File No. 419.11D29/94.
Minister Price to
the Secretary of State.
[Extract.]
No. 516.]
American Legation,
Panama,
May 19, 1915.
Sir: Referring to my telegram of May 18, I
have the honor to enclose a copy of a Foreign Office note
transmitted by me pursuant to the Department’s telegram of May
14.
There is herewith enclosed a copy of the response of the Secretary of
Foreign Affairs to said note.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1.]
Minister Price to the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs.
No. 180.]
American Legation,
Panama,
May 11, 1915.
Excellency: I have the honor to advise
your excellency, in conformity with our conference on Saturday
afternoon, that my Government is considering duly the proposals
submitted in your excellency’s note No. S–6439 of April 24,
last, in the matter of the 4th of July riot, and that, in view
of the length of said note and to the end that there may be no
occasion for either of our Governments to be laboring under any
misapprehension as to the portion of same relating to the
payment of indemnities nor a possibility for either of us to
have misunderstood the other in said conference, it would seem
prudent, if agreeable to your excellency, to resolve same into
formal shape.
I am moved, therefore, to inquire of your excellency if you will
be good enough to confirm the following as the correct statement
of the understanding by my Government of the proposals of your
excellency’s Government in said matter, if same appears to your
excellency as a correct statement thereof, namely:
- 1.
- Panama offers to pay indemnities for the injuries
suffered by Americans on the occasion of the riot of the
4th of July, 1912, in the city of Panama, and agrees
that the only question that will be submitted to an
arbitrator, if the United States Government should agree
to make the selection of one, would be the amount of
damages sustained by the Americans who were killed and
injured in said riot.
- 2.
- The writing to be signed, if the method of arbitration
aforesaid is accepted by the United States, shall
clearly state that Panama agrees to pay indemnities in
said riot, and that the only questions to be passed upon
by such arbitrator, if selected, shall be the amount of
the damages suffered aforesaid measured in money
indemnities.
- 3.
- The two Governments shall, if desired by the United
States, first discuss between themselves the amount of
the indemnities to ascertain whether an agreement can be
reached before the proposition of selecting an
arbitrator is considered.
I avail [etc.]
[Inclosure 2—Translation.]
The Secretary for Foreign
Affairs to Minister Price.
No. S–6701.]
Foreign Office,
Panama,
May 18, 1915.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of the polite note from your excellency,
No. 180 of the 17th of this month, and I am glad to inform
[Page 1176]
you that the
interpretation which your excellency has given to my note No.
S–6439, of April 24 last, relating to the matter of July 4,
1912, is entirely correct; that is to say, that Panama agrees to
pay indemnities in the matter for the damages suffered by
American citizens as a result of the riot, and that the only
thing which should be submitted to arbitration is the amount of
the damages suffered by them.
In regard to the last paragraph of the note which I have the
honor to answer, my Government consents, if it is the desire of
your excellency, to discuss between ourselves the amount of the
indemnities in order to see if we can reach an agreement before
submitting the matter to arbitration.
I have [etc.]
