File No. 817.00/1526.
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy.
Washington, February 15, 1911.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit for your information and for consideration with reference to the advisability of keeping a naval vessel at Corinto paraphrases of two telegrams from American consular officers reporting on recent political events in the Republic of Nicaragua:
(From Consul Johnson, Corinto, February 13, 9 a.m.)
Acting under orders from Managua, the commandant here has recruited 25 men and sent them to Paso Caballos, where he will also place a field gun.
[Page 655](From Consul Moffat, Managua, February 13, 10 a.m.)
Two million cartridges, 10,000 rifles, and the Government magazines containing them destroyed to-day by fire, and the people are greatly excited. Documents were found last Saturday showing Zelayista Liberal’s plot to capture Leon and Managua as the first move of a revolution. The fire in the magazines may be a part of the plot. The country is under martial law and President Estrada is investigating. All Conservatives and many Liberals have assured him of their support. Several Zelayista Liberals, among them Felix Pedro Zelaya, Rodolfo Espinosa, Luciano Gómez, Octavio Gómez, José Dolores Gómez, and Manuel Maldonado, have been arrested. I consider the situation well in hand.
I have, etc.,