File No. 812.00/948.
The Secretary of State to the Mexican Chargé d’Affaires.
Washington, March 27, 1911.
Excellency: In further reply to your note of the 3d instant communicating to the Department a report that 400 of the Springfield rifles held at San Diego by the United States had been sold for use by persons intending to invade Lower California, I have the honor to inform you that the Department is advised as follows by the War Department, to which a copy of your note was transmitted:
The Government has no store of rifles at or near San Diego other than those in the hands of two companies of Coast Artillery stationed at Fort Rosecrans, California. I might also state that for the past two years the Government has made no sales of arms-to dealers. It would therefore appear that the arms referred to by the Mexican consul at San Diego must be other than those owned by the United States Government.
Accept [etc.],