File No. 812.00/1234.
The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Mexico, April 6, 1911—7 p.m.
I have official and trustworthy information that position of command of Gen. Luque besieged by rebels at Ojinaga is serious as supplies are practically exhausted, and War Department is concerned as to how additional supplies may be sent, it being pointed out that to send six or seven hundred men from Chihuahua would take at least seven days of forced marches and men would be so incumbered they could not repel attack. Department also loath to reduce force at Chihuahua shows considerable uneasiness as to the general situation and has been considering the eventual necessity for calling out 20,000 reserves, drawing upon the war fund, said to be 18,000,000 pesos, for expenses, in case peace negotiations in progress fall through. Informant regards this as grave and believes it would lead to a long and bloody campaign.
It is complained that rebels continue to receive large supplies of food and ammunition from across Texas border, and is declared that their military operations could be brought to an end in one month if this source were rendered unavailable.