File No. 812.00/4438.
The Acting Secretary of State to the American Ambassador.
Washington, July 19, 1912.
Sir: Acting upon a suggestion made by you during your recent visit to Washington, to the effect that casual and friendly visits to Mexican ports by vessels of our Navy would have a beneficial moral effect upon the Mexican people, this Department has requested the Navy Department to detail vessels to make such visits, both to the west and east coasts of Mexico.
The Department’s letter of July 13 to the Navy Department and the latter’s reply of July 18,1 copies of which are enclosed herewith, will make clear to you the arrangements that have been made. You are instructed to bring the proposed visits—to which the Department assumes no objection will be urged—to the attention of the Mexican Government, and to point out that the despatch of these vessels to Mexican waters is merely for the purpose of making a casual visit, such as vessels of all nations are accustomed to make from time to time to foreign ports, and that their mission is entirely friendly and without ulterior purpose. Request that the Mexican officials at the various ports to be touched be duly informed, and notify consular officers at the various ports so that such arrangements as are necessary can be conveniently made.
I am [etc.]
- Not printed.↩