File No. 125.8273/88.
The Secretary of State to Ambassador W. H. Page.
Washington, August 1, 1914.
Sir: I quote from an unnumbered despatch of June 8 from Mr. John R. Silliman, American Vice and Deputy Consul at Saltillo, Mexico, regarding his imprisonment by order of General Joaquin Maas, the following passage in reference to the assistance rendered him by Mr. D. B. McMillan, British Vice Consul at Saltillo, and Mr. H. J. Wheeler, his assistant:
I desire to record here, the great, the constant and the intelligent service and effort made in my behalf by Mr. D. B. McMillan, the British Vice Consul, and by Mr. H. J. Wheeler, his capable assistant. These gentlemen did everything that possibly could have been done for me and for the other Americans during our confinement. It was through the personal appeal of Mr. McMillan that General Maas finally consented that I be removed from the penitentiary to the British Vice Consulate. Not only was Mr. McMillan concerned for the prisoners but the Vice Consulate was a place of refuge for all the Americans remaining [Page 668] in Saltillo as well as for the British. The house is a very large one and it was virtually turned into a well managed and well provided hotel. Mr. McMillan assisted by his wife and Mr. Wheeler saw that everyone was comfortable.
You are instructed to request the Government of Great Britain to convey to Messrs. McMillan and Wheeler an expression of this Government’s appreciation of and thanks for their able and valuable aid to Mr. Silliman.
I am [etc.]