File No. 882.00/455.
The Secretary of State to the American Chargé d’Affaires.
Washington , January 7, 1913 .
The Department could not give definite instructions until it had received and examined Ballard’s report. Inasmuch as no American [Page 664] officer was present and because such course would be for the purpose of avoiding long delay, it is difficult to see why the closing of the incident in the manner outlined in the last paragraph of your telegram of January 5 should affect the usefulness of the American officers, and certainly the earliest possible adjustment of the incident is desirable. Perhaps you could agree with the German Consul that the dismissal of the Liberian officer should be provisional, pending an ultimate exchange of views between the American and German Governments after both had received full reports from their respective representatives.