File No. 822.5048.
The Acting Secretary of
State to the American
Minister.
No. 3.]
Department of State,
Washington,
July 21, 1913.
Sir: The Department encloses herewith a copy
of a note dated July 5, 1913, from the British Embassy, with reference
to a despatch dated May 14, 1913, a copy of which is also enclosed,1 from the British
representative at Quito regarding labor conditions in certain parts of
Ecuador.
You are instructed to forward all information obtainable at Quito as to
the condition of the indigenes in the Ecuadorean Province of Oriente,
and to furnish your views as to the advisability of the United States
joining with Great Britain in the friendly invitation to the Ecuadorean
Government alluded to in the note from the British Embassy.
I am [etc.]
[Inclosure 1.]
The British Ambassador
to the Secretary of State.
No. 183.]
British Embassy,
Dublin N. H.,
July 5, 1913.
Sir: I have the honour to refer to Mr.
Huntington Wilson’s note1 to my predecessor, No. 1714 of December 26th
last, in which it is stated, in answer to enquiries on the subject
on the part of His Majesty’s Government that the United States
Government would be prepared, in specific cases of the maltreatment
of South American natives, to use its influence with the Government
concerned to ensure steps being taken to better the condition of the
native inhabitants.
In this connection I have now the honour, under instruction from my
Government, to bring to your notice unofficially the enclosed copy
of a despatch from His Majesty’s Chargé d’ Affaires at Quito and to
enquire whether, in view of the above-mentioned note, the United
States Government would be disposed to join with His Majesty’s
Government in a friendly invitation to the Ecuadorean Government
thoroughly to investigate the circumstances and, should a traffic in
slaves between Ecuador and Peru be found to exist, to cooperate with
the Peruvian Government in suppressing it.
I have [etc.]
(Not signed.) [
Cecil Arthur
Spring-Rice.
]
