File No. 312.41/258.
The British Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State.
Washington, June 18, 1914.
Dear Mr. Secretary: I have received your letter of June 16 in which you are good enough to enclose copy of correspondence which has passed between the American Consul at Chihuahua and the Department of State relative to the order issued by General Villa for the sequestration of the property of the late Mr. William S. Benton.
I am instructing the British Vice-Consul at El Paso to communicate, unofficially as he has done hitherto, with General Carranza and other Constitutionalist authorities, and to remind them of the repeated assurances given by them to him, both in writing and verbally, that the Constitutionalist Government would respect the lives and property of all British subjects in the territory under their control. He is at the same time to call their earnest attention to the reported sequestration in question and to point out to them the [Page 864] gravity with which His Majesty’s Government would look upon such an action if confirmed.
I am sending similar instructions to the British Vice-Consul at Chihuahua.
I would be grateful if you would be so good as to instruct the American Consular Officers at Juarez and Chihuahua to support such representations as their British colleagues may deem advisable to make to prevent the sequestration of Mr. Benton’s estate.
I am [etc.]