request of Jackson H. Ralston, esquire, agent of the United States in the aboveentitled arbitration, he wrote to Rome to have search made among the papal archives for documents if any could there be found, addressed by Mexico to the Holy See on or before the 27th day of April, 1840, requesting the erection of the Californias into a bishopric.
A few days after writing to Rome for the purpose aforesaid affiant received replies from the persons to whom he had written informing him that search had been instituted and was being prosecuted for the purpose aforesaid. No information concerning the existence of any of the documents mentioned was received by affiant until September 20, 1902, when he received a memorandum of entries in the papal archives showing that Mexico had made representations to the Holy See in the year 1840, and prior to April 27th thereof, in relation to the erection of the aforementioned bishopric It was impossible to ascertain from the entries mentioned whether the representations of Mexico were oral or in writing or their precise nature or character. On September 30, 1902, affiant received the annexed document bearing date April 6, 1840, which he is informed and believes to be a true copy of an original in the archives of the Holy See.
Affiant has received no other document purporting to have been addressed by Mexico to the Holy See in relation to this subject, nor any information that any other exists; and affiant has received no information of, nor any document from, the Holy See to Mexico in relation to the said bishopric. The only other documents concerning which affiant has received any information are memoranda concerning the erection of the see which he is informed and believes to be part of the archives of the Holy See and which he is prepared to produce.
Affiant believes that within fourteen days from this date he can procure from Rome a copy like the one attached to this deposition, certified and verified to be a true copy of the original by the custodian of the original and in conformity with the provisions of Paragraph IV of the protocol.
The affiant is unable to say how continuous a search has been made in the papal archives for the documents above-mentioned, as he has no personal knowledge upon that subject, but he is informed and believes that a search was ordered to be made prior to September 5, 1902, and began on or before that day, and that the search has been prosecuted with diligence continuously since said day last mentioned.
[seal.]
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Netherlands.