File No. 815.77/89.
The Secretary of State to the American Minister.
Washington , February 10, 1912 .
The following telegram was sent to the Commander of the Petrel by the Navy Department:
You may land force in your discretion to prevent violence but you will not forcibly resist seizure by the Government of Honduras, giving notice in that case that this Government reserves all rights to exact full and prompt settlement of resultant claims.
The above telegram did not reach the Commander until after the force had been landed and the [Navy] Department is now in receipt of the following telegram from him:
Replying to your telegram of February 7th, I have withdrawn force and served notice of your instructions on authorities.
You will express regrets of the Department that the Honduran officer acted with such haste as to compel the Commander of the [Page 599] Petrel to act before he had received instructions, and to state that the attitude of the Department remains as expressed in its telegram of the 5th instant.