The Secretary of State to Minister Bowen.

[Telegram.—Paraphrase.]

(Mr. Hay instructs Mr. Bowen to try to get Venezuelan Government to agree to the principle of an impartial arbitration of the cases of Bermudez Company, Critchfield, Jaurett, and of the revision of the Olcott award, and the trial of all these cases absolutely on their merits. If Venezuelan Government will accept the principle above stated, Mr. Bowen is authorized to conclude protocol sent him in the Bermudez case, and is told that the Department will send him protocol for the other cases and that all can be submitted to the same tribunal.)