File No. 812.00/11484.
Chargé O’Shaughnessy to the Secretary of State.
Mexico City , April 10, 1914, 8 p.m.
841. Referring to the ultimatum delivered by Admiral Mayo to the military authorities at Tampico. I have received a note6 from the Foreign Office giving their side of the question and requesting me to ask for the withdrawal of the ultimatum. In the absence of instructions in the premises I called on General Huerta and explained to him the gravity of the matter and procured from him the follow [Page 450] ing written statement which I have sent to Admiral Fletcher and * * * given to the press:
First. That in view of the fact that the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America heard that the whaleboat in which the American sailors were was flying the flag of his country an investigation will be made to establish the responsibility of Colonel Hinojosa.
Second. That in accord with the line of conduct which the Government of Mexico has always followed in the fulfillment of its duties of an international character regarding all nations it deplores what has occurred in this case, which has grown out of nothing more than a misunderstanding by a subordinate official, since General Zaragoza, the superior in rank of this official, at once pointed out that what had happened was unintentional, and imposed upon Colonel Hinojosa the disciplinary punishment within the authority of said General Zaragoza.
Third. That if the investigation which is to be made should develop a greater responsibility on the part of Colonel Hinojosa the appropriate penalty will be imposed upon him by the competent authorities.
- Text given in Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s dispatch No. 2208 of April 15.↩