File No. 417.00/21.

The American Minister to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency that I am instructed to present to your excellency’s Government for its consideration the following specific plan for the constituting of the tribunal proposed in general terms by Dr. Tomás Martínez, former minister for foreign affairs of your excellency’s Government, in his note to the Hon. Thomas C. Dawson of November 5, 1910.

The proposed commission to be composed, for all cases, of three persons acting as one tribunal; the three persons to be one Nicaraguan and one American citizen, the latter recommended by the Government of the United States, both of whom are to be appointed by your excellency’s Government, and an umpire to be appointed by the Department of State of my Government; every case to be initially presented before the tribunal so constituted and to be heard in its entirety and decided by the tribunal, a majority vote of the tribunal being sufficient for a decision upon all matters coming before it; the two commissioners and the umpire all sitting as a court on all cases presented for adjudication, and all voting on each case.

Permit me to add that I would appreciate very much a statement of the opinion of your excellency’s Government as to these proposed details at your excellency’s convenience.

I avail, etc.,

Elliott Northcott.