File No. 819.77/70.
The Acting Secretary of State to the American Chargé d’Affaires .
Washington , September 22, 1911 .
Sir: I acknowledge the receipt by the Department to-day of your despatches Nos. 169, 173, and 174, dated respectively September 9th, 12th, and 14th, all bearing upon phases of the railway construction [Page 1186] question in Panama, relating chiefly to the Dziuk concession matter and touching also upon the Panamá-David project.
On the occasion of carrying out the Department’s instruction of the 20th instant, you will, first of all, express to the Minister for Foreign Affairs this Government’s appreciation of the cordial spirit of the assurances contained in Mr. Boyd’s letter addressed to you on the 8th instant. You may assure the Minister for Foreign Affairs that it is, of course, unnecessary to express the entire confidence of the Government of the United States in the valued assurances then given. You may, indeed, intimate that they might possibly be regarded as rendering not actually necessary, so far as the Dziuk concession is concerned, the further communication which you are about to make under the instruction of the 20th instant. As a preliminary to carrying out that instruction you will readily be able to explain that, actuated by a spirit of friendly frankness, it is deemed best in any case to make to the Government of Panama that lengthy exposition of broad matters of policy which are of such vital concern to both Governments, and as to which it is so important that they should be at all times in accord and free from the possibility of any misunderstanding. The present instruction will, of course, be carried out orally but you will say that you are making these remarks under instructions.
I am [etc.]