File No. 838.00/1220.
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy.
Washington, July 28, 1915.
Sir: In confirmation of the telephonic conversations between the Chief of the Bureau of Operations of your Department and an official of the Latin American Division, I have the honor to request, in view of the grave situation now existing in Port au Prince, Haiti, that Admiral Caperton be instructed to land marines from the Washington at the earliest opportunity; that he request the Captains of both the British and French warships, which the Department understands are now about to proceed to Port au Prince, not to land their marines; and that he assure them the American forces are ready to and will protect foreign interests in Port au Prince.
I have [etc.]