Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1912

File No. 811.304 M28/58.

The Acting Secretary of State to the American Minister.

No. 31.]

Department of State,
Washington, February 17, 1912.

Sir: The Department is advised by the Secretary of War that on December 6, 1910, the President of Cuba, in a letter addressed to the President, requested that a part of the battleship Maine might be delivered to the Republic of Cuba for memorial purposes. At a later date the Cuban Secretary of Public Works addressed a letter to the engineer officer in charge of the work of raising the Maine, asking that the after-turret of the vessel intact with its guns and their mounts might be furnished for that purpose.

Mr. Stimson states that under authority of the Act of Congress approved December 22, 1911, he has approved the transfer of the said after-turret intact with guns and their mounts and some of the shells belonging to them, to the Republic of Cuba for the purpose above indicated.

You will communicate this information to the President of the Republic of Cuba.

Copies of the War Department’s letter and its enclosures are transmitted herewith.

I am [etc.]

Wilson.