Mr. Bowen to Mr. Hay.

No. 276.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that this afternoon Gen. Rafael Reyes, President-elect of Colombia, after a long conference with President Castro, called on me and told me that General Castro agreed to send consuls to Colombia this week, and that Colombia would then send consuls to Venezuela. No date was named for appointing ministers, but it was understood that they should be named soon. I judge from what General Reyes added that all questions in dispute between the two countries will be submitted to arbitration, and that the arbitrator will be Señor Herboso, the Chilean minister to Colombia and Venezuela. Señor Herboso is in Caracas, and it is principally owing to his efforts that President Castro and General Reyes were brought together. General Reyes wants the Orinoco River opened to Colombia and the Maracaibo district provided with liberal transit regulations and facilities. General Reyes will leave here day after to-morrow, after a visit of less than a week.

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I am, etc.,

Herbert W. Bowen.