File No. 811f.812/706a.
The Secretary of State to Ambassador Willard 4
Washington, January 28, 1915.
Communicate following to Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The President of the United States regrets exceedingly that because of stress of public business he will be unable to go the Panama in March next and that in consequence the formal celebration of the opening of the Panama Canal will be postponed. It is expected however that the ceremonies will take place in July, of which the Government [Page 14] of Spain will be seasonably informed. The President highly appreciates the courtesy of the Government of Spain in accepting the invitation to be represented in this celebration by a naval vessel and representative, and he indulges the hope that, in no wise inconvenienced by this unavoidable postponement and moved by the same friendly consideration for the Government of the United States, the Government of Spain may be pleased to determine that its participation in the event shall in no wise be affected by its postponement. Announcement will be made publicly in few days.
- Mutatis mutandis, to the diplomatic officers of the United States in Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Peru, and Portugal.↩