Office of the Historian

File No. 811.34537/113.

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

No. 571.]
American Legation,
Habana, December 27, 1912.

Sir: Referring to the Department’s instruction (No. 170) of the 21st ultimo, I have the honor to transmit herewith the agreement amending the agreements between the United States and Cuba concluded February 16/23, 1903, and July 2, 1903, by which certain areas of land and water in Guantánamo and Bahía Honda were leased to the United States for coaling and naval stations. This agreement was signed by me to-day on behalf of the United States and by Señor Manuel Sanguily y Garritt, Secretary of State, on behalf of the Republic of Cuba.

I am [etc.]

A. M. Beaupré.
[Inclosure.]

Proposed agreement between the United States and Cuba for the enlargement of the Guantánamo Naval Station.

The United States of America and the Republic of Cuba having entered into certain agreements on February 16/23 and on July 2, 1903, by which certain described areas of land and water in Guantánamo and Bahía Honda in the Island of Cuba were leased to the United States for the purpose of coaling and naval stations, and the two Governments being now desirous of cancelling so much of the said lease as relates to the areas in Bahía Honda and of extending the said lease over certain additional areas of land and water in Guantánamo, they have therefore resolved to enter into an agreement for that purpose and to that end have named as their plenipotentiaries—the President of the United States: Mr. Arthur M. Beaupré, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Habana; and the President of the Republic of Cuba: Sr. Manuel Sanguily y Garritt, Secretary of State. Who, after communicating to each other their respective full powers found to be in due form, have agreed upon the following articles:

  • Article I. The limits of the areas of land and water of Guantánamo which were ceded in lease to the United States of America by the agreements of February 16/23 and July 2, 1903, are hereby enlarged and fixed in the following form: [Page 296]
    1.
    From the middle of the river Yateras at the place of its discharge into the ocean, a curved line following the middle of said river to its farthest western intersection with the parallel of 20° north latitude.
    2.
    From the northwestern extremity of this line, a straight line running west (true) a distance of 3.50 miles more or less to its point of intersection with an extension of the line that constitutes the eastern boundary prescribed in the original lease by the Republic of Cuba to the United States; that is to say, to its point of intersection with a line running north (true) from a point on the south coast of Cuba 4.37 nautical miles to the eastward of the present position of Windward Point Lighthouse.
    3.
    From the western extremity of this line, a straight line running south (true) a distance of 1.68 nautical miles more or less to a point east (true) from the northern extremity of the point of North Toro Cay that is situated about 5.68 nautical miles north 20½ degrees east (true) from the position of the present lighthouse on Windward Point.
    4.
    From the southern end of this line, a straight line running west (true) to its point of intersection with a line running north 35° east (true) from the monument H 12 on the northern boundary laid down in the original lease by the Republic of Cuba to the United States.
    5.
    From the western end of this line, a straight line running south 35° west (true) to its point of intersection at the monument H 12 with the northern boundary laid down in the original lease by the Republic of Cuba to the United States.
    6.
    From the southwest end of this line, a straight line running north 59° 7′ west (true) through the said monument H 12 to the line of the east coast of the northeastern point of North Toro Cay.
    7.
    From the northwestern end of this line, a curved line coinciding with the northeastern, northern and northwestern line of the coast of the northeastern point of North Toro Cay to the point of intersection with the prolongation of the said straight line that runs north 59° 7′ west (true) through the said monument H 12 and the point at the northern extremity of North Toro Cay previously mentioned.
    8.
    From the southwestern end of this line, a straight line that runs north 59° 7′ west (true) to the point on the northern extremity of North Toro Cay previously mentioned.
    9.
    From the northwestern extremity of this line, a broken line running first north 61° 50′ west (true) a distance of 0.42 nautical mile more or less, then south 33° 53′ west (true) a distance of 0.66 nautical mile more or less, said line terminating on the western shore of North Toro Cay at a point south 61° west (true) from the southern extremity of Fort Toro, and having its two parts respectively tangent to the northeastern and northwestern shores of the unnamed islet lying northward from Toro Cay.
    10.
    From the southwestern extremity of this line, a straight line running west (true) a distance of 0.21 nautical mile more or less to the shore-line of Flamingo Cay at Cayoba Point.
    11.
    From the western extremity of this line, a curved line running in coincidence with the northeastern and northern shore-line of Flamingo Cay to the westernmost extremity of the northwestern point of Flamingo Cay.
    12.
    From the western extremity of this line, a straight line running north 70° 4′ west (true) a distance of 0.48 nautical mile.
    13.
    From the northwestern extremity of this line, a straight line running west (true) a distance of 1.39 nautical miles more or less to a point northeast (true) from the western extremity of the northern boundary described in the original lease granted by the Republic of Cuba to the United States.
    14.
    From the western extremity of this line, a broken line running first southwest (true) a distance of 0.52 nautical mile more or less to the western extremity of the northern boundary described in the aforesaid original lease, and thereafter conforming with the northwestern and western boundaries as laid down in said lease.
  • Article II. All the rights acquired and all the obligations contracted by the United States of America and the Republic of Cuba in regard to the areas leased at Guantánamo by virtue of the above-mentioned agreements are hereby extended to the new leased areas. The United States of America agrees and covenants to pay to the Republic of Cuba the annual sum of five thousand dollars in gold coin of the United States as long as the former shall occupy and use the areas leased by this agreement. All or any private lands and other real property within said areas shall, upon the request of the Government of [Page 297] the United States of America, be acquired by the Republic of Cuba. The United States of America agrees to furnish to the Republic of Cuba the reasonable sums necessary for the purchase of said private lands and properties, and such sums shall be accepted by the Republic of Cuba as advance payment on account of rental due by virtue of this agreement.
  • Article III. All the clauses and provisions of the agreements of February 16/23 and July 2, 1903, that are not altered or modified by the present agreement shall remain in full force.
  • Article IV. The United States of America hereby relinquishes all rights over and upon, and the Republic of Cuba hereby releases the United States of America from all duties and obligations connected with and concerning the areas of land and water at Bahía Honda as established by the cession in lease by the Republic of Cuba to the United States of America under the agreements of February 16/23 and July 2, 1903.
  • Article V. This agreement of lease and renunciation shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in the City of Habana within six months from the date of this document.

In testimony of which we, the respective plenipotentiaries, have signed this lease and renunciation and affixed hereto our seals.

Done at Habana in duplicate in English and Spanish this 27th day of December, 1912.

[Signed]
A. M. Beaupré
,
[Signed]
Manuel Sanguily
.