File No. 711.1216M/229.
The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Mexico, February 17, 1911.
At an interview with the president of Mexico and the minister of foreign affairs the following was agreed upon: The Mexican Government will immediately send 300 troops to protect our interests. These troops will proceed via Manzanillo. In view of the urgent necessity the Department of the Interior is authorized to employ as many ununiformed guards as may be necessary to afford adequate protection of the works. These guards are to be placed upon the rolls of the Colorado River Land & Irrigation Co. nominally as employees of the company.
The Mexican Government requests utmost discretion in sending these men across the boundary and that no publicity thereof be made in the American press. It is understood that no written notes are to be exchanged, a verbal agreement being considered advisable.