File No. 319.112C64/23.

The Secretary of State to the Secretary of War.

Sir. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, with which you enclose papers relating to claims for damages against the Republic of Panama on account of personal injuries received by enlisted men of the United States Army in a riot in the City of Panama on February 13–14, 1915.

The enclosures in your letter are returned, and in reply I have the honor to say that the claims which it is desired to present against the Government of Panama should be prepared in accordance with the instructions contained in the claims circular which is forwarded to [Page 1194] you herewith, and transmitted to the Department, which will in due time give the claims careful consideration with a view to determining whether diplomatic intervention in support thereof is justifiable.

I have [etc.]

Robert Lansing.